Brittany Marasciulo-Rivera, Sci-fi Author & Screenwriter Discusses her Experience in Prose-To-Film Adaptation

Brittany Marasciulo-Rivera shares insights into her creative process and explores her experience watching one of her beloved stories come to life on screen

Mahopac, New York (June 8th, 2024). Recognized for her works of science fiction, fantasy, and horror, Brittany Marasciulo-Rivera regards herself as a professional daydreamer. According to her, writing is about taking adventures through the imagination, then returning to this realm to retell them. With her first novel out on submission, she had the opportunity to adapt one of her works-in-progress into a proof of concept short film alongside her childhood friend, director Samantha Joia.

Brittany Marasciulo-Rivera, professionally known as Brittany Amara, is an author, screenwriter, and actress with a passion for stories that venture beyond the reaches of space and time. When she isn’t writing about aliens, she’s writing about other dimensions, rifts in reality, and doomed dystopias. After studying in the United States and the United Kingdom, she made her writing debut with Willow’s Compass, a sci-fi stage play. In 2023, she wrote her first full novel, a cosmic romance that connected her with Monica Rodriguez at Context Literary Agency.

A Perfect Copy is her first major cinematic adaptation. It’s script developed from a piece Marasciulo-Rivera has been developing for several years. It is described as a snapshot stolen from the year 2141. A future where Synthetic Humans are treated like objects by Naturals. The short film captures a climactic moment in which a weaponized Synthetic, AB03, rebels against her creator after being dubbed obsolete.

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“For as long as I can remember, I’ve looked around and felt home was anywhere but here. I found an enigmatic familiarity in the stars, the sea, and the mysterious pockets of nature around my childhood home, and became the girl who thought she could talk to sharks, aliens, mermaids, and fairies,” says Brittany. “Playing pretend was something I never quite grew out of, especially when I came to realize I didn’t have to keep all these worlds in my head. That’s what led me to all of my creative pursuits and passions,” says Brittany

“The idea started to take form after I watched a video exposing the horrors of animal testing. A trio of beagles were shown shivering in a cage, unable to cry because their vocal chords had been clipped. I was mortified, and I wondered if humans would be able to commit such atrocities if they had to inflict such torture on beings closer in appearance. Then, I had an awful realization. Humans have already done so, and they continue to do so today. In a lot of ways, A Perfect Copy, and the longer story, AB-14, is an exploration of human callousness and cruelty in the face of beings different from us. Synthetic Humans are a stand-in for anyone who doesn’t fit the molds valued most by society. They are the minority groups we oppress, the cultures we overlook, the environments we destroy, and the animals we abuse. I wrote this piece to help the mistreated feel seen, and to encourage the mistreaters to develop empathy.”

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A Perfect Copy has recently concluded its post-production process and is in consideration at several prestigious film festivals. Brittany has expressed that she is tremendously proud of how far the project has come. Having primarily worked in prose, she was surprised by the intricate process through which projects are taken from page-to-screen. “It was an incredible adventure. I learned so much about creative collaboration, and about the power of connection and community through it all. This piece has always been so special to me.

Trusting others to see and construct a world I’ve kept safe in my heart for so long was daunting. But, also incredibly rewarding,” she reflects. Even though the journey came with many ups and downs. Brittany feels endless gratitude for the talented team. Who brought her vision to life, and to the people who made it all possible. “I couldn’t have done it without such an amazing support system. My family has always been a pillar of inspiration, encouragement, and love in my life. They believed in me before I had the courage to believe in myself. Without them, I never would have found the courage to share something like this. Just to imagine someone out there might actually care about it.

A Perfect Copy was directed by Samantha Joia (Healing Plan, Voxish, Jumeok). It stars Haile Ferrier, Bobby James Evers, and Natalie Yale. Also Michael William Nigro, and Malcolm Quinn Silver Van-Meter. It was filmed at the historic Frank Lloyd Wright Massaro House in Mahopac, New York and dedicated to Johnny Perez, Brittany’s uncle who passed away just a year prior to production. More information about the short film can be found at A Perfect Copy’s official website.

Brittany hopes that this story will go on to find anyone who needs it. She hopes it will call attention to cruelties and inequalities that exist in the world so that kindness, empathy, and acceptance can bloom. To get in touch with Brittany about her creative works, please visit her website, or reach out to her literary agent, Monica Rodriguez at Context Literary Agency.

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