Michelle Amor Gillie

Clinical Assistant Professor of Screenwriting | Loyola Marymount University

Los Angeles, CA, UNITED STATES

School of Film and Television

Biography

Michelle Amor Gillie co-wrote PLAYIN’ FOR LOVE, directed by and starring Robert Townsend (FIVE HEARTBEATS, HOLLYWOOD SHUFFLE) and Jenifer Lewis (BLACK-ISH), wrote OF BOYS & MEN starring Academy® Award-nominated actress Angela Bassett (BLACK PANTHER) and Robert Townsend, and co-produced and co-wrote the documentary film TUPAC SHAKUR: BEFORE I WAKE. In November 2019 she and collaborator Ali LeRoi (EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS) sold her one-hour drama THE HONORABLE to CBS, a project inspired by her childhood in Chicago.

She previously taught at UCLA, Chapman University, Cal State, Northridge, and AFI, and is serving her third elected term as co-chair of the WGAW Committee of Black Writers (CBW), whose mission is to create career and networking opportunities for Black writers in Hollywood. She was the lead author of the committee’s ”Dear Hollywood” letter released on June 12, 2020, which demanded sweeping changes in the business to end systemic racism in media and entertainment.

Her projects have garnered numerous accolades. PLAYIN' FOR LOVE debuted on the UP Cable Network in July 2015; on the Urban Movie channel in November 2015; was released on video and Amazon Prime in February 2016; played on Magic Johnson’s Aspire TV in November 2016; and aired on Bounce TV in January 2017. Her film OF BOYS & MEN won Best of the Fest at the 2008 Chicago International Film Festival and was the 2008 Pan-African Film Festival’s Centerpiece Selection. It was released on Warner Bros Home Video in 2011. TUPAC SHAKUR: BEFORE I WAKE sold 4 million copies worldwide.

Michelle received her B.A. from Columbia College, Chicago, and her M.F.A. from UCLA. She has developed stories, written scripts for, and has had original work optioned by veteran producer Todd Garner, Academy® Award-nominated director Lee Daniels, and international film company Atlas Entertainment, R&B singer Michel’le, and Academy® Award-winning producer Al Ruddy (The Godfather & Million Dollar Baby). She is currently shopping a TV drama series with New York Times bestselling author Shaka Senghor (Writing My Wrongs). She's also developing numerous other film and TV projects. A proud native Chicagoan, she resides in Los Angeles with her family.

Education (2)

University of California, Los Angeles: MFA, Theater, Film, and Television 2014

Columbia College, Chicago: BA, Arts, Entertainment & Media Management 1995

Areas of Expertise (5)

Narrative Structure

Book Proposals

Feature Film Screenwriting

TV Writing

Outlining

Accomplishments (11)

Semi-Finalist

Universal Feature Writers Program, 2018

Second Round Finalist in both Feature and One-Hour Pilot categories

Austin Film Festival, 2017

Second Round Finalist

New York Television Festival, 2017

Second Round Finalist

Sundance Institute Episodic Story Lab, 2017

Second Round Finalist

Sundance Institute Episodic Story Lab, 2015

Second Round Finalist

Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab, 2015

Second Round Finalist

Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, 2014

UCLA Student Finalist

Humanitas Prize, 2012

Fellowship Recipient

Barbra Streisand/Sony Pictures Award, 2011-13

Winner, Best of the Fest, "Of Boys & Men"

Chicago International Film Festival, 2008

Centerpiece Selection, "Of Boys & Men"

Pan-African Film Festival, 2008

Affiliations (2)

Co-Chair, Committee of Black Writers, Writers Guild of America West
Co-Founder, LMU's School of Film and Television (SFTV) Students of Color Organization (SCO), whose mission to empower, increase visibility and create career opportunities for Students of Color. Won LMU’s 2019 New Outstanding Organization of the Year.