I’m a first-time screenwriter based in Queensland, Australia. At 62, I’ve written my debut screenplay, Bolt Out of the Blue, driven by a lifelong love of storytelling and a deep belief in cinema’s power to entertain, provoke, and inspire.
My writing is intuitive rather than academic—grounded in imagination, shaped by lived experience, and sharpened by the late-in-life discovery that I have ADHD. Diagnosed at 58, treatment has given me the focus to finally put decades of ideas into motion.
I've spent most of my professional life in sales, travelling across Queensland and meeting people from all walks of life. Their voices, struggles, and humour have fuelled the emotional core of my writing.
I’ve been married since 1982 and have a grown son born in 1993. They’ve supported this creative leap with endless encouragement.
This is the first script I've brought to completion, but it won’t be the last.
Bolt Out of the Blue—an Australian-led action thriller crafted for an international cast and audience. Inspired by today’s shifting global tensions, the story opens the door to a new kind of conflict, one not yet seen on screen.
As one of the characters says: “The world, and the threats in it, are becoming more unconventional—and we need to come up with even more unconventional solutions to those threats.”
Set against the hauntingly beautiful yet imperilled backdrop of Antarctica, the film explores how the continent acts as a barometer for manmade climate change. The stakes are not only geopolitical, but existential.
I’m stepping into the world of filmmaking with no prior industry experience—only a deep love of cinema and a belief in its power to provoke thought, ignite emotion, and spark change.
Thank you for the opportunity to share my work. It would be an honour to receive your feedback.
Thanks for sharing the article, Ashley Renee Smith. As a writer, I could set my unscripted series ideas in other countries. Thanks for the idea.
One advantage I think comes with producing unscripted co...
Expand commentThanks for sharing the article, Ashley Renee Smith. As a writer, I could set my unscripted series ideas in other countries. Thanks for the idea.
One advantage I think comes with producing unscripted content abroad is there are a lot of cultures and stories to build shows around.