AMANDA CHEUNG
 AMANDA CHEUNG
Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Toronto, ON, Canada Your script stood out among hundreds of others. What was the inspiration for your story and why did you write a script instead of a short story or a novel? This story stems from feeling this immense guilt for no particular reason. You do everything you can to try and make that feeling go away, you even confront your worst fears, only to realise your guilt isn’t based in reality. The Apology Tour was my way of communicating ‘I’m sorry for existing’ in a heightened comedic way. The story was always very visual to me; I saw bright colours expressing time periods of elevated mood, and bland, stagnant frames during phases of disassociation. I knew immediately I wanted this story to be a short film. How long did it take you to write your script...and what is your writing process? Do you outline...use index cards...white board...or just start with FADE IN? I started the Apology Tour in a journal about a year ago. I write everything in a journal, and when I feel so inspired by a scene, I begin to build the world around it. However, with a lot of flashbacks, I eventually used index cards to make sure everything was making sense, chronologically. Being a first-time writer, I did not know what they were until just finalising my script. What is your ultimate ambition as a writer? I like to write very raw, real and awkward conversations. As a writer, I want to talk about things people don’t like to talk about. Show the scenes of people doing mundane stuff that normally gets cut. My ultimate ambition is to write screenplays that make people feel like the awkwardness, discomfort and messiness of life is far more normal than you’d think. Was your entry at The Wiki Screenplay Contest a full script or “the first ten pages”? Why did you make that choice? I put the full script, mine is 15 pages, but I was very happy with my ending. I thought it added a lot of value to the character. I also submitted to this festival because it is known for giving great feedback, and I thought that to properly assess the story arc, it would be best to show the full story. What’s your all-time favourite movie or television show...and why? Arrested Development – I am just continuously impressed by how many jokes the writers are able to fit into each episode. Every re-watch I am laughing at something new. I am a big comedy fan, and the writing of this show is so clever that it blows my mind over and over. What advice do you have for writers hoping to win a contest or place as a finalist as you have? I don’t have much to say as a beginner; however, I was always told to never stop writing. Write every day. I also read Joseph Campbell’s The Hero with a Thousand Faces; it was recommended for one of my acting classes. It helped me a lot with script analysis, building the arc of my story, and gave me tools to watch media more critically. Also, ask your friends and family to read your screenplays. I do this a lot. They can’t help much in terms of line-by-line editing because they’re very busy, but they can answer some big questions, like, does this land? Do you like it? What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? I am producing my first-ever project! I am the writer/director of SERIAL DATERS, a comedy sketch miniseries that takes elements from I Think You Should Leave and Sex and the City. Each episode has a runtime of 5 minutes, something manageable as a first-time producer and writer. Will Chronically-Online Hinge Date #33 be the one? While running from the shame and humiliation of having dated through most of Toronto’s eligible bachelors, SERIAL DATERS follows Ada and Sienna on their quest to find that perfect match. The serial daters of Toronto are always bound to cross paths, one way or another... You can find Ep 101 “Ode to Passion” available on YouTube now. SERIAL DATERS EP101: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6UQqdTMUBg&t=6s Instagram: @SERIALDATERS_ IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9736170/ |
