Introduce Yourself : Screenwriter on The Bitch List 2020 by Karen Hemmerle

Karen Hemmerle

Screenwriter on The Bitch List 2020

I'm a produced screenwriter, screenwriting coach, and monologist living in Denver.

My new feature screenplay, Master Zek, is one of 18 screenplays that made The Bitch List 2020 out of hundreds of nominations. The Bitch List 2020 is comprised of the best unproduced screenplays with strong female leads and stories, nominated by industry insiders.

Logline: When a university professor unexpectedly develops super powers, she must learn to use them to defeat her ex-husband's plot to enable artificial intelligence to hijack human brains, and do it with no spandex, no utility belt - just a woman cleaning up the mess and saving the world.

My most recent short film tells the story of a group of homeless people who help a woman with dementia find her way home.

I'm available to consult on scripts, write a screenplay from your story idea, coach you through writing your screenplay, and write custom monologues for actors.

Tawny Stokes

Hi Karen, congrats on making the Bitch List! That's a fantastic accomplishment!

Larry OBrien

Interesting, a monologist. That has to be a demanding undertaking. Do you enjoy any one facet over the other?

Karen Hemmerle

Thanks, Tawny. Master Zek is a screenplay I'm really happy with. It's a non-violent action superhero origin story merged with the story of a woman dealing with surprise changes in her life and a threatening ex-husband. I just need to get it to the right people.

Karen Hemmerle

Larry, I'm definitely a screenwriter first, but the days of long Paddy Chayefskyesque speeches in film are over, and every now and then I have one of those speeches come shooting out of my brain. Fortunately, there's a small market for them to be performed in Denver, and they also work as prose. I got into writing custom monologues for actors after sitting through endless auditions where every actor read the same piece. Smart actors want a monologue that is only for them and shows their skills in the best way.

Larry OBrien

How did you ever envision a non-violent superhero flick? I've written a couple but only submitted to a couple of contests. Paid for some feedback, although, not sure of the quality of such. A female comedy called "Fools of Nature"

I recently discovered a potential contact (know the family) who works high up in Mayim Bialik's production company that I will reach out to once I get some additional editing done. You never know what will resonate with folks.

Rowen Bridler

Nice to 'meet' you Karen - I hadn't heard of 'The Bitch List' before, but it sounds amazing. Congrats on your screenplay inclusion! I love that you write monologues too. Do you have a particular demand from women in their 30s/40s for more interesting monologues than stuff based on being a 'Mom'? I always find that the most frustrating thing about monologues for women...

Karen Hemmerle

Larry, I think a lot of women envision non-violent superheroes, especially female ones. If a superhero can't think of a way to save the world without violence, he or she isn't thinking hard enough. Zek also doesn't wear spandex or an armored suit. Those are male ideas of how a female superhero should look.

Karen Hemmerle

Vincent, good on you for writing a non-violent hero. When women gain power, personally, politically, superhero, whatever, their first thought isn't, "What can I kill or blow up now that I'm in control?" Good luck with your script.

Karen Hemmerle

Rowan, my experience has been that all actors what fresh monologues that don't force them to use the same old ones everyone has heard a million times. I did recently get a request for a mom monologue because that's one of the brands that an actress is focusing on. But she wants it to be new and different. Her other brand is as a rich bitch character, so she asked for that monologue too.

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