BIO
Kim Merced Garland is a Los Angeles-based screenwriter, TV writer, and director. She wrote for SYFY’s groundbreaking horror series Chucky and Netflix’s Top 10 sci-fi drama The Imperfects. She’s a former fellow of the prestigious Black List x Women in Film Episodic Lab and is currently a fellow in the 2024 Women in Film Directing Fellowship.
Kim wrote and directed several award-winning short films that screened at film festivals and comic cons across the US and Canada, including Fantasia International Film Festival, HollyShorts, and LA Comic Con.
Originally from New York City, of Puerto Rican descent, Kim grew up above her family’s Hell’s Kitchen funeral home. She worked her way through college covering the night shift at her family’s business and graduated from Columbia University with a BA in Creative Writing. Kim is a lifelong fan of genre film and TV with a particular love for Horror, Sci-Fi, and Thrillers.
Directing: 'The End of Mara'
Selected TV & Film Credits
✦ Chucky Seasons 1 & 2 (SYFY & USA Network), Writer
Horror | TV series | 2021-2022 | Trailer >>
• WINNER: Best Guest-Starring Performance: Jennifer Tilly, Saturn Award 2022
✦ The Imperfects Season 1 (Netflix), Writer
Sci-Fi / Fantasy | TV series | 2022 | Trailer >>
✦ Body Image, Writer, Director
Horror | Short Film | 2017
✦ The End of Mara, Writer, Director, Producer
Horror | Short Film | 2016 | Trailer >>
* WINNER: Best Narrative Short Film, Flyway Film Festival 2016
✦ Deal Travis In, Writer, Director, Producer
Horror | Short Film | 2013 | Trailer >>
✦ Vivienne Again, Writer, Director
Horror | Short Film | 2012 | Trailer >>
* WINNER: Kickstarter Jury Award, Flyway Film Festival 2012
* WINNER: Audience Award, Mascara & Popcorn Film Festival 2014
Post-screening Q&A: IndieWorks
Awards & Recognition
* 2024 Fellow, Women in Film Directing Fellowship
* 2019 Fellow, The Black List x Women in Film Episodic Lab
* 2019 Finalist (Top 18), The Breakk Screenwriting Contest: “The Resurrected” 1-hr pilot script
* 2019 Finalist (Top 5%), WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab: “The Resurrected” 1-hr pilot script
* 2016 Winner, Best Narrative Short Film, Flyway Film Festival: “The End of Mara” writer-director
* 2014 Winner, Audience Award, Mascara & Popcorn Film Fest: “Vivienne Again” writer-director
* 2012 Winner, Kickstarter Jury Award, Flyway Film Festival: “Vivienne Again” writer-director
LA Comic Con 2018 Filmmakers Panel
Panelist
• Writers Guild of America West, “Staff Writers Bootcamp,” 2022
• HollyShorts Film Festival, “Screenwriters Panel,” 2021
• 13 Minute Horror Film Festival, “The Future of Horror,” 2021
• Final Draft, “Live Q&A with Horror TV Writers” (available on YouTube), 2020
• LA Comic Con, “GeekFest Filmmakers Panel,” 2018
• Seed&Spark's #FilmCurious chat, "Diversity in Storytelling," 2014
• Dragon*Con Comic Con, "Putting Horror on the Screen," 2012
• RWA conference, "Scriptscene," 2011
Writing
✦ Script magazine, Columnist: "Write, Direct, Repeat", 2013-2015
Monthly column geared to screenwriters who want to learn about directing and producing their own work.
✦ Fangoria magazine, Contributor, 2015
Magazine for horror film news, interviews, reviews and features.