Ari Donnelly

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Ari is an administrative ace, a versatile comedy writer and a salty east coast expat. Originally raised in Boston, he betrayed it by schooling in New York City, then made amends by moving to Los Angeles. He can still speak in a Boston accent if you ask nicely.

With a strong background in development and production, Ari has risen in the ranks of the studio world, working for the likes of AGBO, Starz, 20th Television and Searchlight Pictures. He can schedule a notes meeting for two dozen parties as easily as he can read two dozen scripts, in-between writing notes for that earlier meeting.

As a screenwriter, Ari specializes in situational comedy and high-concept genre ventures. His scripts have won awards at HollyShorts, Filmmatic Comedy, Coverage Ink, The Originals Bureau and the Auspec Awards. He is a 2025 Mentee in the Shore Scripts Writer Development Program and a 2026 Inductee to the Independent Writers Caucus. When he isn’t using puns to express the intersectional breadth of human experience, he likes to practice yoga, walk dogs and curate movie screenings under his handle: ARIMAX.

Honors & Awards

Best TV Screenplay, HollyShorts Film Festival - POWER COUPLE - 2023

https://deadline.com/2023/08/19th-hollyshorts-film-festival-awards-announced-1235524490/

Best Screenplay, Filmmatic Comedy Awards - POWER COUPLE - 2023

https://www.filmmatic.com/post/ari-donnelly-the-man-behind-the-power-couple

Winner, Auspec Awards - KIFF: PROS AT CONS - 2026

https://www.theautismscene.org/press-release-auspec-ceremony-2026

POWER COUPLE

Half-hour Rom-Com Pilot - You’re The Worst meets Harley Quinn

A supervillain and superhero have been happily fighting since high school. But when their devotion starts damaging their careers, they are forced to start fighting other people.

THE NON-PROPHET

Half-hour Horror-Comedy Pilot - Severance meets Treehouse of Horror

At a “nonprofit” data collection agency, a new hire is tasked with collecting visions of the future, each more hilariously horrifying than the last.

WITCH SLAP

Half-hour Fantasy Comedy Pilot - Abbott Elementary meets Harry Potter

After missing a student loan payment, a powerful sorceress must take a teaching gig at her dubious alma mater.