BIO

Kim Merced Garland is a TV writer, screenwriter, and director. Most recently, she was a writer on SYFY’s Chucky TV series and Netflix’s The Imperfects.

Kim is from Hell's Kitchen, New York City, of Puerto Rican descent, and grew up above her family’s funeral home. She worked her way through college covering the night shift at her family’s business and graduated from Columbia University with a degree in Creative Writing.

She began her career in book publishing at Random House before transitioning to the entertainment industry. Kim has written and directed several films and has screened her work at film festivals and comic cons around the world.

After relocating to Los Angeles, she was accepted into the prestigious The Black List x Women in Film Episodic Lab, which led her into TV writing. Kim is a lifelong fan of genre film and TV with a particular love for Horror, Sci-Fi, and Thrillers.

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 (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

Awards & Recognition

* 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
• 2019 Quarterfinalist (Top 3%), Final Draft Big Break Contest: “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

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.