DARIUS WILSON

How did you discover The Wiki Screenplay Contest and how did you decide to enter this contest among all the others?
I discovered The Wiki Screenplay Contest while searching for competitions that actually gave new writers a shot. A lot of contests feel like they’re built for people who are already connected, already inside the industry. But this contest felt different. It felt accessible. The kind of contest where craft still matters more than clout.

Where do you live (City, State, or Country)?
Nashville, Tennessee.

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? What inspires your overall journey into screenwriting?
Guilty Pleasures was born out of frustration. I’d tried other stories before, but this was the first one where I stripped everything down and focused on tension, silence, and restraint. I chose to write it as a script because screenwriting has always been my favorite format—it forces you to be intentional. Every line has to matter. I’ve tried writing short stories before, but I always see the scenes too vividly. My mind works in shots. In cuts. I see the movie before I ever hear the dialogue. That’s why film is the only way I could’ve told this story.

How do you decide which stories to tell, and what draws you to these particular themes?
I’m drawn to quiet intensity. Stories that look soft on the surface but hold something sharp underneath. I don’t like to announce the theme. I like it to unfold, piece by piece, through behavior. I write about people trapped in moments, emotionally, physically, or mentally. Because I’ve felt that. I’ve lived that. I try to find stories where silence can speak, where a look or a breath can carry a scene just as much as the words.

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?
It took awhile, I live to be as detailed as possible when it comes to characters, and there’s always another layer. I don’t start with outlines. I start with a moment. Usually, it’s just one image or one interaction I can’t stop thinking about. From there, I build around it, scene by scene. Then I unload every thought, action and word onto the page, unformatted, just raw dialogue and actions. Then once I know the rhythm, I move into proper screenplay format. I revisit the draft constantly, deepening character motivations and refining structure through instinct, not charts.

How do you handle writers block or moments of doubt (we all have them) during your creative process?
I take walks. I walk until I figure it out. Sometimes I won’t even write. I’ll just let it live in my head until the next piece makes sense.

What tools or software do you find essential to your workflow as a screenwriter?
Google Docs, Scenerist, and a cracked iPhone Notes app. Most of my dialogue starts in voice memos or Notes while I’m walking. I transfer to Docs as I’m building, and then I move to Scenerist for proper formatting once it’s close to finished. I also print the script and do handwritten markups, that’s how I find pacing problems.

How do you approach competition entries, and what have you learned from participating in these contests?
Which contests have you entered...and how has your work been received overall? Have those contests been helpful to you in your writing?
I treat contests like checkpoints. I don’t submit until I’ve edited something within an inch of its life. Every contest gives me feedback—even when they don’t. Just entering teaches me what level I’m at. I’ve submitted to several in the last few months. Being named a Finalist with Wiki gave me confidence, but it also taught me that formatting, clarity, and emotional buildup matter more than big twists. It helped me refine my structure. I use each placement to adjust and get sharper.

Can you share a specific challenge you've faced in your screenwriting and how you overcame it?
My biggest challenge was not knowing when a script was done. I used to rewrite endlessly, always thinking something was missing. What helped me overcome that was learning to trust the silence in my work—the moments that don’t need more. I also learned to focus on what the story feels like, not just how it reads. Once I started editing based on feeling instead of fear, I feel like I’ve gotten better.

Where do you see yourself in five years as a screenwriter?
In five years, I see myself running my own production company—writing, producing, and directing original projects that speak to people who don’t usually get represented. I want to build a real catalog of work that I control, something that reflects my voice and my city. I want to be submitting films to top festivals, funding my own features, and creating opportunities for other writers and artists like me who didn’t start with a network but have something real to say.

What is your ultimate ambition as a writer?
My ultimate ambition as a filmmaker is to build a full catalog of original work, that’s shorts, features, series, all grounded in real emotion and unique perspectives. I want to create a production company that develops not just my projects, but stories from other artists who never got a chance. I want to spotlight voices that get overlooked. Black filmmakers, Southern storytellers, veterans, working-class creators. I want to master both the creative and business sides of filmmaking and be known as someone who made space for others while making undeniable work of my own.

The film and television industry is constantly evolving. How do you see the role of screenwriters changing, especially with the rise of streaming platforms and emerging technologies like artificial intelligence? Have you used A.I. in your writing; if so, how have you used it?
I think A.I. is a tool, not a writer. Real writing still has to come from people—our trauma, our experiences, our instincts. That’s the part tech can’t replicate. I’ve used A.I. for things like script formatting, grammar, and catching technical issues in structure or pacing. I’ve never used it to write scenes, characters, or ideas.

Which film or television writers inspire you? Why?
As a Black veteran and storyteller from Memphis, I’m deeply inspired by creators who carve out space for voices often overlooked, and who do it with real craft and confidence. Ava DuVernay inspires me for how she turned her truth into a movement with Selma, Queen Sugar, and her distribution platform ARRAY. Issa Rae’s journey from YouTube to Insecure shows what happens when you lean into your authentic voice. Gina Prince-Bythewood gave us Love & Basketball and reminded the world how intimate, emotional storytelling can center Black love without compromise. I also look to people like 50 Cent, not just as a producer, but as a blueprint for turning a gritty, real-life
POV into a television empire. These writers didn’t just open doors. They kicked them down and built new rooms.

What’s your all-time favorite movie or television show?
That’s a tough one, my favorites shift depending on what stage I’m in creatively. But if I had to highlight something, I’d say The Wire and Atlanta sit at the top. The Wire for how it captured systemic complexity through human stories. Atlanta for how it breaks narrative rules while still saying something real. Both shows have had a major influence on how I think about tone, pacing, and the power of perspective.

What advice do you have for aspiring screenwriters?
Keep peeling. Every character, every scene, every theme, there’s always another layer you can dig into. That’s the job. And don’t let the fear of doing it wrong stop you from writing. Your story is interesting. It deserves to be told. My advice is: write something that entertains you. If you’re into it, chances are somebody else will be too. Keep writing, keep developing, and keep peeling back those layers

What else are you working on that the world needs to know about? (links to your projects?)
Right now, I’m in the middle of a run. Guilty Pleasure was just the beginning. I’ve already written two more short films—In Bed All Day and Decisions, Decisions—and each one builds on the last. These aren’t just scripts I’m stacking. I’m preparing to shoot all three back-to-back in a one-week stretch, and we’re documenting the whole process in a behind-the-scenes film called Mastering the Piece. That documentary will follow my journey from Army veteran to filmmaker—real story, real grit, and no shortcuts. On top of that, I’m launching a Seed&Spark campaign to help fund this run, and I’m building a pitch video that’s not just about raising money—it’s about showing people what it looks like to chase a dream when everything says you shouldn’t. These aren’t just shorts. This is me showing the world what happens when you bet on yourself and keep going no matter what.

Where can the world find you online? (Social media links, etc.)
Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, Youtube, and SEED&SPARK.
ALL: RamsesMcCoy or Ramses McCoy