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Meet screenwriter Marie Cheng, previously a winner of Ermantourage’s screenwriting initiative The Industry Next 3 for her screenplay “Everybody Screams at Me.” Marie is a comedy writer-performer based in Los Angeles. She’s currently a staff writer on Disney Channel’s live-action multi cam JUST ROLL WITH IT. Previous writing credits include DreamWorks Animation and Netflix Animation. She also developed a YA project for Snapchat.
As the first in her family born in the U.S., she gravitates toward fish-out-of-water stories where the fish aren’t afraid to show their gills. She grew up torn between her Chinese heritage and all-American upbringing, which pushed her to pursue storytelling as a way to connect to both. She graduated from Chapman’s Dodge College of Film and Media Arts with a BFA in Animation through the support of a Presidential Scholarship and is a five-time diversity scholarship recipient at Upright Citizens Brigade in LA. While in school, she studied abroad in Florence, Italy, and won’t stop talking about it. She loves curly fries and animals that look like bread.
Briefly describe who you are as a creative!
-What got you into pursuing a career in entertainment, and why your field specifically?
Growing up, I loved drawing and writing terrible Neopet fan fiction. I also loved reading, because storytelling was a way that I could connect to experiences different than my own. As a comedy writer, I gravitate towards stories that celebrate uniqueness as an asset.
-Can you think back to your first piece of work and what you learned most from it? How much of your voice has changed since you began?
The first piece of work I can remember is a project I did in 2nd grade, called “My Very Good/Bad Day.” I still have the two books, and looking back, it’s amusing to see how little of my perspective has changed. My work has always been and will always be rooted in my every day experiences. I like telling stories from my own life, and I like characters that represent my world. Though my voice has hopefully matured, I will never forget the lessons I learned from that project: be honest, be yourself.
-Do you feel you are still finding your voice? What can you say your voice is right now?
Yes, I think my voice and writing POV will continue to change as I evolve as a person. I don’t think I’ll ever fully settle on one particular “voice” or perspective, since I hope I continue to grow in my knowledge and understanding of the world. Right now, I’m a big fan of grounded stories that explore personal identity vs. social responsibility.
-What do you hope to be known for during your career?
My ultimate dream would be to create my own show someday, but I am so lucky to even write for TV at all, whether or not I ever have that opportunity. I hope to be known for telling stories from underrepresented perspectives and embracing female protagonists that aren’t afraid to be weird, unusual, and challenge the status quo.
-In what ways do you plan on utilizing your platform to better the world?
I hope to depict misunderstood characters with empathy and compassion, encouraging audiences to extend the same to the people around them. If we can relate to an unusual and unlikable character on screen, maybe we can find it in ourselves to show the same kindness to our neighbors.
-What do you have in the works at the moment?
I’m currently developing an adult-animated project and drinking my weight in boba milk tea.
-Where can folks find you on social media!
IG/Twitter: @mariewcheng
Website: www.mariewcheng.com
