7 Jun 2023
Find Your Sparkle with Jen and Andrew & Nikita of Anam Cara Stories
On this episode of Find Your Sparkle with Jen, I got to catch up with two-thirds of Anam Cara Stories - Andrew Chalmers, Founder & Nikita Morris. We got to hear how this unlikely friendship began then blossomed into a business partnership.
Anam Cara Stories is a place to go in a complicated world that gives hopeful, creative people a simple chance to unite, and shine. A creative endeavour that will be the spark to a flame to create and produce inspiring stories, set in the Maritimes that can reach the world.
We have a Vision ... Learn more here https://anamcarastories.com/ (https://anamcarastories.com/)
Andrew Chalmers, an Audio Verse Nominated writer, studied screenplay writing at George Brown College, Toronto and is a member of the Los Angeles PRO-SERIES Script writing Alumni.
Andrew co-directed, wrote, and developed a sitcom pilot for the CBC as well as working to write and develop a comedy series for Netflix. Andrew is also the co – founder of AM Audio Media, a production company that produces online full cast audio dramas. Doctor Who ‘Dark Journey’ is a Canadian take on the legendary British sci fi television show which ran for 2 Series, being nominated for various awards, and won an Audio Verse Award for Roy Miranda for Best Actor.
Nova Scotia is a place, some say magical, where ambitious, spirited, people live.
Drawing from his experiences having a lifelong, challenging sleep disorder, his real-life experiences with the paranormal, as well as his studying with Canadian Shamanic circles, Andrew wrote ‘Grace’ as a micro budget horror / love story.
Our responsibility as writers is not to create heroes on the page. Through our stories our ambition should be to inspire the audience, to awaken the heroes in themselves. Yes. ‘awaken’ the hero. Why? Because the hero has always been there. The past 3 years is all the proof you need.
Nikita Morris, a native of Truro, and overall proud Nova Scotian, has a lifelong fascination with movies and how they can inspire an audience.
“I Iove the idea of creating a world that people can get lost in and forget about their own worries in life. Even for just a moment”.
Nikita graduated from the Toronto Film School in 2018 with a new ambition to create unique and hopeful movies that inspire. Embracing this vision resulted in Nikita directing, writing, and producing her short film ‘That Feeling’ which follows her ambitious journey from Truro to Toronto. This film, described by some as a visual poem was the recipient of the 2019 Emerging Lens Pitch to Script Scholarship.
Marsha Mayer
A trip to Chiapas, Mexico prompted Marsha’s travelling companion to make a life changing statement to her. “Our trip was like a movie, one of us has to write a book or a screenplay and I nominate you.”
After many years writing and editing professional newsletters, she attended the Screenwriting Expo in Los Angeles leading to her typing FADE IN: for the very first time. Her ‘Mayan Heart of Mexico’ was an official selection of the 2015 Oaxaca Film Fest. Her dedication to refining and growing her craft has helped build her reputation, provided her with potential scripts, provided opportunities including coaching and mentorship to groups of emerging screenwriters
As a fellow graduate and alum of Andrew’s from ScreenwritingU’s PROSERIES Marsha’s love of writing about strong resourceful female protagonists drew her to Andrew’s tantalizing ghost character, Grace.
“Grace is not a typical ghost story. This is an intimate relationship between a human and a ghost who help each other learn and survive”.
Marsha is a talented screenplay consultant, working to enhance a stories dramatic impact in a way that elevates a script’s appeal. On a motivational level Marsha is a vital, empathic mentor often giving writers the emotional encouragement, ‘that little push’ that gets them back on track again.
“I am a screenwriter passionate about bringing female protagonists into situations where they have to work to become whole again”.
