Meet Abe El-Raheb: Screenwriter & Showrunner’s Assistant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Abe El-Raheb and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Abe, how do you think about risk?
Hey! I’m Abe and I’m a screenwriter based in Los Angeles. I work in the Entertainment industry, so risk-taking is a massive part of my day-to-day life, but the truth is that I come from a family of risk-takers. My father quit his job to pioneer a (then) new form of medical treatment by starting a company of Hospitalists. My mother has been a risk-taker her whole life through myriad different examples, but the most recent was starting a coffee shop, her first time working in the restaurant industry, in her 50’s. Having two risk-takers in my family inspired me to attempt a career in Hollywood.

Risk is like politics – it’s in every facet of our lives whether we’d like to acknowledge that or not. Before working in the Entertainment Industry I was a Financial Analyst in the Energy sector. In the world of business, risk is ever-present, but teams constantly work to mitigate it. Risk is a signature enemy of a corporation so actions are done to nullify it as much as possible, even at the expense of the host body. To me, that’s one of the big stories of the last 20-40 years: gutting the soul of organizations to nullify risk and maximize value. Corporations are modeling a world without risk and it’s one of being hollowed out. I apologize if that’s all a bit abstract, I tend to do that haha.

I’ve taken many risks in my life and career, but I was fortunate enough to be able to do so by positioning myself to take the leap with a safety net. Even if my risk ended in total disaster, it wouldn’t result in me being thrown out on the street. I am very, very, very fortunate in that regard. That helps manage the stress involved in risk-taking, but the stress is still very, very high when you push the button.

Ultimately, I think risk-taking can be very rewarding, specifically if you follow your instincts and can afford to do so. The problem is, it’s getting harder and harder for people to afford to take risks. To me, risks are all about invention and revolution for one’s self. When they work, you end up in a much happier, more fulfilled place. When they don’t work, supposing you don’t lose everything, you are at least gratified to have answered the “what if?” question that might otherwise dog you the rest of your life. At the end of the day, warts and all, I am very pro-risk.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
As a screenwriter, I like to try anything, but my bread and butter are thrillers and dark comedies. I grew up in Oklahoma as one of only a few Egyptian-Americans so I’ve always been an outsider. Since outsiders don’t belong anywhere they tend to be great observers, which is a foundational skill set to have as a writer. In my scripts, I try to examine America via my personal perspective, which is to say, I find it a complicated place, with fascinating people lots of high highs and low lows, and an overall coloring of absurd and bizarre humor. I also try to draw on my favorite attributes of the arts from my family heritage with the Egyptian side bringing enigmatic mystery and surrealism, and the Irish side bringing romanticism and humor. I think if you put all these in a blender, you come out with my voice.

In the past year, I was fortunate to be repped by Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue and Varun Monga of Kaplan-Stahler. I’m very excited to work on some new projects with them, which has been going at a slower pace due to my day job as a Showrunner’s Assistant. I’m wrapping up a feature I did called AN AMERICAN IN CAIRO which is like TITANIC during the 2011 Arab Spring in Cairo, but then I’m onto new projects. AN AMERICAN IN CAIRO is the hardest script I’ve ever written and my most personal. I’ve been working on it for four years and I’m pretty exhausted by the material, but I want that one to get produced because it’s a love letter to Egypt and the Egyptian people who fundamentally changed my life the two times I got to visit. After this though, I want to pivot hard into television. In general, I like the pace of tv writing as well as the greater control and collaborative environment.

I got to where I am today via a combination of hard work on my end, incredible luck, and the benevolent generosity of people and companies willing to take a chance on me. In tandem with that, I was able to pursue art as a career because of Savings and the support system of my family. Unfortunately, a career in the arts is not really feasible without these things, and as a result, we have been denied many, many, many incredible talents throughout history.

My path has not been easy, but nobody’s path in Entertainment is easy, even those who have the benefits of wealth, connections, and nepotism and their disposal. It just happens to be so much harder without these things. When things get tough, I’ve tried to redirect my focus on my work and improving my craft, which is one of the few things you have control over. What I’ve learned from my work as Showrunner’s Assistant is that you have to be flexible, and you have to be prepared to kill your darlings. Some people love Production, but I view Production as the place where dreams go to die. Still, certain things are worth fighting for. The big lesson I’ve learned recently is that reality is always fighting with artistry so it’s the creator’s job to find the groove between them.

I don’t have much to add about my brand or story, but I am trying to get staffed, so if any showrunners are looking for an Egyptian-Irish-American from Oklahoma for their room, I am quite literally your man.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Uh oh. This is an intimidating question because most of my time in LA has been spent either grinding in grad school or in lockdown due to the pandemic – but I will try my best.

I live in Noho, so I would definitely do lunch at Hy Mart (the “Gyro Ben’s Way” is a divine sandwich) then maybe Universal Studios and finish the night at Idle Hour which has great vernacular architecture.

My favorite thing to do in Southern California is going to the beach. I don’t have a preference, all CA beaches are great in my eye. I also like hiking. There are tons of great spots but I recently went to Vasquez Rocks in Agua Dulce, which was small but very easy and pretty.

My favorite theaters are New Beverly, The Egyptian, Laemelle. For live music, I haven’t seen a ton of shows but I saw Power Trip (RIP Riley Gale) at the Regent Theater, Sunn O))) at the Mayan Theater, and I saw Lucinda Williams/Dwight Yoakam/Steve Earle at The Hollywood Bowl.

I actually don’t like the LA bar scene all that much. I used to live in Austin and I got spoiled by the massive patios and cheap drinks there. That said, I’m a big fan of Harvard and Stone, Forman’s Whiskey Tavern, Idle Hour as I mentioned. I also like places like the Virgil. My big things are that I don’t want to spend $17-20 on one (1) drink, and I don’t want the bartender to give me death stares because I’m not wearing an $480 Givenchy t-shirt.

Unfortunately, some of my favorite spots like 101 Coffee Shop and the Satellite did not survive the pandemic. All of these gems that didn’t make it should be revived by angel investors. Especially 101 Coffee Shop. I mean, come on…

But again, I’m the wrong person to ask because I’ve lived here for four years and I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Besides my family, I would like to thank Robbie Pickering, Amelia Gray, Sam Esmail, Chad Hamilton, Andy Campagna, Sarah Matte and Halee Bernard for taking a chance on me and giving me several opportunities and opened many doors.

Other: abrahamelraheb@gmail.com

Image Credits
Celine Layous, Tom Meredith