A CHAT WITH SCREENWRITER/PRODUCER AKElA COOPER
Akela Cooper was born and raised in Southeastern Missouri, graduating from Truman State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing where she published several short stories.
She moved to L.A. in 2004 to attend USC’s Graduate Program in Screenwriting. She graduated with distinction in 2006 landing her first assistant job on CBS Television’s cult hit Jericho that summer. Soon thereafter she worked as a writer’s assistant on Showtime’s Dexter and was staff writer on ABC’s reboot of the 1980s cult mini-series V. Akela is presently staff writer for NBC's Fall show "Grimm"
The literary world stopped and sighed when Hunter S. Thompson passed in 2005. Thirty years before his death, Hunter dictated his funeral and memorial. Great pains were taken to ensure his final dream was realized. And it was.
Though we lost an incredibly talented writer, later that same year my friend and former publisher, Dave Dinsmore, asked if I would be interested in interviewing Akela Cooper, an up and coming writer with a lot of promise.
I replied with an enthusiastic yes. Being on the ground floor of a writer's vocation has always brought me a kind of rush. There was something exceptional about Akela’s writing. Even in the beginning, Dave and I knew we were in the hands of a remarkable artist honing her craft.
At the time of the interview, Dave was gearing up to publish Akela’s premier limited edition chapbook, Tinder Box Blues. Two additional chapbooks promptly followed: Mr. Peepers and Hallelujah.
What happened next astounded even me. Akela wasn’t only a capable writer of fiction, but a gifted screenwriter. She caught her dream. I heard tell she keeps it in a glass jar on her desk. Years ago, Akela was gracious enough to share a near novel-length manuscript and screenplay with me, both I enjoyed significantly. I have them to this day.
Akela has worked on shows such as The 100, Luck Cage, Hell Fest, American Horror Story, Witches of East End, Tron: Uprising, and Chambers. It has been announced Akela will write the screenplay for The Nun 2.
SL: Growing up in the '70s and '80s, my father was a huge fan of horror films, and I remember sitting around the tube on Friday nights watching the old black and white films of the '30s and '40s. Little did he know he was grooming a young writer. How much influence did your parents play in your life as far as writing?
AC: Oh, they played a big part in my life as a writer. I wouldn't be here without them, literally and figuratively. My parents were avid readers and they passed their love of reading to me. They also loved movies and tv, so a lot of family time was spent with the various means of entertainment. I read a lot and watched a healthy amount of tv and movies. A lot of fond memories are of my dad sharing short stories with me, or watching Twilight Zone, Outer Limits and Star Trek (OS, TNG, DS9) among other things. My dad also loved comic books, Marvel to be specific, so it was quite fun to work on Marvel's Luke Cage. I found horror the old-fashioned way: older siblings who babysat me and didn't give a shit about me watching whatever they were even though I was way too young. It's how I saw Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Hellraiser. My family has so much influence on me.
SL: The series Jericho set you on the path to more jobs. What was it like on set your first day? You must have been nervous.
AC: Very nervous. I didn't know anyone, and I wanted to impress everyone. Lucky for me I had a job that allowed me to be in the writers' room when they were working so I learned a lot by observing and our showrunner, Carol Barbee, didn't mind me chiming in if I had an idea or a pitch. When the room wasn't going I was allowed to visit set if I was free, and I would stop by post to talk to the editors, so with Jericho I got a 360 view of how television is made, from writing, to shooting to post to air. Honestly, it was the best first show I could have worked on.
SL: Was it difficult transitioning from prose to screenplays?
AC: It is a different muscle and the biggest thing habits I had to break going from prose to scripts was what we call writing "purple prose" which is way too much description when you're writing action. A lot of adjectives that work in prose don't really translate to scripts. That was the big one for me.
SL: I understand shows can be canceled for whatever reason, but what the hell happened with Luke Cage and Daredevil? I loved the shows and the performances were excellent.
