ISA SPOTLIGHT

Exciting ISAConnect Member Success Stories

These are the top success stories listed by ISAConnect Members. If you're an Industry Pro and interested in viewing the work of these emerging writers, please request Industry Pro status. 3926 Success Stories Listed.

2022 Just Keeps Getting Better

By: Aiko Hilkinger
ISA Development Slate writer and Screenwriter to Watch in 2021 Ailko Hilkinger has secured a Manager, she says 'One of my main goals of 2022 was to sign with a manager, and as of this week, I am officially represented by Alison Mann at Fourth Wall Management. It's still a strange thing to hear myself say, but I am incredibly grateful, excited, and pumped to start this amazing partnership and continue to grow, learn, and expand my career.'

PARANORMAL RESCUE selected for festival

By: Veronica Tabares
PARANORMAL RESCUE, a dark comedy screenplay by Veronica R. Tabares, is an official selection of the Die Laughing film festival.
More SuccessDown Aroow

TRUE STORY OF THE PERFECT 36 selected for Film Awards
By: Veronica Tabares
TRUE STORY OF THE PERFECT 36, time travel screenplay inspired by an actual historical event written by Veronica R. Tabares, is an official selection for the LA Independent Women Film Awards.
Tags: True Story of the Perfect 36, LA Independent Women Film Awards(Official Selection)

SPENCER, 1928 Named Quarter Finalist
By: Veronica Tabares
SPENCER, 1928, an exciting family-friendly fantasy feature by Veronica R. Tabares, was named quarter finalist in the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay competition.
Tags: Spencer, 1928, Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition(Quarter Finalist)

MINERVA CLAUS Semi-Finalist in Creative Screenwriting contest
By: Veronica Tabares
MINERVA CLAUS, a Christmas thriller by Veronica R. Tabares, has been named a semi-finalist in the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Competition.
Tags: Minerva Claus, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist)

SPENCER, 1928 named Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Semi-Finalist
By: Veronica Tabares
SPENCER, 1928, a fantasy feature for the family written by Veronica R. Tabares, was named a Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Contest Semi-Finalist.
Tags: Spencer, 1928, Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist), Nashville Film Festival

BLACK BAGS in Post Production

By: Adam Pachter
Adam Patcher's thriller BLACK BAGS, which was optioned through an ISA listing, filmed in May 2021. Starring Laura Vandervoort and Olesya Rulin, directed by Josh Brandon, and also written by Angela Bourassa, it is currently finishing post-production and represented by sales agent Artist View Entertainment. More news soon!

BLACK BAGS Optioned!
By: Adam Pachter
I'm thrilled to announce that Oren Kamara of Fade to Black Films, who found my low budget thriller feature BLACK BAGS via an ISAConnect writing gig to which I submitted, has now optioned the script, with plans to shoot in Oklahoma as soon as it's safe to do so. This will be my first script to make it to screen, and I couldn't be more pleased and grateful to ISAConnect for this amazing resource!
Tags: Black Bags, Fade to Black Films, International Screenwriters' Association

HARPER LEE AND ME nominated for Best Screenplay at Pop Con 2022

By: Don Thompson
Don Thompson's screenplay adaptation of David Dessauer's book 'Harper Lee and Me' has been nominated for Best Feature Screenplay at the Pop Con Indiana 2022! Thank you Pop Con! More info about the conference is here: https://popcon.us/ The script was developed on assignment through an opportunity posted by the ISA.
More SuccessDown Aroow

KALTENHOUSE Wins Top Prize At New York Film Awards
By: Don Thompson
Don Thompson's WWII Action-Drama KALTENHOUSE wins the Best Feature Screenplay Award at the New York Film Awards (December 2020). The script has also won other top awards at the Los Angeles Film Awards (2019) and Festigious Film Festival (2020). For more info regarding Thompson you can visit www.nextpixprods.com
Tags: Kaltenhouse, New York Film Awards(1st Place)

