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. 3041 Success Stories Listed.

Christmas Novel Optioned

By: Kim Hornsby
CHRISTMAS IN CRYSTAL CREEK, the novel, was optioned by 5x5 Productions and is in development as a TV movie with a star attached. The spec screenplay was written by USA Today Bestselling Author and Awarded Screenwriter, KIM HORNSBY. Repped by JD DeWitt

Christmas Movie SOLD
By: Kim Hornsby
Christmas Romance screenplay, CHRISTMAS AT SNOWFLAKE LODGE, sold to Crazy Legs Productions with filming to take place this winter in Georgia. Deal negotiated by JD DeWitt of 5x5 Productions.
Tags: The Dream Jumper's Promise,

Feature Film on Netflix

By: Amy Asbjørnsen
Amy was a writer on a feature film now showing on Netflix, James Franco's DON QUIXOTE: THE INGENIOUS GENTLEMAN OF LA MANCHA. This film also premiered at Palm Springs Int. Film Festival.

Secret Library Named as OFFICIAL SELECTION by Lift-Off Global Network

By: Laurel King
After consideration of many worthy contenders, the Lift-Off Global Network (Manchester) has announced that SECRET LIBRARY by Laurel King has been chosen as an OFFICIAL SELECTION for Best Screenplay. This is a phenomenal success for new screenwriter Laurel King, who now has SIX AWARD NOMINATIONS under her belt: Lift-Off Global Network (Manchester) Film Festival 2020 | Golden State Film Festival 2020 | Eurasia Fest Film Festival 2020 | Annual CPH Film Festival 2020 | New York Cinematography Awards (NYCA) 2020 | Cinema Lab 2020 The Utah Film Festival & Awards 2020 has also released a RAVE REVIEW of Secret Library, on their Facebook page. More to come!!
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WINNER for Best Screenplay at Hollywood Blood Horror Festival 2020
By: Laurel King
SECRET LIBRARY by Laurel King has been selected as the Best Screenplay for the Hollywood Blood Horror Festival in February 2020. Currently, this phenomenal screenplay described as having "suspense and intensity" by the Utah Film Festival has been chosen by 9 different competitions and festivals for: Top 3, Top 5, Top 12, Finalist, Semi-finalist and Official Selection. With nine more months left in the year, and the interest of multiple producers and directors, this screenplay is well on its way to becoming an amazing film!
Tags: SECRET LIBRARY,

FINALIST in the Annual Copenhagen Film Festival 2020
By: Laurel King
On January 21, 2020 the Annual Copenhagen Film Festival chose SECRET LIBRARY as a FINALIST for Best Screenplay. With the festival commencing on March 13, we're on the edge of our seats to find out who will be chosen as the official winner!
Tags: SECRET LIBRARY, Annual Copenhagen Film Festival(Finalist)

Julia Skikavich a TOP 50 finalist for ISA's Fast Track Fellowship

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been named a TOP 50 finalists under consideration for the ISA Fast Fellowship. Two of Julia's pilot scripts -- MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. -- landed her a double-slot on the finalist list, and chance at being one of the two fellows selected for 2020. Julia is an award-winning screenwriter, online producer, and journalist. Both MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. have won and placed in several contests and have been hailed for their women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centred on wholly relevant discussions. Julia holds degrees in screenwriting, journalism and political science. She has worked on a variety of news programs, factual entertainment and reality series.
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SURVIVORS: B.S. a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's darkly funny, one-hour drama, SURVIVORS: B.S., is under consideration as a TOP 50 finalist in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship. The pilot script has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

MISSING PIECES a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's female-centric serialized crime drama, MISSING PIECES, has placed as a TOP 50 finalist under consideration for the 2020 ISA Fast Track Fellowship. The gritty pilot has been hailed as a "kick butt script" that's "thoughtful" and "thrilling", "high stakes story that will keep the audience invested."
Tags: Missing Pieces, ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

Julia Skikavich receives WIFT-T bursary to attend pitching masterclass
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been selected as the Women in Film and Television - Toronto (WIFT-T) bursary recipient for the Pitch It Masterclass and Workshop. The two-day event will be facilitated by The Optimal Pitch's Kevin Wright, the former senior vice-president of programming at Astral Television Network. The workshop will focus on developing effective and strategic pitches for when presenting to the industry's top decision-makers. Julia was selected on the basis of a written pitch for her darkly-funny TV drama, SURVIVORS: B.S.. Over the course of the masterclass she'll have the opportunity to fine-tune her verbal pitch for the series.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., Women in Film

