Interview…with filmmaker/screenwriter Bill Olsen

"I am glad I had most of my fun before it got so crowded out there," says Bill Olsen about working as an independent filmmaker and screenwriter outside the Hollywood scene. "There's just so much more product in the pipeline nowadays (that) it makes it tougher to get a distributor."

Olsen has been fascinated with movies since he was a child. He made his first movie at age 14. "The Monster on the Campus" ran about 10 minutes and featured a tape-recorded soundtrack with the music and the narration.

"All it had going for it was an incredible monster mask my dad had bought for Halloween."

He has written, directed, produced or acted in films since the mid-1970s, working independently and with such production companies as Dell Films, Quest Studios and Triad Entertainment Group. His work has been seen worldwide in theaters, on Video/DVD and on television. While four of his scripts have been produced he has several others under option and in development.

Olsen has also taught screenwriting and film appreciation at universities and writers conferences throughout the country. His most recent seminar was "Know Your Film Rights" for the Published Authors Network of Romance Writers of America. He is currently a director and writer for Writers-in-Motion, a production company that produces marketing videos for authors and publishers, including book shorts (4-5 minute visual excerpts of novels) and author interviews.

Which came first - filmmaking or scriptwriting?

"Filmmaking," he says. "I would just wind the camera up and shoot anything that moved. Then I started writing scripts for my short films and later the independent films I made." He likens screenplays to blueprints. No one actually reads them. They just guide the director and cast through the story.

A number of things go into a good screenplay. As a filmmaker, Olsen looks for a well-developed, character-driven plot and subplot. He says a common misconception in student screenwriters is that screenplays can't have subplots. The audience will know the characters because of the casting, not the writing.

"You would never write, 'Barbara's sister Mandi opened the door.' How do we know they are sisters? We don't unless we are shown in one fashion or another or told in dialogue."

And you should know in what medium the film will be shown. Olsen has written for both film and television and points out a critical difference: TV is a medium of close-ups. Because of the growing DVD market, today's movies often have more close-ups than in years past. "They get a theatrical run just to endorse them in the marketplace as bona fide film."

What is it like to be an independent filmmaker?

It is very common for every person involved in an independent film to take on more than one role in the production. In addition to writing the scripts, Olsen has been an Executive Producer (in charge of raising the money), a Producer (in charge of getting the film made), a Director (in charge of handling the actors, cameramen and getting the script on film) and an Editor (in charge of putting the movie together) on several movies.

"On the longer movies, I split duties with an editor in New York or LA," he says. "I love it all, except raising the money."

Finding the money is the hardest job. Aside from the tough economy right now, there are just too many film projects out there

"With digital, anyone can walk into Best Buy and buy a camera and make a movie. The crème will always rise to the top, but it's tougher than it used to be."

For the writer, he adds that there are more places than ever to place a script, but he must do his homework and he must know the language of film and what is need in the script to make a good film.

One place for scripts he recommends is Inktip.com, an online resource to help put scripts in the hands of producers and agents. It's free to join, but charges for various services.

If he wasn't a filmmaker, what would Olsen do?

"I'd love to be a travel writer," but he says, "If I had it to do over, I'd still make films."

Olsen has also written three young adult novels and has one "making the rounds with agents." He is finding writing fiction very different to screenwriting. "(In film) writing was always a means to an end. Nowadays…the writing is an end in itself, which means the words have to stand alone - a very scary prospect."



To learn more about Bill Olsen, visit his website or see his complete filmography at IMDb.com

Fade to Black…Screenplay Competitions

Should you enter a screenwriting competition or try to get your script produced?

As has been said (right here) before, contests are one of the best ways to get your work in front of industry professionals. After all, the judges work in the field and production companies, film festivals and such are the ones who sponsor the competitions. Even if you don't win, film industry professionals will read your script, or at least sample pages. That's a guarantee and you won't get that guarantee when submitting to an agent, studio or production company cold.

What if the contest isn't in Hollywood or New York City?


Just because a contest is based outside of film hubs like New York and Hollywood, it doesn't mean it isn't legit. Film festivals, like Sundance and Austin, draw some of the elite among film industry professionals. Besides an award is an award and will look good on a resume. Always do your homework before entering any kind of contest, be it screenwriting, novel writing or jingle writing even.