KALTENHOUSE Wins Top Awards
By: Don Thompson
Don Thompson's WWII action-drama screenplay KALTENHOUSE has won top awards, including 'Best Drama Screenplay' at the Los Angeles Film Awards (2019), as well as 'Best Action Screenplay' and 'Screenplay of the Month' at the Festigious International Film Festival (2020).
Tags: Festigious International Film Festival(1st Place), Los Angeles Film Awards(1st Place)

MEDEA, SOUTH CAROLINA is a finalist in the New York Screenplay Competition
By: Don Thompson
Medea, South Carolina was among the Official Finalists in the New York Screenplay Contest, 2017. The competition had over 1000+ submissions.
Tags: New York Screenplay Contest

MESSAGE TO SHIGATSE a Finalist in Filmmatic Screenplay Awards, 2017
By: Don Thompson
Don Thompson's screenplay Message to Shigatse is a finalist in the 2017 Filmmatic Screenplay Awards.

CITIZEN DETECTIVE - Category Winner at SIFF Bigfoot Script Challenege

By: Hillary Stringer Matthew Davis
CITIZEN DETECTIVE, a one-hour true-crime pilot by Hillary Stringer and Matthew Davis, was selected as the PNW category winner at the 2022 SIFF Bigfoot Script Challenge.

Screenplay Optioned

By: Duane Piedmont
SAVE THE DATE was optioned by Oren Kamara after being discovered on NetworkISA.

April 2022 - MOTHER JONES - Best Screenplay in Houston, then London

By: Lindsay Waite
This feature screenplay, based on the life of Mary Harris Jones, who took on the moniker Mother Jones as a labor organizer, was selected in mid-April 2022 as Best Feature Screenplay in the History/Period Piece Category in WorldFest - Houston International Film Festival. Just a few weeks later a fledgling film festival based in London - the Crown International Film Festival - selected this screenplay as Best Screenplay in Crown's IFF Monthly Screenplay Competition.

HOMESTEAD-Best Period Script, by Lindsay Waite
By: Lindsay Waite

At the Sixth Annual New Hope Film Festival in 2015, Lindsay Waite's script - "Homestead" - won the Best Period Script award.  This festival presented 97 official selections from 16 countries and had six competitive categories for Best Screenplay. 

 

Tags: New Hope Film Festival Script Competition

Writer/Producer Jason Goldberg Fantasia-Bound with GLORIOUS

By: Jason Goldberg
Rebekah McKendry's cosmic horror film, GLORIOUS will have its world premiere this summer at Montreal's genre-bending Fantasia Festival. The film stars Academy Award-winner J.K. Simmons (Whiplash) and Ryan Kwanten (True Blood, Creepshow). Goldberg (Stay Out of the Attic) produced alongside AMP International, Christian Armogida and Fallback Plan Productions. The film will be released exclusively on Shudder on August 18th.
More SuccessDown Aroow

SACRED HELL Lands in Final Draft's Big Break Top 3 Horror/Thriller!
By: Jason Goldberg
Jason Goldberg's conversion therapy camp slasher SACRED HELL stabs its way into Top 3. He recently commented, 'I Couldn't be more proud of this script and its message of tolerance.'
Tags: Sacred Hell, Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest(Quarter Finalist)

SACRED HELL slashes its way into TOP 5 Final Draft's Big Break

By: Jason Goldberg
Jason Goldberg's conversion therapy camp slasher made it to the next round in Final Draft's Big Break contest.
Tags: Sacred Hell,

J.K. Simmons and Ryan Kwanten Board GLORIOUS
By: Jason Goldberg
Jason Goldberg is delighted to learn the film he was a producer on in Mississippi has announced on Deadline. Goldberg felt there was something extraordinary about the screenplay when he read it, and is thrilled to be part of its journey. https://deadline.com/2022/02/ryan-kwanten-true-blood-jk-simmons-horror-movie-glorious-efm-1234933677/

