Missouri Stories Spotlight with Laura Kirk

Laura Kirk is an associate teaching professor at the University of Kansas and is an award-winning filmmaker with credits as a producer and actor in many films including Andrea Arnold’s Cannes film American Honey (2017), and Slamdance film The Sublime and Beautiful : (2014). She was selected as a Missouri Stories Fellow in 2018, for her feature script Seekers, which follows a lovable pastor who struggles to share her truth with her flock as the winds of change shake a small congregation and town.

Where do you get inspiration for your work?

LK: My inspiration comes from telling untold stories.

Tell us about a screenwriter who inspires you and why.

LK: I am inspired by Andrea Arnold who spends a large portion of time researching and developing her stories.

Tell us about your writing process.

LK: My writing process also begins with extensive research and notes. Then I outline and write very badly to keep developing the story. When it’s ready I schedule a reading with actors to hear it out loud and scribble many notes.

How do you connect with other writers?

LK: I connect with other writers in accountability groups where we state goals and work and report out at the end of the session.

How has being a Missouri Stories Fellow affected you?

LK: Being a Missouri Stories Fellow means the mentorship I received greatly affects my current work. I will never forget the lessons I learned.

What are you up to now?

LK: My current screenplay Tipping the Scales is a Screencraft True Story & Public Domain finalist. It’s set in St. Louis so the dream is to film it there.