I Know How To Swim

A black stuntwoman is hired at the last minute to replace the current white stuntwoman as a stunt double for a Person Of Color actress. Now she must stand up and defend her qualifications as to why she deserves the job.

  • Cheryl Lewis
    Writer
  • Project Type:
    Short Script
  • Genres:
    Drama, Action
  • Number of Pages:
    18
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Writer Biography - Cheryl Lewis

Cheryl Lewis is a unique, multi-discipline performer on the stage and screen, member of SAG-AFTRA/AEA/AGVA/AGMA. She is a stunt performer, martial artist, fight choreographer, action designer, actor, dancer, circus aerialist and puppeteer. Cheryl background is in varsity sports. She transitioned into becoming a professional dancer and circus aerialist, performing all over the world. Cheryl is a martial artist with training in Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu and Kendo
All her training and skill sets made the transition into stunts and action design a natural one. Some of Cheryl’s work in film & TV include: Taraji P. Henson’s stunt double in Proud Mary; Alfred Woodard’s stunt double on Luke Cage; a gnarly car hit on Shameless; fire burn on Orange Is The New Black; stunt coordinator/action design on ABCd’s TV show American Koko and stunt performer/stunt actor in the sequel to the hit super hero film, Wonder Woman 1984 (summer of 2020).

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Writer Statement

I am a stunt performer/martial artist (Tae Kwon Do, Kung Fu)
/actor/dancer/circus aerialist/puppeteer/action director & design. It is my personal motto that ‘one thing services
something else. As a multi-discipline performer, I can approach the creation of movement and action as a form of storytelling from many different angles and points of views. I found this highly beneficial when working in various environments with performers of varying skill sets, methods of work process
and experience. When creating and directing you must adapt and be aware of what is needed and how to make corrections. Having the variety of experience and understandings, I can communicate information to a performer who may or may not be doing a familiar action in a non-familiar
environment.

Diversity is needed in front and behind the camera for varying experiences, points of view and methods of execution. This makes for a more interesting, inclusive, entertaining and fully realized picture. My goal is to be a positive voice with a diverse view point in the craft of directing.

There is power in television. Seeing something, even in a fictions world, has an impact on the individual. Across the world television is an accessible and influential communication medium. Consciously or unconsciously, people do tend to develop a thought process or viewpoint regarding
something that is not in their own everyday life experience through what is shown on Film and TV.

‘You’re an aerialist? Cirque Du Solei stuff, silks & trapeze? Wow, I didn’t know black ladies did that’ *surprise & shock with that’s so cool! Look on face* This is a statement I get far too often when
someone becomes aware of one of my many talents. Assumption and generalization based on a person’s skin color, gender and nationality is still done way too much considering the advance methods and access to information from around the world that is available. It has become clear to me that the best way to combat this is with exposure but exposure on a regular continuing basis. In order for something to be realized as 'the norm', people have to first see it and then see it over and over again. “Make it the Norm, not a novelty”.
- CherylinAction #PositiveMovingEnergy