Champion Screenwriting Competition

Champion Schedule Updates

2012-01-23T00:12:00.000-08:00

I have to read about 50 more quarterfinalists. Best case scenario would be that I am done in a week. I am going to make February 2 the drop-dead deadline. I will either make it or drop dead. ;-)

I will make sure that writers have three weeks' notice for the Champion Lab. Estimate for CL dates: 2/25ish.

Until February 5, entrants will be able to sign up for the remaining seats for a STEEP discount. I will post details after I announce the lab dates or top 20 features.

During or after the Champion Lab, we will begin to distribute the $20,000 in non-cash goodies to the winners and (some) semifinalists. For example, here is the list of prizes a top 20 feature writer wins.

A seat in the Champion Screenwriting Lab
10 pitches from VirtualPitchFest.com
A year-long membership to itsonthegrid.com
Proofreading sample and Logline/Query help from Reader Ready
Two career coaching sessions with Rhona Berens, Ph.D.
One logline listing in an issue of InkTip Magazine
Script and/or synopsis to be read by several production Companies

February or March - We will do the scene class and begin coaching for the Pitch winner. Some scene entrants will also get an offer to have their scene(s) and/or their rewrites used in a book, eBook or DVD.

Quarterfinalists for the 2011 Champion Screenwriting Competition

2011-12-15T02:00:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to the Quarterfinalists

Including all of the categories, we received more than 1200 entries and are proud to announce the quarterfinalists in all categories. We apologize for falling behind. We are aiming to have semi-finalists chosen by middle of January or so.

Quarterfinals represent approximately the top 20% of entries. It's an achievement to even have made it this far. Thanks to everyone who has been part of this community. I am going to be announcing a few things in 2012 that will grow our community and bring more writers together with some great teachers.

Check out the new newsletter - link at Facebook -- and "like" us there, too.

Happy Holidays!

Peace,
Jim Mercurio

PITCH QUARTERFINALISTS

Congratulations to the last writers standing out of 110 pitch entries. I like the fact that a few names have more than one entry. You, go, Writers!

April Fool's Killer by Romy Michel
Brand Me by Matthew Haley
Brucey Baby by Lew Sherwood
Chasing Losses by Graham Calvert
Clipper by Kathy Panzella
Cyberkat by Carrie Bradstreet
Dallas, 12:30 PM, CST by Mark Trapanese
Dogwood by Emilie Clark
Doubles by Thomas Galvin
Halloween Heroes by Lew Sherwood
Heaven-Sent by John Leary & Alison McMahan
King of Kings by Nellie Meyers
Leather and Lace by Kelly Frey
Meatspace by Geoff Inverarity
Miss Old Freshman by Ashley Spears
No Cigs in Space by Sundae Jahant-Osborn
Once You Kiss a Bad Boy by Penelope Swan
Payback's a Bitch by Deprise Brescia
Seeing Red by Sundae Jahant-Osborn
Special Needs by Geoff Inverarity
Taking Up Serpents by Cash Anthony
The Bin by Derek and Kimberly Coleman
The Bounty by Vishaal Desai
The Last Remaining Light by Andrew Henderson
The Road To Shambala by John Alarid
Trail's End by Kelly Frey
Undercover Ugly by Ann Kimbrough
Yellow Trees by Aimee Condayan

SCENE ENTRY QUARTERFINALISTS

Congrats to the scene writers!

