Winter 2020 Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists Announced!
The competition is starting to really heat up as we get closer to announcing the winner of the Winter 2020 Screenwriting Contest… and today is Semi-Finals day!
Winter 2019 Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists!
It’s time for more Winter 2019 Screenwriting Contest results! There were a lot of great scripts in our Quarter-Finals and it was tough to make this next round of decisions, but after careful consideration our judges have decided on our Semi-Finalists!
There’s often a fine line when it comes to the different rounds of our screenwriting contest. Some scripts only just miss out, and it can be difficult to know why. A lot of the time, it comes down to the execution of basic elements – structure, characters, and dialogue.
Take a look also at this article that our Director, Ian Kennedy, wrote when we announced Quarter-Finalists: What your writing submissions are telling us, 2017-2019. If you’re making any of these mistakes, they could be holding you back!
But what else have we found with these latest Winter 2019 Screenwriting Contest results? Well, a few things that have often helped our Semi-Finalists stand out from the rest:
- Unique Concepts. If there’s something in a script we haven’t seen before, it immediately makes us want to read on. See what Ian wrote in his article about the number of scripts with a vehicle smash at about page 10 – when we’ve read the same thing so many times, it quickly starts to become dull. On the other hand, when we encounter something new – that’s really exciting!
- Specific in genre and the story they wanted to tell. With a number of scripts, we found it difficult to tell what genre the writer was aiming at and it was a while before the story began to take shape. These unfocused openings usually fail to hold our attention. Be specific about your story, and be clear with its genre!
- Engaging characters. Ian wrote it in his article but it’s worth repeating again here: “Make us care and get fascinated with your main characters and their world”. When we care about the characters, the script takes on a whole new life. Don’t rely on clichés or stereotypes, but create rounded characters we can engage with as if they were real people. And not just the protagonist either, but the supporting characters and villains as well!
And with that, it’s time for the moment you’ve been waiting for. Here are our next Winter 2019 Screenwriting Contest results: the Semi-Finalists!
| Semi-Finalists | ||
| BAD LUCK VS KARMA, Aaron Davis | TÖDLICHE ERINNERUNG, Urs Aebersold | SPACE RACERS, Jason Azcar |
| THE DAWN OF EVE, James Bingham | LE SECRET DU KATANA NOIR, Christian Bourgeois | LA VENGEANCE DU COBRA, Christian Bourgeois |
| THE WALL, Anthony Buono | UNE CHANCE POUR GUERIR, Christine de Chauvelin | PSYCHOANALYTIC TALES, Christine de Chauvelin |
| STRUCK, Elaine F Chekich | THE HUNTED, Mark Flood | WITHOUT BORDERS, Chris Gebhardt & Jenn Russi |
| LAST CHRISTMAS, Owen Gower | BAD LISTING, Brent Hartinger | KOBOS, Adam Hersh |
| HOLLYWOOD’S MOST WANTED, Manny Jimenez Sr. | THE SAX, Pascal Kulcsar | AGENT 355, Laura Lambert |
| IN THE ABSENCE OF JUSTICE, Stephen F Maynard | PROMISE OF TOMORROW, Andrew Pennington | THIS IS NOT REVENGE, David Pierotti |
| BOY MOST WANTED, Tuck Tucker | ESTHER’S DEN, Persephone Vandegrift | THE CRACK IN PEGGY SUE’S FLOOR, John Woodard |
Keep an eye out for more Winter 2019 Screenwriting Contest results from us, as we move on now to judge our Finalists and winners – and decide who takes away the Grand Prize!
Spring 2018 Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists and Best Studio Script, Indie Script and Short Script!
We are pleased to announce the Semi-Finalists for our Spring 2018 Screenwriting Contest – and the winner of our Best Studio Script, Best Indie Script, and Best Short Script Awards!
After another tough judging period, we’ve decided on the Semi-Finalists for our Spring 2018 Contest – plus three awards in new categories!
The scripts that advanced to the semi-finals impressed us for many reasons, with fantastic stories, well-crafted dialogue, and strong commercial potential – and as ever, a lot of great scripts just missed the cut. If yours is one of them, don’t feel downhearted – all of our Quarter-Finalists were impressive entries.
And don’t forget, if you want to find out why your script didn’t make it, and want to take it to the next level, all our Script Report services are on special offer until 31st August – and you get free entry to our next contest as a bonus!
Alternatively, check out our Elite Mentoring service: invaluable one-to-one advice from actual Hollywood producers and studio execs!
See the full list of Semi-Finalists below… but first, we’re announcing the best of those movie scripts that aimed themselves firmly at either a HIGH or a LOW budget which we felt could be the most desirable to producers at the budget it set… and, working to a different kind of constraint, we’re also announcing the Best Short Script! Writing a short film demands a particular skill: the ability to tell a complete, poignant story in the space of only a few short minutes – normally less than 15 pages instead of the usual 120.
Next week: we name our top ten and our Overall Winner! Who will take the big prize for the very best entry in our latest major contest?
| Best Studio Script | Best Indie Script | Best Short Script |
|---|---|---|
| DESERT RUN, by Christopher Thomas! With Honorable Mentions to: CHARMER, David Kurtz, and KLONDIKE MIKE, Thomas Zmiarovich. |
FIRE ON THE ISLAND, by Timothy Jay Smith! With Honorable Mentions to: LOVERS IN PARIS, Andy Conway, and THE UNDERTAKER’S CHILDREN, Natasha Le Petit. |
ROLL WITH IT, by Rosie Byrnes! |
A big congratulations to the latest winners; we’ll be in touch with them soon about their winnings! Meanwhile, these are all of the other SEMI-FINALISTS who are still in the running for the big one… congratulations to all of them!
| Semi-Finalists | ||
| BLUT WIRD FLIEßEN, Urs Aebersold | REMOTELY WORKING, William Baber | ROLL WITH IT, Rosie Byrnes |
| PARDON MY GENDER: SUCH A FARCE!, Bob Canning | LOVERS IN PARIS, Andy Conway | UNE CHANCE POUR GUÉRIR, Christine de Chauvelin |
| LES NIOCKS, Edith Devillet | THE GOOD CITIZEN, Joel Doty | OPERATION BROTHER SAM, Gustavo Freitas |
| ON THE SPARROW, RW Hahn | THE LAST KING OF AMERICA, Richard Guimond | SOUL OF AN EMPIRE, Ryan Jaroncyk |
| THE SAX, Pascal Kulcsar | HOLLYWOOD’S MOST WANTED: I’M READY FOR MY CLOSE-UP, ESE, Manny Jimenez Sr. | SHOOTING ANGELS, RW Hahn |
| HOBBY AND FITZ, James Milton | CHARMER, David Kurtz | WINDSPIRIT, Paul Penley |
| MAUDITE ÉQUATION, Joel Prost | THE UNDERTAKER’S CHILDREN, Natasha Le Petit | THE MYTHICAL GOLDEN TROUT, Craig Peters |
| DESERT RUN, Christopher Thomas | WHEN I WAS A CHILD, T. L. Needham | FIRE ON THE ISLAND, Timothy Smith |
| THE LOST OPERA, Rachel, Thomas-Medwid | THE ARIZONA BALLOON BUSTER, Mark Perlick and Steven Pripps | THE ELECTRIC WAR, Arthur Tiersky |
| THE CRACK IN PEGGY SUE’S FLOOR, John Woodard | CHILDREN OF EDEN, Raymond Just | KLONDIKE MIKE, Thomas Zmiarovich |
| MANHATTAN MARILYN (book), Philippe Laguerre | MASON, Andrew Marshall |
Spring 2017 Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists Revealed!
We are delighted to announce the Semi-Finalists for our Spring 2017 International Screenwriting Contest.
Since the Bonus two-week extension in late May, we’ve had a lot of scripts to get through – but it’s been an enjoyable task reading through every one submitted – so thank you to everyone who entered the contest.
At this time, we try to only include scripts that we’re still considering as a potential winner. Having made the Quarter-Finalists shows that a script or writer already has some clear potential, and a Semi-Final place means that with more development this script could become a contender. Keep that in mind as you think about what to do with your script next. With the Summer 2017 Contest having just recently opened, the results should give you a good guide to the current state of your idea, writing and script.
We hope that those who did not make the Semi-Finals will stay in touch with us: very few writers secure an industry commission with their first few screenplays. We have enjoyed our exchanges with you and continue to work hard at making this site more relevant to your careers. Don’t forget that many of our writers got their careers going by using our consulting service: CLICK HERE
If you’ve sent us a revised version of a previous script but it’s still not gained the result you were hoping for, we recommend that you consider getting a consultancy on it from us. That way you can find out what we currently feel is holding your script back. And don’t forget our latest round of contests. You can get free entry to our main contest and the Featured Script of the Month when ordering a consultancy HERE.