Julia Skikavich wins Grand Prize in Emerging Screenwriter Award

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has won the Emerging Screenwriter Award in the 2019 Emerging Screenwriter Genre Screenplay Competition with SURVIVORS: B.S. taking the Grand Prize. The darkly funny, one-hour drama pilot also won the Drama category. The contest’s judges highlighted the writer’s unique voice, the script’s compelling characters, the world-building that gives an insider’s look at Toronto, and the polished storytelling as factors in awarding the prize. The pilot has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

SURVIVORS: B.S. a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's darkly funny, one-hour drama, SURVIVORS: B.S., is under consideration as a TOP 50 finalist in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship. The pilot script has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
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Julia Skikavich a TOP 50 finalist for ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been named a TOP 50 finalists under consideration for the ISA Fast Fellowship. Two of Julia's pilot scripts -- MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. -- landed her a double-slot on the finalist list, and chance at being one of the two fellows selected for 2020. Julia is an award-winning screenwriter, online producer, and journalist. Both MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. have won and placed in several contests and have been hailed for their women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centred on wholly relevant discussions. Julia holds degrees in screenwriting, journalism and political science. She has worked on a variety of news programs, factual entertainment and reality series.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

MISSING PIECES a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's female-centric serialized crime drama, MISSING PIECES, has placed as a TOP 50 finalist under consideration for the 2020 ISA Fast Track Fellowship. The gritty pilot has been hailed as a "kick butt script" that's "thoughtful" and "thrilling", "high stakes story that will keep the audience invested."
Tags: Missing Pieces, ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

Julia Skikavich receives WIFT-T bursary to attend pitching masterclass
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been selected as the Women in Film and Television - Toronto (WIFT-T) bursary recipient for the Pitch It Masterclass and Workshop. The two-day event will be facilitated by The Optimal Pitch's Kevin Wright, the former senior vice-president of programming at Astral Television Network. The workshop will focus on developing effective and strategic pitches for when presenting to the industry's top decision-makers. Julia was selected on the basis of a written pitch for her darkly-funny TV drama, SURVIVORS: B.S.. Over the course of the masterclass she'll have the opportunity to fine-tune her verbal pitch for the series.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., Women in Film

Julia Skikavich wins Grand Prize in Emerging Screenwriter Award

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has won the Emerging Screenwriter Award in the 2019 Emerging Screenwriter Genre Screenplay Competition with SURVIVORS: B.S. taking the Grand Prize. The darkly funny, one-hour drama pilot also won the Drama category. The contest’s judges highlighted the writer’s unique voice, the script’s compelling characters, the world-building that gives an insider’s look at Toronto, and the polished storytelling as factors in awarding the prize. The pilot has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

MISSING PIECES a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's female-centric serialized crime drama, MISSING PIECES, has placed as a TOP 50 finalist under consideration for the 2020 ISA Fast Track Fellowship. The gritty pilot has been hailed as a "kick butt script" that's "thoughtful" and "thrilling", "high stakes story that will keep the audience invested."
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Julia Skikavich a TOP 50 finalist for ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been named a TOP 50 finalists under consideration for the ISA Fast Fellowship. Two of Julia's pilot scripts -- MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. -- landed her a double-slot on the finalist list, and chance at being one of the two fellows selected for 2020. Julia is an award-winning screenwriter, online producer, and journalist. Both MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. have won and placed in several contests and have been hailed for their women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centred on wholly relevant discussions. Julia holds degrees in screenwriting, journalism and political science. She has worked on a variety of news programs, factual entertainment and reality series.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

SURVIVORS: B.S. a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's darkly funny, one-hour drama, SURVIVORS: B.S., is under consideration as a TOP 50 finalist in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship. The pilot script has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

Julia Skikavich receives WIFT-T bursary to attend pitching masterclass
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been selected as the Women in Film and Television - Toronto (WIFT-T) bursary recipient for the Pitch It Masterclass and Workshop. The two-day event will be facilitated by The Optimal Pitch's Kevin Wright, the former senior vice-president of programming at Astral Television Network. The workshop will focus on developing effective and strategic pitches for when presenting to the industry's top decision-makers. Julia was selected on the basis of a written pitch for her darkly-funny TV drama, SURVIVORS: B.S.. Over the course of the masterclass she'll have the opportunity to fine-tune her verbal pitch for the series.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., Women in Film

