The Glenn Report Sits Down With Hollywood Writer A.M Cal
A.M Cal is known for her incredible pen game when it comes to writing movies. She has produced many of the hottest films to every hit theaters. Her passion, imagination, and creativity opened up the Hollywood doors where she was able to communicate her creativity. A.M Cal found herself working with Academy Award Winner Monique, Academy Award Nominee Taraji Henson, Sherri Shepherd (The View) and Nicki Micheaux (Lincoln Heights, Soul Food). A. M.Cal is also a former Los Angeles Times Reporter which also turned out to be a successful her. A.M Cal definitely believed in educating herself because she knew with the right skillsets she would be destined for greatness. She graduated from with a B.A. from the University of Washington in Communications, and later on received her M.A. from Cal State University, Northridge in Screenwriting. A.M Cal is also a double doctoral student in Organizational and Global Leadership at Pepperdine University.
1. How did this all begin for you and who are some of the key players in your success?
My fifth grade teacher, Ms. Cuelho pulled me aside one day and told me that I was a good writer and she said it in a way that emphasized that I had a gift, showing me my test scores and explaining each score to me. From that point on, I knew that I was good at writing, in the sense of being at the top of the class, just like I knew I was the second fastest girl in my grade. My fifth grade teacher nurtured my writing, giving me feedback and encouraged me to increase my vocabulary through reading and from there I had other teachers along the way reinforce the same theme about my writing abilities. In high school, I wrote for the school newspaper. Following graduation from the University of Washington, I landed a sports assistant job at the Seattle Times and the sports editor and the managing editor of the entire newspaper became my mentors. Having a powerful mentors was the key to launching my career as a professional writer. I was writing for a local weekly at the same time I was an assistant and the sports editor critiqued my articles, then the powers-that-be created an internship at the Seattle Times for me. Not long after, I was encouraged by my mentors to pursue a prestigious diversity program at the L.A. Times that guaranteed a job upon completion. I ended up beating out hundreds of applicants and I know that my mentors, who were powerful people in journalism, conferred with key players at the L.A. Times to assist in my getting hired. After leaving journalism to pursue screenwriting, I again caught the eye of Professor Alan Armer, an Emmy-award winning producer (Bewitched) who nurtured my screenwriting. In terms of Hollywood, I’ve never had a mentor, which is not a good thing. I’ve made inroads through strategic relationships.
2. How was your experience working with them and what are some of your favorite memories?
One of my favorite memories is the first time I walked into the L.A. Times, it’s an impressive, well-designed building. In film, one of my favorite memories is Producing Formosa starring the late Geoffrey Lewis (Maverick) and Steven Gilborn (Ellen) while working on a sound stage at Disney Imagineering and walking into sound booth and meeting the actors who played the voices of Mickey and Minnie Mouse who were married at the time. It was also incredible to sit at a writer’s table with Tyler Perry pitching jokes. There are so many, but being tapped to Co-Create a Disney Pilot recently, is right up there with my best memories.
3. Tell me a little about your about your company/brand and what it represents?
My company is Atina Books, and it represent human capacity building through literature. It’s my goal when people read my books, the hope is they are entertained, taken on a unique journey, and through that experience they also gain a different perspective and knowledge about the world.
4. At what age did you decided that screen writing and being a film producer was your calling?
I decided that screenwriting and film making was my calling in my mid-20s, which is late by Hollywood standards.
5. How would you describe yourself as a film producer and screen writing? In other word, when your writing movies what are you reaching for and how do you want your fans to feel?
I take the craft of storytelling seriously, whether it’s a heartwarming comedy or a drama. I like to challenge the ethical, moral, and spiritual ideas of viewers, ultimately bring them to a place of enjoyment through the exploration of story.
6. What currently projects are you working on this year?
I’m working on a t.v. pilot that’s been financed and I’m promoting Eighth Wonder, as well as looking for financing for a t.v. series Beacon Hill, a family police drama set in the 1970s starring Nicki Micheaux (Lincoln Heights), Mel Jackson (Soul Food).
7. Who are some of your influences and do you ever desire to work with them?
I have so many influences it’s hard to nail down, but Steven Spielberg, James Cameron, Oprah Winfrey, Tyler Perry, Will Smith are people I’d love to work with. I was shopping a show with Vivica A. Fox that I’d love to see get made one day as well.
8. If you can change anything you have done in the business this far what would it be and why?
If I could change anything, I would have done several internships while in graduate school, because relationships are essential, they are the lifeblood of Hollywood, and I never found a significant mentor to help usher my career along. I think I’d have even more successes had I had the same backing that I did from my mentors in journalism.
9. Where do you see your company and brand 5 years from now?
Five years from now, I see Atina Books being Atina Tales, which produces visual entertainment content, films, t.v. shows, web series, as well as literary novels.
10. In terms of bookings and any other inquires, who should we reach out to?
Go to my website: www.authoramcal.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AMCALberg