Emily Sparks had a hunch – and a deadline.
For a long time, Sparks knew she liked to write. But that didn’t mean she knew what to do with her life.
When she was young, Sparks wanted to be an author. But she saw it as less and less of a financial option as she got older. When she got to the University of Florida, she switched from major to major hoping to find something she’d enjoy and that she could be employed to do. She’d eventually decide on a dual degree in English and Telecommunications Production.
“My first two years of college was just trying to figure out how to be paid to write creatively,” Sparks said.
Sparks started her academic career as a Journalism major and, though that only lasted for two semesters (if you count the Summer B term), it was at the College of Journalism and Communications Involvement Fair that she first heard about Chompics Productions, a student-run production company at the University of Florida. She didn’t know if she’d like the collaborative nature of script writing, as most of what she’d written had been done “alone, with a laptop, in dark room.” But the idea hung with her.
Sparks attended Chompics’ first general body meeting the following year. When she heard the application and 5-page writing sample in script format were due the next day, she pushed it off. She’d written before – and she’d been good at it – but she’d never written a script. And she wasn’t sure that she’d like the job if they did offer it to her. But when her friends invited her out to a party the night the application was due, she decided to stay home and pour her creativity into it.
“I just kind of cranked it out, finished it, turned it in probably at 11:58 p.m. – and I’m really glad I did,” Sparks said.
Sparks was chosen to be a part of the writers room for Chompics’ “Stage Fright” web series that semester, and returned the following semester to help with the series’ production and act as an extra. Now, just a year after submitting her application, she’s the Associate Producer of the writers room and sits on the panel that reviews those same applications (and she worked the booth for the CJC Involvement day too). She was also named the Head Writer for this year’s web series, after her idea for the show was chosen over those of about 11 other members. And she’s the club’s Secretary.
Sparks said joining the club helped her find a career path; she enjoys the collaborative writing element that had initially kept her away, and she hopes to work as a showrunner for a network comedy show one day.
“I just love the idea of sitting around with a whole group of creative people trying to make an audience smile,” Sparks said.
The Emmy Awards are on tonight, September 22, at 8 p.m. on Fox. Emily Sparks might not be watching – she’s writing the pilot episode of Chompics’ latest web series – but in a few years there’s a good chance she’ll be in attendance.
- Emily Sparks on set of Stage Fright
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