All The Wrong Places (poetry scene) by Sean Connolly
Apostle Of War - scene 2 by Marina Albert
Bad Pistachio by Daisy Ho
Betrayal Consultants by Daisy Ho
Breach of Confidence by Lisa Scott
Bump Off by Nellie Myers
Club Night by Renana Hancock
Mean Creek by Dan Goforth
One of Many by Ken Embery
Revolution by Derek Coleman and Kimberly Coleman
Set For Life - scene 3 by Lew Sherwood
Shoot... Mr. President - scene 1 by Marina Albert
Shoot... Mr. President - scene 3 by Marina Albert
Sister Secrets by Alison McMahan
Soldier System 14 by Alison McMahan
Taking Up Serpents by Anthony Cash
The Café Society by Millar Prescott
The Free and the Brave by Ed Rathje
The Harder We Fall by April Wolak
The Long Shot by Lorrie Smith
Tower of Rapunzel (Laura/Gordon) by Robert Mules
Trick Riding Mamie - scene 3 by Ian J. Craine
Warrior Soul by Jim Kenney
Worshiping Sophia by Lew Sherwood
Yellow Trees by Aimee Condayan

SHORTS QUARTERFINALISTS - COMPLETE LIST

We received almost 200 shorts and if you made this list, that means you were in the top 20% of all shorts entries. Congratulations to everyone and congrats to Daniel for having THREE scripts advance.

A Fine Day for It by Deborah Grimes
A Life Relented by Michael Miceli
A Ride Into Darkness by Michael Farley
Autumn Leaves by Millar Prescott
Banana Bone by Mike Janowiak & Joan Easley
Classroom Things by Mike Goforth
Collision by Katherine Beattie
Death's Toll by Nicholas Young
If You Do Not Wish To Accept... by Daniel Chomistek
Infomercials We'd Like to See by Daniel Chomistek
Inside Out by Dawn Johnston
It's Tea Time by Sandra Gabrych
Joan by Yvette Farmer
Looking for Seoul by Eric Day
Lunch by Doug Nelson
Marked by Ramon Zapata Jr.

Mean Creek (3-page version) by Dan Goforth
No Way Home by Joseph Mancini
Nobody by Tracy Sunderland
One Day Left by Michael Quintana
Pageant People by Neil Valentine
Pitchfork by Kevin Conner
Prombies by Jonathan Klemke
Riding Goode by Kimberly Coleman
Saint Anthony by Matthew Feely
Sex Love Revenge by Darnell Brown
Situation 5 by Curtis Melroe
So Awkward by Matthew Stevens
St. Anthony's by Matthew Feely
Still Life by Joy Armstrong
Tag Sale by Judith Conway
The Butterfly's Rude Awakening by David Paster
The Chick by Jessica Farris
The Fallen Protege by Tim Buttner
The In Between by Max E. Stone
The Magic of The Star by J.B. Mathel
The Shape in the Mirror by Dennis Shutty
Ye Old Recruiting Station by Daniel Chomistek
Zip It by Jan Stanton

FEATURE QUARTERFINALISTS

Congratulations to the quarterfinalists. They are in the hunt for the top 20 spots and almost $50,000 in cash and prizes.

