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

Gabrielle, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

My most meaningful project is my current passion project called “Cornered”. The film is about a gifted young man, who is trying to forge his own way, but feels trapped by his circumstances. He is paired with a mentor, who is tasked with helping the young man decide which way to go in order to attain his hidden greatness.

It was the most difficult script that I’ve ever written because the two leads are Black males, and I wanted to make sure that I was being true to their voices and their journeys. There was a two-week period that I cried every single day during the writing phase because the story was so moving and powerful. It was the hardest script for me to write, but also the most rewarding.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I’ve been a writer/producer/director in Los Angeles with over 15 years experience in entertainment development and production as a successful content creator.

Born and raised in Chicago, Illinois, I simultaneously attended the University of Illinois at Chicago, pursuing a degree in Marketing, and television production at Columbia College Chicago. After college, I moved to Los Angeles and began my writing career as a WGA Writers’ Trainee on MadTV (FOX), becoming a produced writer for the show.

I went on to write and produce several projects, including BrandhouseTV, and a TV shopping network venture by Tommy Mottola; and Thinking Blue, a short film about breaking the cycle of bullying. I broke into directing with the freshman project, Danny 101, a sitcom presentation about etiquette basics; and later with my short film, Love In An INSTAnt, an Instagram inspired love story.

I expanded my TV portfolio by working in Non-Scripted Development at ITV Studios America. I helped my team launch several successful network series, including Best Time Ever with Neil Patrick Harris(NBC), The Chase (FOX, GSN), and Cesar 911 (NAT GEO). I also helped oversee the production delivery of Surprise Surprise with Jenny McCarthy (NBC) and On Your Mind with Mo’Nique (ABC Daytime). My personally produced docuseries, ‘Bout That Trunk Life, was optioned by ITV.

After wrapping up my four-year stint at ITV, I returned to scripted production as a producing partner at Running With Scissors, creating content for film and television. During my tenure, I helped deliver several scripted projects, including the feature film #Twominutesoffame (Lionsgate); TV series Dear White People (Netflix); animated series Legends of Chamberlain Heights (Comedy Central); and Divorce Saved My Marriage (BET).

Today, I am a prolific writer who is in demand working under my own production shingle, Ms. Adventures In Writing. My company creates, develops and packages scripted and non-scripted content across all media platforms. My most recent projects include the highly anticipated feature film, “The First Lady Of BMF: The Tonesa Welch Story” (BET+/MegaMind), which will premiere this October. Works also include the feature films “Merry Switchmas” (BET+/Nferno), “American Gangster Presents: Big Fifty: The DelRhonda Hood Story” (BET+/Octet), and “Throwback Holiday” (BET/Tridestined); as well as a 10-episode TV series “Trap City” (REIGN). My relationship blog, Ms. Adventures in Dating, is currently being developed into an eBook and animated series. Next up on the producing and directing front is my feature film, “Cornered”, a Chicago based drama, which I’m currently trying to secure funding and distribution.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I began my career writing for television. I love television, especially four-camera, three-jokes-to-a-page sitcoms! I also expanded my writing skills to film, which is a totally different beast from television. At one point in my career, I was really struggling securing a staffing job. However, I kept getting interest on my films. I went into prayer, as I try and do daily, and I asked God, “Am I just writing movies now? Like, I’m cool with that, but I just want to know. Am I not doing TV anymore?” I heard a very clear response– He said: “You’re just doing movies for now. TV will come.” With that, I was like okay, I guess I’m a screenwriter.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My goal is to develop and produce original, compelling and diverse storytelling through the lens of the Black experience through the production of film, television, and digital entertainment generated for distribution across all platforms, including theatrical, network/cable television, and emerging digital technologies. My company, Ms. Adventures in Writing, is forging strong business partnerships by working with both emerging and established partners, as well as a culturally diverse roster of talent in order to push boundaries and redefine the business of storytelling entertainment.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.iamgabrielle.com
• Instagram: @chigabrielle
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielle-collins-0724712a/