AC: I was on another show by the time Luke Cage season three happened, so I don't know but I was heartbroken for the staff, cast and crew. Same goes for Daredevil who were also working on their next season. I don't think anyone knew it was coming.
SL: Most memorable experience on set?
AC: The day we shot Cottonmouth's death on Luke Cage season one. Mahershala Ali knocked it out of the park, and it's very cool to say I've written for an Oscar winner. Alfre Woodard and Theo Rossi were also incredible to watch. Just Grade A actors all around.
SL: What writers influenced you the most?
AC: James Baldwin, J. Michael Straczynski, Kathryn Bigelow, Yvette Lee Bowser, Naren Shankar, Mat Jonson, Bryan Fuller, Kevin Williamson, a lot more I'm probably forgetting.
SL: I've learned you're writing the screenplay for The Nun 2. How did you land the job, and how will it differ from the first?
AC: I had a general meeting (which is usually just a way for writers and execs to meet in person and get to know each other, no specific job in mind yet) with James Wan's company Atomic Monster and we really hit if off. They offered me a chance to take a stab (no pun intended) at one of their ideas, which would become the script for M3GAN that we sold to Blumhouse and we worked so well together they put me up for a few more things, some of which I can't talk about yet, but one was The Nun 2 and I hit it off with the execs at New Line and I got the job. Right now, that's all I can legally reveal.
SL: What's after The Nun? Can you give us a hint?
AC: I'd love to write some of my own stuff, but we'll have to see how that goes and if I can find the time. I'm lucky in that I'm busy so I'm trying to take advantage as much as I can. Right now, I'm also working on a pilot, adapted from a comic book. Fingers crossed we can sell that one.
SL: Can you give any advice to the young screenwriter trying to break in?
AC: The thing that will always set you apart is your voice, and your perspective so always try to work from that.
SL: One last question: Any chance you will ever return to writing prose?
AC: I would love to, but then I'd have to find the right idea and the time to do it. Hopefully someday I'll get both.
SL: Akela, I can't tell you what a pleasure it has been interviewing you. You've come a long way. There is no doubt bigger and greater things are around the corner for you. Much happiness to you and your family.
AC: Thank you so much! My pleasure!
She moved to L.A. in 2004 to attend USC’s Graduate Program in Screenwriting. She graduated with distinction in 2006 landing her first assistant job on CBS Television’s cult hit Jericho that summer. Soon thereafter she worked as a writer’s assistant on Showtime’s Dexter and was staff writer on ABC’s reboot of the 1980s cult mini-series V. Akela is presently staff writer for NBC's Fall show "Grimm"
The literary world stopped and sighed when Hunter S. Thompson passed in 2005. Thirty years before his death, Hunter dictated his funeral and memorial. Great pains were taken to ensure his final dream was realized. And it was.
Though we lost an incredibly talented writer, later that same year my friend and former publisher, Dave Dinsmore, asked if I would be interested in interviewing Akela Cooper, an up and coming writer with a lot of promise.
I replied with an enthusiastic yes. Being on the ground floor of a writer's vocation has always brought me a kind of rush. There was something exceptional about Akela’s writing. Even in the beginning, Dave and I knew we were in the hands of a remarkable artist honing her craft.
At the time of the interview, Dave was gearing up to publish Akela’s premier limited edition chapbook, Tinder Box Blues. Two additional chapbooks promptly followed: Mr. Peepers and Hallelujah.
What happened next astounded even me. Akela wasn’t only a capable writer of fiction, but a gifted screenwriter. She caught her dream. I heard tell she keeps it in a glass jar on her desk. Years ago, Akela was gracious enough to share a near novel-length manuscript and screenplay with me, both I enjoyed significantly. I have them to this day.
Akela has worked on shows such as The 100, Luck Cage, Hell Fest, American Horror Story, Witches of East End, Tron: Uprising, and Chambers. It has been announced Akela will write the screenplay for The Nun 2.
SL: Growing up in the '70s and '80s, my father was a huge fan of horror films, and I remember sitting around the tube on Friday nights watching the old black and white films of the '30s and '40s. Little did he know he was grooming a young writer. How much influence did your parents play in your life as far as writing?
