At Celtx, we believe storytelling is more than skill — it’s growth, discovery, and connection. That’s why we’re proud to support institutions like the Catalyst Institute for Creative Arts and Technology, which shares that same vision through its annual Catties Awards.
This year, Celtx sponsored the Screenwriter’s Evolution Award, created to celebrate writers who embody progress, storytelling passion, and a collaborative spirit. The award recognizes not just achievement, but the journey—the spark that keeps creators writing, revising, and evolving.
The 2025 recipient, Gabriel Lopez, captures that spirit perfectly. A filmmaker and screenwriter with a deep curiosity for the subconscious and the psychology of art, Gabriel’s work blends thought and emotion in equal measure. His journey reminds us why nurturing new voices in screenwriting matters more than ever.
We sat down with Gabriel to talk about his creative evolution, his process, and what comes next.
Q&A with Gabriel Lopez
First off—congrats on winning the Screenwriter’s Evolution Award! How did it feel to be recognized at The Catties this year?
Without holding back, it does feel very rewarding. It imbues one with a motivating spark, and I’m hoping to use the elation from being recognized as fuel to keep my momentum swinging forward.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and your journey into screenwriting? Was there a moment when you knew this was something you wanted to pursue seriously?
I must have been around 16 years old when I really felt a switch in myself that this is a serious thing to me. I’ve always been interested in all things narrative—I would write my daydreams down ever since I was very young. But when I was admitted to a local art school for film production, I found an environment that allowed me to flex a dormant thirst for creating visual media. It was a slow awakening that I wasn’t always consciously submitting to.
What was the project you submitted for The Catties—and what inspired it?
There wasn’t a specific project submitted, as the award recognized overall growth. My final project, though, was a short film script about a directionless musician trying to step away from music—until an old muse returns, forcing him to confront what it means to abandon art. It’s inspired by my own thoughts about how some artists surrender without terms and leave nothing of their former art for themselves. I wanted to say that we don’t have the right to betray ourselves and our art for nothing.
What themes or ideas do you find yourself coming back to in your writing?
A person and their relationship with their subconscious. I’ve been reading Carl Jung recently and am fascinated by that murky space between conscious thought. I’m also drawn to early 20th-century Vienna—a time of great artistic and psychological exploration. I think in our modern age of hyper-individualism, psychology has become a defining trait of storytelling. Some of my favorite films, like Whiplash and Black Swan, explore the psyche of their protagonists in that same vein.
How do you approach developing a new script?
I like to start knowing how it begins and how it ends. Life has two guarantees—it starts and it ends—and I reflect that in story structure, from acts to scenes. I’m more architectural in my process; I like frameworks and strong foundations to keep my wandering mind focused.
“We don’t have the right to betray ourselves and our art for nothing.”
Gabriel Lopez
What tools or techniques have helped you most as a writer—anything you’d recommend to others just getting started?
Routine is king above all else. Work ethic is intertwined with it. You must be constantly writing and constantly thinking. Keep your mind stimulated by the unpredictability of the world—always seek out what’s alien to you.
What’s next for you creatively?
This year I’ll be developing several new projects, including a feature-length script. I’m also writing a short novella about an overlooked brother who, while on a family vacation in the Adriatic, discovers a pathway into a spirit realm. I hope to adapt it into a short film when possible.
What’s a piece of advice you’d give to someone just starting out?
What’s worked for me—and what my mother always told me—is to keep trying something new. Pursue new experiences. Mundane routine can dull your spark. Seek out novelty constantly, but in a measured way.
Looking back, what’s something you’ve learned that’s been especially valuable?
Drama is a web of characters and their wants. Earlier in my writing, I realized my stories lacked real conflict. Once I started building characters with concrete desires, readers could attach to them and experience the story through their eyes.
Finally, where can people follow your work or connect with you online?
I have a limited online presence for now, but plan to start sharing my cinematography work soon. Anyone can reach out by email: gabriellopez2057@gmail.com.
Supporting the Next Chapter of Storytelling
Every great storyteller starts somewhere—often with a single draft, a single spark, and a whole lot of determination. Supporting awards like the Screenwriter’s Evolution Award means investing in that spark and ensuring new voices like Gabriel’s have room to grow.
At Celtx, we’re proud to create screenwriting software that helps writers at every stage of their creative evolution—whether they’re building story structure, developing characters, or collaborating on their first short film. Because when writers grow, the entire storytelling community grows with them.
✨ Start your next script with Celtx and see how your story evolves.
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Up Next:
Celtx User Spotlight: Pat Bradley of Always Write Productions
Meet another storyteller shaping the future of film. Discover how Pat Bradley found his voice, built his craft, and brought his vision to life—one script at a time.
