Do you ever feel like your life is as dramatic as a movie? This year, the Oscars concluded with some groundbreaking wins, particularly in the area of Asian American representation.

Imagine if your life were to be the plot for a movie, and you are to be the director. Jot down how you would craft your movie by answering the following questions:

What would the title be?
Which actors and actresses would you like to have cast as the main characters?
It’s likely that you will choose cast members who come from diverse backgrounds to represent the diverse world we live in. Are there many famous actors and actresses who match these backgrounds, or did it take some digging to find them? Do these actors get the popularity and recognition they deserve? Explain your thoughts!
How does it make you feel to think about the representation in awards shows versus the people you see in your day-to-day life? Why is it that so often, the people we see on screen are not like us? Or, if they look like us, they are often stereotyped and not complex like we are. What more would you like to see in terms of representation in our media?

Now, try writing a screenplay of an important event in your life! Be sure to describe the people who were present, and don’t feel like you have to hide away what is meaningful to your culture. Those things make your life unique and worth watching. Maybe your story will be a future Best Picture!

This prompt was written by Ashley Nguyen , a Words Alive volunteer.