Kira Sipler, Co-Founder
Screenwriter | Producer | Assistant Director | Script Supervisor | Director
I am a freelance screenwriter, producer, director, and assistant director.
I cultivate my storytelling through my blogs, writing screenplays, producing films, and collaborating through my production company, Jouska Road Productions, with my long-time creative partner, Michael J. Dabrowski.
I hope to empower filmmakers and support the local film industry in New Mexico as Director of Operations for Albuquerque Film & Music Experience.
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Kira Sipler is an award-winning screenwriter, producer, and director.
Her love of storytelling began early in her life, evolving into theatre at Albuquerque High School, then to the University of New Mexico, graduating in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts in Fine Arts. With hopes of becoming a writer and director, she continued to produce, act and direct in the Albuquerque theatre scene until relocating to Seattle in 1993.
Kira took a ‘hiatus’ and pursued the corporate life of dotcoms, then settled into her business career as a licensed massage therapist.
Twenty years later, and unable to refuse her creativity, Kira returned to school and enrolled in the screenwriting certificate program at the Seattle Film Institute in 2013.
Her first short, written from a homework assignment, evolved into The Autumn Waltz. This first short film was awarded numerous film festival awards, including a nomination for best writer. It is currently available on Amazon Prime.
Kira continued her filmmaking studies with the Shoreline Community College’s Digital Filmmaking Program in 2014. She completed the Screenwriting Intensive at TheFilmSchool in 2016. In 2022, she was awarded one of ten projects from 200 entries for the New Mexico Film Office New Voices program through Stowe Story Labs.
Kira expanded into producing and directing in the Seattle film industry, eventually establishing her own production company, Jouska Road Productions. She continued her passion for advocating and supporting the local filmmaking community through the Seattle Film Summit as its Volunteer and Logistics Director.
In 2000, Kira returned to her home state to pursue work in the film industry. She works as an assistant director and producer in Albuquerque and writes short and feature films through her production company.
In May, 2022, Kira was named one of the top ten projects chosen for the first New Voices - New Mexico Screenwriting training program for emerging New Mexican screenwriters. The ten projects were chosen through a competitive application process from a talented pool of 200 applicants.
The selected project, co-written with producer Lorraine Montez, is Marked As Other, a TV comedy which follows two nerdy, lonely 13-year-old girls trying to answer the question "who am I and where do I belong," as they contend with the prejudices, perils, and misconceptions of society, their families, and the environment in 1980s New Mexico.
Kira currently volunteers as the Director of Operations for the Albuquerque Film & Music Experience, where she advocates for filmmakers and musicians.
Some of her work can be seen IMDB and LinkedIn.
Kira's directing reel can be viewed here.