Julia Skikavich wins Grand Prize in Emerging Screenwriter Award

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has won the Emerging Screenwriter Award in the 2019 Emerging Screenwriter Genre Screenplay Competition with SURVIVORS: B.S. taking the Grand Prize. The darkly funny, one-hour drama pilot also won the Drama category. The contest’s judges highlighted the writer’s unique voice, the script’s compelling characters, the world-building that gives an insider’s look at Toronto, and the polished storytelling as factors in awarding the prize. The pilot has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

Chris Courtney Martin Signs with The Gersh Agency

By: Chris Martin
On Wednesday, March 25th Martin announced that she has joined the client roster of The Gersh Agency's Literary Department. She is represented by Bayard Maybank and Bob Hohman.
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Afro Horror Review Podcast from Sade Sellers and Chris Courtney Martin

By: Chris Martin
Screenwriters Sade Sellers (Deadly Dispatch) and Chris Courtney Martin (Charcuterie) have announced the arrival of their new project Afro Horror, a weekly horror review podcast celebrating the African-American experience in contemporary horror, with Sellers and Martin co-hosting and producing. Afro Horror launches across all podcast platforms on July 24th, 2019.

ISA Top 25 and Young & Hungry Lister Chris Courtney Martin signed to ROAR
By: Chris Martin
On March 4th, Chris Courtney Martin announced that she is now managed by Gavin Levinson at ROAR. ROAR is a global media & entertainment company with a strong foothold in the Film, TV and Music industries.

Chris Courtney Martin Featured in Creative Screenwriting Magazine
By: Chris Martin
Chris Courtney Martin discusses her screenwriting journey, her hottest projects, and making the Young & Hungry List. https://creativescreenwriting.com/chris-courtney-martin-young-hungry/
Tags:

Chris Courtney Martin's Racial Horror Short Is a Finalist at GenreBlast
By: Chris Martin
Chris Courtney Martin's short horror script HYDROPHOBIA is named a finalist at the 2018 GenreBlast Festival. The short explores a couple stranded in a hurricane. When the woman treats her husband's hydrophobic rabies, she discovers his fear of water is not just a symptom. Last year, a short story adaptation by the same title was published in Stitched Smile's charity anthology for the victims of Hurricane Matthew. The anthology is also named for the story. This is Martin's 8th top honor in the past year.
Tags: Hydrophobia, GenreBlast Film Festival(Finalist)

SPIRIT HALLOWEEN

By: Billie Bates
Family film optioned by TURNER LATIN AMERICA/WARNER MEDIA

Contracted for Three Episodes of TV Show

By: Scott Gilman
Scott Gilman has been hired at a flat rate to pen three of nine episodes in the first season of the unproduced television series THE NINTH RING, produced by Cory Anne Entertainment LLC.

Incredible feedback from The Black List

By: Amy Amani
First and foremost, any analysis of this pilot script must account for its incredibly imaginative premise. This might just be the textbook definition of an original idea. An abandoned, crumbling amusement park as a ghostly location becomes a more than fitting arena for a supernatural series. Such a rich setting inherently comes with great genre appeal in its vivid imagery alone, something this pilot captures quite intimately. On a more narrative level, this pilot gives the audience a worthy way into this Dazzleland world - through the recently departed Neal Tray. As the new member of its park, Neal takes on the outsider role - allowing this pilot to teach both... To read the rest go to: https://www.facebook.com/DazzlelandTV/?ref=bookmarks
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In talks with a Manager
By: Amy Amani
Amy Amani received an incredibly helpful round of notes from a manager from a successful management company about her script, WHEN IN ROME. The manager talked about where she could envision sending the script and asked Amy to send it directly to her, and they will be in contact in the new year. Happy Holidays to everyone.
Tags: When in Rome,

Student Becomes the Teacher
By: Amy Amani
Amy Amani recently wrapped up one of the most challenging and rewarding writing-type assignments - she taught a Writing for Stage and Screen class at Cornerstone Arts Centre in Didcot, Oxfordshire. She came away with new insights, renewed inspiration and a tiny bit of a stroked ego. Her students learned so much and after 10 weeks left with some awesome scripts. She cannot wait to see them succeed!

