Meet Lila McLaughlin

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Lila McLaughlin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Lila, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

The way to be effective and successful when you’re the only that looks like you in a room, is to understand that everyone has their own unique voice and point of view, so it’s important to contribute your voice to the discussion. Often times I have not just been the only person that looks like me in a room, but the only female in a room. So it was important for me to remain confident what I contribute to the discussion in that room. Whether throwing out my ideas or partaking in creative spitball sessions, it was essential for me to listen and also offer my ideas and thoughts to the conversation. To be seen and heard and not be afraid of being judged by those ideas I present. That is the key to successfully navigating those rooms.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’ve been a screenwriter full-time for over 12 years now. There’s a lot of sales and mini successes behind the scenes that people don’t often know about or see when you’re a screenwriter. But this is the life of a screenwriter, being behind the scenes– writing specs, going to pitch meetings, getting hired to write on assignment, developing new ideas for production companies, or writing for a specific producer who has a script idea. These are just some of the things that make up what I do, and I usually have several projects going at the same time. That’s always important, to have multiple projects and a lot of of irons in the fire. What’s fun and exciting about it is writing the story and doing the research. Obviously the fun part of what I do is writing the story, which has many stages– developing it, creating the world and the characters, then writing scenes, and dialog. But second to that is the research. I’m constantly learning so much from researching topics where I have to build characters and storylines that are realistic and relatable. That’s another rewarding aspect of what I do, gaining knowledge by creating different characters and worlds. Side-note: I’m also excited to share that I recently WROTE and DIRECTED a horror-thriller feature film, a genre that I had not tackled before. But fortunately the script was liked/loved by many enthusiasts of the genre. I was super thankful to get a stellar crew and team on board from pre-production to post-production. I’m also grateful to have a phenomenal producing partner, award-winning filmmaker and amazing actress Bonnie Root producing with me, and she also starred in the film. The movie is currently finishing up in post production and we’re excited to get it out to audiences soon.

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

The qualities that were/are most impactful thus far that I continue to incorporate into my world personally and professionally, have been — 1) Taking time to continue to hone and master the craft of writing. 2) Effective listening and communication. 3) Having confidence in my work/writing. 4) Maintaining a positive attitude 5) Championing others and their endeavors, while also building a team of friends and supporters. There are many more qualities, but those come to mind as some essentials. This business is incredibly hard. Harder than hard. So it’s important to be able to really take the time to put in the work — read a ton of scripts, watch a ton of films. Listen to feedback, be open to collaboration. But most importantly — communicate your thoughts and vision effectively, verbal and written. Having confidence in yourself and ability as a writer. And always, go into every situation with a positive attitude. You may be the best at what you do, but if your attitude sucks, word gets around, and no one wants to work with a negative person. Also, championing others, and lifting each other up. It’s incredibly rewarding to support and be supported by other like-minded creatives. These are things I try to be mindful of or do along the way through the journey that have been useful and beneficial in successfully navigating through the entertainment industry.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

My biggest area of growth has been getting outside my comfort zone. Last year the entertainment strikes really took a toll on the entire industry and me personally as a screenwriter. It made me realize that while I love being a screenwriter, I had to really get serious about taking control and putting my voice out there. I decided to take a big risk and put together my own feature film from a horror-thriller script I had written. I had always mainly stuck to writing comedy, that’s what sold or got optioned, what I was great at. And I drifted into writing drama and action/thriller, which had also gotten a huge amount of praise. But this was very different — a horror-thriller. Writing the script came easy. Then I decided to direct it also, and produced the feature film. It was like having a huge growth spurt! As I screenwriter, I would have never learned the bazillion things I know now about filmmaking, had I not done also directed and produced. From pre-production to post production — being involved in every detail, every decision — I gained so much knowledge, so much growth that I’m grateful and thankful for the opportunity. It was a key growth moment for me to take the risk, and not stay cush in my comfort zone. It helped me to improve in my listening and communication skills, my writing skills, creative and business decision-making skills, leadership skills. I also gained growth through being an effective communicator and collaborator: conveying my vision with honesty, navigating around creative differences and not taking them personally, and also learning to let go and trust the process.

Contact Info:

• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lila-mclaughlin-144a599/
• Twitter: https://x.com/Lila_Writes

Image Credits

Photographer: Brian Bott