STORY Still Sells and Wins

Nominated for 6 Oscars (including Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay), with another 34 wins and 51 nominations total, Jason Reitman’s UP IN THE AIR is a good sign that a good story can still reign in Hollywood.  17 of these nominations were for Best Adapted Screenplay, see the film’s IMDB Awards page for details.  If you, like me, have a story to tell that feels small when viewed side by side with the IRONMANs and TRANSFORMERS, this is very good news.  Then again, even if you have a ‘big’ stylized film that you want to make, you still need a good story (see AVATAR, also nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture this year, and for a WGA Award for Best Screenplay by the Writer’s Guild of America).

UP IN THE AIR Producer Dan Dubiecki will be on-hand at TheFilmSchool Substance and Sale seminar (February 26-28) to join seminar leaders Warren Etheredge and John Jacobsen in discussing how to improve a script to get it to a level judged professional by professionals, and how to develop the business skills to market the material, whatever that material may be.

Joining Dan Dubiecki are guest speakers Pilar Alessandra (of the LA Writing Program On the Page) and Liz Glotzer, President of Castle Rock Entertainment (MICHAEL CLAYTON, THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, BEST IN SHOW).

For more details on the course and how to register, click here.

The Sixth Borough Screenwriting Competition

Do you have the next great script?

The Sixth Borough Screenwriting Competition is a way for Screenwriters to get their scripts into the hands of industry professionals with the possibility of having their vision make it from page to screen. Sixth Borough Entertainment is currently in search of a script to make a 1 to 2 million-dollar feature within the next year. That is where you come in… The winner will be offered an option contract for a Feature Film!

Additionally, every writer that enters the screenplay competition has the opportunity to receive a written analysis on his or her entry. Screenplays will be given fair, thoughtful consideration by one of Sixth Borough’s experienced script readers. Upon completion, they will in turn write a review that hopefully will give insight to help the writer improve their work.  Submit here .

There is a $30 entry fee and the final deadline is April 1, 2010

8th Annual 2010 Script P.I.M.P. Screenwriting and Teleplay Competition

The 2010 Script Pimp Screenwriting and TV Competitions are accepting entries for feature film and TV scripts—all genres, styles, and lengths accepted.  This is an international competition and non-U.S. writers are welcome. 

$20,000 in cash to the finalists/winners, and over $80,000 in prizes given away to ANYONE who enters.  Finalist loglines/scripts are sent to 200 companies.

Four Grand-Prize winners receive:

–$14,000 total cash ($3,500 each)

–$1,000 toward the “Think Tank” program at Writers Boot Camp ($4,000)

–Winning script recorded by iScript ($800)

Plus ALL the finalist prizes listed below. . . .

Top 20 Finalists receive:

–$3,200 total cash (16 finalists receive $200 each)

–Guaranteed circulation to 200 companies

–Mentor teleconference meetings with an industry exec to discuss the finalist’s script

–Additional, one-on-one analysis and mentoring from a Script Pimp reader on the winning entry, as well as other screenplays

–5-year memberships to Script Pimp’s Writers Database ($10,000)

–Featured ‘Script Pimp Recommend’ listing on Ink Tip™

–$100 “Creative Currency” for Writers Boot Camp ($2,000)

–A seat to Chris Soth’s Million Dollar Screenwriting Teleseminar (appx. $250/seat)

–A seat to Philippa Burgess’ Million Dollar Screenwriting & Content Career Teleseminar (appx. $300/seat)

–A seat to Steve Kaplan’s Comedy Intensive Course (appx. $250/seat)

–$250 travel voucher and invitation as recognized finalist to attend the Script Pimp Awards Ceremony at Writers Boot Camp in Santa Monica, CA in July 2010 where the winners will be announced

EARLY DEADLINE: March 1st, 2010

FINAL DEADLINE: May 1st, 2010

A former winner, Slammin’, sold for six figures and 2008 winner Evan Daugherty secured writing assignment with Warner Bros.

For registration, click here.