Sold Horror/Comedy PRINCE CHARMING through ISA Writing Gig
By: Jason Goldberg
ISA Development slate writer Jason Goldberg sold his Horror/Comedy PRINCE CHARMING screenplay to New Zealand director Zac Lucas. The project is scheduled to go into production in early 2022.
Tags: Prince Charming,

LONDONAUTS Semifinalist, Creative Screenwriting Animation Competition 2021

By: Paul Glen Neuman
LONDONAUTS Semifinalist, Creative Screenwriting Animation Competition 2021
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FAIRY TRAIL Quarterfinalist Creative Screenwriting Animation Screenplay Co
By: Paul Glen Neuman
Paul Neuman's animated screenplay FAIRY TRAIL is a quarterfinalist in the Creative Screenwriting Animation Screenplay Competition 2021.
Tags: Fairy Trail,

DAVY CRICKET 2nd round of the ISA Fast Track Fellowship 2021
By: Paul Glen Neuman
DAVY CRICKET animation script by Paul Glen Neuman makes it to the 2nd round of the ISA Fast Track Fellowship 2021.
Tags: Davy Cricket, International Screenwriters' Association

THE PASSAGE OF THE SUN Places Second at 100 Screenplays!

By: Aaron Braxton
THE PASSAGE OF THE SUN, Aaron Braxton's historical drama about 3 brothers fighting the Convict Leasing System of railroading African American men into the the Alabama Prison System in order to continue slave labor post-Civil War, has placed SECOND in the 100 Screenplays Screenwriting Competition. "This screenplay is bigger than me. It warms my heart that it is doing so well!" said Braxton on his placement.
More SuccessDown Aroow

THE PASSAGE OF SUN Wins 2 Awards at the NOVA Festival!
By: Aaron Braxton
Happy to announce the historical screenplay, THE PASSAGE OF SUN, about 3 brothers fighting the Convict Leasing System of railroading Black men into the Alabama Prison System post-Civil War, has won the Special Jury Award & the Best Period Award at the Northern Virginia Film and Music Festival (NOVA FEST)! The screenplay was also nominated for the Best Drama Award.
Tags: The Passage of Sun,

THE LONGEST GOODBYE WINS The Hollywood Int. Diversity Film Festival.
By: Aaron Braxton
Aaron Braxton's dramatic screenplay, THE LONGEST GOODBYE, about a son dealing with his elderly mother's dementia, wins the Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival. His horror screenplay, TO LIE BENEATH and his edgy faith based screenplay, A LONG WAY FROM SUNDAY, placed in the Semi Finals of the same competition. Baxter commented "I'm ecstatic! It's a great feeling when three different genre screenplays place in the same competition. It's further confirmation that the way I create resonates with people."
Tags: The Longest Goodbye, Hollywood International Diversity Film Festival(Finalist)

Two Screenplays Advance in the Final Draft Big Break Competition
By: Aaron Braxton
Aaron Braxton's drama, THE LONGEST GOODBYE, about a son dealing with his mother's dementia, and his historical drama, THE PASSAGE OF SUN, about 3 brothers fighting the post Civil War, Alabama Convict Leasing System, advance to the Quarter Final rounds of the Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Competition. "It's amazing to have two screenplays of different genres advance in this incredible competition. It further quantifies that I'm on the right trajectory in terms of the way I create."

THE PASSAGE OF THE SUN Wins the San Diego Movie Awards!
By: Aaron Braxton
THE PASSAGE OF THE SUN, Aaron Braxton's historical screenplay about 3 brothers fighting the Alabama Convict Leasing System post Civil War has won the San Diego Movie Awards. This is quite an achievement for a writer who earlier this year was told to concentrate on his stage plays. "This is an important American story. I'm ecstatic that it's being so well received."
Tags: The Passage of Sun,