AC: Oh, they played a big part in my life as a writer. I wouldn't be here without them, literally and figuratively. My parents were avid readers and they passed their love of reading to me. They also loved movies and tv, so a lot of family time was spent with the various means of entertainment. I read a lot and watched a healthy amount of tv and movies. A lot of fond memories are of my dad sharing short stories with me, or watching Twilight Zone, Outer Limits and Star Trek (OS, TNG, DS9) among other things. My dad also loved comic books, Marvel to be specific, so it was quite fun to work on Marvel's Luke Cage. I found horror the old-fashioned way: older siblings who babysat me and didn't give a shit about me watching whatever they were even though I was way too young. It's how I saw Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street and Hellraiser. My family has so much influence on me.
SL: The series Jericho set you on the path to more jobs. What was it like on set your first day? You must have been nervous.
AC: Very nervous. I didn't know anyone, and I wanted to impress everyone. Lucky for me I had a job that allowed me to be in the writers' room when they were working so I learned a lot by observing and our showrunner, Carol Barbee, didn't mind me chiming in if I had an idea or a pitch. When the room wasn't going I was allowed to visit set if I was free, and I would stop by post to talk to the editors, so with Jericho I got a 360 view of how television is made, from writing, to shooting to post to air. Honestly, it was the best first show I could have worked on.
SL: Was it difficult transitioning from prose to screenplays?
AC: It is a different muscle and the biggest thing habits I had to break going from prose to scripts was what we call writing "purple prose" which is way too much description when you're writing action. A lot of adjectives that work in prose don't really translate to scripts. That was the big one for me.
SL: I understand shows can be canceled for whatever reason, but what the hell happened with Luke Cage and Daredevil? I loved the shows and the performances were excellent.
AC: I was on another show by the time Luke Cage season three happened, so I don't know but I was heartbroken for the staff, cast and crew. Same goes for Daredevil who were also working on their next season. I don't think anyone knew it was coming.
SL: Most memorable experience on set?
AC: The day we shot Cottonmouth's death on Luke Cage season one. Mahershala Ali knocked it out of the park, and it's very cool to say I've written for an Oscar winner. Alfre Woodard and Theo Rossi were also incredible to watch. Just Grade A actors all around.
SL: What writers influenced you the most?
AC: James Baldwin, J. Michael Straczynski, Kathryn Bigelow, Yvette Lee Bowser, Naren Shankar, Mat Jonson, Bryan Fuller, Kevin Williamson, a lot more I'm probably forgetting.
SL: I've learned you're writing the screenplay for The Nun 2. How did you land the job, and how will it differ from the first?
AC: I had a general meeting (which is usually just a way for writers and execs to meet in person and get to know each other, no specific job in mind yet) with James Wan's company Atomic Monster and we really hit if off. They offered me a chance to take a stab (no pun intended) at one of their ideas, which would become the script for M3GAN that we sold to Blumhouse and we worked so well together they put me up for a few more things, some of which I can't talk about yet, but one was The Nun 2 and I hit it off with the execs at New Line and I got the job. Right now, that's all I can legally reveal.
SL: What's after The Nun? Can you give us a hint?
AC: I'd love to write some of my own stuff, but we'll have to see how that goes and if I can find the time. I'm lucky in that I'm busy so I'm trying to take advantage as much as I can. Right now, I'm also working on a pilot, adapted from a comic book. Fingers crossed we can sell that one.
SL: Can you give any advice to the young screenwriter trying to break in?
AC: The thing that will always set you apart is your voice, and your perspective so always try to work from that.
SL: One last question: Any chance you will ever return to writing prose?
AC: I would love to, but then I'd have to find the right idea and the time to do it. Hopefully someday I'll get both.
SL: Akela, I can't tell you what a pleasure it has been interviewing you. You've come a long way. There is no doubt bigger and greater things are around the corner for you. Much happiness to you and your family.
AC: Thank you so much! My pleasure!