**Writers may also request general script notes for an additional $40**

The following is a selection of the 200 companies that have requested to review the finalists: 3 Arts, AEI-Atchity Editorial, The Alpern Group, Arpil Entertainment, Benderspink, Content Films, Creative Convergence, Crossroads Films, Darko Entertainment, Elements Entertainment, Energy Entertainment, Film Roman, The Gersh Agency, Gold Circle Films, Guy Walks Into A Bar Productions, Icon Productions, Industry Entertainment, Jerry Weintraub Productions, Management 360, Morgan Creek Pictures, Myriad Pictures, Original Artists,  National Lampoon, Paradigm Literary Agency, Polsky Films, The Radmin Company, Spyglass Entertainment, Stone Canyon Media, Underground Films, Vintage Independent Productions, Yari Film Group

 3rd Annual 2010 Script Pimp TV Writing Competition

 $1,500 Cash to Best Overall TV Script; Top 10 Finalists chosen

 The 3rd Annual Script Pimp TV Writing Competition.  

 Acceptable entries: Specs (current or former TV shows); Original Pilots; Reality/Game Show Proposals. Any length or genre.

Grand prize is $1,500 to the best spec, pilot, or reality series proposal.  Nine (9) other finalists receive $150 each, as well as guaranteed circulation to 200 companies and other prizes.

Contact entry@scriptpimp.com with questions or to request more information.

Script Pimp Competition Success Stories

§  Through Script Pimp, 2008 winner Evan Daugherty gained representation with Energy Entertainment and later landed a major writing assignment for Warner Bros.

 §  2009 winner Troy Taylor’s script, The Eleven, was optioned less than a month after the contest

§  Former competition winning script “Slammin’” sold to Warner Bros. for six figures in 2005

 §  Over 17 writers have gained literary representation in recent years

 §  16 writers have had their scripts optioned

To submit, click here.

Nothing Against Life

I received this press release in my inbox yesterday–I thought this was a great example of the kind of socially-conscious filmmaking that is going on here in Seattle, as well as an example of how films like these can be a community-involved creation–Jenni

Paradigma Productions is pleased to announce the official campaign to promote the making of the film:
NOTHING AGAINST LIFE
Written and conceived by Seattle-based director Julio Ramirez, the script is already receiving advance praise for its groundbreaking take on the subject of suicide.  
New York Times bestselling author Kevin O’Brien raves, “Ramirez’s script is timely. Suicide today is like cancer was in the 1940s: A topic that’s stuck in the closet. What’s more, he’s brought to life meaty, colorful roles that are yearning to be played.” 
Says the director, “This exciting project is on the cusp of fruition, but we still have a long way to go.”  The main thrust of the film’s public awareness campaign is today’s web launch, and will feature everything from videos about the project to a blog with live updates in both English and Spanish. But what’s truly special is the site’s interactivity: There are all kinds of ways to get involved in the project, from a community feedback section to a PayPal link where supporters can make tax-deductible donations through Northwest Film Forum, a 501 (c) 3 organization that supports independent filmmakers.  
Four years in the making, Ramirez’s script peers into the lives of four distinct but interlocking characters, evoking a Short Cuts-style montage set in the lush precincts of Seattle. With pitch perfect dialogue and vivid scene depiction, the director explores their most intimate thoughts and feelings during what may be their last days alive. 
It’s a nuanced treatment that’s long overdue. As Ramirez explains, “Statistics say there’s one suicide for every business day in King County alone, where the story takes place. It’s all around us, but nobody’s talking about it. We’re not trying to make any specific statements about suicide…our only goal is to tell a story that can help bring the subject to the table.” 
While gathering material for the script, the director interviewed a host of suicide survivors, incorporating their unique blend of stressors into the story. By connecting with real life subjects, clinical psychiatrist Dr. Laura Kastner asserts the author has actually “captured the way suicide exists and occurs.” 
Connecting and communicating is an easy jump for Ramirez to make. A human rights worker at an immigration non-profit based in Seattle, the director hails from Colombia with a Communications background. He now works full time in the film industry, helping produce various narrative film shorts, as well as documentaries for the non-profit sector. This is his first full-length feature project. 
For more information about the upcoming film Nothing Against Life, please visit the website nothingaginstlife.com. Requests for press materials and interviews with the director can be made to Press@nothingagainstlife.com

Armchair Internet’s 2010 Short Film Fest

Here is an interesting competition for TRULY short short films:  Make an Internet film between 10 seconds and 2 minutes based on any part of the soundtrack to Garrett Fisher’s  The Passion of Saint Sebastian.  You could win the $500 Prize for Best Film.

Entry is free and you get a copy of the soundtrack just for signing up. The deadline for submission is March 31, 2010.  For more details click here .

