Eight lucky screenwriting students were selected to be mentored by the filmmaker
De Souza ‘Die Hard’ Screening at Utah Valley University
UVU/FanX Studios Writer’s Room Cohort
Orem, Utah, March 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Renowned screenwriter and director Steven E. de Souza visited Utah Valley University (UVU) from February 25–26 where he taught master classes and announced eight selected participants for the 2025 UVU/FanX Studios Writer’s Room, whom he will personally mentor.
His visit featured a rare special screening of his classic action film, “Die Hard.” De Souza, who wrote “Die Hard,” “Die Hard 2,” “Commando,” 48 Hours,” “The Flintstones,” “The Running Man,” and many other genre-defining movies and television shows, shared insights from his celebrated Hollywood career with students.
Prior to the screening, students selected for the prestigious UVU-FanX Studios Writer’s Room were announced. This yearlong program provides aspiring screenwriters the opportunity to develop individual screenplays under the personal mentorship of de Souza, who will also consider selecting one of the projects to potentially direct. The writer’s room is based on the old writer’s room concept from Hollywood studios.
The film students selected to work directly with and be mentored de Souza include:
- Tatum Bunker, sophomore, California
- Sawyer Burton, senior, Highland, Utah
- Lillian Campbell, junior, Herriman, Utah
- Kaylee Hoth, senior, Salt Lake City
- Cary Leavy, junior, Provo, Utah
- Patrick Pulido, junior, Salt Lake City
- Skyler Smith, junior, Mississippi
- Andrew Weech, sophomore, Colorado
De Souza told the students that he would help them sharpen their craft and enhance their critical sense. “You can only be as good as your own self-criticism of your own work. When you learn that, you will be head and shoulders above your competitors in the entertainment business,” he said.
Each Writer’s Room participant received a $5,000 Brandon Fugal Fellowship, with the goal of having their scripts move into development at FanX Studios. Notably, actress and director Katie Cassidy is already attached to direct a screenplay by Jessa Wright, one of last year’s Writer’s Room participants.
The two-day event was part of the UVU Green Room series, an Innovation Academy and FanX Studios initiative that brings film and entertainment legends to campus to mentor and inspire student storytellers at UVU. Past guests have included Jennifer Howell (producer of “South Park”), Ed Neumeier (screenwriter of “Robocop”), and Christopher Curtis (composer/lyricist of “Chaplin: The Musical”).
For more information about upcoming lectures see: UVU Green Room.
Attachments
CONTACT: Scott Trotter Utah Valley University 8014196860 scott.trotter@uvu.edu
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