3D at the Palace by Robert Kent Wilson II
7 Seasons by Seryna Thai
A Baseball Story by Thomas Pace
A Country of Strangers by Sean Armstrong
A Flash of Light by Daniel Cubias
A Man of His Word by Seth Bartholomew
Abomination by Ross Raffin
Absolution by Michael Lupariello
All You Can Eat by Patrick Trillo
Amsterdam XXX by Joseph Wiggins
An Unlikely Prey by Mike Murphy
Anatomy of a Town by Patricia Fox
Anderson Falls by Giles Daoust
Appearances by Frederic Richter
Beast by Conor Duffy
Black Moses by Peter Zachara
Bleeding Kansas by C.J. Morris
Bloody Dawn by Brendon Slee
Broken Sinclair by Elizabeth Ashby
Canaries by Craig Cambria
Cargo by Samuel Bartlett
Chairman of the Party by Wendy Pierce
Chance Elliott And the Book of Ultimate Power by Jeff Trently
Chasing Bugs by Debbra Jansen
Child of the Disappeared by Michael Holliday
Chromosome 21 by Maryann Beckman
Chronos by Patrick Chao
Claim Denied by William Roth
Come Back, Shane by Robert Weinberger
Conduct Unbecoming by Jon Wright
Cowboys In Heaven by Thomas Kronlage
Daddy King And Me by Francis Presley
Dearborn Hotel by Peter Gaffney
Death Wind by Travis Heermann
Department of Lost Souls by Ryan Blackwell
Distracted by Lutz Reissmann
Dreamland Confidential by Sean Agard
Dueling Hearts by William Slough
Dust Devil by Mark Bankins
Elementary by Jeff Hower
Empire of the Dead by John Liang
Esperancia by John Edward Flynt
False Sense by Craig Cambria
Family Plots by Harvey Jacobs
Fin Chaser by Maria Cozzi
Final Words by Lyndon Mcgill
First Under Heaven by Ellwyn Kauffman
Flat Pennies by Robert Ward
Flying Shoes by Melissa Brewer
Furious Angels by Nathan Ruegger
Girl On Main by Christine Hinz
Gone by Patrick byrne
Haber by Daniel Ragussis
Halloween Baby by Sandra Bowes
Happy Trails by Michael Rhodes
Haunted by Darryl Anka
Heaven Or Bust by Stephen Mack
Hellfighters by Will Burgess
Historia by Leo Sardarian
Hoop by Dianne Dempsey
In A Small City In Belgium by Carlo Bordone
International Waters by Stephen Gill
Jenna's Gone by Russ Meyer
Jesse James vs. Jack the Ripper by Alasdair Mcmullan
Kill Me Already by Sundae Jahant-Osborn
Land of the Free, Home of the Slave by Cliff Zimowski
Left Behind by Yuri Shallan
Love the Hive by Derek Cavens
Media Circus by Charles Emery
Medusa - A Story of Love and Revenge by Elizabeth Reams
Mr. Clark by June Escalante
My Greatest Mistake by Rebecca Rocheford Davies
Newton's Laws of Emotion by Eugene Ramos
Next of Kin by Shane McCabe
Nigel & Me by Annie Bénichou Macdonald
Nobody Likes You by Justin Muschong
Off Record by Patrick T. Lo
One Million Words by Vince Bailey
One of Many by Ken Embery
Pinocchio: The Wooden Boy Soldier by Samuel Bartlett
Pirate Queen by Lee Costanzo
Plan B by Rick Doehring
Playing For Home by Kathy Pyatt
Ponytail by Jason Ginsburg
Rebound Man by Robert Fox
Red Hats by Michael Toay
Red Khmer by Jonathan Shepard
Red Snow by Nathan Ruegger
Redemption 37 by Edward Mann
Reich by Andrew McPherson
Ressurected For What Exactly? by Simon Carter
Reunions, and Other Lies by Kenneth Lemm
Roughin' It by Jason Pizzarello
Secret Asian Man by Mary Krell-Oishi
Seven Thousand Islands by Gary White
Silence by John Edward Flynt
Silent Night by Kate Mandalov
Sleep, My Daughter by Tom Walters
Sons of Molly by Peter Gazdag
Spike Driver Blues by T. Steed
Spirit of the Rain by John Tupper
St. Brigid's Cross by Jan-Christian Sorensen
Suicide Squeeze by Sonny Wareham
Sultana by Lee Costanzo
Sweet Emotion by Michael Perri
Table For Two by Warren Paul Glover
The Afterlife Hotel by Claudia Arndt
The Breaker by Josh Lovison
The Cracked Menagerie by Ian Kelly
The Dead Sister by Mike Sherer
The Demons Down Below by Jim Kenney
The Earth Cantor by Kim Brantley
The Enemy In The Castle by by Letty Hummel
The Extraction Team by Mike Koivisto
The Fallen King by Alexandre Bailly
The Free And The Brave by Ed Rathje
The Friend Zone: The Sad, Comical Chronicles of a Sideline Guy by Kenlon Clark
The Ghostwriter/ Plan B by Rick Doehring
The Humane Façade by Sally Richter
The King of Staten Island by Andrew Gaty
The Last Suicide Note by J R O'hara
The Launch by Edward Martin III
The Night by Sean Hartofilis