Short Screenplay Competition from screenwriter and now YA novelist Jessica Bendinger

The funny and talented Jessica Bendinger (writer of BRING IT ON and STICK IT) has recently unveiled her first novel, the young adult fiction offering, The Seven Rays.  To celebrate, she is holding a short script competition - adapt a scene from the book for the screen in a 2-5 page script (using Final Draft software, a demo is downloadable on the competition’s page, if you don’t have it already).   The grand prize winner gets a one-on-one consultation of his/her original script with Jessica herself!  There are lots of other cool prizes, including copies of Final Draft and of the book’s soundtrack (yes, this book has a soundtrack, check it out on the site).  Contest ends February 15, 2010.

Join us for Sonya Lea’s BEING SEEN on 12/14 as read by TV and Film stars and directed by Warren Etheredge

Caught in the ACT, a free script reading series featuring extraordinary work from alumni of TheFilmSchool, directed and performed by some of Seattle’s and LA’s best professional directors and actors. 
 
December 14, 2009 7:00
Join us at 6pm for a pre-reading cocktail hour at ACT!
 
 BEING SEEN
 
written by Sonya Lea
directed by Warren Etheredge
 
read by an outstanding cast including: 
Hans Altwies of THE DIARY OF ELLEN RIMBAUER

Abby Brammell of THE UNIT, THE SHIELD, SIX FEET UNDER  and the film LIKE DANDELION DUST
 
Trina Willard of Seattle’s own HUMPDAY
 
Film and stage actors Todd Licea and Beth Devries of Seattle
 
Director Warren Etheredge (TheFilmSchool faculty member and founder of The Warren Report) will host a Q and A in the theatre after the reading. 
 
ACT Theatre
700 Union St, Seattle

BEING SEEN is a dramatic story about photographer Soph Newman, who is married to the magnetic physician Jack, and living a comfortable yet lackluster life when her husband is sideswiped in a terrible car accident.  Soph is coping with his traumatic brain injury, when she discovers that her husband has forgotten everything he knew about becoming a lover; he has lost his remembrance of sex.  Only her best friend Jules, the witty chef of the Dalai Mama Café, and Soph’s trusted confidante, can help her decide what is essential to preserve, and what’s worth leaving behind. It’s a tumultuous triangle that reaches its apex at Soph’s exhibit premiere, and takes a turn that no one, especially Soph, could have expected.

Based on an actual event, BEING SEEN was first published as an essay in The Southern Review, for which Sonya Lea received an Artist Trust Award.  Oprah Book Club author Bret Lott said this story “is strong and strange and haunting and moving all at once…(Sonya) has a voice and tone that are so truthful and authentic.”

Lea has written three films and a television series, including an adaptation of Sandra Brown’s New York Times best-selling thriller.  Lea has also won several screenwriting awards, including the Nicholl Fellowship (QF), has completed work with UCLA’s School of Film & Television, as well as at TheFilmSchool in Seattle, where Lea took this story to ‘workshop’ with writer/producer Warren Etheredge.  Said Etheredge,  “Sonya is one of the few writers I’ve encountered whose brilliance transcends form; so whether crafting an essay, a script or a short story, her talent shines. It is just a matter of time till her work is regarded as highly as that of Francine Prose, Joan Didion and Melissa Mathison.” 
 
To attend, please rsvp to jenni@thefilmschool.com .  
 

Mexico International Film Festival

The Mexico International Film Festival is excited to announce their annual Call for Submissions for film and screenplay projects!

The festival will be held May 28th - May 30th, 2010 on the serene and beautiful Baja Coast of Mexico.

The MIFF is committed to bringing the best independent cinema from around the world to Mexico.  In addition to screening compelling and diverse contemporary independent cinema, the 2010 Mexico International Film Festival will attract international filmmakers, producers, and artists from around the world.

The Mexico International Film Festival features premiere screenings, award ceremonies, seminars, a screenplay competition and, of course, gorgeous beaches, delicious food, incredible nightlife, and all that make Baja, Mexico one of the most unique and exotic vacation destinations in the world.Awards are given in several categories including Feature, Documentary, Short, Animation, Music Video, Student, Direction, Acting and Screenwriting.

The Grand Jury Prize will be presented to the best film in competition as selected by a jury of industry professionals.

The prestigious Golden Palm awards will be presented to the best film in each of the main competitive categories along with Special Jury Prizes and the Award for the Best First-Time Filmmaker.