TRUE STORY OF THE PERFECT 36 selected for Film Awards

By: Veronica Tabares
TRUE STORY OF THE PERFECT 36, time travel screenplay inspired by an actual historical event written by Veronica R. Tabares, is an official selection for the LA Independent Women Film Awards.
More SuccessDown Aroow

PARANORMAL RESCUE selected for festival
By: Veronica Tabares
PARANORMAL RESCUE, a dark comedy screenplay by Veronica R. Tabares, is an official selection of the Die Laughing film festival.
Tags: Paranormal Rescue, Die Laughing Film Festival(Official Selection)

SPENCER, 1928 Named Quarter Finalist
By: Veronica Tabares
SPENCER, 1928, an exciting family-friendly fantasy feature by Veronica R. Tabares, was named quarter finalist in the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay competition.
Tags: Spencer, 1928, Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition(Quarter Finalist)

MINERVA CLAUS Semi-Finalist in Creative Screenwriting contest
By: Veronica Tabares
MINERVA CLAUS, a Christmas thriller by Veronica R. Tabares, has been named a semi-finalist in the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Competition.
Tags: Minerva Claus, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist)

SPENCER, 1928 named Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Semi-Finalist
By: Veronica Tabares
SPENCER, 1928, a fantasy feature for the family written by Veronica R. Tabares, was named a Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Contest Semi-Finalist.
Tags: Spencer, 1928, Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist), Nashville Film Festival

MAESTRA Wins the Paris International Film Festival Screenplay Competition

By: Susan Polk
In Spring 2022, MAESTRA was awarded Best Feature Screenplay at the Paris International Film Festival! It also continues to remain in the Top 1% of all projects listed on The Red List.
More SuccessDown Aroow

SuzyQ Premieres on The Tracking Board
By: Susan Polk
SUZYQ premieres on The Tracking Board listed by Literary Manager Kathy Muraviov of The Muraviov Company. 
Tags: SuzyQ,

MAESTRA recognized by Top Competitions in 2020
By: Susan Polk
After debuting in January 2020, MAESTRA broke into Quarterfinals for the Academy Nicholl Fellowships, the PAGE Awards and the Emerging Screenwriters Genre Competition, the Semifinals for the Austin Film Festival and the Screencraft Drama Screenplay Competition and was was a Finalist for the Tangerine Entertainment Fellowship and Official Selection for the Stowe Story Labs July 2020 Writer's Retreat. MAESTRA is repped by The Muraviov Company.
Tags: Maestra, Nicholl Fellowship(Quarter Finalist), Austin Film Festival Script Competition(Quarter Finalist), PAGE International Screenwriting Awards(Quarter Finalist), Stowe Story Labs(Quarter Finalist), Screencraft Drama Screenplay Contest(Quarter Finalist)

Signed with Literary Manager Kathy Muraviov of The Muraviov Company
By: Susan Polk
Shortly following the announcement of the Shopping Agreement with AV1 Productions for Susan's first screenplay, CAROL, literary manager Kathy Muraviov of The Muraviov Company read Susan's second top-award-winning screenplay, SUZY Q WHERE ARE YOU? (formerly known as "Becoming Terpsichore") and has undertaken representation of both Susan and SUZY Q WHERE ARE YOU?.
Tags: SuzyQ,

CAROL enters Shopping Agreement with AV1 Productions and Briley Media Group
By: Susan Polk
Susan's coming-of-age drama CAROL has entered into a Shopping Agreement with Houston-based AV1 Productions in association with Briley Media Group. The Christmas-time story captured the Producers' attention with its focus on LGBT and bullying issues and its message of self-acceptance and hope.
Tags: Carol,

PURGATORY STATION Optioned

By: Phillip Hardy
Phillip E Hardy's Horror/ Thriller feature script PURGATORY STATION has been signed on a one-year option deal with an actor/director who recently appeared in the Netflix series Inventing Anna.
More SuccessDown Aroow

'Four Negro Girls In A Church' finalist in four script competitons

By: Phillip Hardy

Phillip E. Hardy's civil rights epic 'Four Negro Girls In A Church' is a finalist at Harlem Intenational Film Festival and a ten-page excerpt will be read in front of an audience, at the screenplay showdown on Sunday, May 7th. This script was also finalist in May at Twister Alley Film Festival and at Cannes Screenplay Contest.

