Genre
Synopsis
SKETCH follows art student JENNA, who regularly draws and paints images from other people’s minds. When she inadvertently sketches a person of interest in a serial rape case, she is approached by ex-detective MAX. Max and ex-police captain SUSAN work for Lavira Lab, a new organization that Susan created to examine previously ignored rape kits. While Max is suspicious of Jenna at first, he soon realizes she could be instrumental in finding a particularly elusive suspect, so he recruits her to work for Lavira. As Jenna balances college life with this new odd forensic gig, she struggles between her quest to master her ability and her desire to hide from it. When she does look inward, she faces her own suppressed memories, and discovers that she’s been painting clues to her childhood trauma for years. She’d much rather just party with her friends than face that.
Tagline: She'll Draw You Out of Hiding.
Bio
Debra creates painfully honest stories about goofy, flawed women like herself. She is best known for writing, directing and producing the indie feature THE TOLLBOOTH, which starred Marla Sokoloff, Idina Menzel, Tovah Feldhuh and Rob McElhenney. Her latest feature script, MALLWALKERS, won the NYWIFT/Ravenal Grant, and invitations to Cine Qua Non Lab and Stowe Story Lab, and a spot on the Wscripted List of Excellent Scripts at Cannes. Her pilot SKETCH was developed at the 2021 Athena Film Festival Television Writers Lab.
Previous work includes the pilot Frog Kissers, the web series The Happy Mommy Hustle, and the short, Changing Clothes. She has also written, directed and produced several promotional videos and EPKs as well as activist videos for the group Rise and Resist. Debra started and led a creative writing program for homeless adults at the Hoboken Shelter and led a creative writing workshop for “Prime Time” Women over sixty in Brooklyn, who helped inspire MALLWALKERS. Currently Debra teaches Screenwriting at Brooklyn College and Digital Video Production at Fordham University.
Awards History
CineStory Foundation Television Writers Retreat 2024 - Semifinalist
Bellem Entertainment Scholarship
Athena Film Festival Television Writers Lab 2021