DAZZLELAND - 1 of 7 pilots chosen - TV Pitchbox
By: Amy Amani
Amy Amani's TV Pilot DAZZLELAND has been selected for TV Pitchbox in London, as one of only seven selected.
Tags: Dazzleland,

Amy Amani & Scott Gibson's Pilot "Dazzleland" Optioned by Mozark Prods
By: Amy Amani

"Dazzleland" is an hour long fantasy drama about the ghostly inhabitants of the titular abandoned amusement park. Pitched as a ghost story told by ghosts. The pilot eposide placed in several contests (Quarterfinalist in Happy Writers, semifinalist in ScreenCraft Fellowship, got a full read from the BBC Writersroom) and won the T.V. Pilot Category for the 6th Season of the Table Read My Screenplay Contest. This January the pilot was optioned by Mozark Productions. The script was submitted toDavid Nichols of Mozark, sctrictly for feedback. Fortunately, David loved it and passed it up to Harry Thomason, who also loved it. The writers and producers are currently working on edits in preparation for putting together a pitch package.

Tags: ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship, Table Read My Screenplay - Hollywood Pitch Festival

Boundary Waters named 4th place for Shoot Your Sizzle

By: Joann Collins
Joann Collins' BOUNDARY WATERS, a compelling and timely action script with a strong female lead, won 4th place for the ISA's Shoot Your Sizzle competition.
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EXPIRATION DATE selected as finalist for Gidden Grown-Up Movies competition
By: Joann Collins
EXPIRATION DATE a romantic comedy about a married couple facing an empty nest as their children head off to college, was selected as a top 10 finalist by Gidden Media. Their Grown-Up Movies competition focuses on screenplays with a lot of commercial potential for audiences aged 40+
Tags: Expiration Date,

BOUNDARY WATERS named best in Action genre
By: Joann Collins
Joann Collins thrilling survial script BOUNDARY WATERS won the Action category for Creative Screenwriting magazine's Unique Voices competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Category Winner)

ELSA an official selection for the Female Eye Film Festival
By: Joann Collins
ELSA, a historical biography by Joann Collins, that dramatizes the life of outrageous artist Baroness Elsa von-Freytag Loringhaven, was selected as a featured screenplay for Toronto's Female Eye Film Festival, taking place November 2019. The festival included a live reading of the script. At the end of the festival, Elsa was awarded first runner-up for Best of the Fest. Elsa is also in second round consideration for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and made the top 10% of the Academy's Nicholl Fellowship competition.
Tags: Elsa, Female Eye Film Festival(Official Selection), Sundance Episodic Lab(Official Selection)

BOUNDARY WATERS selected as semifinalist for the Austin Film Festival
By: Joann Collins
Action-adventure drama BOUNDARY WATERS was selected as a semifinalist in the Feature Drama and Enderby categories of the Austin Film Festival. This comes on the heels of several other honors and recognitions for this screenplay, including being selected for the California Women's Film Festival, reaching the Scriptapalooza finals and placing in the Fresh Voices screenplay competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, Austin Film Festival Script Competition(Finalist), California Women's Film Festival(Finalist), Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition(Finalist), Scriptapalooza Screenplay & SHORTS Competition(Finalist)

EXPIRATION DATE selected as finalist for Gidden Grown-Up Movies competition

By: Joann Collins
EXPIRATION DATE a romantic comedy about a married couple facing an empty nest as their children head off to college, was selected as a top 10 finalist by Gidden Media. Their Grown-Up Movies competition focuses on screenplays with a lot of commercial potential for audiences aged 40+
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Boundary Waters named 4th place for Shoot Your Sizzle
By: Joann Collins
Joann Collins' BOUNDARY WATERS, a compelling and timely action script with a strong female lead, won 4th place for the ISA's Shoot Your Sizzle competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, SHOOT YOUR SIZZLE(4th Place)

BOUNDARY WATERS named best in Action genre
By: Joann Collins
Joann Collins thrilling survial script BOUNDARY WATERS won the Action category for Creative Screenwriting magazine's Unique Voices competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Category Winner)

