Amber Nelson & Mokotsi Rukundo, LISFF 2026, TV Pilot Finalist

-Can you please tell us about you and your daily life? 

Amber Nelson:  I’m often juggling a day job, painting, interior design consulting, writing and auditioning…  It’s an ongoing balancing act.

Mokotsi Rukundo: I think my daily life and my writing life are pretty inseparable. I was born in Swaziland, come from a Rwandan family, and grew up in Iowa, so I’ve always felt slightly between worlds. I think that naturally turned me into an observer. Most days are spent writing in coffee shops around Los Angeles, people watching more than I probably should. I’m fascinated by contradictions in people, the gap between how we present ourselves and who we really are. A lot of my writing starts there.

- When and how did you get into writing?

Amber Nelson: I began creative writing in middle school, with a teacher by the name of Mrs. Case at the Holton-Arms School in Bethesda, MD.  I was always drawing on personal experiences and mesmerized by diversity among my peers and family members.  Everyone in my life was a character I would study. Every strong feeling had to be recorded.  I became addicted to writing at that time and never stopped.  I wrote poems and short stories and much later I got into screenwriting, simply because I was also an actor that loved the filmmaking business. 

Mokotsi Rukundo: I got into screenwriting in a fairly unorthodox way. In college, I started a late-night food cart outside the bars, which meant I spent most nights serving food to people at their absolute best and worst. I overheard a lot of strange, funny, and chaotic conversations. At some point, I started playing a game with myself: what scene would have to happen before and after that moment to make it even crazier? Those ideas slowly evolved from small scenes to short stories, to full screenplays. What started as curiosity eventually became an obsession and ultimately pushed me to move to Los Angeles to pursue screenwriting full time.

- How often do you write? Do you have a writing routine? And what inspires you to write?

Amber Nelson: I require extreme focus when writing and usually I write in large chunks. It begins with a “lightning bolt” that tells me I must write and ends in fruitful fatigue. 

Mokotsi Rukundo: I write almost every day. Somedays it’s pages, other days it’s just a scene, or an idea. Most of the time when I’m not writing I feel like I’m watching scenes in my head, and it’s just as crucial to the writing process.

- How does it feel to have your work recognized?

Amber Nelson: Writing is a lonely activity for me and receiving accolades and recognition, especially from professionals, really motivates me.  I do have a few friends that encourage me but they are very few.  It’s really a struggle to believe in my work without some kind of affirmation or push and if I don’t believe in myself or have people in my corner – it’s so much more challenging to produce! Bottom line, I must believe in myself or nothing eventful will happen with my creations! No options!

Mokotsi Rukundo: It feels amazing to have my work recognized. This industry is so competitive and the value that one feels in their writing can feel subjective, so it’s nice to have confirmation that I’m on the right path.

- What's the best and most challenging thing about writing a Screenplay? 

Amber Nelson: I like to think the best part is that it’s like making a painting. Every colored stroke/word has a purpose, and there is nothing wasted.  The most challenging is that the longer the story, the more complex the overall picture becomes.  Juggling the meaningful details and tying them together to create the “masterpiece” cannot be forced.  It’s a difficult balancing act for me. 

Mokotsi Rukundo: Rewrites can be very challenging. The first draft always feels like I’m following intuition and it’s fast, exciting. The rewrite uses a different part of my mind, where rules/structure have to be followed, and can feel less “in flow”. However, the moments when a rewrite clicks, it’s glorious!

-  How did you develop the idea for your LISP-selected story? Is there a story behind your story? And, how long have you been working on it?

Amber Nelson: Considering, “Amberica,” is all about Amber’s world, and I am Amber, I can safely say I have been preparing for this my whole life. 

Mokotsi Rukundo: The story came to me when I met Amber; she described her family life in a way that felt familiar, as I grew up in the states, but had family that was still honoring a different culture. Amber and I automatically clicked, we started to breakdown the world of “Amber” and what it’s like to be stuck in multiple worlds. We’ve been working on this script for a couple years.

- Can you please give us a few tips about writing?

Amber Nelson: I encourage authenticity and honesty.  Once can craft a narrative to sway opinions and sometimes it is necessary, but real characters are often more complex and the challenge is to capture that in black and white (text), when their essence is rather grey.

Mokotsi Rukundo: Watch the movie or show in your head when you’re not working on it. The writing process starts before you open your laptop.

- What's the best thing and the most challenging thing about competitions? 

Amber Nelson: I suppose it is a lot like the career of acting and auditioning.  Your writing may be perfectly written, the subject palatable and there’s a demand, but if you don’t cast your net broadly enough, you may hit the wall. Timing matters too. I started putting “Amberica” in American competitions in 2024 and received some small accolades, but my best accolades are from more international competitions 2 years later in 2026!  I did not give up, and I thank the heavens for that.

Mokotsi Rukundo: Per most things in life, it’s the unknown, the doubt, essentially questioning your value.

- Lastly, do you recommend the writers submit to LISP/LISFF?

Amber Nelson: I encourage writers to submit, especially if they have unique work. 

Mokotsi Rukundo: Most definitely! There are so many gatekeepers in this industry, any opportunity that allows your work to be noticed should be taken, and LISFF is such a great resource for that.