Steven Canals found screenwriting an escape to a difficult childhood in the 1980s Bronx. While working on a documentary in high school, a classmate was shot and killed. The horrific event encouraged Canals to pursue a life of educational and inspiring storytelling.

Inspired by movies like 'Flashdance,' 'The Terminator,' and 'The Color Purple,' the screenwriter knew he wanted to create an authentic story to help others feel seen and heard. Eventually, he created a series about the never-before-seen world of New York’s ball culture world.

In 'Pose,' the story looks at the juxtaposition of various segments life and society in 1987 New York City. The story interweaves between a luxurious world, the downtown social and literary scene, and the iconic ball culture world that showcases Black, Latin, gay and trans culture.

In this exclusive chat, Canals describes his childhood, the responsibility of a storyteller, what it’s like to get your work rejected over 150 times, why he knew his story should be a series rather than a movie, and why he needed a "disruptor" to push his story to mainstream audiences.

If you enjoyed this interview, look for the print version on Creative Screenwriting’s website, and join thousands of viewers for the new YouTube series, Creative Principles, which dissects new films, series, and more: bit.ly/2FARJz5