“Unveiling Secrets: Alysha Chan and David Zarif Share Untold Stories in Exclusive Interview!”
Have you ever wondered what goes into winning a prestigious screenwriting fellowship? I recently had the pleasure of chatting with Alysha Chan and David Zarif, the dynamic duo behind the award-winning screenplay “Miss Chinatown,” which clinched a 2024 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. In this engaging interview, we delved into their creative journey, uncovered the intricacies of their storytelling craft, and explored what this significant accolade means for their budding careers. In Part 3 of a six-part series, they share invaluable insights on constructing a captivating and efficient Act One that hooks readers right from the get-go. Join me as we unravel the secrets of their award-winning script, from the meticulously crafted characters to the compelling narrative arcs. Curious to find out more? LEARN MORE.
My interview with the 2024 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting winners.
Alysha Chan and David Zarif wrote the original screenplay “Miss Chinatown” which won a 2024 Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. Recently, I had the opportunity to chat with the couple about their creative background, their award-winning script, the craft of screenwriting, and what winning the Nicholl has meant to them.
Today in Part 3 of a 6-part series to run each day through Saturday, Alysha and David go into depth about how they crafted an entertaining Act One in their Nicholl-winning screenplay, but also efficient.
Scott: I’d like to do a breakdown of Act One, because I was so impressed how efficient the writing is. By the time I got done with your story set-up, I was like, “Wow, these writers really did a great job of moving this thing along and setting up these characters.”
You start off with essentially a prologue. It’s about a five-page voiceover narrative sequence from Jackie where we’re seeing her as a child. Was that something you had in mind originally?
Alysha: I think we had that from the get-go.
David: We wanted to get into our story as quickly as possible. Readers have a razor thin attention span. And as a writer, you have to ask yourself, “Why would someone spend time reading your script as opposed to, say, doing literally anything else?” And I know a lot of people dislike voiceover, but it’s an effective way to pull the reader straight into the world you’ve built.
Scott: It’s a testament to efficient writing. I mean that as high praise because, in five pages, you establish the youngest version of Jackie with that Little Miss Sunshine thing where she’s watching pageant videos. She says via voiceover:
“To me, she [my mom] was an Asian Michelle Obama, a lesser-bootied Kim Kardashian, and an equally badass Michelle Yeoh all rolled into one.”
And you feel that. But by the end of that prologue, Jackie is pulling back, not wanting to pursue the Miss Chinatown route. There’s a literal arc that happens in five pages. The prologue sets up the tension where the mom is hoping for Jackie to be one way, but she’s starting to carve a path of her own. She says:
