Get to know the writer:

1. What is your screenplay about?
When Lizzie Franks, a gorgeous African-American paraplegic, is fired from her job at a company she helped start and her fiance dumps her, she joins The Iron Maiden, a women-only gym to find a reason to go on. But Brandon Wickie, the brilliant, ultra-wealthy owner of the gym kidnaps her. He uses a unique nannite technology he’s invented to assemble his ideal mate from the body parts of women bodybuilders he kidnaps from his gym and he attaches Lizzie’s head to his creation. Meanwhile, Mathew Tran, a Chicago detective, is hot on Brandon’s trail as he tries to discover who has been kidnapping women bodybuilders and who killed George Johnson, the husband of one of the women and also a Chicago Detective. The movie culminates in a fight to the death between Lizzie and Brandon, both of whom have super-human strength and healing powers due to the nannites in their veins. Lizzie, in her unfamiliar body, must find a new inner strength and push herself beyond her limits to save herself and Detective Tran.

2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Horror/thriller

3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
The simplest answer is because it will be a money-maker if it’s done right. It can be made as a low-budget horror film, which are extremely popular worldwide. It can also be produced as a high budget superhero origin story with A-list actors such as Zandaya as Lizzy Franks and Michael Cera as Brandon Wickie. It could also be the first in a series of movies following Lizzie’s adventures, it could be turned into one or a series of graphic novels, and it would make a great animated film or series.

In addition, it has a multi-racial cast of quirky characters, its heroine is uniquely different from any other superhero or female movie lead, the world of female bodybuilding is an unusual environment, and it combines humor with mystery, intense action and a bit of grisly horror, so it will keep an audience emotionally engaged and guessing about what comes next.

Finally, it explores important topics such as the danger of tech-bros with too much money (looking at you, Bezos and Musk), the dangers and benefits of AI-based technology, and female empowerment, so it’s more engaging than if it were just a whiz-bang popcorn movie.

4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Unique thrillride

5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Impossible to narrow it to just one. My favorite genres are science fiction and horror, and I’ve watched hundreds of those.

6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
Over 5 years.

7. How many stories have you written?
Hundreds

8. What motivated you to write this screenplay?
It wasn’t any one thing, no big aha moment. It evolved out of the idea of how advances in AI and biology will make it possible in the not very distant future for humans and machines to become physically and mentally intertwined. I then wondered how an extreme change in body image would affect someone psychologically, especially if the change occurred suddenly and against the person’s will, as it does with Lizzie. The success of movies like The Substance indicates I’m not the only one who finds that idea fascinating.

I think Lizzie came about because I wanted a protagonist who is facing as many obstacles as possible. Disgracefully, in our society black women have the most difficulty socially and economically of all major population groups, so I made Lizzie black. But I also wanted to explore how her physical identity would affect her behavior, which is why I made her a physically weak paraplegic who ends up with an extraordinarily powerful body.

9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
I’m still facing them. Are the characters complex and interesting enough? Do they each have their own unique voice? Does each scene compel the audience to want to know what comes next? Will an audience be satisfied with the ending? Will A-list actors want to live as my characters, say their words, feel their feelings, face their challenges?

10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I’ve been a professional actor all my life, so I love good movies, such as Interstellar, TV series such as Your Friends and Neighbors and plays, including anything by Tom Stoppard. I’m a musician and play fiddle, mandolin and guitar. I love drinking a little wine and jamming with my pals. And I’m an avid golfer. I love walking the course on a beautiful summer day with my golf buddies.

11. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
This festival is a perfect fit for The Body Builder, so it was a no-brainer to enter. I’m very pleased that I’ll get to be part of your podcast and that you’re seriously considering my work for recognition.