Being a Rookie TV Writer at 44
Here’s a twitter thread about what it’s been like becoming a television writer in my forties. It’s an emotional moment for other reasons and it makes me really feel the time it’s taken to get here even more.
Story of a 44 year old POC rookie tv writer. The #Ransom ep I co-wrote airs a week before #MothersDay , so I’ll make this a mother themed thread. #screenwriting #diversity @Sienna_Films @eOne_TV @BigLightProds @CBS @GlobalTV 1/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Back in ’95 when I was in college in Montreal I decided that my ultimate career goal was to write tv. #screenwriting #filmmaking 2/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Being a child of immigrants, I didn’t know what my parents would make of my declaration that I was leaving sciences (which I was terrible at) and pursuing the arts. #diversity 3/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
But mom got it – she was a teacher and spent her career putting on elaborate dance and musical productions with her students. Storytelling was in her blood and she passed that on to me. 4/ pic.twitter.com/MbZDdkPRvh
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I am humbled at what both my parents sacrificed to give me choices. Even if that choice was to fall on my face. Which I did. Often. 5/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I wrote lots of scripts, entered lots of contests, made my own films, but I either didn’t know how, didn’t meet the right people, or didn’t have what it took to get noticed. 6/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I entirely gave up on fiction multiple times. But I did carve out a career in documentary as an editor. 7/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
One of my proudest moments was when my mom and dad attended the opening of my feature doc My Cultural Divide at the Montreal World Film Festival. 8/ pic.twitter.com/kRENLjIiC4
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
It was a political film but also about something else – my mother who was suffering from Parkinson’s disease. Activism and my career were important to me, but family was ultimately more important. 9/ pic.twitter.com/MGoetZfYnU
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
A lot of what I’ve created as an artist has been about inequality, family, and culture. I hope that if I learned anything from mom it was compassion. 10/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I got back to writing fiction in my mid 30s when I made a short called “Useless Things” about a man emptying out his family home and being confronted by the regret he was never able to make his parents proud while they were still around. 11/ pic.twitter.com/sKSFIhjZ2p
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
There were more ups and downs. I won some awards, including the @WGC @bellmedia Diversity Program which put me in the writing room of the @shaftesbury 1-hour The Listener on @CTV. 12/ pic.twitter.com/9Rswree4eh
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
That experience was life changing. Moved to Toronto and the writing room welcomed me with open arms; Showrunner Peter Mohan @Mutanto took me under his wing. 13/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I soaked up as much as I could from watching @hurst_james @Azzzy @bongotummy & Scott Oleszkowicz do their thing in the room. Every day was a gift. 14/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I thought that I had finally found my way in. But after my internship ended I didn’t get so much as an interview anywhere for a few years. Only a handful in six. 15/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
In my early forties I was starting to feel like maybe it was time to give up writing tv for good. I had had it with banging my head against a brick wall. 16/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Then I got a call for an interview! Ransom needed a story coordinator and despite my inexperience showrunner David Vainola decided to give me a shot. 17/ pic.twitter.com/ZhJEbcY7X1
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Working with David, @FrankSpotnitz @SteveCoch77 @sandrachw @writerishguy @TamaraMoulin @josephnkay @rosmuir @NappyThoughtz was a dream come true. 18/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Somehow as the season progressed I was able to convince David to give me a shot co-writing episode 310 with the talented (and patient) @tamaramoulin. I called dad to give him the good news. 19/ pic.twitter.com/gYKtmsPaW5
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
By this time mom wasn’t able to talk on the phone, and dementia was making it hard for her to understand, but dad relayed that her crazy younger son had finally gotten the opportunity he was trying to earn his whole life. 20/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
When I visited during Christmastime I sat by her bed and told her all about my adventures. Mom is the most adventurous person I’ve ever met, so I know she appreciated it. 21/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
For those of you who aren’t aware – Parkinson’s Disease steals people away in a manner I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. 22/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
When I came back this April our family was starting to understand mom didn’t have long. My dad, my brother @LutchMedia, and our families surrounded her with love. 23/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
She wasn’t able to respond but I talked to her, read to her, sung to her, and even got to show her the fine cut of the episode of Ransom I co-wrote. 24/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
It’s an episode where the CriRes team helps a young mum (@laurencoe6) fight to get her kidnapped baby back and prove to the authorities she’s a fit mother. #Ransom 25/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Series stars @luke_j_roberts @MsNazContractor @brandojay @KarenVLeBlanc put on fantastic performances, expertly directed by @sturlagunnarsso 26/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
The social justice story was exactly the kind of thing mom loved. I know she would have told me so, if she could have. 27/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
Then, after about forty years of ferociously battling the incurable disease, my mom left us. 28/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I would give up anything to have her back and to hear her tell her stories again. And for me to be able to tell her mine. 29/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
If I’m given a chance to write something again, I hope to use the lessons she taught me of compassion, humanity, and love. I hope I can pass those lessons on to others. 30/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
You can watch Ransom Saturdays at 8/7c on @CBS or @Global. My ep airs on May 4th at a special time 9/8c. 31/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
And please help cure Parkinson’s Disease by donating to the @MichaelJFoxFoundation that funds a lot of great research. If you want, you can do so in honour of my mom, Suraiya Lutchmedial. Thanks ❤️ 32/
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) April 28, 2019
I mislabeled @MichaelJFoxOrg in my last tweet – so here it is and a link to donate: https://t.co/ArzAEAocbC
— Faisal Lutchmedial (@faisallutch) May 2, 2019
Comments
Leave a Comment