The North Puddle by Rick Fonté and Don Zolidis
The Outer Banks by Collin Jay Blair
The Outliers by Linda Haltmaier
The Pardon by David Rakowiecki
The Pied Piper by Sara Caldwell
The Spider's Web by Valerie Nordstrom
The Truth By Walden Matussey by Tim Boughn
The Twenty-First Truth by Scott Wallace
The Unseen: Rise of The Highwayman by John Miles
The White Death by James Poirier
The Winter Wars by Anton H. Gill
Through the Night by Edward Martin III
Totem - A Zombie Story by Sean Escalante
Trapped in Cinemascope by Nicholas Erasmus
Treasure in the Park by John Barlowe & Irin Evers
Uncle Hoppy And The Pecos Kid by Clinton Braly
Undiscovered Country by Peter Tamaribuchi
Valley of the Dragon by D.T. Siddhartha Fraser
Vindication by May Chaplin
War Dogs by Julian Surface, Travis Parke and Pat Gaston
When Darkness Falls by Arturo Portillo
Wings of Beauty by David Bintliff Johnson, Jr. & Mike Gilmore
Wright Or Wrong by Brooks Elms

TELEVISION QUARTERFINALISTS

Congratulations to the quarterfinalists. About one-quarter of you will be invited to Los Angeles to join Ellen Sandler for a TV workshop in Los Angeles.

TV – Pilots
CTA by Aaron Rollins
Death & Taxes by Carolyn Kras
First Church of Dave by Alex Logan
Friends Academy by Jessica Weinberg
Full Tilt Boogie by Amber Crawford-Idell
Gates Flying Circus by Dennis DeBon
Gone (Shadows & Light) by Skip Berry
Happy Pines by Aaron Rollins
Holbrook by Justin Paquette
Rebound by Nantale Corbett & Lauren Tuck
Rest in Peace by Jill Weinberger
Retouch Me by Kevin Kautzman
Searcher by Jennifer Hahn
Sleepers by Frederick Kim
Starship Infinity by Colby Day
Storyville by Abigail Bean
The Harbinger by Travis Opgenorth
The Incumbent by Alexis Perkins
The Pharm by Matthew Sagona
The Romero Strain: An Undead End by Ted Sterns
The Scene by Azia Squire
The Vienna Clan - by Isaac Richter
Vigilante by Ophir Gottlieb
Witchman House by Milly Sanders
X by B.R. Stanley
Z-Force by Kerry Kazmierowicztrimm

TV – Spec Comedy
Archer - Soft Target by Gregory Boytos
Community - Competitive Physics by Jessica Kelley
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia - Dennis and Dee Commit A Little Incest by Amy Taylor
Modern Family - Friendly Fire by Charity Paniamogan
Modern Family - Gun Fights On The Shore by Jonathan Rincon
Modern Family - Sweet Child O Mine by Aadip Desai
Modern Family - Throw it Back by Jason Voegel
Modern Family - Electile Dysfunction by Amanda Parham
Parks and Recreation - Drag Queen Bingo by Carlos Cisco

TV – Spec Drama
Battlestar Galactica - Twelve Faces by Jessica Alexander & Dana Melton
Body of Proof - Heaven Help Us by Katie Hennicke
Breaking Bad - Kingpin by Stephanie Stanley
Dexter - Rita's Requiem by Dennis Luu
Fringe - Its Bark by Noah Edelson
Hawaii Five-O - Kumakaia by Greg Benevent
Southland - Say What You Want by Audrey Webb
The Killing - Square One by Rebekah Suellau
The Vampire Diaries: My Brother's Keepers by Karen O'Connor
True Blood - Dark Blood by Allison Phelan

UPDATE - Dec 11

2011-12-05T04:59:00.001-08:00

By Tuesday, the few people whose scripts weren't uploaded correctly should all be contacted. I will announce quarterfinalists on Wednesday even if it's a list that covers all but a handful of scripts. Those quarterfinalists will be added over the next few days.