ELSA an official selection for the Female Eye Film Festival
By: Joann Collins
ELSA, a historical biography by Joann Collins, that dramatizes the life of outrageous artist Baroness Elsa von-Freytag Loringhaven, was selected as a featured screenplay for Toronto's Female Eye Film Festival, taking place November 2019. The festival included a live reading of the script. At the end of the festival, Elsa was awarded first runner-up for Best of the Fest. Elsa is also in second round consideration for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and made the top 10% of the Academy's Nicholl Fellowship competition.
Tags: Elsa, Female Eye Film Festival(Official Selection), Sundance Episodic Lab(Official Selection)

BOUNDARY WATERS selected as semifinalist for the Austin Film Festival
By: Joann Collins
Action-adventure drama BOUNDARY WATERS was selected as a semifinalist in the Feature Drama and Enderby categories of the Austin Film Festival. This comes on the heels of several other honors and recognitions for this screenplay, including being selected for the California Women's Film Festival, reaching the Scriptapalooza finals and placing in the Fresh Voices screenplay competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, Austin Film Festival Script Competition(Finalist), California Women's Film Festival(Finalist), Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition(Finalist), Scriptapalooza Screenplay & SHORTS Competition(Finalist)

Top 100 Scripts - 2019 Emerging Screenwriters Shoot Your Sizzle Competition

By: Joseph Tamborello
Joseph Tamborello's one hour legal drama pilot, JUST PERSPECTIVE placed in the top 100.

ELSA an official selection for the Female Eye Film Festival

By: Joann Collins
ELSA, a historical biography by Joann Collins, that dramatizes the life of outrageous artist Baroness Elsa von-Freytag Loringhaven, was selected as a featured screenplay for Toronto's Female Eye Film Festival, taking place November 2019. The festival included a live reading of the script. At the end of the festival, Elsa was awarded first runner-up for Best of the Fest. Elsa is also in second round consideration for the Sundance Screenwriting Lab and made the top 10% of the Academy's Nicholl Fellowship competition.
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Boundary Waters named 4th place for Shoot Your Sizzle
By: Joann Collins
Joann Collins' BOUNDARY WATERS, a compelling and timely action script with a strong female lead, won 4th place for the ISA's Shoot Your Sizzle competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, SHOOT YOUR SIZZLE(4th Place)

EXPIRATION DATE selected as finalist for Gidden Grown-Up Movies competition
By: Joann Collins
EXPIRATION DATE a romantic comedy about a married couple facing an empty nest as their children head off to college, was selected as a top 10 finalist by Gidden Media. Their Grown-Up Movies competition focuses on screenplays with a lot of commercial potential for audiences aged 40+
Tags: Expiration Date,

BOUNDARY WATERS named best in Action genre
By: Joann Collins
Joann Collins thrilling survial script BOUNDARY WATERS won the Action category for Creative Screenwriting magazine's Unique Voices competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, Creative Screenwriting UNIQUE VOICES Screenplay Competition(Category Winner)

BOUNDARY WATERS selected as semifinalist for the Austin Film Festival
By: Joann Collins
Action-adventure drama BOUNDARY WATERS was selected as a semifinalist in the Feature Drama and Enderby categories of the Austin Film Festival. This comes on the heels of several other honors and recognitions for this screenplay, including being selected for the California Women's Film Festival, reaching the Scriptapalooza finals and placing in the Fresh Voices screenplay competition.
Tags: Boundary Waters, Austin Film Festival Script Competition(Finalist), California Women's Film Festival(Finalist), Fresh Voices Screenplay Competition(Finalist), Scriptapalooza Screenplay & SHORTS Competition(Finalist)

Finalist for ScreenCraft Stage Play Competition

By: Elaine Purnell
Elaine Purnell is currently a finalist in the 2020 ScreenCraft Stage Play Competiton with her script  THE SENATOR'S BAD DAY: Three applicants attend an interview. All are unemployed because of a terrible mistake. Who will overcome the past and land the job? Elaine's play is a socio-political drama. It addresses the way in which people's perception of themselves and how they compare to others affects their confidence and choices.

