The Art of Comedy and Creativity: An Inside Look at Weston Manville
Weston Manville, a Los Angeles native, is a renowned screenwriter, storyteller, and film producer. His unique style of Comedic-Realism has carved a niche for him in the industry. His commitment to his craft and his ability to bring humor to the world is truly commendable.
Manville's journey to success started from humble beginnings. His love for performing began in the third grade, where he would conduct mini comedy sketches for his classmates.
As a child, Manville always had the natural tendency of performing for others. He nurtured this calling through performing mini comedy sketches in front of his 3rd grade class, and by directing stop motion shorts with his lego collection. After hearing "you are the funniest person I know" enough times, he began to see this as his calling. This vocation only grew as the years progressed and various friends and acquaintances would ask him to help them with things like lightening up a speech, or helping with a creative party invitation. He started writing his ideas and stories down around the 5th grade, and the rest is history.
Weston Manville, the artist behind the comedy.
A Journey to Success
Manville graduated from The University of Oregon, and started his career as a CBS studio page. With a little bit of luck, he then strategically moved up to assisting the Head of Production, and then finally as the Coordinator of the Studio's Physical Production department overseeing all the CBS Comedy, Drama, and Talk Show programming slate. Where his career really catapulted, however, was when he transitioned into working for Blumhouse Productions as their Manager of Film Production. It was there that he was able to reach his true potential as he had an amazing mentor who trusted him to take on greater responsibility, and garner the wealth of experience that it takes to master low-budget film making.
Despite the challenges of the industry, Manville was able to navigate through and find his footing. He is best known for his dark-comedy screenplay about a team of amateur investigators who embark on a mission to find a missing girl in a secluded puritan village hidden away in upstate New York. This screenplay, which marked his first major breakthrough in the industry, was co-written by Manville and picked up by an emerging studio headed by a notable figure in the entertainment industry.
Connecting with the Audience
Manville's unique approach to connecting with his audience involves having conversations with a diverse group of people. He believes that by observing people and being open to different perspectives, he can find an infinite amount of material for his work. His philosophy of setting up 'Curiosity Conversations' has been instrumental to his creative process.
Challenges and Overcoming Them
Despite his success, Manville's journey has not been without challenges. He struggled with being solely known for his logistical prowess in the film production spectrum, hindering his transition into the creative side. However, his confidence in his writing and accomplishments helped him break through this barrier and achieve his goal of being a respected creative in the film industry.
Looking Forward
As for his future plans, Manville aims to continue spreading laughter in this seemingly dark world through his art. He is currently the Head of Operations and Producer for Loose Cannon Pictures, where they strive to bring unconventional stories to life.
Manville's journey serves as an inspiration for many. His unique style of Comedic-Realism has carved a niche for him in the industry. His commitment to his craft and his ability to bring humor to the world is truly commendable.