Jim

Update - Sort of

2011-11-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,
This year, in addition to our Withoutabox presence, we also had our own entry system. It has created an extra hundred hours of extra work for us but in the long run the money saved makes running the contest viable. Without those savings, we would probably not even be able to have a contest next year.

The downside is that we are a bit behind in the reading. I think we should be able to announce quarterfinalists this month and give the class winners four to six weeks to prepare for an LA trip. I don't have an exact time-frame. I am a one-man band here and am working on several projects simultaneously -- scene writing book and DVD set -- which will impact the screenwriting community in a positive way.

Make sure you are signed up for contest updates via Constant Contact. (Sign up for the newsletter and then adjust which lists you want to be on.) And follow us on Facebook. I give some real-time updates there which also go out on Twitter.

There should be a few extra seats in the Champion Lab available for sale, so start thinking about January. ;-)

Thanks for your patience.

Peace,
Jim

UPDATES FOR CHAMPION SCREENWRITING

2011-10-03T18:53:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone,

People have been asking about announcement deadlines. I don't want to over-promise and make 1000 entrants mad when we miss it. I have been SWAMPED with the last month of my book deadline and working on the post-process for my feature. And truth be told (those who know me will verify), scheduling and estimating time is not my forte. My stepkids have invented a word called "jim-time" where you double any time estimate I make. ;-)

The last few years, we finished earlier and rushed to get the Champion Lab in before the holidays and I think some people weren't able to attend, so here is a guess. Some time in November -- I wanted to say 11-11-11 but I might be at AFM then -- we will announce quarterfinalists. And then as quickly as possible, we will try to put out the top 20 feature and top 10 TV list so those writers can plan to attend the Champion Lab or Ellen's Class. I will try to have the classes near each other in case some want to attend both. I think the time that works for me and Ellen and which won't be a rush for the winners is mid-January.

In the past we have had a dinner and sort of an informal party for the top writers where I announce the winners. But I am a storyteller at heart, so if the tension begins to lag before the classes maybe I will improvise and announce the winners beforehand.

I have a lot of cool new things to tell you all about that will impact you and that involve past winners, my new DVD set as well as some of my friends from the old school Creative Screenwriting days and several amazing screenwriting teachers.

In touch soon.

Peace,
Jim Mercurio

May 2011 Updates for the Champion Screnwriting Competition

2011-05-19T10:02:00.000-07:00

REGULAR DEADLINE IS FRIDAY - MAY 27

Enter by May 27 and...

If you are a semifinalist in film or TV you are entered into a random drawing for $200 travel stipend to come to the Champion Lab or Ellen Sandler TV Lab.
You save money. Pitches and Scenes are only $12.
Order Champion Development notes and you get a free copy of Killer Endings or T-Word Theme

Order at Champion site or email us at info@ch...mpionscreenwriting.com.

Use the CD Notes or the Coverage category and you have time to resubmit a new draft.
Also, we are giving away 20 copies of Killer Endings to 20 random Craft & Career subscribers who are on our list or entered the contest by this deadline.

SCENE AND PITCH

Remember, pitches are free-form. And setups are optional with the scenes.

Since no one has entered a total of five scenes or pitches, I might offer a special where you can enter five scenes from the same script or five pitches for a discounted price.

CHAMPION DEVELOPMENT NOTES

Directly from Jim Mercurio:

My senior reader who is doing the development notes is ridiculously amazing. She is a produced writer herself and does the intensive notes for this price only because I give her full-time reading work. When I promote these notes, I literally take business away from myself, so believe me, it's an amazing deal.

Also, the movie I directed and the book on scene writing might take me away from teaching anything but the Champion Lab. It's really an amazing class. I put 150 hours into into near the end of the year. I think it's value is second in the entire contest to the $10,000 Grand Prize. Check out the testimonials.