First, look at the entry fee:

• Can you afford it?
• How does it compare to the prizes?
• How does it compare to the judges' credentials (the more prestigious the judge, the more money it costs to get them to participate)?
• Bottom line are the judges and prizes worthy of the entry fee?

Then, look closer at the judges:

• Have you ever heard of them or can you find out anything about them through Google or another search engine?
• Have they been involved in films similar to yours?
• How long have they been in the film business?
• With whom have they worked - studios, actors, directors etc.?

Finally, read the fine print:

• Does entering this contest limit the future and potential of your script?
• Does the contest require any signing over of rights for non-winning scripts?
• Does the contest offer any benefits to non-winners, such as a reader's critique?

Is the Internet the best place to look for screenwriting competitions?

It's a great place to start. Google screenwriting competitions or contests or use screenplay instead of screenwriting. Either way, you'll find pages of sites touting directories, databases and links to regional, national and international contests. Often these databases aren't up to date so when you find a contest, go to its website to get full information.

You can start with the list below. 3 Questions…and Answers does not endorse any of these competitions, but each website has been checked to ensure the contest is ongoing and that there are current guidelines. Click the competition's name to go to the website.




Austin Film Festival and Heart of Film Screenplay Competition: Entry Fees/Deadlines: $40/May 15, $50/June 1, Teleplays - $30/June 1, Multiple categories of screenplays and teleplays, Prizes: $1000-$5000 plus hotel/airfare reimbursement plus AFF Bronze Typewriter.
Endas International Screenplay Competition: Italy based, Entry Fees: €45-50, Deadline: July 31, Grand Prize: €1000
FilmingFolk Productions 2008 Short Film Script Competition: United Kingdom based, Entry Fee: £25, Deadline: May 31, Grand Prize: full professional production.
Final Draft's Big Break International Screenwriting Competition: Entry Fees/Deadlines: $50/June 1, $60/June 15, Prizes: 10 finalists, then top three picked from there, cash awards $500-$15,000, plus multiple prize packages.
Great Lakes Film Association Screenplay Competition: Entry Fees/Deadlines: Shorts - $25/May 31, $35/July 27, $55/September 27; Features - $35/May 31, $45/July 27, $65/September 27, Prize: $500 plus exposure to industry professionals.
Hangman Productions 3rd Annual Screenplay Shootout: Entry Fees/Deadlines: $35/May 15, $50/June 30, Grand Prize: $2500, $500/2nd, $250/3rd.
Horror Screenplay Competition: Entry Fee: $35, Deadline: July 15, Prizes: $1000 plus "industry submissions"/1st, $250 plus "industry submissions"/2nd, Screenplay Software/3rd.
Howling Moon Productions 1st Annual Horror/Thriller Screenwriters Competition: Entry Fees/Deadlines: $25/May 26, $50/August 26, Grand Prize: $200 plus production.
The Movie Deal Screenplay Competition: Multiple categories/genres, including TV, Entry Fees: $50/features, $20/shorts, Deadline: September 30, Prize: production.
Praxis Screenplay Competitions: Canadian citizens or landed immigrants only, Entry Fee: $75 Canadian, Deadline: June 30 (fall 08 competition), December 1 (spring 09 competition), Prize: 4-6 scripts chosen for workshop with a veteran story editor or screenwriter.
Screenplay Competition by Repped: Entry Fee: $45, Deadline: June 1, Prize: representation by Reppd Management plus meetings with studios such as Universal, Fox and Warner Brother, among others.
Slamdance Film Festival Screenplay Competition: Entry Fee: $40 and up depending on the deadline, remaining Deadlines: April 21 (2nd early) and June 2 (final), Grand Prize: $7000.

Meet…screenwriter Frances Marion

What should you know about Frances Marion?

She is not the "Swamp Fox" of Revolutionary War fame, although Francis, "The Swamp Fox," Marion is rumored to be one of her ancestors. Frances Marion is the first woman to be nominated and to win an Academy Award for writing. In 1930 she won the Academy Award for Achievement in Writing for the movie "The Big House." The following year she won the Academy Award for Original Story for "The Champ" and was nominated for the story award again the following year for "The Prizefighter and the Lady."

Born in 1887 in San Francisco, Marion came to Hollywood in 1913 at the age of 23, already a journalist and published author. She made friends quickly and was a natural at networking and soon found herself in the midst of the Hollywood machine. One of her best friends was the film star Mary Pickford, for whom she wrote several films. She wrote scripts for many of her friends, including Billie Burke, Ronald Coleman, Rudoph Valentino and Marie Dressler.


Marion's first film was produced in 1915 and began the journey, which would make her the most renowned female scriptwriter in the 20th century, responsible for writing or adapting between 150 and 200 movies, spanning both the silent and talking film eras. She was the highest paid screenwriter of either gender at that time. In 1940 she retired from films but taught screenwriting at the University of California - Los Angeles.

How did she become so highly respected?

Marion wrote across genre and gender lines. She could write "four-hankerchief tearjerkers" like "Stella Dallas" and "The Champ," and high drama, like her Oscar-winner "The Big House." She successfully transition from silent movies to the "talkies" because she wrote scripts that were always conscious of the camera. She often wrote scenes with no dialogue, relying on the actors' expressive faces and actions to relay the story. She was also extremely adept when it came to translating a book to film. She tried her hand at directing at various times throughout her career, but never garnered the recognition and acclaim her writing received.


Marion also wrote plays, a book on writing and selling scripts, magazine articles, several novels and her autobiography, Off With Their Heads, in 1972. Marion died in 1973, but many of her scripts have been remade at least once. Some, like "The Champ," have been remade multiple times.

Is any of her work still available?

Yes, I found the original and remakes of "The Champ" on DVD as well as versions of "Stella Dallas," "Anna Christie" and others on NetFlix and Amazon. I found a VHS copy of "The Big House" on Alibris. Her autobiography, her book on writing/selling scripts and some of her novels are available new and used from venders on Amazon.




Sources: Answers.com, Britannica.com, FilmReference.com, The Oscar Site









NOTE: Don't forget The Virtual Book Tour by Font Literary Agency & Writing Centre is tomorrow, April 8. Click here to read more about Lover's Hollow author Orna Ross, then stop by tomorrow evening to read her responses to your questions!

Workshops & Retreats…Santa Barbara Writers Conference

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

What is the Santa Barbara Writers Conference?

There's actual two Santa Barbara Writers Conferences: the smaller poetry conference in March and the comprehensive summer conference in June. The dates for this year's summer conference are June 21-26. It will be held at the Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort.

The workshops cover such areas as story crafting and structure, screenwriting, humor, creative nonfiction, children's literature, marketing as well as several genres of fiction, poetry and memoir. The workshop activities include instruction plus readings and critiques with fellow students and instructors.


There are also panel discussions, guest speakers, late-night "pirate workshops" and "The Ultimate Write-Off Reality Show." You can register for the Agents and Editors Day and for a manuscript review.

There is a Young Writers Program for students 14-18. Students can participate in all conference activities but there are other special presentations as well.

Who are the instructors?

There are 33 workshop instructors. Click here to see the full list: faculty. The book jackets featured represents work from the faculty. Special guest include: (book signings will follow each presentation)


Ray Bradbury - opens the conference with a keynote speech.
Joseph Wambaugh - author, screenwriter, his latest book Hollywood Crows was released in March.
Bob Mayer - presents How to Pitch to an Agent/Editor followed by a book signing.
Jane Heller - author, journalist, her latest book Some Nerve came out in paperback in November.
Luis Alberto Urrea - author of The Devil's Highway, The Hummingbird's Daughter and others.
Sue Grafton - receives the Barnaby and Mary Conrad Founders Award for Fiction with a Q&A.

How much might this cost you?

To attend the full conference is $725 and includes all workshops, special lectures, panels, speakers' presentations, opening night barbecue, closing dinner and award ceremony. Manuscript evaluations are $40 and must be received by May 15. Meet with an Agent and Editor is $35.


The conference has a "Taste of the Conference" option which runs from June 21 through June 24, giving you access to the workshops, but not all the special events. Individual tickets will be available for purchase for some of the events not included with the discounted tuition. The tuition for "Taste of…" is $475.

The Young Writers Program tuition is $525 and allows the students access to all conference classes, presentations and activities as well as special Young Writers activities.

Registrations must be received by May 15. Online registration is available here: Registration. Rooms at the Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort run at the conference rate of $225. You must mention the conference to get that rate.

The Details:


Santa Barbara Writers Conference: June 21-26, Fess Parker DoubleTree Resort
Workshops in several fiction genres, story crafting and structure, creative nonfiction, children's literature, humor, screenwriting, marketing, poetry, memoir and the Young Writers Program for students 14-18.
Fees: Full conference - $725, Taste of… - $475, Young Writers Program - $525, Manuscript Evaluations - $40, Meet with an Agent and Editor - $35, Rooms - $225
Online registration is available. Registration deadline: May 15






NOTE: Don't forget The Virtual Book Tour by Font Literary Agency & Writing Centre is coming April 8. Click here to read more about Lover's Hollow author Orna Ross.

Meet...playwright/screenwriter Sidney Howard

What should you know about Sidney Howard?

A journalist, playwright and screenwriter during the 1920s and 1930s, Sidney Howard was the first person to win a Pulitzer Prize and an Academy Award. Born in 1891 in Oakland, CA, he began writing while at the University of California-Berkeley for various student publications. He later studied at Harvard and served in the military during World War I before moving to New York City in 1919. There he began working as a journalist, writing for Life, The New Republic and Hearst International.

For what did he win his awards?

Between 1921 and 1938, Howard wrote more than 50 plays, but his most successful was They Knew What They Wanted in 1924. It won the Pulitzer the following year. Set in the California wine country, the play follows the story of an Italian immigrant and his mail-ordered bride. It was later adapted into the Frank Loesser musical The Most Happy Fella. Nearly all of Howard's plays had successful runs in New York. Three of his plays were produced in the early and mid-1950s, more than 13 years after his death.


While he wrote plays he also delved into screenwriting for which he received three Oscar nominations, winning once. The first nomination in 1932 was for his adaptation of the Sinclair Lewis novel Arrowsmith. The second nomination in 1937 was for another Lewis novel adaptation, Dodsworth, which he had also adapted for the New York stage, but it was the third time that was the charm for Howard.

In 1940, just months after his death, Howard won an Oscar for his adaptation of Margaret Mitchell's Gone with the Wind. His final distinction was to be the first person to be awarded the Oscar posthumously. He had died in an accident in August 1939 before the film was completed.

How is Howard remembered?


Aside from his awards, Howard was also a major force in New York theater in the 1920s and 1930s. He, along with other powerful playwrights such as Robert Sherwood, founded The Playwrights' Company in 1938 to rival the Theatre Guild on Broadway. The producing company was responsible for such memorable plays as Abe Lincoln in Illinois, Tea and Sympathy and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof before it disbanded in the 1960s.

His three Oscar nominated movies are available on DVD and as are a handful of his plays. Of course, his screenplay of Gone with the Wind is available in various editions from the published shooting script to an illustrated version.




Sources: FilmReference.com, Perspectives in American Literature: a Research and Reference Guide, Writers' Guild of America





NOTE: Don't forget The Virtual Book Tour by Font Literary Agency & Writing Centre is coming April 8. Click here to read more and to leave comments or questions Orna Ross.

Workshops & Retreats…MWG Writers Conference & Spring Retreat

This column briefly profiles writers' workshops, retreats, seminars and conferences. Inclusion in this column is not an endorsement.

What is MWG?

MWG is the Mississippi Writers Guild. The group has chapters in 11 cities throughout the state. It sponsors two events this spring and summer: the Spring Retreat, April 4-5, in Gulfport and the MWG Writers Conference, August 15-16, in Vicksburg.

The Spring Retreat features an Open Mic Night on April 4, then two two-hour writing workshops, plus lunch on April 5. There is also an additional lecture by workshop facilitator John M. Floyd after the workshops.

The Writers Conference begins in the mid-afternoon on August 15 with a book sale/registration, then a reception and dinner followed by an Open Mic Night. The next day is full with four workshops, panel discussions, an award ceremony, an autographing and book sale and critique sessions.

Who are the instructors?


John M. Floyd is the only announced faculty for the Spring Retreat. He is the author of more than 600 short stories, plus a collection of short stories, Rainbow's End and other stories, published in 2006. He won the 2007 Derringer Award and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

The Writers Conference has six announced faculty members:

1. Novelist Howard Bahr - author of Black Flower, The Year of Jubilo, and The Judas Field;

2. Novel/screenwriter/playwright Tom B. Sawyer - Head Writer of 15 network TV series, including "Murder She Wrote," author of two novels, one of which is due out this year;


3. Agent Gary Heidt - with the FinePrint Agency, which represents both nonfiction and fiction for adults and young adults;

4. Poet/publisher Sue Brannan Walker - internationally known for her own poetry and for her writing on other poets and writers, her publishing company Negative Capability Press has published both famous and new poets in writers, earning a ranking of third out 2700 poetry markets by Writer's Digest;



5. Freelance writer/journalist Cheryl Sloan Wray - author of six books, including Writing for Magazines: A Beginner's Guide, and over 100 magazine and newspaper stories;

6. Playwright/actress Rebecca Jernigan - playwright of numerous plays produced throughout the Southeast, including Actor's Theatre of Louisville, taught at playwrititng and scriptwriting at Yoknapatawpha Writing Seminar and The Mississippi Governor's School among others.

What are the fees for these events?


For the Spring Retreat it is $50 for the 2-day retreat. If you're not attending the Retreat but want to take in a lecture/workshop with Floyd, there's a $10 fee for adults, $5 for students and seniors.

For MWG members, the conference breaks down like this: Early Bird (before June 30) $115, Regular $135 and critique $35. Nonmembers: Early Bird $135, Regular $155 and critique $40

The Details:

The Spring Retreat: April 4-5 at Magnolia Plantation, Gulfport MS, with Open Mic at Mockingbird Café Additional John M. Floyd Lecture: 4:00-600 April 5 at Magnolia Plantation

The Writers Conference: August 15-16 at Battlefield Inn, Vicksburg MS


See the MWG website for complete guidelines, bios, registration forms.

A Little Bit of This....and That Again

Want to find a job in film or TV?

The Biz might be the place to start. A feature on Variety.com, The Biz has a searchable database of entertainment and broadcast jobs around the country. Type "writer" and get 71 listings. Narrow the search by location or by listing age. Check it out here.

How much would you think?


Your book has hit big - best sellers list in New York and LA - now comes Hollywood. A great thing, right? Life as you know is about to change. That's what Deborah Gregory, author of the hugely popular Cheetah Girls series, thought. In an LA Times article in February, she recounts her experiences with Disney and "Hollywood accounting." Not only does she not own her own mansion, she rents a tiny studio apartment. The article also offers advice from an agent and an attorney experienced in book to film negotiations. Read more here.

Coming soon…

Interviews -

• Freelance writer Sheila Hudson
• Songwriter and former music publisher Bruce Burch
• Ghostwriter Cecil Murphey
• Singer/Songwriter Drew Copeland

Articles -

• Profiles of historic writers
• News on writer workshops
• Market news
• And more…

Meet...playwright Eugene O'Neill

What should you know about Eugene O'Neill?

Probably the greatest American playwright of all time, Eugene O'Neill won four Pulitzer Prizes, something no other playwright has done, and was the first American to win the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature. Born in 1888 in New York City hotel, O'Neill grew up in a theater family. His father, James O'Neill, was a Shakespearean actor who spent much of his life touring the country in a melodrama called The Count of Monte Cristo so hotels and theaters were home to the younger O'Neill.

As an adult, O'Neill attended Princeton University but was suspended at the end of his freshman year. He then began to travel, taking what jobs he could find…stage manager, mule tender on a cattle steamer, sailor and others. These jobs and the people he met would become fodder for his work. O'Neill began writing as he recovered from tuberculosis in 1912-1913. He wrote over a dozen one-acts and full-length plays and some poetry during his convalescence. In 1916 his first play was produced in Provincetown, MA. His work was viewed as something the American theater had never seen before.

How many honors did he receive?



Too many to recount here, but in 1920, his first full-length play about two vastly different brothers, Beyond the Horizon, was produced on Broadway, winning his first Pulitzer Prize. Anna Christie, his first box office success about a young woman looking for love, received the prize two years later. In 1928, the nine-act drama Strange Interlude won the prize. The final Pulitzer Prize came posthumously in 1957 for Long Day's Journey into Night, a thinly veiled autobiography about a troubled family.

In 1936, O'Neill was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for Literature "for the power, honesty and deep-felt emotions of his dramatic works, which embody an original concept of tragedy." In 1964 the Eugene O' Neill Theater Center was founded in Waterford, CT. It hosts a number of programs for playwrights and performers. And in 1967, the United States Postal Service issued a commemorative $1 stamp of O'Neill, making him one of only six playwrights to be so honored.

How many plays did O'Neill write?


While nearly three dozen of his plays had been produced, it is believed he wrote close to 60, including an ambitious series of a planned 11 plays about one family in America. Over his career he wrote a wide scope of plays from historical (Marco Millions) to romantic comedy (Ah, Wilderness!) to autobiographical (Long Day's Journey into Night) and what some may call experimental (Strange Interlude and The Great God Brown).

His health eventually robbed him of his ability to put the words on the paper, and before his death, O'Neill destroyed notes and drafts of his unfinished plays. In 1953, his life ended as it had begun: in a hotel, although this time in Boston. He was survived by his third wife Carlotta and three children from his earlier marriages.

Many of his plays are available as either stand-alone books or as collections. Several had been made into movies, which are now available on VHS or DVD. I found copies of the books and movies online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Alibris. In addition, theater companies around the world still produce his plays, which is probably the truest way to experience his work.


Sources: Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site, TheatreHistory.com, Moonstruck Drama Bookstore, The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center

An Interview...with screenwriter Michael Lucker

"This has been an interesting year," says screenwriter Michael Lucker from his Atlanta office, involving a lot of changes. He spent six months in 2006 working with Turner Broadcasting to create Super Deluxe, an internet comedy network featuring some of the funniest people in comedy as well as offering its viewers the opportunity to upload their own comedy videos and cyber-mingle and network with other members and the featured artists.

After leaving Turner, Michael dabbled with the idea of his own production company and with the development of Film Farm, "sort of a filmmakers' office park," that would offer space to writers, directors, producers, etc. where they could develop and make films. But neither venture suited him. "I like creating content rather than the business side--like paying the electric bill."

He landed with Encyclomedia, "finding a home," he says, as a writer/director/producer earlier this year with the job of generating new projects for the company. Encyclomedia, near little Five Points in Atlanta, is a multimedia company that works in film, TV, corporate communications, internet projects, conferences and more. Its clients include local, national and international companies such as the Center for Disease Control, Georgia Tech, Avon, Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, JCPenney, A&E network, BP Amoco Corporation and more.

How did he get started in screenwriting and film?

Michael grew up in Atlanta, graduated from Chamblee High School before heading north to Boston University's College of Communications to study film. After graduation, he moved to Los Angeles where he worked as an assistant to Steven Spielberg on a number of films before landing in the Creative Affairs department at Hollywood Pictures. There he helped develop such films as Crimson Tide and Terminal Velocity.


Eventually, Michael left his studio position and began his career as a freelance screenwriter, co-writing dozens of scripts including those for Vampire in Brooklyn with Eddie Murphy, the animated Home on the Range and video sequels Mulan II, The Emperor's New Groove II and others. Two more of his scripts were recently announced as being in development, a fact that had not yet reached him.

His writing partner is still in Los Angeles, Michael explains. "Scripts get sent around and sometimes they're held for a while, then suddenly someone announces something like this or it could be the script gets returned. It's the ups and downs of being a freelance screenwriter."

How much does living in Los Angeles effect a screenwriter's success?

"It helps," he admits. Directors, studios, producers aren't looking for "one shots," writers who have just one script. They want writers who have multiple scripts or who they can talk with and who can take on an idea and come back with a product. "It behooves (the writer) to be in the city so when (projects) come up and a studio or whomever says 'I'd like to get you into a meeting,' you can get there. It's more difficult when you live outside the city (to cultivate these kind of contacts), to make those meetings." However, he adds it's not impossible.

Where does he find inspiration?

"In pain and in dreams." He laughs a little when asked for an explanation. "We all face adversity in our lives and we struggle with challenges. Writing about (those challenges) is not only cathartic for us, but it is often the deepest writing we do."

Regarding dreams, he likes to play with ideas from varying perspectives. "Be it night dreams or day dreams, things are different." Anything is possible in a dream and that can lead to great ideas. Right now he is playing with an idea for children's film about a squirrel everyone thinks is crazy.

Michael does a lot of teaching, and throughout the spring he'll be teaching in several venues around Atlanta: The Woman's Angle Director's Program in March, the Georgia Writer's Association Spring Fest 08 and two classes at IMAGE Film &Video.

You Oughta be in Pictures...Fellowships for Script Writers

Want to write for television?

If you have Sponge Bob in your heart, Nickelodeon Writing Fellowships might be a place for you. Designed to attract and develop staff writers, the NWF gives four writers a salaried position for year where they will be learning to pitch story ideas and write spec scripts for both animated and live action projects. Deadline for 2008-2009 is coming up fast: February 22. See the website for full details, applications and submission guidelines.


Disney ABC Talent Development programs offer the same type of opportunities. The program selected 15 writers in 2007. See Disney ABC Talent Development online for complete details and applications for the different programs.



Want to write feature films?

The Brass Brad Screenwriting Mentorship Award is a little different. The award includes script consultations and twice monthly phone conferences for a year and other tools to help you with the business side of screenwriting. Up to three prizes will be awarded. The deadlines for 2007 were in the spring. 2008 deadlines have not been listed yet on the website.



The Nicholl Fellowship is administered by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. That's right…the home of the Oscars. It is open to screenwriters who have not earned more than $5000 writing for film or television. Up to five $30,000 fellowships are awarded annually. The website claimed that applications for 2008 would be available by early February but I couldn't find them. There is full contact information, including an email link on the website. Deadline is May 1.



Sundance isn't just a film festival. The Sundance Institute offers several programs designed to develop and promote independent filmmaking. The Sundance Screenwriters Lab brings twelve writers together for five days in January for one-on-one story sessions with Creative Advisors, group discussions and other exercises to develop their original film scripts. The applications for 2009 will be available February 15. The deadline is May 1.

"Sundance & Butch"

The Institute also offers a Playwright's Retreat, an 18-day writing colony in February for five writers and a composer. However, participation is by invitation only. See the Sundance Institute website for complete details of both programs as well as other fellowships and grants.


Are there other programs out there for script writers?

Tons and tons! I did a Google search using just "screenplay contests" for an earlier article and got more than 10 pages of results. A search for "screenwriting fellowships" garnered slightly less. There are opportunities out there. Don't forget to do your research, and when you're ready to apply, have the best of your best ready.

The Ultimate Writing Contest…

How do the Academy Awards honor writers?

The 2008 Academy Awards ceremony (the 80th annual) is scheduled for February 24 on ABC. Hopes for the traditional big glitz ceremony waver in face of the writers' strike, but the Academy will award its 24 Oscars nonetheless. Among those will be 3 specifically for writers: best adapted screenplay, best original screenplay, and best original song. Each of these awards has 5 nominees.

Of the 5 films up for Best Picture, the top dog prize, 3 are adapted screenplays and all 5 are up for the writing awards.

Does the Best Picture always win a Best Screenplay award?



No, in the last 20 years only 13 Best Picture winners also won for their scripts. Of those 13, adapted screenplays (from novels, stage plays, short stories primarily) won 9 times. This gives the authors of the adapted work boasting rights, if not an outright award. Who doesn't want to see "Made into the Academy Award-Winning Picture" splashed across his/her book jacket or advertisement?

What about songwriters?

There is an award for best original song. This year the movie "Enchanted" nearly swept the category with 3 out of the 5 nominations. The writing team of Alan Menken (music) and Stephen Schwartz (lyrics) have been nominated 18 and 8 times respectively, while it is the first nomination for Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova (Falling Slowly - Once) and for Jamal Joseph, Charles Mack and Tevin Thomas (Raise it Up - August Rush). Unfortunately, none of these movies are up for best picture.


The Oscars website has a complete list of nominees plus ton of photos, trivia and a live countdown to the big show. Enjoy!