SEASON 4
This season’s 7 awards are:
- Best Screenplay
- Best Character Arc
- Best Genre Script
- Best Fantasy Script
- Best Technique
- Bonus: Best Horror Shocker
- Bonus: Best Concept
SCRIPT TITLE: Peninsula’s End
Winner (Shared): Bonus: Best Concept
Judge #1 Comments: “Detailed with many textures and particular intricacies, this period piece is a mamoth for art direction delight.”
Judge #2 Comments: “The script could do with some minor tidying up (officers for example could be Officers, and action could highlight characters more directing), but overall, this script reads like a high production value project and very rich content.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Very large
SCRIPT TITLE: Ghost Walker
Nominated: Best Genre Script
Judge #1 Comments: “This TV show punches a lot of weight, shaking dust off of the usual set of up ghostly concepts. It’s fun, family driven and includes plenty of room for development.”
Judge #2 Comments: “A casting director’s delight.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Moderate for TV
SCRIPT TITLE: A Possession for All Time
Nominated: Best Screenplay, Winner: Best Character Arc
Judge #1 Comments: “Lucien Price is a fascinating lead.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Much effort has been made to make this script read with a feeling of pristine quality.”
→ Would recommend: Yes, highly
→ Budget scale: Moderate indie feature film
SCRIPT TITLE: The Soulmate Bible
Nominated: Best Genre Script
Judge #1 Comments: “Blending often forgotten genres, ones which once dominated the 90’s film era, The Soulmate Bible juggles classy pastiche moments with a sense of purpose-driven post-modernism that’s fun and elegant.”
Judge #2 Comments: “With the right director on board, this could be a really fun genre film.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Moderate for short film
SCRIPT TITLE: A BAMBOO BLOOMS
Nominated: Best Character Arc
Judge #1 Comments: “The real highlight here is the authentic characterization, which embraces the locale and specific lives being lived.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Too long for a short film – could this be a feature? – reminds me of urban literature, in a good sense – there is a feeling of character from the city.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Moderate for short
SCRIPT TITLE: The Rally
Nominated: Best Character Arc, Winner (Shared): Bonus: Best Concept
Judge #1 Comments: “Carefully – The Rally kicks a mighty and deliberate hard knock.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Blunt in a perfect sort of tearful way.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Very affordable
SCRIPT TITLE: Icarus
Nominated: Best Fantasy Script
Judge #1 Comments: “A wild epic that is very arty, but not indie budget-friendly. Exciting to see a retelling of the Icarus tale though.”
Judge #2 Comments: “If shot with CGI and modern tech, this might be a very original approach to the content.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for art house
SCRIPT TITLE: Nepenthe
Winner: Best Screenplay
Judge #1 Comments: “Much like Smashed from 2012, this film excels at telling us a romance tale in the unusual setting of addiction. It’s fresh, and enticing for any actor.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Challenging, in the best of ways… this is a rewarding read. From nearly all filmic approaches, there’s what to enjoy here – the director could do so much, the cinemtographer, the actors etc.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Yes, indie budget
SCRIPT TITLE: Motica
Nominated: Bonus: Best Horror Shocker
Judge #1 Comments: “Funhouse is the word. The script just pops.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Screamy delight, I’d love to see a feature script of this horror quality.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Affordable for short
SCRIPT TITLE: Moth
Nominated: Best Fantasy Script
Judge #1 Comments: “There is a Virginia Wolf quality about this script. It is free in form, magical even.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Reminiscent of early primitive film, this project might be an interesting project for retro-styled content.”
→ Would recommend: Yes, especially as animation or mixed media project
→ Budget scale: Moderate
SCRIPT TITLE: Stalkers
Winner: Best Genre Script
Judge #1 Comments: “Stylish, unusual and fun – this script pops with a sort of pulpy blend of genres!”
Judge #2 Comments: “Art direction delight right here.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Moderate
SCRIPT TITLE: Double Delusion
Nominated: Best Script, Nominated: Best Character Arc
Judge #1 Comments: “This script has a great poignant heart to it – the writing is very genuine and character-driven.”
Judge #2 Comments: “One of those scripts that has the quality that once shot, the film will age well – like a good wine, it will remain watchable and relatable beyond our current decade.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Great for a short film
SCRIPT TITLE: Abrupt
Nominated: Best Genre Script
Judge #1 Comments: “As a deadbolt drama, this script punches where it hurts.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Though minimalist, the film could be greatly elevated during production… at its heart, it has a great many simple touches, which will be moving and interesting once produced.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Low for indie film
SCRIPT TITLE: The Vestige Specialist
Nominated: Best Genre Script, Nominated: Bonus: Best Horror Shocker
Judge #1 Comments: “The concept is punchy and unusual. I sort of love it.”
Judge #2 Comments: “A very bold script from a very young writer. Impressively genre aware and smart. I’d revisit the length – shorts do really well when they are close to ten minutes and are genre based… this script is very close to being a sharp festival film.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for short
SCRIPT TITLE: Spun Out!
Nominated: Best Screenplay, Nominated: Best Character Arc, Nominated: Best Genre Script
Judge #1 Comments: “Bombastic, TV ready and fun – Spun Out has one hell of a great foundation for the makings of a family toned project.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Recalls the hayday of TV family drama – in a good way.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: High for indie, moderate for TV Studios
SCRIPT TITLE: The Christians – Earth’s Cry Heaven’s Smile
Nominated: Best Fantasy Screenplay
Judge #1 Comments: “With a strong understanding of time jumps and detailed technique, The Christians is an opus ready to reward the faith-based audience.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Epic and seasoned for a particular audience, this might be a hard one to get financed, but is definitely a project that will do well with the right marketing campaign – it has a very strong sense of identity and style… and it is quite fantastical whilst doing all of this.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: Recycle or Recover
Nominated: Best Character Arc, Nominated: Best Screenplay
Judge #1 Comments: “The dialogue here is very nicely done – often character specific and plot driven. There’s some great emotional touches here as well.”
Judge #2 Comments: “The journey is displayed in a very specific arc – and it is an enjoyable one.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Moderate
SCRIPT TITLE: Gimme Shelter Part Three
Nominated: Best Character Arc
Judge #1 Comments: “Feeling more like a TV show with its returning chapters, this project has a great core with Officer Jack Borodowski.”
Judge #2 Comments: “At times, this feels like a great example of the lost art of adult drama films.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: High for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: Time, Space, And The Poet
Winner: Best Fantasy Script
Judge #1 Comments: “The unique characterization and use of genre is a very fun world-building exercise.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Perhaps too big to mount in the indie world of production, if one was to go ‘all out’… but, also, this is a great example of the spirit some writers have. There’s an epic tale here.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Moderate
SCRIPT TITLE: Time, Space & the Poet – Part Two
Nominated: Best Fantasy Script
Judge #1 Comments: “Shot with style, this will be great.”
Judge #2 Comments: “The art of telling large scale projects with big ideas seems to have shifted largely from Hollywood to Europe… this feels like one of those contemporary European films, like say Border by Ali Abbasi.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for indie – it’s a sequel
SCRIPT TITLE: Magi
Nominated: Best Screenplay
Judge #1 Comments: “Detailed and delicate, the project relies greatly on cast and the dynamics of the roles. It’s an interesting piece. IT could though do with a little shortening for the market.”
Judge #2 Comments: “There’s a faint hint feeling that this story could be feasible at times… and that is a fun thing… especially in such a particular niche of a subgenre.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Good for short
SCRIPT TITLE: VEGA (7.29.22)
Nominated: Best Screenplay, Nominated: Best Technique
Judge #1 Comments: “Bombastic with style and content. Vega is memorable.”
Judge #2 Comments: The writing at times is very stylish, and it makes for an enjoyable reading experience. It is very tactile in a way.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: A Package of Dreams
Winner: Bonus: Best Horror Shocker
Judge #1 Comments: “Comical, Gothic and a whole-lot-of-ghoulish-fun!”
Judge #2 Comments: “The cast of caricatures, setting and tone is spot on. This would be a lot of fun to see made.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Very large for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: 10:15 On A Saturday Night
Nominated: Best Character Arc
Judge #1 Comments: “This long epic isn’t an easy one for production or distribution, but it is an admirable authorial voice.”
Judge #2 Comments: “At times this feels like a very old school novelistic approach to writing scripts… there are many pay offs, but at times one worries it might be a hard project to mount and watch.”
→ Would recommend: Maybe
→ Budget scale: Moderate for length
SCRIPT TITLE: The Prophet’s Wife
Nominated: Best Technique
Judge #1 Comments: “Though the runtime isn’t quite a feature, this is a robust biblical tale with an interesting feminist version of the content.”
Judge #2 Comments: “A hard one to see produced, but definitely a fun female centric version of the story we have all seen Hollywood devour multiple times.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: One of Us
Nominated: Best Technique
Judge #1 Comments: “Rich with detail and many touches, One of Us is a moralist’s delight.”
Judge #2 Comments: “The main selling point is the four characters here – there’s room for actors to really enjoy the experience. The runtime of this project though is confusing – is it a short film or feature? In its current form it feels like a TV special.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Great for short
SCRIPT TITLE: A Second Husband
Nominated: Best Fantasy Script
Judge #1 Comments: “It is a lot of fun.”
Judge #2 Comments: “With some tightening, the right visual style and a solid cast, this would be a really bold film festival entry.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for short film, but rewarding!
SCRIPT TITLE: Amy and Angel
Winner: Best Technique
Judge #1 Comments: “The character arcs here are great fun, but the main impression is how well it is balanced and written in a very clear and coherent fashion.”
Judge #2 Comments: “Stylish, original and engaging.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: The Grievers
Nominated: Bonus: Best Horror Shocker
Judge #1 Comments: “With the closing images being so poignant, despite it not being a horror… one must attribute its impact to that of the horror shocker… the kind of chilling moment that lingers.”
Judge #2 Comments: “It relishes the X Files feeling of being part of a challenge or pursuit.”
→ Would recommend: Yes
→ Budget scale: Large but rewarding for indie
SCRIPT TITLE: Lucas
Nominated: Best Concept
Judge #1 Comments: “This isn’t a script – but the concept should be transferred into one.”
Judge #2 Comments: “The hook is great… needs more work to be considered a standard writing format for the industry. Fun idea for a TV show set up.”
→ Would recommend: Maybe
→ Budget scale: Complicated to predict