CHAMPION SHOPPING CART

If you are using our system to enter, remember, the email confirming payment is proof that you are entered. If you don't get that, most likely the script uploaded. You can email us (replace the two x's when you click this link) with the title, categories extra services (coverage, notes, JPM consulting) and we will send an invoice that you can pay with PayPal or with a credit card. If you try to enter before the deadline and there is a problem, just contact us and we will make sure your script is considered for that "deadline period" and price.

ENTER TODAY

TO ENTER THROUGH WITHOUTABOX, CLICK HERE

EXPANDING UPDATES ON OUR NEW SYSTEM

2011-02-23T21:25:00.000-08:00

The 2011 Champion Screenwriting Competition is up and running. You can still enter via Withoutabox but you also have the option of using our own entry procedure. We are also introducing the Champion Screenwriting Scene & Pitch Competition, which only accepts submissions through our system.

UPDATE TO THE UPDATES

The problems have been relatively few. A few people are having problems with the check out cart "dropping" their products. It's working better. Hit "start over" when you begin and if for some reason, it won't let you pay, most likely your scripts were uploaded. Email us and we can send you a PayPal invoice which can be paid with PP or any CC.

GOOD NEWS!

Also, since the cart didn't allow for Champion Development Notes after-the-fact, we are going to announce that until the March 11 deadline, all feature writers can add Champion Development Notes and still be eligible for resubmission. Email us and we will make it easy for you.

And f you are going to do multiple scenes, now is the time. They are $10 apiece until the Early Bird Deadline.

2011 Champion Competition - 72 Hours away!

2011-02-21T13:54:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone,

If some of you got the online Script Mag and went to the site, you will see we aren't up and running yet.

We are going to launch in two-three days with a brand new look, some brand new categories and an entirely new contest that is going to run concurrently. Get your screenplays, TV scripts, scenes and pitches ready.

Oops, did I just give away some of the surprises.

Stay tuned.

Jim

Testimonial from the Grand Prize Winners

2011-02-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

After placing in the top twenty we were excited and after finding out that we placed first in the competition, we we're absolutely thrilled! The class that followed was fantastic. It helped fine tune our story and there is no doubt that we walked away with a much better script. Winning also helped us get a manager that we are currently working with. Winning the Champion Screenwriting Competition really is just the beginning!

-Geoff Elsner and Carson Griffis

Testimonials from the 2010 Champion Lab

2011-01-03T20:31:00.000-08:00

The screenwriting lab was terrific and perhaps even a watershed moment in my screenwriting journey. Jim's approach is particularly valuable to those who have completed scripts, feel they are pretty good, and want to see how to get them “over the hump.” It is a “personality” driven class, not a stiff, formal seminar. Jim doesn’t come at you from a “superior” place; he approaches the subject as a film lover with exhaustive knowledge of and a fascination with how this stuff works. He welcomes student discussion and debate. He covers the standard issues of theme, plot, and character, but doesn’t smother you in untranslatable theory; you’ll break down films and scripts, see where they work, where they don’t, and riff together on other possible solutions and approaches. By watching examples from Harrison Ford action films, Sean Penn dramas, and Julia Roberts comedies, we see not only how great scenes are accomplished most effectively, but also how the “mundane” stuff, such as exposition, is done correctly; often the difference between a script that is actor and producer “bait” and one that points at amateurishness.

Jim Mercurio really clarifies the “scene” as both a thing (“what is this scene about” & "can actors play it?") and a piece of a larger puzzle (“how does it relate to the larger issues of the script?) in ways that particularly help those with a completed script.

That complete script is a great thing, but every professional writer knows it is only the beginning. I without reservation recommend Jim’s class for anyone with a script (or three) who wonders “what to do now?”

- Jim Kenney

When you finally get serious about completing your own character arc as a screenwriter, contact Jim Mercurio. Learn what it takes to make you and your script work.

- Jeff Fry

No one takes you more in-depth than Jim. Never again will you waste a line of scene direction or dialogue. There is no doubt he'll take your craft to a higher level.

