We were lucky to catch up with Mara Lesemann recently and have shared our conversation below.
Mara , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
I didn’t find my purpose until I was in my late 30’s and I certainly wasn’t looking for it.
My husband, Carlo Fiorletta, started acting long before we met. From the early days of our relationship, we went to a LOT of plays in black box theaters in NYC, many put up by people he knew. After a few months, I gave him my verdict: the actors were, overall, excellent. The directing was usually solid. But the writing? Frequently abysmal. He threw me a challenge that I’m sure he’s regretted many times since: If you think you can do better, do it. I did and I’ve never stopped.
My first one act play was a comedy called “Bermuda Triangle” that was inspired by the two family house in Jersey City, NJ where we lived for many years. Carlo was a member of Love Creek Theater, a now-defunct group that operated for 20+ years in midtown Manhattan. He arranged to have the group include it in an evening of one act plays, with him as the director.
The year? 2001. The date? My little comedy was in the first group of plays that went up after the 9/11 terror attacks. It was a time when many people were afraid to be in New York, yet we filled the theater. And people laughed. The emotional release of laughing at my little play was something that mattered. It made a small difference at a very difficult time. And I was hooked.
I always have a lot to say, and I incorporate much of it into my screenplays. My dramas are always infused with comedy, and my opinions are always in the story somewhere, hopefully in a way that avoids preaching while getting an idea across. And THIS is my purpose.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I write screenplays. I’ve also produced two indie features (Detours and Surviving Family) that you can stream on sites like Tubi, Amazon Prime, Apple TV, etc.
I also frequently work as a script consultant, and help people to improve their screenplays. Many writers who are just starting out struggle with character development and dialogue, and I truly enjoy helping them.
My current film project is called “Alison.” I wrote the screenplay with my friend and collaborator Nikki Johnson, and it’s based on a true story that happened to her family. Here’s the logline:
“A mom struggles to find help for her schizophrenic and autistic teenage daughter while her husband battles to keep the family from being evicted – until life takes a catastrophic turn.”
We’re producing it with a terrific team of Los Angeles-based producers, including Daniel Alejandro Guevara and Veljko Dronjak, whose recent credits include “Holiday Twist” starring Sean Astin. We also have Brad Evans and Sherri Be Qiñones on our producing team, and I’m thrilled to be working with all of them.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
One skill that I learned early and that has been ridiculously useful is typing. My 10th grade typing class (which I took because my handwriting was and is illegible) taught me things that translated easily into word processing as an adult, and helped me to land my first clerical job at a bank (I eventually worked my way up to be a VP at another bank). It has also been essential to me as a writer, as it was second nature to pick up screenwriting software like Final Draft, which is really another form of word processing.
I listen to how people talk. I listen if they’re talking to me, or sitting next to me at on the subway, or doing an interview on the radio. My jobs in banking involved a lot of time on the phone with clients as well as frequent in person meetings. I learned the many ways that people express themselves, as well as the things that go unsaid. This has been an enormous help in writing screenplay dialogue, which is one of my strengths.
I’m also stubborn, sometimes to the point of being obsessive, and this has helped me to accomplish things that can seem impossible. Case in point: making my first feature film. “Surviving Family” is a story about a dysfunctional family, inspired by a mix of my mom’s family and my best friend’s family. With a cast of more than 30 actors and a crew of 75+ (including post-production), it was a huge project for me to manage. But I did. And I succeeded better than even I expected. Watch it on Tubi, Plex, Apple TV, or your Roku and see for yourself.
What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?
My parents gave me an ability to express myself, both orally and in writing, that has served me well.
During my years in banking, I was able to face hours of questions from clients about issues that ranged from the economic integration of Europe to how the electoral college works in the U.S. presidential election. Now I have the confidence to stand in front of an audience of strangers and answer questions about my movie.
This ability to think on my feet and not get flustered comes from both my parents. My dad was a lawyer, a politician, and a judge, all of which required the same things. My mom was a model as a young woman, a job that requires you to be stared at by strangers without getting flustered. Later she worked in government before becoming an accomplished artist late in life, both of which require a thick skin.
I’m grateful to both of them.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.maralesemann.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/maralesemann
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maralesemann/
- Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2812700/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1