FILMMAKER PANELS & PARTIES

Filmmaker panels provide audience members and film-lovers the opportunity to learn from and directly engage some of the brightest independent filmmakers, writers and actors from around the world.

Interactive question and answer sessions, round-table discussions, and seminars explore the craft and creative process of cinema, as well as the business of making, financing, and distributing a film.

And be sure not to miss our unique opening night Filmmakers’ Beach Party!

SCREENPLAY CONTEST

The Screenplay Competition for the Mexico International Film festival is now accepting entries in all screenplay genres and lengths!

Ten scripts will be recognized as Finalists in the Competition along with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place Winners.

Cash prizes are awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

Winners will have the opportunity to have their work forwarded to our talent management and agency partners.  Finalists and Winners will be featured on our website and in our annual Press Release announcing the Winners of the Competition.

>>Click to Download the OFFICIAL ENTRY FORM Competition

Categories

American Independents Competition
International Competition
World Cinema Competition
Documentary Competition
Short Film Competition
Best of Mexico
Student Filmmakers Competition
Music Video Competition
Animation Competition
Children’s Film Competition
Screenplay Competition
Television Pilots

John’s Lists and Advice on Getting Your Script Out There

John Jacobsen compiled the lists below as a follow up to an article he wrote for TheFilmSchool December newsletter–coming soon–about getting your script ’out there.’ There are bound to be loads of other tips and suggestions, please add comments at the end of the blog.

LogLine, Title, Query Letter – you have to have all three and they have to be good, even before you start writing the script. 

Definition of a logline: An audience/studio/producer should be able get the full concept of the script from basically one to three sentences. They will know immediately what the whole movie is about. NEVER describe details of your script in the logline. That is what the synopsis and/or treatment is for. A properly written logline is important because most producers do not use their own money to finance a film. They read your logline. If it sounds like it is something they can then pitch to their money guys and it is the type of script their money guys are interested in, they then take the next step with regards to your script.

Write several loglines for the same film and try them out on friends until you really feel it is helping people want to read the script. 

Here are some samples loglines -
“Transported to a surreal landscape, a young girl seeks a way home to Kansas, befriending along the way a scarecrow without a brain, a tin woodsman without a heart, and a lion without courage.”
A logline is not the phrase that might appear on a movie poster. That’s a tagline.
This is a tagline:
“Every second counts when you have 48 hours to make a film.”
This is a logline:
“Brilliant filmmakers fight the clock to produce a film in only 48 hours.”
A logline is supposed to be short and sweet. A quick glimpse of what the script is about. NO DETAILS.
Here are a few more sample log lines from well-known features:
Independence Day - Aliens try to invade earth on Independence Day.
Liar, Liar - An attorney, because of a birthday wish, can’t tell any lies for 24 hours.
Dead Calm - A married couple, trying to recover from the death of their only child, are terrorized at sea by a handsome maniac.
The Hunt for Red October - A Soviet submarine captain uses Russia’s ultimate underwater weapon as a means to defect to the west.
The Last Boy Scout - A private detective must team up with an ex-football star to catch the killer of a topless dancer.
According to screenwriter David Anaxagoras, the six essential elements of an electrifying logline are:

1. Tone and genre
2. The protagonist’s identity and motivation
3. The inciting incident
4. The main obstacle or central conflict
5. The protagonist’s ultimate goal or desired outcome
6. The stakes, or what happens if the goal is not accomplished

So a prototype logline would look something like this:

TITLE OF MY SCREENPLAY is a GENRE with overtones of TONE about a PROTAGONIST who HAS A FLAW/MOTIVATION when THE INCITING INCIDENT HAPPENS and s/he must then overcome THE MAIN OBSTACLE in order to accomplish THE ULTIMATE GOAL or else there will be CATASTROPHIC CONSEQUENCES. >Great Article here.

Thus: “Tootsie” (1982) is a comedy about an unsuccessful actor who masquerades as a woman in order to get work, but in short order lands his dream job, becomes a star AND falls in love with the leading lady!

