Alicia Norman is an edgy and talented Atlanta-based screenwriter, and the winner of Filmmatic's Season 7 Horror Competition for her haunting and unique TV project "Eaters". Some Q&A with this gifted scribe below.
1) How long have you been writing?
I began writing and drawing as soon as I could hold a pen–my first written words were probably "Gah-gah-goo-goo." I was reading beyond my years at six years old, self-taught, and just loved words; I mean, I even read the dictionary like a big weirdo.
I got picked on... a lot.
Much later in life, I learned my precocious reading ability was likely due to a perceived disability, hyperlexia, which is often associated with autism.
In any case, I always knew I wanted to be a writer–cough, cough cliche–but hey, the thing about cliches is they convey thoughts/concepts succinctly, largely because they shorthand ideas in ways that make them quickly digestible. If I say “bookish nerd,” you get what I mean.
As far as professionally, I founded Luv Multimedia in 2007 and soon after contacted companies needing content writing services. Didn’t get rich but made enough to stave off bad economic times when they reared their ugly heads. I've done everything from blogging and content creation to script and coverage consulting.
2) What screenwriting training have you received?
I went to Bauder Fashion College for about two seconds, realized I really, really, wanted to be a screenwriter, and left to pursue a film career. I soon spent considerable time apologizing to student loan officials as I paid out of pocket to take courses to advance my writing. Not to give away my age, but before such options were online, I paid for classes at universities like Oglethorpe in Atlanta, adopting a learn-as-I-go pace. I also bought many industry books, like Syd Field's “How to Write A Screenplay, " which was well-dog-eared and referenced.
In the mid-2000s, I received offers to write specs for various Atlanta-based film companies, the most noteworthy to date being Wild Winn Productions and Yardline Films. I also worked with Steve Chato of Andrew Wald Pictures, which is based in LA.