Bill Balas
# Bill Balas

Bill Balas is an American screenwriter, director and producer best known for his work on the A&E series Bates Motel and the TNT series Animal Kingdom.

## Early life

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Balas is a graduate of the American Film Institute, where he earned a MFA in Screenwriting. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, California, he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis as an infant and underwent a successful double-lung transplant in his early twenties.

## Awards

Writers Guild of America, West

* 2015 Writer Access Project Honoree (Affliction)

Slamdance Film Festival

* 2010 Teleplay Competition: Original Pilot Winner (Murphy's Last Stand)

American Screenwriting Competition

* 2006 Grand Prize Winner (The Pros and Cons of Breathing)

International Student Film Festival Hollywood

* 2006 Best Horror/Thriller Winner (House of the Rising Sun)

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation

* 2005 Production Award Winner (The Pros and Cons of Breathing)
