2016 Screenplay Competition Finalists Announced!

The Atlanta Film Festival has chosen twelve finalists in the feature screenplay category and five finalists in the pilot category for the 2016 Screenplay Competition! Representing three countries and six states, the advancing screenplays have been selected from a record 482 submissions—over double the submissions received for last year's competition. Additionally, three feature screenplay winners and one pilot screenplay winner have been selected from the finalists. Congratulations to all!

The three feature screenplay winners are flown to Atlanta during the festival for the ATLFF Screenwriters' Retreat, a three-day immersive experience where they will work with three established screenwriters and industry professionals on how to develop, sharpen and produce each screenplay. Our pilot screenplay winner will receive a one-on-one business dinner with an industry professional.

All winners will have full access to all events and resources available during the ten-day festival, including screenings, panels and parties, as well as the opportunity to meet and interact with a host of visiting filmmakers and media professionals from around the world. Winners will also receive a one (1) year-long CONNECT membership with the International Screenwriters Association.

Feature Screenplay Finalists (Winners in Bold)

• “The Audition” by Eric Carlson (Virginia)
• “Black Sunday” by Heidi Willis (Alabama) 
• “Catch the Devil” by Martin Blinder (Hawaii/California)
• “Dietrich Danzig” by John Pisano-Thomsen (Canada)
• “Do You Wanna Talk About It?” by Michael Boyle (California)
• “Faith” by Steven Brooks (Georgia)
• "Going Dark” by Alexis Pelot and Jessica Coleman (Georgia)
• “Homegrown” by Jacques Edeline (California)
• “Lemon Made” by Erik Adolphson (California)
• “Melon Head” by Andy Fortenbacher (New York) 
• “The Midnight Special” by Christy Hall, Rebecca Comerford, Sol Tryon  (New York/California)
• “Twelve Strays of Christmas” by Ken Lemm (Georgia)

Pilot Screenplay Finalists (Winner in Bold)

• “Bloodworth” by Jonathan Katz (Virginia)
• "Cold Spring Harbor” by Mike Makowsky (California)
• “Immaculate” by Colleen Scriven (California) 
• “Janus” by Pearse Lehane (United Kingdom) 
• “Off The Menu” by Dennis Camlek (Georgia)

The 2016 Screenwriters' Retreat will be held once again by Serenbe Film and AIR Serenbe. More information is forthcoming.

2016 Screenwriters' Retreat Mentors:

• Michael Lucker is an acclaimed writer/director with twenty years experience creating film, television and animation. He began his career writing and directing television commercials in college in Boston. Soon after he landed in Los Angeles working in production on series for ABC, NBC, CBS and HBO before taking a job as assistant to Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment on feature films Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, Back To The Future ll & lll and Jurassic Park. He went on to work in creative affairs at Hollywood Pictures, helping develop the movies Crimson Tide, Terminal Velocity, Taking Care of Business and Straight Talk. He then went onto write movies for DreamWorks, Paramount, Disney, Fox, Universal and more, including “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for best-animated movie. Michael hosts a quarterly Screenwriter School and hosted 2014's ATLFF Screenplay Reading.
• Robin Henry is a writer and comedian who loves to make people laugh. She's written for "The Queen Latifah Show," "East Los High," "The Rickey Smiley Show," and "House of Payne." Robin writes, directs and produces sketches for Sketchworks, the premier sketch comedy theater in metro Atlanta, and teaches introductory and advanced sketch writing. A co-founder of Joke Pony and “The Black Nerd Show,” Robin can be found performing stand-up comedy in Atlanta and Los Angeles.
• TBA

This Weekend! Michael Lucker is Here to Guide You and Your Screenplay

A word, a sentence, a paragraph, a story; how does one turn it into a screenplay? At this weekend's Screenwriter School, the talented Michael Lucker— in association with the Atlanta Film Society and Emory University—shapes talent in a two-day workshop, covering all aspects of the craft of screenwriting.

From the shortest 30-second commercials to narrative feature films, the seasoned Lucker—known for his work with Paramount, Disney, Dreamworks, Fox, and Universal—teaches students what is needed to make it in the film industry. Lucker's titles include “Vampire in Brooklyn,” “Home on the Range,” and Academy Award-nominated “Spirit Stallion of the Cimarron.”

