For as long as anyone can remember, creative artists have been communicating their desire to explore art through various mediums and projects. Present day increasingly finds them in this scenario. While streaming services, online subscription services, and social media platforms have redirected a whole new generation of audiences to these avenues, away from traditional ones, professionals like screenwriter Sarah Walton are afforded the opportunity to test their wares as never before. In addition to her numerous acclaimed films such as The Dating Ring, Jump, Holiday Switch Up, and others, Walton has written Social Media TV series Over The Influence, Romantic Comedy blog DOL Living (Drunk on Life Living), comedy sketches for Das Popcorn at the Westside Theatre, and is a judge for screenwriting competitions. One doesn’t stay successful and relevant as a Hollywood writer by letting the blade go dull and Walton’s constant motion confirms this notion.
Known for her affinity and expertise in writing Romantic Comedies, Walton’s name might not be considered as “household” except to those who pay attention to the credits in the film and TV industry. It’s a part of the bargain that this writer is completely at ease with; she’d rather her characters receive the attention and allow her to not become typecast as a writer. This is what led to her experimentation in utilizing her talent on different types of projects. Walton lacked the shared experience of most Americans who have grown up with SNL, Mad TV, and the like, but picked it up quickly. Working in the American entertainment industry whilst being from another country can contribute to one’s “fresh” voice but may also leave unique blind spots. Sarah began writing for sketch comedies to write with this “sketch accent.” She describes, “I had heard a lot about Saturday Night Live but I had never watched it. What I knew was that a lot of my favorite films and TV shows (Bridesmaids, New Girl) had actors and directors who came from sketch comedy and improv. This was one of the main reasons that I wanted to work in LA; the bar for this kind of comedy is set very high. There’s so much talent here and I wanted to work with actors and creatives who are experts in this genre.” Walton wrote Hawt Wax Attack as part of Das Popcorns show at the Westside Theater showing December 9th and 16th. The sketch is based on her own personal experience of getting a bikini wax (naked from the waist down) while the beauticians working at the establishment continually entered and exited the room while going about their duties. Many of her sketches are social satire sending powerful messages about the aging process, love, spirituality, etc., but Hawt Wax Attack was a sketch she just wrote for fun.
It’s often stated that what makes something funny is the rejection to give into despair or sadness. To follow her journey of a year off alcohol, Sarah wrote the blog “Confess For Success.” including a fundraiser to benefit those who have been effected by drug and alcohol abuse. She now writes for “Drunk On Life Living”, an afterparty blog celebrating holistic living. Sarah’s contributions to the blog express her romantic comedy view of the world. Sharing her personal stories and perspective on life, rejecting the dark in deference to light, Walton uncommonly allowed herself to be the focus of her own writing. As a result, she unintentionally reached an entire legion of new fans who have now turned to following her more scripted writing.
No project is more current and innovative than social media television. As writer for social media TV series Over The Influence (currently in negotiations with a top social media platform), Sarah finds herself speaking to a young audience (13-24 yr. olds) and taking on their perspective. Recalling her own teen and young adult insecurities while framing them in a 2018 state-of-mind, Walton has found the process cathartic and empathy building. She confides, “I’ve never written a protagonist who is more than a couple of years younger than me, so it was challenging for me at first to get inside a teenager’s head. I write in a way that is very character based and comes from within, so I need to relate to the protagonist in a personal way to be able to write for them. But I found that I was able to access a teenager’s headspace by understanding that what we go through as teens isn’t really much different than what we go through as adults, just that it’s amplified.”
Pushing yourself to new limits while mentoring the aspirations of others is part of the cycle for any committed artist. Walton has been serving as a judge for Screencraft screenplay competition and Coverfly since 2017. The entertainment industry, more than any other, is a business in which you never know what talent will collaborate with you next. For Sarah, judging is a rewarding endeavor that helps others and keeps her abreast of what the next generation of writers finds inspiring. Tom Dever of Coverfly states, “Sarah’s metrics match the high quality of her script consultant coverage. We are absolutely thrilled with her work. Her Writer Rating is flawless!”
Whether it’s through her films, television, articles or simply her role as a mentor to upcoming writers, Walton’s plethora of heartfelt work across various platforms reflects her intention to leave a positive creative imprint in the entertainment industry and on this world. In one of her most popular blog articles, Walton wrote a line that leaves us with the same hopeful and uplifting feelings that her films elicit, “I have a dream… That one day, ALL people, will feel more comfortable with love and joy… than violence and pain.”