Danielle Gaynor is an emerging screenwriter and video editor. She has written and edited comedy shorts and a music video for Temple University’s sketch comedy production group, TEMPLE SMASH, with her work streaming on Roku TV via TUTV. She interns at WXPN, assisting in musician interviews and assembling playlists for the World Cafe radio show, and is currently writing a horror-comedy feature film.
My Personal Statement!
Since I was a little kid, I’ve been fascinated with storytelling. Watching cartoons, movies, and reading comic books were frequent pasttimes of mine, and making stories of my own was always something I wanted to do – I’d daydream about my own characters and adventures, the wild humorous events that would take place, and lessons to be learnt. It was most definitely a form of escapism, but the older I got, the more it intertwined with my reality – characters reflected myself and people I knew, and themes and structure became a place for exploring ideas about the world and connecting with others. After all, that’s what stories are for: articulating thoughts and feelings, and achieving a stronger understanding of our fellow man… And, of course, being entertaining. It’s still escapism, try to have a little fun!
As I grew up, my interests in storytelling took me from one art medium to another – from doodling comics during class, to acting and doing stage crew for my high school theatre department, to majoring in film at Temple University (In the screenwriting concentration, specifically). While I’m well-versed in various areas of film production – an example being fast-paced video editing – I’m most at home in Final Draft, typing away bizarre, dark, comedic dramas. The way I see things, the funniest things in life are often a little sad, and the saddest things in life are often a little funny! I make weird, funny-but-sad scripts that appeal to the escapist desires of the dorky, awkward little art kid inside all of us.
My Resume!
My Editing Examples!
VALENTINE’S DAY by JO ZERA – A 2-minute music video for indie artist Jo Zera. This premiered during Episode 1603 of TEMPLE SMASH. Bye, Loverssss…
SICK LITTLE FREAKS – A 3-and-a-half-minute sketch for TEMPLE SMASH, parodying YouTube interview videos. I also played Rose in this!
PLUTO: SMALLER THAN EVER – A 4-minute TEMPLE SMASH sketch, a fake trailer for a comedy special. What if the dwarf planet was a canceled comic?
KEYHOLE KOLE – A 30-second rough cartoon – storyboarded, animated, and edited by me! The animation was hand-drawn in Adobe Animate, and the shots were then edited together with music and sound effects in Premiere Pro.
My Script Examples!
I MADE YOUR FAVORITE – A 4-page dramedy about subverting audience expectations and the shaky relationship between a wife and husband. This “world’s most convoluted cheating scheme” was produced into a short film by director Thiago Avilez!
See it in action:
THE PLEASANTRIES OF A CATHOLIC SCHOOL BATHROOM – A 5-page coming-of-age comedy inspired by all the worst parts of growing up and not knowing who you are or what people expect from you. Based on memories that are uncomfortable but, in all honesty, are pretty funny.
NO PLACE FOR VANITY – A 10-page horror play that has it all – Coffee, Killer Dolls, Makeup Tutorials, and Crippling Body Dysmorphia. Fun for the whole family!
My Art!
No Place For Vanity:
Keyhole Kole Storyboard sample:
Shady-Business Shoebill:
Christmas 2-Tone Color Greeting Card:
Angry Computer:
