First Year
Dramatic Writing Option
What medium do you prefer to work in? Television.
Favorite TV show? Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Favorite film/documentary? The Matrix.
Favorite play? Sweeney Todd.
Why did you choose Cal State L.A.’s MFA program in Television, Film and Theatre? It's the only program in L.A. that gives students the opportunity to focus on all three mediums. It's also the most affordable.
What were you doing before you enrolled in the program? I was taking theatre and television classes at my local community college in Hayward, Chabot College, and just attempting to write as much as I could in my spare time.
Do you have film/TV industry experience or are you currently working in the industry? No.
What are you passionate about? Family and friends. Without them, I don't know where I'd be in my life. They have been my inspiration and the reason I have yet to lose my mind every time I realize what I've decided to do with my life. They make the thoughts of my inevitable hardships that much easier to think about.
What themes are important to you in your work? I find that I'm drawn to stories about "small" people that achieve seemingly impossible things. I also love stories that break stereotypes.
What projects/people in the film industry inspire you? Jane Espenson, Shonda Rhimes, and Quentin Tarantino. Espenson and Rhimes are both intelligent women that have produced what I consider to be some of the most entertaining content of the last few decades. I've been drawn to Tarantino's work because he's not afraid of wandering outside the box.
Most fascinating thing you have learned in the MFA program? So far, I've learned a lot about myself as a writer, how I like to work, and the areas I need to work on the most. The program has really helped me be more open-minded as well.
What are your plans for after graduation? My ultimate goal is to be a sitcom writer, so for now I plan to stay in the area, write, network, and do whatever I can to just be seen and known.