Toni Cunningham

Biography

Toni Cunningham is a screenwriter, producer, independent filmmaker and former Kresge Arts in Detroit fellow. She holds a Master of Arts degree from Wayne State University in Media Arts and Studies, where she currently teaches Media Writing & Storytelling as well as Screenwriting and Advanced Screenwriting.

She has also offered screenwriting workshops to organizations such as Room Project and Writing Workshops Detroit and taught creative visualization at College for Creative Studies. Toni previously worked as a script analyst for high-profile screenwriting competitions and production companies including The Writers Lab, BlueCat Screenplay Competition, and Goldcrest Films Production Company.

Toni has produced films for local organizations such as the Planet Ant Film Incubator and Detroit Puppet Company. She is currently producing filmmaker Ben Corona's feature documentary Sacrifice Zones: The 48217. Her own scripts have earned her semi- final placements with PAGE International Screenwriting Awards and a Top 10 finalist placement in The John Singleton EmbRace LA Screenwriting Competition. Toni prides herself on staying involved in the filmmaking community and is often found on the film festival circuit whether as a talent wrangler at Tribeca Film Festival and New York Film Festival or on selection committees including Detroit Narrative Agency’s Ethics & Aesthetics and Film Blast Detroit.

Her own short films have played at festivals such as Cinetopia’s Detroit Voices competition, Vidlings & Tapeheads, DNA’s Radical Remedies, and Detroit SheTown. She is also a member of the #StartsWith8Hollywood mentorship program where she is working with industry mentors on polishing and shopping her pilot and two features.