Meet Comika Hartford | Screenwriter

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

Hi Comika, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
“You don’t take a photograph, you make it” Ansel Adams

I love this sentiment as it reveals that perspective and imagination are everything. It’s why AI shouldn’t be creating human stories, it’s a fine tool but it has no creative soul. 
Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I started out writing commercials & working on web series, it took me a while to feel confident enough to pursue screenwriting. Honestly, I always felt out of place, a weirdo theater kid that got lost and ended up in the wrong building. And my creative voice is… odd. By that I mean dark, I’m a fan of turning characters over and seeing what crawls out of them. I still get a lot of “Why would you want to write horror?” And the answer is always the same. Life is a horror movie. Think about it… You’re going to die. Everyone you love is going to die. And there’s no do-overs… Oh, and evil exists. Also polyester. Welcome to planet earth most of it that’s not flooded is on fire. I’m joking. Mostly. Anyway I met my agent,  Tiauna Jackson at The Jackson Agency, right before Covid hit while I was writing for a magazine, I was just there to interview her. A web series I had written won a few indie awards so I was feeling bold and after the interview I asked if I could submit some samples and she actually said yes! Right now I’m developing a few things to pitch when the strike is over, My favorite is Griska, a horror comedy I’m writing with one of my partners in crime, Krys K about a shape-shifter who takes the form of an elderly woman to hunt freely as elderly people are often invisible in public spaces. Of course there’s social commentary but it’s also a gory good time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
The Getty Museum! The building itself is a work of art and they have a tram so you feel like you’ve left California and are wandering around around the Swiss mountains looking for your hostel. My only complaint is that they don’t allow camping. Rude.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I met Coco Harris at the Stowe Story Labs Writers Retreat last year and was so blown away by her work. She’s an up and coming comedy writer as well as an accomplished visual artist and essayist. Coco is an inspiration and an organizer, she’s always there to give feedback on your latest draft and her insights are elegant and helpful. Truly an awesome creative force & definitely deserves to be recognized!

Website: www.comikahartford.com

Instagram: @blamethewriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/comika

Image Credits
Sean Sato Ruth Morgan Alex Brouillet