Blake Snyder summarized it this way, which I like a lot:
Format:
On the verge of a Stasis=Death moment, a flawed protagonist has a Catalyst and Breaks Into Twowith the B Story; but when the Midpoint happens, he/she must learn the Theme Stated, before the All Is Lost, to defeat (or stop) the flawed antagonist (from getting away with his/her plan).
Example:
On the verge of another “suit and tie” assignment, a tomboy FBI agent is assigned to go undercover in the American Miss Pageant and has a complete makeover to blend in with the other contestants; but when the pageant receives a new threat, she must learn she can be a woman and tough, beforeshe gets thrown off the case, to defeat the warped pageant organizer bent on revenge. (Miss Congeniality)
Some advice on writing a good logline:
• The logline’s job is to provide a quick sense of the story and make us want more.
• It presents the major plot of the story without character intricacies and sub-plots.
• It is the story boiled down to its essential essence.
• Many writing books encourage you to write the logline before you write the story, to clarify the intent of the story from the start.
And here are some links if you want to find out more:
• How to Write a Great Screenplay Script Logline (Associated Content)
• Writing loglines for a comedy (johnaugust.com)
• The Secrets of UCLA MFA Screenwriters, Part III: Electrifying Loglines (Man Bytes Hollywood)
Subscribe to DoneDealPro.com and you can see every   spec sale and any other project in the works.

Festivals and Competitions – You want to apply to these to gain leverage – scripts that have won or even placed are separated from the pack – they have leverage and are more likely to get read.
I also highly recommend going to the Withoutabox website where you can have festival and competition info sent directly to you and register for a series of comps all at one time.  Here is a sample email:
This action-packed week delivers ample opportunities for you to connect with audiences, gain exposure, and create memories on the festival circuit. In the mix are a whopping 24 newly announced Calls for Entry, as well as rapidly expiring deadlines for Academy-qualifiers, niche fests, circuit gems, and so much more. Don’t delay: find the right opportunities for you, and submit, submit, submit!

GET YOUR OFFICIAL REJECTION!
OFFICIAL REJECTION is the new, must-see, must-have DVD for anyone serious about submitting to film festivals. In this tell-all documentary, Director Paul Osborne offers you a lighthearted and coldly realistic look at the politics, pitfalls, and rewards of the film festival circuit, shot on a twelve-month odyssey while marketing his first feature film. OFFICIAL REJECTION was released on DVD just yesterday, made available through CreateSpace at Amazon.com. Order your copies now, in time for the holidays! And after you’ve seen it, don’t forget to rate it and discuss it with the director on IMDb’s official OFFICIAL REJECTION page.
 

PUT YOUR OWN FILM ON THE MAP WITH AN IMDb TITLE PAGE…
It’s never too early to get the word out about your film, and there’s no better promotional foundation than an IMDb Title Page. How to get one? Your film becomes eligible to receive a title page after its first completed submission to an IMDb Qualifying Withoutabox Partner Festival! Set-up on most title pages can be expedited by linking your Withoutabox and IMDb accounts, so we encourage you to take this small step and link your accounts. Already received your emailed invitation? Accept it today! And once you have your title page, engage your audience by uploading video trailers and clips, and submitting any data changes as new production information becomes available. Check out the links for “Your IMDb Title Page” under any film project on your Withoutabox Account Home page, or submit your film today to become eligible!
 
 
WELCOME BACK TO OLD FRIENDS:

Maine International Film Festival, Waterville, ME
March 15, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Sacramento Film and Music Festival, Sacramento, CA
February 19, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Short Attention Span Digital Video Festival, San Luis Obispo, CA
May 14, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

San Francisco Documentary Festival, San Francisco, CA
June 4, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

SoCal Independent Film Festival, Huntington Beach, CA
January 11, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

C&CIIFF (CULTURE&CULTURES Intercultural International Film Festival), Lempaut Tarn, FRANCE
March 1, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save €5
 

2010 Eerie Horror Film Festival, Eerie, PA
December 15, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

NAFA Show-Fest International, Sydney, AUSTRALIA
December 18, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5 AUD
 

GI Film Festival, Arlington, VA
December 15, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Lighthouse International Film Festival, Long Beach Island, NJ
December 18, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

The Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, Los Angeles, CA
February 20, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Jersey Shore Film Festival, Deal Park, NJ
December 10, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Royal Flush Festival, New York, NY
February 12, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

EXPOSURAMA Screenplay Contest, Chicago, IL
November 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Sainte Maxime International Horror Film Festival, Sainte Maxime, FRANCE
December 10, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save €5
 

Ohio Independent Film Festival, Cleveland, OH
February 1, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Ohio Independent Screenplay Awards, Cleveland, OH
February 1, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Be Film The Underground Film Festival - BTUFF, New York, NY
February 1, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Treasure Coast International Film Festival, Port St. Lucie FL
December 1, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

