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1. How to "Do" the Austin Film Festival
by Heather Hughes and Aadip Desai
When is the festival?
The Austin Film Festival Screenwriting Conference is October 16-19, and the Austin Film Festival runs from October 16-23.
What is the focus of the Screenwriting Conference?
As John Arends said to me in an email, "The hallmark of the Austin Film Festival is that it's a WRITER'S festival. It celebrates screenwriters and scripts like no other film festival on the planet. And that's why it's so beloved by, and attended by, so many of our writer and writer-director heroes. And that's why everyone you meet will have something of value to say about the craft of screenwriting. That's right - EVERYBODY!"
http://www.austinfilmfestival.com/new/conference_festival
Where is the festival held?
The Austin Film Festival and Conference takes place in Austin, Texas at the Driskill Hotel and the Stephen F. Austin Hotel.
Why should I go?
Aside from being the premiere screenwriting conference in the country, the best reason to go is that all the panelists - filmmakers, agents and big screenwriters - who are the very best in the world -can't go home at night (like they can at Pitch Fest and other LA based conferences). They usually attend most of the parties and sit around the Driskill bar at night. You can listen to their wisdom during the day and hang out with them in the evening. This conference gives you unprecedented access to amazing screenwriters and filmmakers.
Which badge should I get? How much are they?
I suggest everyone get a Producer's Badge. It is pricey, but it allows you to go to all the parties. The parties are a great place to meet people, and I wouldn't buy a lesser badge because of it. The Producer's Badge is $585 until September 22nd and then goes up to $650.
If you want to do the Festival on a budget, there are some other options. The Festival offers a Conference Badge that gets you into all four days of the Conference and all the films, but only 3 parties.
The Lonestar Badge gives you access to Saturday panels, the Pitch Finale Party and all the films.
If you've entered the contest and advance to the "Second Round" (Austin's term for quarter-finalist) you will get a discount. As you advance in the contest, the discount becomes larger. Even if you buy a badge before you go, they will refund the added expense if you advance in the contest. It's too late to enter now, but keep it in mind for next year.
Continued online:
http://www.moviebytes.com/NewsStory.cfm?StoryID=3333
3. BlueCat Announces Contest Winner
The BlueCat Screenplay Competition has announced Timo E. Peltonen's The Piano Tuner as the winner of their 2008 screenwriting competition, which attracted nearly 2,800 entries.
Winner:
The Piano Tuner by Timo E. Peltonen
Finalists:
The Language of Leaves by Michael J. Eisley
El Flaco by Jeff Seymann
Past Mistakes by Maria Mathis
The Italian Lover by Suzanne Griffin
The Yellow Canary by John-Michael Bister
Contest info:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?contestnumber=89
5. Scriptapalooza Announces TV Contest Winners
Scriptapalooza has announced the winners in all categories of of their TV writing competition.
Pilot Category
1st Place
Tabloid 'A Force to be Reckoned With'
by Skip L. Berry & Judith Vale Newton
2nd Place
Summer With Max by Steve Matoren
3rd Place
Bank by Brian Loschiavo
Sitcom Category
1st Place
The Office 'Grandparent's Day' by Amy Coombs
2nd Place
The Sarah Silverman Program 'Sarah's Choice'
by Becky Kershman
3rd Place
30 Rock 'A Unisex Catastrophe' by Jared Nigro
1 Hour Category
1st Place
Dexter 'Gut Instincts' by Kay Tuxford
2nd Place
House 'I Put A Spell On You' by Cory Parker
3rd Place
Grey's Anatomy 'Don't Talk, Just Listen'
by Marlon Jones
Reality Category
1st Place
Valet Girls by Beth Salmon and Milo Plasil
2nd Place
The Company by Shana Selway
3rd Place
First Do No Harm by Annalise Caron and Vatsal Thakkar
Contest info:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?contestnumber=210
7. Interview With Kaos Films CEO Arif Hussein
by Emma Harding
There's been a lot of talk on various websites about Kaos Films' latest venture the British Feature Screenplay Competition and we thought why not put the CEO Mr Arif Hussein in the hot seat on your behalf and ask him directly some of your questions.
Q: I'm going to dive straight in and ask you why have you decided to launch the feature competition - is this a money making scheme?
A: If I wanted to make money I'd go and play on the stock market even the horses will give me better odds. You know, over the last seven years that the British Short Screenplay Competition (BSSC) has been running we've received about a hundred emails a month asking if or when will we launch a feature screenplay competition. My reply has always been no. Because, contrary to popular belief the BSSC actually costs us money. And every year I say this is the last year, I'm going to close it down. And each year I'm persuaded by everyone to carry on.
Q: Tell us about the competition, what's in it for the writer?
A: This is the writer's competition aimed at the writer with the biggest prize in the world for the writer. Not only will we produce the writer's winning script, the writer will be paid for their work, receive full on screen credit and get a backend percentage. This is a standard industry contract for a screenwriter. The prize of this competition is unprecedented.
Q: Explain to us the reason for assigning the rights to Kaos Films?
A: Okay, the way any producer/studio works is that when a writer is hired they are asked to option the rights to the producer. Basically to stop the writer from touting the property on the open market while the producer is trying to raise the finance. But before the producer can go into production that option will need to be exercised i.e. the rights need to be assigned to the producer. As we are going straight into production we are by-passing the option stage and asking the writer to assign the rights to us at the outset.