Phillip E. Hardy Finalist for historical and horror screenplays.

By: Phillip Hardy
This month Phillip E. Hardy is a finalist at Houston Black Film Festival for his civil rights story 'Four Negro Girls in A Church' and is also finalist for his gothic horror Western 'The Bloody Benders' at the 13Horror.com Screenplay Contest. Both of these scripts are previous finalists at several other film festivals.
Tags: Houston Black Film Festival, 13Horror.com Screenplay Contest - DUPLICATE

Phillip E. Hardy Wins Best Screenplay at American Grindhouse Film Festival
By: Phillip Hardy
Phillip E Hardy has won the Best Action/Adenture Screenplay at American Grindhouse Film Festival for "Gina Jericho". This script will also be competing in upcoming Screencraft Action Contest and an earlier draft placed at Austin Film Festival.  
Tags: Austin Revolution Film Festival

Phillip E. Hardy is 2016 Page Awards Quarter-Finalist
By: Phillip Hardy

Dirty Real, The Bukowski Biiopic by Phillip Hardy has placed at two more script competitions including the 2016 Page International Screenwriting Awards and the Austin Revolution Film Festival (formerly Austin Indie Flix). Recently Dirty Real won best comedy at Cannes Screenplay Contest and was semi-Finalist at Screencraft Fellowship.

Tags: Austin Indie Flix Showcase, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards

Shopping Agreement signed

By: Todd Foley
Todd Foley and his writing partner have recently signed a shopping agreement with Creative Screenwriter Productions, LLC for their thriller/horror script CABIN CLEANSE. The script was found through an ISA Writing gig.
More SuccessDown Aroow

Repped by Agent
By: Todd Foley
Todd Foley is represented by Doreen Holmes at Integral Artists.
Tags: THE PERFECT FILTER, Integral Artists

Signed first attachment agreement
By: Todd Foley
Todd Foley has signed his first attachment agreement with a producer for my satirical thriller feature AMERICAN CHECKOUT, one week after placing as a Quarter Finalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Genre Competition. Todd said "I look forward to collaborating on making the story even stronger and then seeing it taken out to the market, with the hope of seeing it on screen one day. This is a significant milestone in my writing career."
Tags: AMERICAN CHECKOUT, Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition(Quarter Finalist)

THE LEASE OF NATURE - ISA Fast Track Fellowship & Action and Adventure

By: Anderson Boyd
Anderson Boyd's crime saga THE LEASE OF NATURE was a recent second rounder in the ISA Fast Track Fellowship as well as a Semi Finalist in the Action & Adventure Plus Genre Busting Competition!
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MESCALERO - Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices & Table Read My Screenplay
By: Anderson Boyd
Anderson Boyd's Western odyssey MESCALERO placed as a Semi Finalist in both the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Competition and the Table Read My Screenplay - Genre Competition!
Tags: Mescalero, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist), Table Read My Screenplay Genre Competition(Semi Finalist)

MESCALERO - Stowe Story Labs
By: Anderson Boyd
Anderson Boyd's Western odyssey MESCALERO traveled to the 2021 Stowe Story Labs Writer's Retreat in Palm Springs earlier this November.
Tags: Mescalero, Stowe Story Labs(Official Selection)

MESCALERO - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards Finalist
By: Anderson Boyd
Anderson Boyd's Western odyssey MESCALERO has placed as one of ten Action/Adventure Finalists within the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards!
Tags: Mescalero, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards(Semi Finalist)

