More about Melissa (https://www.networkisa.org/profile/melissa-birks): 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.

Time Stamps:
0:00 - Intro
0:22 - Current watches and Industry heroes
2:08 - Origin story
5:39 - Melissa’s voice in writing
8:51 - interest in true crime
10:53 - current projects
13:11 - querying and networking
16:08 - introduction to ISA
18:37 - best advice received
23:16 - fun concluding questions
27:10 - conclusion