Guest post: Impressions from SFFILM Education’s Workshop for Young Women: Science-Fiction Writing with Nicole Perlman

Earlier this summer, SFFILM Education hosted a youth screenwriting workshop led by Nicole Perlman, writer of Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel, crafted especially for young women interested in genre writing. During this interactive working session, Perlman detailed her creative process and covered the basic building blocks of a great science fiction story, while providing input and feedback on story drafts shared by the youth participants.

We asked Gabby Goss, a local high schooler who attended the workshop, to share a bit about her experience.

We Are Groot!
by Gabby Goss

I have a confession to make. The initial reason I was drawn to the screenwriting program with Nicole Perlman was because I am a big Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain Marvel fan. However, by the end of the program, I came home with a lot more than a signed poster!

I have had a strong appreciation for movies for as long as I can remember, but more recently I have been attempting to channel this appreciation into creating films and stories of my own. I thought that a science fiction writing course led by a woman who is as involved as she is in the world of aliens and cinema would help motivate me.

Ms. Perlman’s answers to the questions she was asked were realistic and candid; not surprisingly, being a successful female filmmaker in big-name Hollywood productions isn’t easy, she told us. But she also gave me the message loudly and clearly that perseverance and hard work can land you a rewarding career. I found it very encouraging when she told us that her career wasn’t always successful, and how sometimes she would write an entire screenplay only for it to be completely changed and re-written. This was helpful to hear because even a screenwriter as successful as she is has had numerous setbacks and still persevered.

When Ms. Perlman was asked about film courses she took in school, she said that in high school it was up to her to take the initiative. She approached her teacher and asked if she could create her own course in which she would read plays and get more experience with scripts. I am excited to seek out more options at school, or even outside of school, instead of waiting for opportunities to come to me.

It was a new experience for me to be surrounded by so many other girls who shared exact interests with me. Usually, I have trouble finding any young people who share any real interest in film at all.

Ms. Perlman also gave insight into the structure of a science fiction story. She talked about how characters have dark points and realizations, and she delved into how to properly convey a theme. I needed to hear about the basics of building a screenplay because often I have ideas for a story but struggle to get them out of my head and onto paper. She said that whenever we have an idea, whether it seems good or bad, we should write it down. I now have a notebook I have used to start writing these ideas down whenever creativity strikes!

Thank you for sharing your expertise and passion with us, Ms. Perlman. We are Groot!

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Gabby Goss is an aspiring filmmaker who lives in Alameda, California, with her parents and younger sister. She is a rising 10th grader at Bishop O’Dowd High School. In her free time, she enjoys playing water polo, reading, writing, acting, singing, and making films. She has made several films in the past and especially loves making films that relate to environmental issues. She is also a big fan of science fiction movies and books and hopes to pursue a career that entails screenwriting or movie directing.

For more information about SFFILM Education, visit sffilm.org/education.