Ben Johnson signs with Manager

By: Ben Johnson
We are thrilled to announce that in this past week Ben Johnson was signed by Mark Finley and Daniel Brandt of Plain Text Literary Management. He'd met some U.S. reps, & working writers through social media platforms and arranged in person meetings when he was in LA for the Final Draft Awards.  He also had the opportunity to meet some managers at the Big Break Luncheon where he was introduced to Mark though another Big Break Category winner. Mark and Ben hit it off immediately. After building a relationship for over a month, Mark opted to sign Ben last week. Congratulations to all concerned.
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Invited to Berlin Film Festival to pitch
By: Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson was thrilled when two of his feature film projects were chosen to be pitched for JETS (Junior Entertainment Talent Slate) funding at Berlinale 2020. The first, CHARLIE, was one of only two projects chosen by the National Film And Video Foundation out of screenplay entries from across South Africa, to represent this country at the finance pitches in Berlin.

Ben also received a special invitation from Berlinale to come and pitch another project of his, CANAAN, whilst also invited to speak on an international panel about the challenges facing filmmakers and writers in Africa. Unfortunately he could not attend because he won his category in the Final Draft Big Break Contest and had instead to attend the awards in Los Angeles. 
Tags: Canaan, Int'l Filmmaker Festival of World Cinema Berlin

NEW YORK FILM ACADEMY SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP
By: Ben Johnson
Ben Johnson was recently awarded a NYFA Screenwriting Fellowship as one of the prizes for winning his category in the Final Draft Big Break Contest 2019. He said "It's been both a dream and a strategic career goal of mine to gain entry into one of these prestigious fellowships. I tried without success for 2 years, until I got my Big Break. I love learning and improving my craft, and the classes provide me with a stimulating environment where I can grow as a writer. I feel extremely proud as an African writer, to represent my continent in this programme. I hope to glean skills that will leverage me into even greater career opportunities. " He is currently developing two TV concepts and one Feature concept through the classes and wishes to thank both Final Draft and NYFA.
Tags: Final Draft Awards, New York Film Academy

Julia Skikavich receives WIFT-T bursary to attend pitching masterclass

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been selected as the Women in Film and Television - Toronto (WIFT-T) bursary recipient for the Pitch It Masterclass and Workshop. The two-day event will be facilitated by The Optimal Pitch's Kevin Wright, the former senior vice-president of programming at Astral Television Network. The workshop will focus on developing effective and strategic pitches for when presenting to the industry's top decision-makers. Julia was selected on the basis of a written pitch for her darkly-funny TV drama, SURVIVORS: B.S.. Over the course of the masterclass she'll have the opportunity to fine-tune her verbal pitch for the series.
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Julia Skikavich a TOP 50 finalist for ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has been named a TOP 50 finalists under consideration for the ISA Fast Fellowship. Two of Julia's pilot scripts -- MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. -- landed her a double-slot on the finalist list, and chance at being one of the two fellows selected for 2020. Julia is an award-winning screenwriter, online producer, and journalist. Both MISSING PIECES and SURVIVORS: B.S. have won and placed in several contests and have been hailed for their women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centred on wholly relevant discussions. Julia holds degrees in screenwriting, journalism and political science. She has worked on a variety of news programs, factual entertainment and reality series.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

SURVIVORS: B.S. a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's darkly funny, one-hour drama, SURVIVORS: B.S., is under consideration as a TOP 50 finalist in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship. The pilot script has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

MISSING PIECES a TOP 50 script in ISA's Fast Track Fellowship
By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich's female-centric serialized crime drama, MISSING PIECES, has placed as a TOP 50 finalist under consideration for the 2020 ISA Fast Track Fellowship. The gritty pilot has been hailed as a "kick butt script" that's "thoughtful" and "thrilling", "high stakes story that will keep the audience invested."
Tags: Missing Pieces, ISA Fast Track Fellowship(Top 50), International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

Julia Skikavich wins Grand Prize in Emerging Screenwriter Award

By: Julia Skikavich
Julia Skikavich has won the Emerging Screenwriter Award in the 2019 Emerging Screenwriter Genre Screenplay Competition with SURVIVORS: B.S. taking the Grand Prize. The darkly funny, one-hour drama pilot also won the Drama category. The contest’s judges highlighted the writer’s unique voice, the script’s compelling characters, the world-building that gives an insider’s look at Toronto, and the polished storytelling as factors in awarding the prize. The pilot has been hailed for its women-centric approach in tackling intractable social issues, centered around wholly relevant discussions tied to sexism, rape culture, the #MeToo movement, and the harsh realities of dealing with a serious medical issue and disability as a struggling young professional.
Tags: Survivors: B.S., International Screenwriters' Association, ISA

