Colleen came to Scotland in 2015 from the USA to do an MA in Screenwriting at Screen Academy Scotland. She is currently based in Los Angeles California.

I always knew I wanted to continue my training in screenwriting, but I hadn’t quite found my place. Once I arrived at Edinburgh Napier, I immediately felt that I was home. The guidance from James Mavor, Nigel Smith, and the rest of the guests and advisors gave me this unknown depth of understanding about screenwriting. I grew as a writer and a person. I was challenged in my ideas of how a story can be told and the stories I could tell. My fellow classmates and I became a little family. We supported each other and challenged each other. My heart will always be in Edinburgh, but after graduation, I knew I had to move back to the States.

After moving to Los Angeles, I submitted my final from Napier to the Shore Scripts Competition, it placed in the semi-finals. I interned at a cinema magazine and then quickly started working at Studio School, Los Angeles. Formerly Relativity School, this film and performing arts college is based inside Los Angeles Center Studios, a 20-acre studio lot. I started as a receptionist but moved up to Academic Coordinator. Similar to my experiences at Napier, my co-workers at Studio School are some of the most creative people I know.

Alongside working at Studio School, I formed a partnership with two other experienced women in the film industry and we’re creating our first short film as a team. Our goal is to tell stories that are centred around women, their struggles, and triumphs. I would not have the courage to push myself in Los Angeles if it weren’t for my training and guidance at Screen Academy Scotland at Edinburgh Napier.

Instagram: @laegerbomb