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Melissa Birks

(She/Her/Hers)

Screenwriter

Biography

My screenwriting journey began when I became obsessed with the story of my great-aunt Helen, whose ghost haunts the Mansfield Reformatory (where "Shawshank Redemption" was filmed). I fictionalized Aunt Helen's story and eventually crafted my brand as a writer of historical fiction. My screenplays tell stories of characters who may be under-the-radar or unexplored. A former newspaper reporter and editor, I enjoy spending hours trolling digital newspaper archives on the hunt for hidden gems. I wrote an origin myth about Jack the Ripper that placed in the quarterfinals of the Nicholl Fellowship. I wrote and produced a 30-minute mockumentary in which historical figures interact with a fictional inventor driven to build a rocket-powered flying pig. My drama inspired by the real serial killer Albert Fish placed in the finals (top 10) of the 2022 Stage 32 Feature Fellowship. In 2025, I finished co-producing a short film that I wrote. I am now submitting "Therapy" to film festivals.

My screenwriting journey began when I became obsessed with the story of my great-aunt Helen, whose ghost haunts the Mansfield Reformatory (where "Shawshank Redemption" was filmed). I fictionalized Aunt Helen's story and eventually crafted my brand as a writer of historical fiction. My screenplays tell stories of characters who may be under-the-radar or unexplored. A former newspaper reporter and editor, I enjoy spending hours trolling digital newspaper archives on the hunt for hidden gems. I wrote an origin myth about Jack the Ripper that placed in the quarterfinals of the Nicholl Fellowship. I wrote and produced a 30-minute mockumentary in which historical figures interact with a fictional inventor driven to build a rocket-powered flying pig. My drama inspired by the real serial killer Albert Fish placed in the finals (top 10) of the 2022 Stage 32 Feature Fellowship. In 2025, I finished co-producing a short film that I wrote. I am now submitting "Therapy" to film festivals.

Projects (5)

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The Confessor
Feature
  • Crime .
  • Historical
0 Recommendation
2 Awards
Watch Video
Available
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Jumbo's Keeper
Feature
  • Drama .
  • Historical
0 Recommendation
1 Award
Watch Video
Available
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Girl of the Palio
Feature
  • Action
0 Recommendation
1 Award
Watch Video
Available
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Uncaged
Feature
  • Crime .
  • Thriller
0 Recommendation
0 Award
Watch Video
Available

Credits (1)

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Therapy
Written by
Short
  • Drama .
  • Dramedy .
  • Family
0 Recommendation
0 Award
Trailer
Produced

Education

DePaul University
MFA Screenwriting
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Melissa Birks

Screenwriter

Biography

My screenwriting journey began when I became obsessed with the story of my great-aunt Helen, whose ghost haunts the Mansfield Reformatory (where "Shawshank Redemption" was filmed). I fictionalized Aunt Helen's story and eventually crafted my brand as a writer of historical fiction. My screenplays tell stories of characters who may be under-the-radar or unexplored. A former newspaper reporter and editor, I enjoy spending hours trolling digital newspaper archives on the hunt for hidden gems. I wrote an origin myth about Jack the Ripper that placed in the quarterfinals of the Nicholl Fellowship. I wrote and produced a 30-minute mockumentary in which historical figures interact with a fictional inventor driven to build a rocket-powered flying pig. My drama inspired by the real serial killer Albert Fish placed in the finals (top 10) of the 2022 Stage 32 Feature Fellowship. In 2025, I finished co-producing a short film that I wrote. I am now submitting "Therapy" to film festivals.

Awards & Accolades

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+4 More

Success Stories

New
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THERAPY coming soon!
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BELLE placed in top 100 of "Shoot Your Sizzle 2020"
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Fast Track Fellow, Melissa Birks Signs With The Savage Agency
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Conversations
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