AND WELCOME TO THESE BRAND NEW PARTNERS:

The Seven Rays Script-a-Scene Sponsored by Final Draft, Los Angeles, CA
December 12, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

James River Film Festival, Richmond, VA
December 31, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

GLOBIANS DOC FEST STUTTGART, Stuttgart, GERMANY
November 20, 2009 - Start-up fanfare no fee Deadline
Upgraded projects save €5
 

The Clearwater Film Festival, Clearwater, FL
February 1, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Table Read My Screenplay - Screenplay Contest, Vernon Hills, IL
March 15, 2010 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 
 
LAST CHANCE EXTENDED DEADLINES - EXCLUSIVE TO WITHOUTABOX:

Fundación Octaedro Presents The People’s Award International Short Film Festival, Quito, ECUADOR
NOVEMBER 18, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

Lake County Film Festival, Vernon Hills, IL
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

KIDS FIRST! Film Festival, Santa Fe, NM
NOVEMBER 25, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

Florida Film Festival, Maitland, FL
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

BACK IN THE BOX SCREENPLAY COMPETITION, Los Angeles, CA
NOVEMBER 28, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

15 Minutes of Fame, Palm Bay, FL
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

Heart of Gold International Film Festival, Gympie, AUSTRALIA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15 AUD
 

Maverick Movie Awards, Hollywood, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

San Diego Black Film Festival, San Diego, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

Thin Line Film Fest, Denton, TX
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - WAB Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 
 
THESE BIG DEADLINES APPROACHING FAST:

360 | 365 Film Festival, Rochester, NY
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Black Maria Film + Video Festival, Jersey City, NJ
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Boston International Film Festival, Boston, MA
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Cinema Society of San Diego, San Diego, CA
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

DALLAS International Film Festival, Dallas, TX
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Florida Film Festival, Maitland, FL
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

GLOBIANS DOC FEST STUTTGART, Stuttgart, GERMANY
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Start-up fanfare Deadline
NO ENTRY FEE
 

Newport Beach Film Festival, Newport Beach, CA
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Thanksgiving Special Deadline
Upgraded projects save $10
 

Steeltown Film Factory, Pittsburgh, PA
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Tregor Film Fest, Lannion, FRANCE
NOVEMBER 20, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Boston International Film Festival, Boston, MA
NOVEMBER 22, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline (Screenplay Submissions)
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Rainier Independent Film Festival, Rainier, WA
NOVEMBER 22, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Vineyard Film Festival, Strovolos, CYPRUS
NOVEMBER 22, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
NO ENTRY FEE
 

Athens International Film + Video Festival (Ohio), Athens, OH
NOVEMBER 23, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Blazing Reel Short Film Competition, Atlanta, GA
NOVEMBER 25, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

FirstGlance Film Fest Hollywood, Hollywood, CA
NOVEMBER 25, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Black Maria Film + Video Festival, Jersey City, NJ
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Boston Underground Film Festival, Boston, MA
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Charlotte Film Festival, Charlotte, NC
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

New Hope Film Festival, New Hope, PA
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Peace on Earth Film Festival, Chicago, IL
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $10
 

Phoenix Film Festival, Phoenix, AZ
NOVEMBER 27, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Foursite Film Festival, Ogden, UT
NOVEMBER 28, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

14th Annual FADE IN AWARDS, Beverly Hills, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Amelia Island Film Festival, Amelia Island, FL
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Bare Bones International Film Festival, Muskogee, OK
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $10
 

Boston Science Fiction Film Festival, Boston, MA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

COLORADO FILM FESTIVAL, Lakewood, CO
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $8
 

Canadian Short Screenplay Competition, Regina, CANADA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Chicago International Movies and Music Festival, Chicago, IL
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Cleveland International Film Festival, Cleveland, OH
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Extended Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Documentary Fortnight, New York, NY
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Fresno Film Festival, Fresno, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

GLOBIANS DOC FEST BERLIN, Berlin, GERMANY
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - November Deadline
Upgraded projects save €5
 

Gen Art Film Festival, New York, NY
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Independent Film Festival of Boston, Boston, MA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

OFFICIAL BEST OF FEST AWARDS, Seattle, WA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late Deadline
NO ENTRY FEE
 

Paranoia Horror and Sci-Fi Convention & Film Festival, Long Beach, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Phangan Film Festival, Koh Phangan, THAILAND
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late, late, late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $15
 