Through the two 7-hour workshops, Lucker starts students off with the initial idea, taking them step-by-step through to the first sale, aided with his own personal experience. Not only will participants learn how to generate screenplays in a professional environment, Lucker promises a weekend of creativity and fun, providing an outlet for questions and discussion.

ATLFF/ATLFS members get 10% off registration! Not a member? Become one today!

Screenwriting Master Michael Lucker Breaks Down a Script at This Month's Eat, Drink, & B-Indie!

Fresh off hosting his Screenwriter School this weekend (July 18-19), acclaimed screenwriter and industry expert Michael Lucker will join us for a special EDBI all about Screenwriting. We will break down a script using 12 actors and a scene written by Lucker himself. ATLFF Screenplay Programmer Ali Coad will also be on hand to answer questions!

It all happens Tuesday, July 21 at 7:30 PM at Manuel's Tavern.

Once you learn from Lucker and finish your own film, television or webseries screenplay, make sure you submit it to the 2016 ATLFF Screenplay Competition!

Join us on the third Tuesday of every month at Manuel's Tavern for Eat, Drink, & B-Indie presented by Stella Artois! The first 40 (age appropriate) attendees will receive a ticket good for a free Stella Artois.

Michael Lucker's Screenwriter School Returns in July!

Screenwriter School is offering a weekend workshop with professional screenwriter Michael Lucker who shares all the nuts and bolts one needs to know to bring their story to life. Participants learn tricks of the trade for creating great ideas, characters, plots, scenes, dialogue, action and more! Students leave the class with the confidence to face the blank page on their own and the know-how to break into Hollywood. Filled with film clips and script excerpts, Michael makes the writing process easy, compelling and fun. Join us!

Michael Lucker is an acclaimed writer with twenty years experience in film and television. He began his career as assistant to Steven Spielberg working on "Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade," "Always," "Back To The Future" II & III and "Arachnophobia." He then moved to Hollywood Pictures where he served in creative affairs on "Crimson Tide," "Terminal Velocity" and "Straight Talk." After optioning his first screenplay to Paramount Pictures, Michael went on to write movies for DreamWorks, Disney, Fox, Universal and more, including “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Film. Michael has lectured for various colleges and writers organizations including Emory University and the Atlanta Film Festival. 

ATLFF Members have received an email with a discount code for 10% off!

2015 Screenplay Competition Finalists Announced!

The Atlanta Film Festival has chosen fifteen finalists for its 2015 Screenplay Competition! Representing five countries and seven states, the advancing screenplays have been selected from nearly 250 submissions. The top three, who will be announced later this month, will win a slot in the ATLFF Screenwriters' Retreat: a three-day immersive experience with three experienced screenwriters and their professional perspectives on how to develop, sharpen, and produce each screenplay. 

2015 Finalists:

• "Crossings" by Fred Perry (Georgia)
• "Dance of the Blessed Spirits" by Matt Pacini (California)
• "Derek Dickens & The Dream" by Phil Valentine (Tennessee)
• "Dream Girl" by Jo Mackerras (France)
• "Grace" by Linda Lemberg & Jeffrey Allen Russel (Canada)
• "In Berlin, By The Wall" by Anthony Fisher (New York)
• "Killbook" by Pearse Lehane (England)
• "No Man's Land" by Michelle Davidson & Jeffrey Field (Missouri)
• "Permafrost" by Kevin Frech (New York)
• "Rubber Room" by Doug Bost (New York)
• "Straight Up" by James Sweeney (California)
• "Thalatta Mountain" by Eric Betts (Texas)
• "This Old Man" by Nicholas Oktaras (Australia)
• "The Veil" by Andrea Stein (New Jersey)
• "When The Devil's Loose" by Ben Watts (California)