So, here are the WriteMovies Spring 2017 International Screenwriting Contest Semi-Finalists, all of whom will get re-evaluated and new eyes as we select our top three Winners to be announced Friday, July 7th.
| SEMI-FINALISTS | ||||
| PERFIDIES, Bill Baber | INSURRECTION (Pilot), Simon Bowler | THE 405, Patrick Byrne | BURNER, Bob Canning | SEEMINGLY HARMONIOUS, Dengxian Cao |
| FELIX KERSTEN, Juniet Cedric | CAPE ANGEL BLUES, Carl B. Clark | AMERICAN HUNGER, Victor de Oliveira | CRAZY WITH LOVE, Ronald L. Ecker | THE ASHERAH, Ronald Ecker |
| COLONIALS, Ian Fletcher | DRAGONS, Jason Ginsburg | THE LIFE AND TIMES OF GEORGE BAILEY, Phillip Hardy | NOBODY’S TRACKS, Guy Harvey | PEANUT, Manny Jimenez Sr. |
| CHOKE JOB, David Johnson | THE FACTION, Kevin Karp | GAMERS, Travis Lemke | MYSPACE LOVE, Christophe Lourenço | NEVER A WORD OF A LIE, Karl Mather |
| LOVE CRUSH, Hamilton Mitchell | THE LOCKSMITH, Jeffrey Morales | THE LOSING GAME, Bernhard Riedhammer | THE LORDS OF FARHAVEN, Michael Snow | THE CHERRY ROOM, Christine, Stevens DeLorenzo |
| BLACKBERRIES IN THE DREAM HOUSE, Patrick Towne and Diane Frank | LOVING MY ENEMY, Maria Rosario A. Yano |
Winter 2016 Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists Revealed!
We are delighted to announce the Semi-Finalists for our Winter 2016 International Screenwriting Contest.
We are proud to bring you the 26 Semi-Finalists for our Winter 2016 Screenwriting Competition. During Awards season it’s been fascinating comparing their different prospects – how these scripts would fare commercially and whether they could compete for awards themselves. (more…)
Summer 2016 International Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists
We are delighted to announce the semi-finalists for our Summer 2016 Screenwriting Competition. It’s been a tough, yet enjoyable task whittling down the 42 quarter-finalists to this deserving batch of semi-finalists. The finalists, runners-up, and winners are set to be announced on December 2nd.
Spring 2016 International Screenwriting Contest – Semi-Finalists (Les demi-finalistes de notre Concours Printemps 2016 / Halbfinalisten Frühling 2016)
We are delighted to be able to announce the semi-finalists for our Spring 2016 competition! It was a tough task whittling down the semi-finalists from the 52 quarter-finalists, but those who did get through have thoroughly deserved it. All of the scripts featured here go through to our final round for consideration – we’re aiming to reveal the overall winners on August 5th.
If you’ve not made it this time, don’t take this as negative – use it to come back stronger and with something to prove. Don’t forget our Summer Consultancy offers to take your writing and script to the next level. We are offering summer discounts for our Judging Feedback (just $69 – normally $99), and Studio Consulting ($99- normally $129) and Development Notes ($149 – a huge $50 discount from the normal $199!) and we are freezing the price of our Elite Consultancies at $299 – a unique price to get up to an hour of consultancy from a top studio executive!
If you haven’t already, check out our Director of World Wide Development’s special article about What Your Scripts Have Been Telling Us over this period (CLICK HERE to read it and consider how the trends he’s noticed might relate to your script). We’re also compiling other Writing Tips from our reports to publish on the site soon, with general tips for helping your script sing. Don’t forget that many of our writers got their careers going by using our consulting service: CLICK HERE
Here is the full list of the WriteMovies Spring 2016 International Screenwriting Competition Semi-Finalists…
(Les quart de finalistes et les demi-finalistes de notre Concours Printemps 2016 ont été annoncés ! Nous félicitons ces auteurs…)
| SEMI-FINALISTS | ||||
| Urs Aebersold, DAS BLOCKHAUS | Urs Aebersold, LINDAS RACHE | Jean-Pierre Audebert, BRADDY WEBBY | James Bingham, THE DAWN OF EVE | Christian Bourgeois, LA VENGEANCE DU COBRA |
| Rohna Buehler, DER VORHANG | Michael D. Dalzell, BOLLES | Linda Falcão, OUT FLYING PAST MY BEDTIME | Mark Flood, BITING THE BULLET | Paul Gross, DIMINUENDO |
| Edyta Juzyk, NINJA WARRIORS | Astrid Korten, FROM LILY WITH LOVE | Jacques Koskas, LE SAC DE VOYAGEEN CUIR FAUVE | Rob Laffin, THE PEOPLE VS. GOLDMAN SACHS | Aleksandra Muni Leykauf, DIE PHÖNIX DIÄT |
| Paul Littell, BREAKTHROUGH | Christophe Lourenço, MYSPACE LOVE – UN SENS A TA VIE! | Matthew McHugh, THE AUTEUR | Graham Parke, PANDORIUM – SEQUENCE #1: HOW TO CATCH A TIME TRAVELER | Parthena Pavlidou, IN DER STILLE DER NACHT |
| Johnny Sanchez, AMBER (AKA COLOURS OF REBELLION) | Timothy Jay Smith, A VISION OF ANGELS | Timothy Jay Smith, FIRE ON THE ISLAND | Tyler True, LOVE IS SOMEWHERE ELSE | Tessa Wenslany, OLD |