MESCALERO - PAGE International Screenwriting Awards
By: Anderson Boyd
Anderson Boyd's Western odyssey MESCALERO has advanced as one of twenty-five Semi Finalists within the PAGE Awards - Action/Adventure category!
Tags: Mescalero, PAGE International Screenwriting Awards(Semi Finalist)

SPENCER, 1928 Named Quarter Finalist

By: Veronica Tabares
SPENCER, 1928, an exciting family-friendly fantasy feature by Veronica R. Tabares, was named quarter finalist in the Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay competition.
More SuccessDown Aroow

PARANORMAL RESCUE selected for festival
By: Veronica Tabares
PARANORMAL RESCUE, a dark comedy screenplay by Veronica R. Tabares, is an official selection of the Die Laughing film festival.
Tags: Paranormal Rescue, Die Laughing Film Festival(Official Selection)

TRUE STORY OF THE PERFECT 36 selected for Film Awards
By: Veronica Tabares
TRUE STORY OF THE PERFECT 36, time travel screenplay inspired by an actual historical event written by Veronica R. Tabares, is an official selection for the LA Independent Women Film Awards.
Tags: True Story of the Perfect 36, LA Independent Women Film Awards(Official Selection)

MINERVA CLAUS Semi-Finalist in Creative Screenwriting contest
By: Veronica Tabares
MINERVA CLAUS, a Christmas thriller by Veronica R. Tabares, has been named a semi-finalist in the Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Competition.
Tags: Minerva Claus, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist)

SPENCER, 1928 named Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Semi-Finalist
By: Veronica Tabares
SPENCER, 1928, a fantasy feature for the family written by Veronica R. Tabares, was named a Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Contest Semi-Finalist.
Tags: Spencer, 1928, Nashville Film Festival Screenplay Competition(Semi Finalist), Nashville Film Festival

Winner - Best Screenplay

By: Kent Moran
Kent Moran's JIMMY won Best Screenplay at the Rhode Island International Film Festival

Genre Winner for Table Read my Screenplay

By: Tim Auld
MINOTAUR, is resonating with people who like action films with catharsis, as it picks up another win.

Repped by Agent

By: Todd Foley
Todd Foley is represented by Doreen Holmes at Integral Artists.
More SuccessDown Aroow

Shopping Agreement signed
By: Todd Foley
Todd Foley and his writing partner have recently signed a shopping agreement with Creative Screenwriter Productions, LLC for their thriller/horror script CABIN CLEANSE. The script was found through an ISA Writing gig.
Tags: CABIN CLEANSE, Creative Screenwriter Productions, LLC

Signed first attachment agreement
By: Todd Foley
Todd Foley has signed his first attachment agreement with a producer for my satirical thriller feature AMERICAN CHECKOUT, one week after placing as a Quarter Finalist in the Emerging Screenwriters Genre Competition. Todd said "I look forward to collaborating on making the story even stronger and then seeing it taken out to the market, with the hope of seeing it on screen one day. This is a significant milestone in my writing career."
Tags: AMERICAN CHECKOUT, Emerging Screenwriters Genre Screenplay Competition(Quarter Finalist)

FINALIST - Scriptwriters & Co International Festival 2022

By: LINDA BUTLER
Linda Jane Butler was Nominated ( one of 5 scripts) in the 'Best Shorter Film, TV Pilot or Play Script' category with GRAND THEFT POST-MORTEM.
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SPOTLIGHT

These are the top success stories listed by ISAConnect Members only. Many come from ISA Writing Gigs, the ISA Fast Track, the ISA Development Slate, the ISA’s Top 25 Screenwriters To Watch plus other ISAConnect Members who have demonstrated additional success throughout the industry. This includes but is not limited to winning or placing in contests, receiving a fellowship, a writing assignment, representation and/or getting a script produced, optioned or sold. We welcome posting your success from any part of the industry!

Anyone can upgrade to ISAConnect. Upgrade to the Yearly Membership on any contest page and you’ll receive a free contest entry! If you are an industry pro and interested in viewing the work of these emerging writers, please request Industry Pro status.

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