Hired to Write a Script for a Spoken Word Video

By: Dewayne Edwards
Dewayne was hired by the Spoken Word artist, Cedric Hoard, to write a script for his next video project, High.
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Hired to Adapt a Novel
By: Dewayne Edwards
Dewayne Edwards was hired to adapt, "The Dream" by Derrick Richardson into a screenplay.
Tags: The Dream,

MONOPOLY Script Sold
By: Dewayne Edwards
Dewayne Edwards sold his MONOPOLY script to Beasts of Fortitude Films.
Tags: Monopoly,

Horror Show Music Video
By: Dewayne Edwards
Dewayne Edwards wrote the screenplay for the cinematic part of the music video for "Horror Show".
Tags: Horror Show,

BELLE placed in top 100 of "Shoot Your Sizzle 2020"

By: Melissa Birks
Melissa Birk's TV Pilot BELLE is set in Indiana in the early 1900s and inspired by true events. Belle is a Norwegian immigrant who uses "lonely hearts" letters to lure men to her farm, where she kills them for their money.

Fast Track Fellow, Melissa Birks Signs With The Savage Agency
By: Melissa Birks
Melissa Birks and her Victorian-era thriller UNCAGED has been signed by A.J. Harris, literary agent with The Savage Agency. The script tells the story of an infirm detective hunting a madman who uses the London Zoo as his hunting ground. The script is heralded as a light Jack The Ripper origin story. Melissa was one of two of the April 2015 Fast Track Fellows/Grand Prize winners. Her script, UNCAGED, should create quite a bit of heat around town in the coming new year.

CRAWLSPACE under Shopping Agreement with Wonder Street Entertainment

By: Jacob Wehrman
CRAWLSPACE, a contained thriller set in the moody Pacific Northwest, has been put under a one-year shopping agreement between writer Jacob Wehrman and Literary Manager / Producer Andrew Wilson at Wonder Street Entertainment in Culver City CA. They are seeking to attach director Alejandro Brugues (JUAN OF THE DEAD, NIGHTMARE CINEMA) and to secure funding for the feature project. CRAWLSPACE is the first screenplay by Jacob Wehrman, an award-winning screenwriter who lives in Oregon.
More SuccessDown Aroow

CRAWLSPACE named Top Finalist in BREAKING WALLS Contest
By: Jacob Wehrman
CRAWLSPACE, a contained thriller set in the moody Pacific Northwest, has placed as a Top Finalist in Round 4 of the 2019 Breaking Walls Thriller Screenplay Contest.
Tags: CRAWLSPACE, Breaking Walls Thriller Screenplay Competition(Finalist)

BAD WATER wins Quarterfinalist Award in SHORE SCRIPTS 2019
By: Jacob Wehrman
BAD WATER, an eerie eco-terror thriller by Jacob Wehrman, was named a Quarterfinalist in the Shore Scripts Feature Competition. After two rounds of reading, both judges gave the script high marks in hook, plot, pacing and marketing potential. BAD WATER advances to the next round of judging, among the Top 10% of all 2019 feature entries.
Tags: BAD WATER, Shore Scripts Screenwriting Competition(Quarter Finalist)

BAD WATER wins Honorable Mention: Feature Screenplay award
By: Jacob Wehrman
BAD WATER, the second screenplay by Jacob D Wehrman, has won the Honorable Mention: Feature Screenplay award from the Festigious International Film Festival Los Angeles. "Excellent writing! Blair's character is fascinating, and her story is full of plot twists, complications and dramatic scenes and thrilling moments. The pacing and structure are simply great - it's easy to read, and intriguing throughout." - The Festigious Team, September 2019.
Tags: BAD WATER, Festigious International Film Festival(Honorable Mention), ISA

CRAWLSPACE successfully pitched to Zero Gravity Management
By: Jacob Wehrman
CRAWLSPACE, written by Jacob D Wehrman, has been successfully pitched to a high-level talent manager at Zero Gravity Management. The script was thereafter shared with an up-and-coming Cuban-American director, who has also expressed interest in the project. CRAWLSPACE is the first screenplay by Mr. Wehrman, and has a 4-star Rating from the ISA.
Tags: CRAWLSPACE, Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship(Semi Finalist), International Screenwriters' Association, Zero Gravity Management

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