ReelHeART International Film Festival, Toronto, CANADA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, San Luis Obispo, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Late Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Santa Barbara Minute Film Festival, Santa Barbara, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

The Sexy International Paris Film Festival (SIPFF), Paris, FRANCE
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save €5
 

The Trailer Festival, Los Angeles, CA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

Underground Exposure, Minneapolis, MN
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Earlybird Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

West Chester International Short Film Festival, West Chester, PA
NOVEMBER 30, 2009 - Regular Deadline
Upgraded projects save $5
 

The following information on festivals and contests has been garnered from emails sent to TheFilmSchool.  Follow the links provided, but please do not contact the school if you have further questions.

Page http://www.internationalscreenwritingawards.com/ 
 
Slamdance http://www.slamdance.com/ Deadline in 13 days. Great coverage - cheap.  Here’s a contest tip for you.  If they offer coverage, and you can afford it, sign up for it. Not only is it usually a really cheap way to get decent notes, it also assures you that they have had to read your entire script.  I talked to some drunk readers in (insert famous film festival name here) and really picked their brains and they said that they’re only required to read the first 30 pages .
 
Austin – highly recommended: http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/. 

http://www.oscars.org/nicholl/index.html.  The prize is $30,000 and (all the respect in the world.)  You can do the whole thing online. The best of the best

http://www.thelot.com/

http://www2.sundance.org/.

A random festival list I had built at one time:

American Film Institute

Amnesty International Film Festival

Ann Arbor Film Festival

Atlanta Film and Video Festival

Atlantic Film Festival

Austin Film Festival

Austin Lesbian and Gay International Film Festival

Autrans Mountain Film Festival

Berlin Film Festival

Big Sky Film Festival

Black Maria Film Festival

Boston Film Festival

Boston Jewish Film Festival

Brisbane International Film Festival

Cannes Film Festival

Carolina Film and Video Festival

Chicago International Film Festival

Chicago Underground Film Festival

Cork Film Festival

Dallas Video Festival

Dutch Film Festival

Eerie Horror Film Festival

Espoo Cine Film Festival

Exground on Screen

Festival Videoart de Locarno

Flanders International Film Festival - Ghent

Göteborg Film Festival

Gijon International Film Festival For Young People

H. P. Lovecraft Film Festival

Hamptons International Film Festival

Heartland Film Festival

Helsinki Film Festival

Houston International Worldfest

Impakt Festival

International Documentary Filmfestival Amsterdam

International Film Festival Rotterdam

Internationales Leipziger Festival
Israel Film Festival

Italian Film Festival

Jerusalem Fim Festival

Locarno International Film Festival

London Film Festival

Los Angeles Independent Film Festival

Mill Valley Film Festival

Minneapolis-St. Paul International Film Festival

Montreal World Film Festival

Moving Pictures - The Travelling Canadian Film Festival

Nantucket Film Festival

New England Film

NewPort Beach Film Festival

Newport International Film Festival

New York Film Festival

New York Underground Film Festival

Ourense Film Festival

Pan-African Film & Television Festival of Ouagadougou

Philadelphia Film Festival

Polish Film Festival in Los Angeles

Portland International Film Festival

ResFest Digital Film Festival

Rhode Island International Film Fest

Riverside Film Festival

San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival

San Francisco International Film Festival

San Francisco Jewish Film Festival

San Sebastian Film Festival

Seattle International Film Festival

Sedona International Film Festival

Slamdance International Film Festival

Jewish Film Festivals Worldwide

South Beach Film Festival of Miami Beach

Stockholm Film Festival

Sundance Film Festival

SXSW Film Festival

Sydney Film Festival

Tampere International Short Film Festival

Three Rivers Film Festival

Toronto Film Festival

Turin International Festival of Young Cinema

Uppsala International Short Film Festival

Vienna’s International Film Festival

Virginia Film Festiva

Vision Fest

Wine Country Film Festival

World Festival of Animated Films

World Population Film/Video Festival

Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival

Leverage – it’s all about leverage.  Who are you, why should I read your script?  Leverage comes when you are a star, like Robert Redford.  I am pretty much sure anyone will read his scripts.   It also comes when you are friends to a star (“Judd Apatow called and said you have to read this script.”).  For most of us, leverage has to be gained other ways.  You win a festival.  You have a good agent.  You have a good entertainment attorney in LA.   You directed a hot short.  You wore hot shorts (never underestimate the power of the right clothing). Few are born with leverage – they went out and got it, so that means you can, too.  Think big or don’t bother.