2015 Screenwriters' Retreat Mentors:

• Lanre Olabisi, a past Screenplay Competition winner (2009), is a writer/director and founding member of the New York Independent Film Collective.  His first feature film "August the First," screened in over 30 international film festivals including South By Southwest (SXSW) and Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, garnering top prizes at six festivals during its run and a nomination for an IFP Gotham Award. The 2015 ATLFF will host the world premiere of his second feature, "Somewhere in The Middle." Lanre received his MFA in Film Production from the City College of New York (CCNY) and currently teaches Screenwriting and Acting for the Camera at The New York Film Academy.
• Michael Lucker is an acclaimed writer/director with twenty years experience creating film, television and animation. He began his career writing and directing television commercials in college in Boston. Soon after he landed in Los Angeles working in production on series for ABC, NBC, CBS and HBO before taking a job as assistant to Steven Spielberg at Amblin Entertainment on feature films Indiana Jones & The Last Crusade, Back To The Future ll & lll and Jurassic Park. He went on to work in creative affairs at Hollywood Pictures, helping develop the movies Crimson Tide, Terminal Velocity, Taking Care of Business and Straight Talk. He then went onto write movies for DreamWorks, Paramount, Disney, Fox, Universal and more, including “Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron,” which was nominated for the Academy Award for best-animated movie. Michael hosts a quarterly Screenwriter School and hosted 2014's ATLFF Screenplay Reading.
• Robin Henry is a writer and comedian who loves to make people laugh. She's written for "The Queen Latifah Show," "East Los High," "The Rickey Smiley Show," and "House of Payne." Robin writes, directs and produces sketches for Sketchworks, the premier sketch comedy theater in metro Atlanta, and teaches introductory and advanced sketch writing. A co-founder of Joke Pony and “The Black Nerd Show,” Robin can be found performing stand-up comedy in Atlanta and Los Angeles.

The winners will be chosen by the month's end! Stay tuned!

Have a Story to Tell? Learn How to Write a Screenplay With Michael Lucker.

ATLFF 2014 attendees may remember Michael Lucker as host of the script readings from the screenwriting competition and as part of the Creative Conference panel "How to Structure Your Screenplay," which touched on the fundamentals of basic screenplay structure. A one-time assistant to Steven Spielberg, Lucker has written more than twenty feature screenplays for studios such as Paramount, Disney, DreamWorks, Fox, and Universal (including "Vampire in Brooklyn," "Home on the Range," and the Academy Award-nominated "Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron"). He is offering a unique opportunity to share his expertise with local writers by hosting a session of his renowned Screenwriter School on January 24th and 25th.

Over the course of two seven-hour days, aspiring writers will be guided from the germ of an idea to the final pitch, learning everything they need to know about crafting a successful screenplay.

A lot of screenwriting teachers claim to teach what you need to make it in the movie biz— but how many of them have actually done it? At Screenwriter School, Michael will teach you how to go from first idea to first sale—the way only an experienced screenwriter can do it.

What's the Big Idea?

The beginning of the year! Time to brush off the dust of yesterday and tackle ye ol’ New Year’s resolution. What’s that, you say? You want to write a screenplay? Well, what the hell is stopping you? It doesn't take money. You don’t need a crew. You can do it anytime you want. There are no tools, equipment, weaponry needed. Except for the little box you’re reading this on. So let’s get started, shall we?

But what are you going to write about? Ahh. Well, there’s a stopper.

Sure, everyone has an idea for a movie. But is it one everyone wants to see? The movie business is, after all, a business. And no studio, network or independent financier worth their salt is going to drop a dime on a movie no one wants to see but your grandmother. So make sure it has broad appeal.

Write what you know. That’s what the writing scholars say. No one is going to know better than you what it’s like to be a single parent, a cancer survivor, a blue-collar cop or priest in training. Writing what is in your world allows you to write with authenticity, which wins over even the most critical of critics. But be sure also to write what you want to know. You’re going to be spending the next three weeks, three months, three years laboring over this baby. Might as well delve into waters you’ve longed to swim. Maybe you are fascinated by the afterlife, aspire to be a brain surgeon or yearn for a romantic adventure on the French Riviera. Now’s your chance to live vicariously through your characters. Bringing them to life will inevitably breathe oxygen into your life as well.

Most of all, write something that will be fun to write. We’re not coal mining here. We’re writing movies. They’re supposed to be fun, exciting, a break from the everyday. And your joy, your passion, your enthusiasm will show up on the page. Every time. And trust me… if it’s not fun for you to write, it won’t be fun for anybody to read. Or watch. Including your grandmother.

Best,
Michael

Learn more about the Writer's Weekend here, or register now.

ATLFF members have already received an email with a discount code!