Meet Alexandra Otto

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Alexandra Otto. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Alexandra below.

Hi Alexandra , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I realized I wanted to be a screenwriter in a very uniquely Los Angeles way. I grew up going to Universal Studios Hollywood a lot. Like, a lot a lot. My mom would buy me and my brother annual passes and just sorta drop us off every morning before she went to the work at the hospital down the street. It was like our summer camp. All those hours spent riding the Studio Tour and watching Backdraft amounted to an ever growing love for filmmaking. I learned about foley art, CGI, practical effects, picture cars, all the basics. I couldn’t get enough of it and I slowly fell in love with filmmaking and storytelling. When I learned that it’s someones whole job to tell stories for movies, well, that was it! It was decided from that point on that I would be a screenwriter and I haven’t looked back since.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’m a professional screenwriter based out of Los Angeles, CA. My most recent gig was writing on a Disney Junior’s Firebuds where I got to work in a writer’s room filled with the most amazing and talented writers I’ve ever met. Writing for preschool animation is way more fun that you’d think. You’d think it would be a whole lot of “Can you spell…” or “What color is…” and sometimes it is that. But other times you find yourself sitting in a 10AM meeting figuring out how we can put our adorable Firebuds in John Carpenter’s The Thing or Point Break or any movie that you would never expect to influence an episode of preschool television. I also got to tell stories that were deeply personal to me. One of the episodes I wrote, titled “Bamboozled Bo”, is about Bo (our main Firebud) not feeling “filipino enough” compared to his older, cooler cousin who is from the Philippines. Feeling “filipino enough” is something I grapple with every day as a filipino-american so getting to tell that story was extremely rewarding.
Now I’m looking for my next project! I’ve been exploring the world of themed entertainment and have found that writing for specifically preschool animation has a lot of transferable skills that connect nicely with writing for theme parks. I am still first and foremost a screenwriter but I’d love to share my love for storytelling with other mediums. Especially if it means I get to be a little bit spooky. I love Halloween and love spooky.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

First and foremost, being authentic and truthful to who you are is extremely important. When I was first starting out in the film industry, a lot of people told me that I shouldn’t say that I’m a writer because everyone wants to be a writer. I should say that I want to be an agent or a producer. I never really understood that. If I lie and say that I want to be an agent, then I’ll be trained as an agent, not a writer. That would be a waste of my time and everyone else’s time. I never took that advice and absolutely lost out on a couple jobs because of it. But eventually I met someone who wanted to hire me BECAUSE I said I was a writer and she’s one of the best mentors I’ve ever had. So figure out your purpose and then shout it from the rooftops! The right people will find you, I guarantee it.

Second, be stubborn. Sorta goes hand in hand with the first one. I’ve always been painfully stubborn. My mom used to have to fling me over her shoulder and carry me like a sack of rice because I’d just refuse to walk. When I say “be stubborn” I don’t mean “refuse to take notes” or “have zero flexibility”. I mean, figure out what lights your fire and REFUSE to put it out, no matter what. There will be so many people who will try to put out your flame. They’ll discourage you and push you around but just don’t listen to them. You WILL get what you want because you HAVE to. There is simply no other option.

Finally, work the room and hustle. Nothing grinds my gears more than the “Well I just got off a bus with a dime in my pocket and handed my screenplay to the first man I saw and it was Mr. Hollywood!!” type of stories. Maybe that Hollywood fairytale happens once in a century but it is simply too rare to rely upon. You control your own destiny. You could have the best screenplay in the world but if you don’t get out there and stick your neck out a little bit, no one is ever going to see it! And what a waste that would be. You might get your feelings hurt a couple times but then you’ll build a thick skin and it’ll be a breeze. It’s a lot of work but I think it’s worth it if it means your biggest and brightest dream will come true.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When things get to be too much I know it’s time to reevaluate my plan. I’ll take a quick break, go hangout with friends, call my mom, watch some TV, etc. Then, when I feel ready, I’ll just pull out a pen and paper and start making a new plan. Maybe that means breaking things up into smaller chunks or accepting there is too much going on and I need to let go of some obligations. Whatever it is, having a clear roadmap helps me clear my mind.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://alexandradaisyotto.com
• Instagram: @madameicedemon
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandradaisyotto/