David Pliler
From College of Fine Arts and Communications
Overview
David Pliler is a Hollywood trained screenwriter, having earned a Master's Degree from UCLA’s prestigious graduate film school and a BA in communications from BYU. An actor and writer, he spent nearly 20 years in and around Los Angeles.
Career
Beginning his career acting in commercials, bit parts on network situation comedies, dramas, and independent industrial videos, he caught the writing-producing bug in a chance meeting with famed actor, Jack Lemmon. While performing a small film role in a scene with Lemmon, he had the chance to witness first hand Lemmon's signature self-mantra; "It's Magic Time", before each take. In asking for an explanation, Lemon explained the wonder and magic of the story telling process.
That was a turning point, instilling Pliler with a desire to help create ‘the magic’ by writing and originating the ideas. He began by writing, producing, and/or directing a number of community plays, projects, and industrial videos before being admitted to UCLA. After ‘a little dues paying’ and writing 13 unproduced spec feature-length screenplays, the magic of pulling ideas from the ether and nurturing them grew, when co-founding Picture Rock Entertainment with producing partner Brad Pelo.
Whether writing and producing as part of Picture Rock or engaged in freelance screenwriting, Pliler seeks to tell widely entertaining stories that offer hope and lift the human spirit.
In 2008, he wrote the screenplay for Forever Strong, a movie about the Highland Rugby Team. The film was directed by fellow alumnus T. Ryan Little.
