“Be kind to yourself” seems about right. It’s easy to become impatient with yourself, especially when your career path has so many twists and turns.
Vanessa Võ
The Killer Shorts Contest is excited to bring you this interview with the 2021 2nd Place Winner, Vanessa Võ, with her script Copy Cat. Vanessa has a diverse background in the industry, having worn multiple hats throughout her career, which she attributes to making her a better writer. Determination and perseverance are key to Vanessa’s success. After winning, Killer Shorts got Vanessa in touch with Bellevue Productions. The initial introduction led Vanessa to writing the Copy Cat feature and ultimately being signed by Bellevue.
Investing in herself has been key for Vanessa as she maneuvers the industry. Making authentic connections, and staying true to herself has pushed Vanessa’s career forward, and ultimately helped her to get signed. Check out our interview with Vanessa Võ below.
Conversations with Vanessa Võ
Like many trying to break into the industry, you’ve worn quite a few hats. Can you break down your career and the many jobs you’ve taken as you worked to hone your craft?
It’s hard to imagine any career path in Film/TV going directly from “point A” to “point B”! I’ve worked in development, production and talent, live-action and animation, scripted and non-scripted. I’ve worked as a development intern, production intern, production assistant, interim executive assistant, assistant production manager, pre-production project manager, and script coordinator. Whew! Looking back, I have worn a lot of hats! But each position I’ve held—whether internship or full-time—has made me a better writer because I was given an opportunity to see story-telling from a different angle.
Your story is one of persistence. What was the journey to signing with Bellevue Productions?
In 2021, Killer Shorts connected me with Bellevue Productions. At the time, I didn’t have a feature readily available. But after the introduction, I went straight to work! I kept in contact with Bellevue as I developed my writing portfolio. Then in Fall/Winter 2023, I reached out with my feature adaptation of Copy Cat. I was signed shortly afterwards!
How have things changed for you since winning the Killer Short Contest in 2021?
I’ve expanded both my writing portfolio and my network, and I’ve invested in myself more as a writer. After Copy Cat’s success with Killer Shorts, I submitted to more competitions. Anyone who has submitted to screenplay competitions knows that the entry fees add up. However, it was worth it because people were reading Copy Cat. More importantly, I met other writers and creatives. It’s been great connecting with people who are passionate about writing and who value the craft.
What advice would you give writers who have placed in contests like Killer Shorts?
It’s important to expand your network, but don’t forget to maintain and nurture your connections. Be genuine. Managers and agents aren’t investing in a single project, they’re investing in you.
Once conversations start, be open to notes and don’t be precious with your work. Scripts are always evolving as they move through the production pipeline. Look for “the note behind the note” and determine if the note serves your story. Sometimes it does, sometimes it doesn’t. You just need to be open to the possibility.
What do you think the moral of your personal story is? How would you describe what it took to get to this point in your career?
“Be kind to yourself” seems about right. It’s easy to become impatient with yourself, especially when your career path has so many twists and turns.
How did you maintain a brisk pace of Copy Cat despite its length, and how did you gauge whether it was keeping readers invested?
Pacing is very important to me. With Copy Cat I wanted to build tension with every page, but I also wanted to give the story space “to breathe”. It was a balancing act between the mystery surrounding Ida’s journal and Ms. Rucker’s race against the clock (re: writing obligations). I read the script out loud to test the pacing. If I found myself dragging through a scene, I revisited it.
How do you view your protagonist, Ms. Rucker’s complexity and flaws, and why did you choose to write her with these imperfections rather than as a fully likable character?
I enjoy writing unlikeable characters. When a character is flawed, they are more vulnerable which draws readers and/or viewers in. We find ourselves either sympathizing with them or loathing them. Either way, unlikeable characters invoke an emotional response because of their imperfections. This makes them feel all the more real, more human.
What’s next for you, and what are you working on right now?
What’s next for me? More horror and crime thrillers!
Currently, I’m tightening up my feature adaption of Copy Cat and developing other features. A horror short I co-wrote, Yaoguai, is now in development, [with] production slated for September. My co-writer, Mimi Lee, is directing. Yaoguai was one of the 2024 Killer Shorts’ Top Ten Finalists. I’m excited to see how it will turn out.
Final Thoughts
We hope Vanessa’s journey motivates you to enter the Killer Shorts contest, as it could open doors to representation. By investing in herself and growing her network, Vanessa took full advantage of the opportunities that came with being signed by Bellevue. Her success story—submitting to Killer Shorts, landing a meeting, and eventually being signed—serves as a powerful reminder for all writers. So, don’t hesitate to submit your horror short scripts and stories. You never know where it might take you.
Interview conducted by Mick Kowaleski.
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