Stories. They’re everywhere. Gestating, developing, creating their own destiny and awaiting to be released into the world.

As far back as I can remember, I was enchanted by characters and the events that shaped them. Be it bedtime stories, television shows, feature films or books, even at an early age, I could tell when a story was missing something and when it really left an impression. Film fascinated me because it used storytelling devices to narrate a person’s emotional journey in a way that resonated with audiences all within the average time of 90 minutes. Nothing was by chance and everything that happened to someone had meaning, just as in life. Our character is shaped by what we go through and how we deal with what life throws at us. Great stories don’t just exist on the screen or in books, but in front of our eyes every day. Sometimes the distractions of life mask the true story behind the mundane and I enjoy holding the mirror up and showing someone that their life is so much more than they realised.

Everything happens for a reason. The death of Bambi’s mother left an orphaned young prince to learn the ways of the forest alone and become king. The answering machine that takes Sarah Connor’s messages diverts her destiny to a doomed path as technology betrays her throughout. Jerry Maguire had to know how to adopt a likeable persona in a crowd in order to not want to be the real him when confronted with intimacy. Neo seeks answers and questions authority only to have his mind opened far beyond his imagination, allowing him to choose the life he wants to experience rooted in cause and effect. Farm boy Luke Skywalker must understand the trivial life he has grounded in moisture vaporators on Tatooine to fully appreciate the excitement that awaits him beyond the stars. He needed a life to leave behind otherwise how was he to find his purpose and family? Santiago must travel and meet others to find out who he truly is and to believe in himself in The Alchemist. Nothing is without purpose, as is every life lived.

My own journey has taken me from hearing stories to watching them brought to life on film sets and eventually piecing them together as a producer and writer. I became a screenwriter to breathe life into characters and stories that were just waiting to venture out into the world. I continue to write for the screen while mentoring new writers and providing script consultancy services, while being a story analyst for everything from television pilots and independent features to Hollywood blockbusters.

Stories are everywhere and great characters transcend even stories. Will you tell your story and allow it to inspire others?