Q: And the writer will get paid for this?
A: Yes.
Continued online:
http://www.moviebytes.com/NewsStory.cfm?StoryID=3334
Contest info:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDetail.cfm?contestnumber=2287
8. Upcoming Contest Deadlines
The following contests have deadlines coming up in the next
month:
Extreme Screenplay
Deadline: Extended to September 12, 2008
Click here for more info
Open Curtain
Deadline: January 4, 2008 (early); September 15, 2008 (extended).
Click here for more info
Cosby
Deadline: Must be postmarked between July 15th to September 15th.
Click here for more info
Great Lakes Film Assn
Deadline: September 27, 2008 (Withoutabox deadline).
Click here for more info
StoryLink
Deadline: Extended to September 30, 2008
Click here for more info
Gotham Screen
Deadline: Sept 15 (reg); Sept 23 (ext.); Sept 30(WAB).
Click here for more info
WriteSafe
Deadline: Quarterly, next deadline September 30, 2008
Click here for more info
Screenplay Festival
Deadline: August 1st, 2008 (early); October 1st, 2008 (final).
Click here for more info
Screenwriting Expo
Deadline: Regular: September 15, 2008; Late: October 1, 2008
Click here for more info
Scriptapalooza TV
Deadline: October 1, 2008
Click here for more info
Cinequest
Deadline: July 31, 2008 (early); October 10, 2008 (final).
Click here for more info
* * *
If you're a contest coordinator, don't forget to email MovieBytes
with your current deadlines: webmaster@moviebytes.com.
9. WinningScripts.com Interview: Screenwriter Elizabeth Hamlett
An interview with screenwriter Elizabeth Hamlett regarding the Writers Place Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?
A: Please Shred is a silent film about a gal, Mary-Jane, who has had it with her dimwit bosses. She decides to make good use of the shredder to relieve her frustrations. Unfortunately (or fortunately) her bosses are the target.
Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?
A: I entered TWP because it received great reviews from other folks who have entered it. Also, the entrance fee was reasonable. I've submitted Please Shred two other contests but the results will be announced until November. I have my fingers crossed!
Q: Were you satisfied with the adminstration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?
A: I am so pleased with TWP. Once the winners were announced they were quick to get the awards coordinated. I've not received my yet but I'm sure it's in the mail.
Q: Were you given any feedback on your script? If so, did you find the feedback helpful?
A: There was no feedback provided for this contest however, winning was feedback enough for me.
Q: Has your success in this contest helped you market your script? Were you contacted by any agents, managers or producers?
A: So far I've not been contacted by anyone in regards to Please Shred. know that everything takes time so I'm very excited to see what happens down the road.
I think Please Shred has great potential to become something more than a silent short film.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?
A: Please Shred is my first script. I wrote alot of stories when I was in jr high and high school.
For as long as I can remember I've wanted to write novels. When I met my beau and began encouraging him to follow his movie making dreams, I soon realized that I enjoyed writing scripts so my goals have slightly changed. Writing a script is such a blast and challenging which I love.
Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?
A: I live about 1200 mile from LA. I recently moved to the Midwest from Washington, DC so I don't have any more moves booked for a while. I'm slowly but surely making my way West and would love to experience living in LA. It's definitely an option when the right gig comes along.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?
A: Currently I'm writing a dark comedy pilot and a full length horror film. I hope to have both completed by the end of August.
* * *
CONTEST WINNER? Let's talk. If you've finished first, second, or
third in a screenwriting contest, WinningScripts.com would like
to interview you:
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10. WriteSafe Announces Semifinalists
WriteSafe has announced their semifinalists for second quarter of 2008, representing the top 20% of eligible entries:
1865 by Pat Winter - Novel
DEUS X by Rus McLaughlin - Teleplay
ITSY CHARACTER ILLUSTRATIONS by Frank D. Poll - Drawings
PUSHING DAISIES: DEAD DEAD by Josh Roessler - Teleplay
RAP SHEET RAPPERS by Timothy Sedgley-Roach - TV Series Premise
TAKE MY LIFE, PLEASE by Neil Rubenstein - Teleplay
THE SECRET SEEKERS by Kenneth Kent - TV Series Premise
THORNS by Emily Hansen - Screenplay
WHACK JOB by Aimee Parrott - Screenplay
Contest info:
Click here for more info
11. WBW Subscribers: Over $250 in Discounts!
Remember, a $20 subscription to Who's Buying What entitles you to
discounts from dozens of different screenwriting contests, plus
major discounts from other screenwriting vendors. Subscribe
online for immediate access:
http://www.moviebytes.com/wbw/subscribe.cfm
Entry Fee Discounts (at least $5 off):
StoryLink (09/30/2008) <== $10.00 off!
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Screenwriting Expo (10/01/2008)
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Screenplay Festival (10/01/2008)
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Acclaim TV (10/25/2008)
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Acclaim Film (10/25/2008)
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American Screenwriting (10/31/2008) <== $10.00 off!
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Contest of Contest Winners (12/01/2008)
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L.A. Comedy (12/19/2008)
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WinFemme Monthlies (Monthly)
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For more information, visit:
http://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDiscounts.cfm
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