-Who is Patricia Marshall?

I’m a new screenwriter with the audacity to think I have what it takes to make it in this highly competitive field. I bring a unique background and practical skill set to the table. After teaching high school English (writing & literature) for 30 years, I recently retired and am now fully invested in pursuing my dream, to write stories that move people, stories that inspire, motivate, and connect us in our common pursuits of truth, justice, love, and joy.
My bachelor’s and master’s degrees and long professional career taught me invaluable lessons that I now bring to my writing. Selecting texts from all genres of film and print for my students to read and analyze taught me what resonated with them on a human level. There is an enormous amount of humanness that happens every day in the microcosm of a high school classroom.

I was witness to it and part of it, and I used literature and film to help students better understand themselves and the world around them. I’ve always enjoyed good writing, in both print and visual genres. I understand that the world we live in today consumes far more of the latter, so my rationale for emphasizing screenwriting, and features in particular, is to capture what I find compelling, fascinating, and inspiring in the world around me. There is no shortage of unique ideas and experiences to write about.
I’m passionate and dedicated in my work, and I don’t doubt my skills or my potential. I’m ready for what’s next.

-Do you remember the exact moment you fell in love with cinema?

As a kid, it was definitely seeing my first Star Wars movie in a theater. I had never experienced anything like it. Being immersed in the sound and enormity of the images was breathtaking. I had no idea or aspirations to work in the industry until much later into adulthood. When I started writing screenplays, I developed a whole new appreciation for what makes the cinematic experience so incredibly special.

-Tell us about your project “Not Fore Long”.

Logline: When Lucy’s husband Bryan discards her for his young receptionist, her comfortable country club life comes to an abrupt end. Now facing her third divorce, she must overcome the legal restrictions she’s under in order to heal and move on. Bryan is relentless and smug in his financial power advantage. He offers to settle their divorce over a golf match. He wrote the rules, but she changes the game.
This screenplay was inspired by my own divorce circumstances, which, at the time they were happening, seemed too bizarre to be true. My original script was much more depressing, but I lightened it up considerably on subsequent iterations while maintaining my original purpose and themes.

This story is about the process of healing and self-determination after loss, with the help of friendship and through the focus/lense of sport. Golf is both a metaphor for disparity and also a potential for equity.

-Which Director inspires you the most?

If I had to choose just one, it is definitely Greta Gerwig. There is so much I admire about her work, especially her relatable characters, direct dialog, and themes of women’s self-actualization. She has been a major source of inspiration for me, and I strive to emulate her style and themes.

-What do you dislike about the world and what would you change?

Humans harming each other has to be the thing I dislike most and wish to stop. More peace, more diplomacy, compromise, and alliance, less war. I also dislike the way most industry negatively impacts the planet and how so many people are complacent about it and disconnected from nature.
I would love to help people learn to heal, connect, and improve our stewardship of our planet and each other through powerful storytelling.

-How do you imagine cinema in 100 years?

I imagine AI will take over traditional filmmaking in the coming years and challenge writers and directors to stay ahead of the curve, creating the kind of content that reflects reality and compels consumers to be more discerning about the content we consume. I believe audiences will always gravitate toward what is authentic, even if it is fantasy/fiction.

-What is your impression of WILD FILMMAKER?

I’m impressed with Wild FilmMaker’s modern approach to inclusive, expansive cinema. As this landscape continually changes, learning how to capitalize on the increasing technical capabilities, rather than be eclipsed by them, will ensure the kinds of cinematic experiences that made us fall in love with film will continue to draw new audiences to appreciate its evolution.