Agents, Managers, and Lawyers – agents are hard to get but not impossible.  Remember, they are looking for you.  They want to find the next great writer.  When you send a query to an agent, unless that agent has specifically requested a contact by e-mail or phone, the best approach is to contact that agent by regular mail. Almost universally, agents don’t want unsolicited manuscripts. So don’t send the full manuscript unless requested, a good way to make a first contact is to start with an initial query letter and 1-2 pages of amore detailed description about your project and yourself. Two of the best are “The Guide to Literary Agents” and “The Agents Directory.” Both of these books are published annually. Studios, Producers, and Indies
Look for agencies that accept your script’s genre. For example, if your script is a horror film, look for agents that like horror.  Choose those agencies that are newer and are just beginning to establish their agencies.  Attend a writer’s conference. These can be excellent places to not only learn more about agents, since you get to actually interact with them, but you can learn what an agent is looking for. The WGA provides a list which is updated bi-monthly on its website.

Doing It Yourself – in the end, you are always doing it yourself.  Don’t wait for money to come to you.  You want your movie made, GO OUT AND GET IT MADE.  If you commit to it, it will happen, or as Shakespeare said, “Be bold and mighty forces will follow.”

Ondi Timoner’s We Live in Public showing in Seattle NOW

The terrific Ondi Timoner, the only filmmaker who has won the Grand Jury prize at Sundance TWICE, was kind enough to screen ‘We Live in Public’ (one of the Sundance winners) at the Summer session 2009.  Ondi was the grand finale of the Speaker Series that session, and she even came to the graduation ceremony and reception after her Q and A with TheFilmSchool faculty member and leader of the Speaker Series, Warren Etheredge. 

If you haven’t had a chance to view ’We Live in Public,’ take a look at the list below of cities where it is currently screening.  That and more details below from the We Live in Public headquarters! 

 WE LIVE IN PUBLIC

“Riveting… A compelling cautionary tale” New York Times
“Remarkable… Mesmerizing!”  LA Weekly
“This is a remarkable film about a strange and prophetic man. [4 STARS]”  Roger Ebert in the Chicago Sun-Times
“A fascinating tale of dot-com boom, bust and bizarreness.” Wired Magazine
 

Greetings from the bustling headquarters of WE LIVE IN PUBLIC!

Lots of news to report, as usual.  After incredible runs in New York, LA, Austin, Boston, San Fran and Chicago, we are bringing our 2009 Sundance Grand Jury Award-winning doc to both Seattle, Washington and all over the UK for theatrical runs beginning on Friday November 13th.    We will be at the Varsity Theatre in Seattle.   Details and ticket info HERE .

Thank you Seattle for showing us a warm welcome with great advance press.  The Stranger writes, “More than any of Harris’s individual internet art experiments, WE LIVE IN PUBLIC showcases the grand and sometimes psychotic ideas behind his controversial projects, and Timoner’s film is the work of art for which Josh Harris will be remembered. If you like good documentaries, go see it.”  The Seattle Post Globe raves, “Timoner is one of our great documentarians because she devotes herself so completely to her subjects. She spent ten years filming Harris, and the most valuable footage comes from his early career, when he was a leading prophet(eer) of the World Wide Web.”

We will also be on three Seattle-area radio stations this Sunday — KZOK 102.5FM at 6am, KJAQ 96.5FM at 7am and KPTK AM 1090 at 11am. 

Our London theatrical opening is at the Odeon Panton Street and the star of our film, Josh Harris, will be there in the flesh for Q+A sessions on Friday the 13th and Saturday the 14th.   For details, showtimes and ticket info, click HERE.

We are opening in the following cities this week:
 
London
Manchester
Aberdeen
Bath
Cambridge
Edinburgh
Exeter
Liverpool
Norwich
Oxford
Southampton
York
Belfast
Newbury
 
Click HERE for screening locations and more information!

We are fresh off of a great run at the Times BFI 53rd London Film Festival, where we had live Q+As, jammed houses and a really fun afterparty.  Check out some pics HERE

Become a fan of WE LIVE IN PUBLIC on Facebook. Find festival dates, a trailer, pics, news, press, boards and more on the ever-evolving WE LIVE IN PUBLIC movie site  !

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