By Andrew Migliaccio
Leah Grossman’s lifelong passion for storytelling began at an early age when she began to write plays in high school, for which she won numerous awards. These included the Gold Award for Original One-Act Script at Lenaea Theatre Festival and a Herb Alpert Emerging Young Artist Scholarship for her work at the California State Summer School for the Arts.
Grossmann eventually found her calling in screenwriting, guided by mentors and a strong interest in character-driven stories. Her creative process often begins with a single compelling idea, from which she builds from to then create a focus on particular character development.
In a video interview, Grossman said her time in the Film and Media Studies program at UCSB has shaped her as a writer, because coursework that emphasizes theory and analysis has helped her grow creatively. A highlight of her academic journey has been receiving a prestigious screenwriting fellowship and creating a short film, Hollow, that earned recognition at the Reel Loud Film Festival, a student-run event at UCSB.
The eight-minute film follows a young woman who slowly discovers that her lover is — quite literally —empty inside, a story that blends emotional vulnerability with a surreal twist.
Grossman encourages aspiring screenwriters to embrace the unpredictability of the field, seeing that as a source of possibility rather than fear.
Now, as she prepares to graduate from UCSB, Grossman is excited to take the next step in her screenwriting journey at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. There, she will continue to develop her voice as a storyteller, bringing the stories she’s passionate about to life and deepening her commitment to creating meaningful, character-driven work that resonates with audiences.
In this video profile, Grossmann discussed her career, her passion for screenwriting and film, and her unforgettable experiences within UCSB’s Film and Media Studies Department.
Andrew Migliaccio is a third-year Sociology major with plans to minor in Professional Writing.