Meet Anna Klassen | Screenwriter

We had the good fortune of connecting with Anna Klassen and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Anna, is there something that you feel is most responsible for your success?
I contribute so much of my success to my ability to be resilient. Being a working writer in Hollywood takes many skills — and being a great writer is only one of them — but what’s most important, in my estimation, is the ability to pick yourself up and start again. The film and TV industry is riddled with failure and heartbreak at every turn. The unfortunate reality is that as a writer you will likely receive a thousand “no’s” before your first “yes”. You will have projects that fall apart for reasons beyond your control. You will get green lights that suddenly turn to red. And you will meet rejection wherever you set your sights. The only way forward is to mourn your losses and move on. It’s a skill I’ve learned and still struggle with, but it’s a necessary part of the game. One thing that helps is having multiple irons in the fire at once. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket, and learn how to move between projects with ease. If you are able to rebound from your losses quickly and remember that it’s never personal, your path to success will much easier — and more enjoyable.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Like so many kids, I grew up obsessed with cinema. I spent every spare moment with my parents’ huge, outdated Panasonic camcorder strapped to my shoulder. I’d coerce my older brothers and friends to act out the scenarios I’d written in my head. From a young age I told my parents that I was going to move to Los Angeles to make movies. But growing up in woodsy Eugene, Oregon, it was an outlandish dream.

I decided to study journalism in the hopes of becoming a film critic. If I couldn’t be in the world of movies, being adjacent to it might sate me — or so I thought. I moved to Los Angeles to work for Newsweek magazine, The Daily Beast, and Bustle. But soon, the screenwriting itch was too intense to ignore. I spent my nights and weekends writing scripts, and to my shock, a few scripts caught the attention of contests and Best-of Lists. I landed on the Black List and The Hit List, won the ScreenCraft Fellowship, and signed with a manger and agents.

Since then, I’ve written several films for Netflix and others that are yet to be announced.

The journey to where I am now wasn’t easy. Along the way I became broke, sunk into a deep depression, and constantly questioned my decision to try and write full time. But it wasn’t a dream I was willing to give up on. I sacrificed a social life and a paycheck in order to write non-stop. I was unrelenting, and most importantly, resilient. I learned to pick myself up over and over (and over, and over…) and begin again.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Los Angeles is my favorite city in the world — there are endless things to do, food to eat, and fun to be had. I recently moved to Highland Park, which I’m having a blast exploring. So here’s my itinerary for the neighborhood: Breakfast at Belle’s Bagels or Kitchen Mouse, exploring the shops on York Blvd., Dinner at Ramen of York or Hippo, and cocktails at Checker Hall before old school bowling (and more cocktails) at Highland Park Bowl. A perfect day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My parents are my biggest fans and advocates. I come from a family of artists, where success was never measured in paychecks. My mom is the most talented person I know, and I’ve lived my life in awe of how everything she touches becomes more beautiful. She constantly asks me: “What are you reading? What are you writing? What are you making that’s just for you?” She pushes me to create and always wants to read and applaud my work. I feel so fortunate to have grown up in an environment where exploring, inventing, and creating was always encouraged.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/annajklassen/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AnnaJKlassen

Image Credits
Marcus Henderson for the first image