CherylLynnWrites

Storytelling through Sight and Sound

Scriptwriting is the art of storytelling, intended to connect with people through visual means. I personally find it to be an incredibly captivating and immersive form of storytelling, allowing me to craft a rich narrative experience that engages both sight and sound. Having complete authority over the story, the characters, and their dialogue allows me to shape a distinctive world that truly reflects my creative vision and imagination.

If you would like to peruse my written works or provide me with your valuable feedback, please do not hesitate to contact me through email.

SALT SPRING

Historical, Drama

Logline: Driven from San Francisco by racist violence, Black shipwright Henry Robinson and fellow pioneers settle on Salt Spring Island—only to confront murderous frontier lawlessness, colonial injustice, and a deadly conspiracy to seize their land.

"Salt Spring" is a sweeping historical epic based on real events and people, meticulously reconstructed through archival research and personal correspondence. It transforms the conventional story of Canadian settlement by uncovering the struggles and victories of Black pioneers from pre-Civil War California who sought refuge and justice in the new colony of British Columbia.

The narrative centers on Henry Robinson, a young Black shipwright from Bermuda, drawn by the allure of California’s gold rush in pursuit of his fortune. Though he initially flourished in San Francisco, a volatile racist climate and unexpected challenges eventually compelled him to forge a fresh start on Salt Spring Island.

This is a tale of a community fleeing the pervasive violence and racial hatred of mid-19th century California. Drawn by the promise of equal justice and citizenship offered by the British Governor of British Columbia, they soon discovered that the lawless frontier they entered did not guarantee fairness for all.

Salt Spring Island, once home to indigenous peoples, is hauntingly beautiful yet scarred by past smallpox outbreaks and abandoned longhouses. On Salt Spring, now occupied by a few retired Hudson Bay traders and their Indigenous wives, the settlers faced hostility and isolation. The island soon falls under the grip of thefts and brutal murders, with Black men becoming frequent targets. Desperate for aid, the Black settler community finds that colonial authorities, preoccupied with other crises, have little time, resources or interest in offering assistance. When colonial justice is finally enforced, it is marked by prejudice, further alienating the Black and Indigenous communities.

Henry’s journey becomes even more complicated by his Irish wife, Margret. Her troubled past and profound isolation lead her to seek solace in an affair with a charismatic yet dangerous Portuguese trader. A sinister link emerges between the murders and a plot to seize a black settler’s land—a scheme that is intertwined with Margret’s clandestine relationship. As Henry Robinson’s domestic life unravels into chaos, it mirrors the turbulent and violent world that surrounds them on Salt Spring Island.

Against this volatile backdrop, “Salt Spring” follows not only Henry’s journey of personal transformation but also a community's desperate fight for freedom and justice. The narrative challenges traditional accounts of Canadian settlement by revealing the harsh realities endured by non-white pioneers, thereby debunking the enduring myth that Canada, in contrast to the American Wild West, was established on a foundation of law and good order.

it's M.I.C.E.

Action, Thriller, Drama

Logline: As Cold War ghosts resurface, retired professor Barbara Corbeau faces rival Sokolovs, while her protégé races to unmask a traitor.

Summary

Professor Barbara Corbeau, a seasoned academic and former intelligence operative, prepares for her morning lecture when a phone call from Admiral Cate Lewis interrupts her routine. Though Barbara leads a quiet, semi-retired life, the mention of Andrei Sokolov—a mysterious figure tied to her past—immediately rekindles old instincts. Cate’s request for Barbara’s expertise suggests a looming crisis, hinting at shifting loyalties and buried secrets from a decades-old operation in Vietnam.

Flashbacks reveal Barbara’s early days in Saigon, where she cautiously navigates political tensions and questionable informants like Benny Tran. Observing the stark realities of the war-torn city, she crosses paths with Sokolov, a man of inscrutable motives who carries more power than he lets on. Further recollections of Beirut in 1982 expose the toll exacted on Barbara, Cate, and their colleagues as they bear witness to brutal massacres and juggle high-stakes intelligence work. Even then, the spectre of Sokolov lingers—both an ally and an adversary.

In the present, Cate leads a clandestine Canadian Security Intelligence Service station grappling with an unfolding string of violent incidents across refugee camps and Canadian cities. Evidence points to a breach within their tight-knit team. As suspicions deepen, Barbara’s unique historical link to Sokolov becomes indispensable. Dark undercurrents trace back to old rivalries, forcing Barbara and Cate to relive the dangers they once thought left behind. What they uncover threatens to upend loyalties and place countless lives at risk.

The Centre

Urban, Contemporary, Drama

Each year, Toronto welcomes nearly 120,000 immigrants, with half of them being children. These families come seeking safety and a better life, but are faced with challenges such as new languages, social customs, poverty, and crime.

Meanwhile, disadvantaged youth struggle to find their identities while navigating exploitation, gang activity, and violence. Unfortunately, political leaders often fail to follow through on their commitments to create effective social policies. They withdraw support from marginalized communities, naively assuming that problems will not spread. Despite these obstacles, there are inspiring stories of individuals who fight for social justice and make meaningful personal connections to create positive change.

Recognition

Award Winner

LASunFilmFest

Best Web/TV Pilot/Series

Art Film Spirit Awards (Toronto) 2022

Best TV Series/Web Series/Pilots

Semi-finalist

Filmmatic TV Pilot Awards (Hollywood, CA) 2022

Nominee

Toronto Film and Script Awards 2022
LA Independent Women Film Awards 2022

The Magpie's Tale

Historical Western, War Drama

Logline: In 1899 Saskatchewan, an ambitious rancher jeopardizes his family’s fortunes by selling their prized horses to the British Army and urging his son to enlist in the South African War. Buried traumas from an 1885 rebellion resurface to test the bonds of loyalty against the price of ambition.

Summary: Set in Wapella, Saskatchewan, this script intricately weaves two pivotal eras: 1899 and a journey that travels back to 1885.

In 1899, patriarch William Davis ties his family’s fortunes to the sale of horses and cattle to the British Army during the Boer War. Driven by ambition and financial necessity, he arranges a deal that upsets his grandchildren, whose beloved ponies are sold off, and spurs conflict with his son John. William also announces that his other son, Sam, will enlist—a choice intended to elevate the family’s social and political standing once Sam returns as a respected veteran. John bristles at this, convinced that William’s risky ventures and lofty plans threaten to unravel their lives.

The script then travels back to 1885, where a teenage Sam learns the harsh realities of conflict during the Northwest Rebellion. As a young scout, he witnesses an ambush at Fish Creek, confronting the complex struggles between settlers, the Métis, and First Nations. Through Sam’s eyes, the story illustrates how land disputes, cultural tensions, and government decisions shape identities and destinies. A recurring magpie motif highlights cunning and survival, as Sam gains insight into how alliances and loyalties can tilt the balance between life and death.

While the men grapple with war and ambition, the family’s women—Elizabeth, Sarah, and Jennie—voice moral concerns and fears, underscoring the emotional toll that unfolds behind the frontier stoicism. Their strength, compassion, and anger emerge as counterpoints to William’s relentless drive. Ultimately, questions of profit, reputation, and tradition clash with deeper human bonds and personal safety, crystallizing the family’s precarious place in a rapidly changing world. The script closes on Sam, holding a gold coin and contemplating whether fate has dealt him a merciful hand or a mortal blow—signaling both the fragile prosperity and haunting uncertainty that define this tale.