Want to keep up with Kirby?

Kirby’s Substack (Kirbside Chat) is part blog, part writing and filmmaking resource. She’s been teaching what she knows since elementary school, back when she taught her friend to read at her brother’s basketball games or got in trouble for helping another student during a math test. (True story; I’ll tell you about it sometime.)

You can also find Kirby on social media by clicking below!

About Kirby

Kirby Marshall-Collins is a Black TV writer and director who amplifies voices of color through both art and community-based organizing. She writes fun and fantastical coming-of-age stories with a theme of self-advocacy. Sometimes those are grounded, romantic supernatural dramedies that physicalize the vulnerabilities and victories of Black and queer people. Other times, like with her upcoming short film, Ways to Fly, her stories are endearing, small stakes adventures like a neurodivergent Black girl who wants to fly like a ballerina, but her barrettes keep getting in the way.

Regardless of scale, Kirby’s strengths lie in her empathetic approach to character, her pattern recognition/strong grasp of story structure, and her ear for dialogue. (Thank you many years in theater!) She’s a pleasure to have in class any writers’ room, and specifically will strengthen and advocate for the stories of traditionally de-centered and underrepresented communities, and yes, that includes the kids.

She is currently in Post-Production for her debut short film, Ways to Fly. Follow along on our Ways to Fly Instagram or subscribe to Kirby’s newsletter!

Notable Highlights:

• Disney Entertainment TV Writing Program Fellow (2023) — chosen from thousands for the highly competitive TV staffing program. In it, Kirby’s written an amazing pilot in six weeks, landed general meetings and staffing meetings with executives and showrunners across the many Disney Entertainment Television brands, and gone to Disneyland more times than her bank account should allow.

• Writers’ Assistant on Nancy Drew S4 on The CW — big wins include some of my pitches and written copy making it to air (shout out to Ep 4x08 in particular), writing two scenes (including one for our series finale), and I tripled fan engagement across our Writers’ Room socials all throughout the WGA Strike.

• “Ways to Fly” is on The Red List! CoverFly’s Red List displays the top 20 highest-scoring scripts in each genre. We reached #6 on the list for Family Shorts and were in the Top 11%.

Kirby is currently available for staffing and open to representation. She is interested in one-hour dramas, teen soaps, all things supernatural and fantastical, and half-hour children's TV. Please reach out to chat!