- Alicia Lomas

"When I flew across the country to attend Jim's (Champion Lab) I had a high-concept screenplay I had labored with for over a year and was convinced was ready for market. Not even an inkling of doubt it was ready. After attending Jim's 3 day workshop, I realize I have at least another three months to go to take it to the level it needs to be. And I couldn't be more thrilled and motivated! Through a combination of instruction, collaboration and deep analysis of films and screenplays, Jim revealed the creative decisions professional writers made, and the craft they employed, to take their scripts to the level which attracted a-list talent. Jim has a tremendous gift for translating the what's of screenwriting into the how's, all in a way which gives you the necessary insight and inspiration to translate the learnings to your own work. This workshop experience will forever alter the way I approach screenwriting. Thank you, Jim!"

- Mark Reinisch

Jim's lab is a great experience for newbies and veterans alike. I got the most from his beat-by-beat analysis of how theme drives every aspect of a script from concept to plot to characterization to dialogue. Jim's constant reference back to theme served the Hollywood approach to film, but it also offered the potential to add more depth and resonance to every story.

In other classes, it often feels like there's little unity to the instruction given. Just like a good script, Jim's lab is deeply unified by a few simple principles that affect every level of a script. He really inspired and prepared me to jump into my rewrite.

Jim's insights into direction, editing, cinematography, production design and editing were fascinating.

- Kevin Miller

After being a Finalist in the 2009 competition, I came in Second in 2010 with a different script, Bank Robbing For Dummies. Not only was the prize money delivered immediately (the check was actually placed in my hand at the time of the announcements), all Finalists were invited to attend a free class taught by Jim Mercurio -- a very informative and in-depth examination of writing for film. I’d highly recommend entering the contest, and if you become a Finalist, be sure to attend the class.

- Robert Keith Watson

Potential Oscar Nomination for Champion Winner

2010-12-27T14:25:00.000-08:00

FROM NICK KELLY, WINNER OF SECOND PLACE IN SHORTS CATEGORY FROM LAST YEAR

Dear Jim

Just wanted to let you know that, to my surprise and delight, the finished film of "Shoe" (which won second prize in your last Champion Screenwriting Competition) has been shortlisted for an Oscar in the Live Action Shorts Category. (We find out on January 25th if we make the final nominees - fingers crossed.)

Your early recognition of the script was a big step for me in getting the film made, so I just wanted to express my appreciation once more.

Very best

Nick Kelly

Writer / Director

CONGRATS, NICK!

Winners for 2010 Champion Competition

2010-12-04T18:19:00.000-08:00

Champion is proud to announce the feature script winners of the 2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition. Half of the top 20 are in Los Angeles this weekend, but I will add more and send announcement out next week.

GRAND PRIZE WINNER - $10,000

Civil War by Geoffrey Elsner and Carson Griffis

SECOND PLACE

Bank Robbing for Dummies by Robert Keith Watson - $1,000

THIRD PLACE - $500

Death in Venice Beach by Nicholas Horwood

FOUR SEMIFINALISTS FOR LOW BUDGET HORROR AWARD

(We are hoping producer will give them writing deal for low budget script or rewrite)

Controlled by Craig Cambria

Dead Last by Kevin Lee Miller

Death in Venice Beach by Nicholas Horwood

Little Eden by Timothy Jay Smith

FROM LAST YEAR, AFTER THE CHAMPION LAB...

2010-11-23T21:43:00.000-08:00

THE IMPERFECT GIFT

Jim Mercurio

After my class two Wednesdays ago, I braved rush hour traffic to see my lifelong friend Sean Kanan perform comedy at the Irvine Improv. He and I did standup comedy when we were 15 and lived in a small town in Western Pennsylvania. We would steal his parent's car and drive to Niles, Ohio to Tickles Comedy Club and watch the old school touring comedians like Glenn Hirsch (Gleeb Hush), Shirley Hemphill, and Steve Mittleman. Then after watching six back-to-back shows, we would do our 10 minutes on Monday, open-mic night. One of the amateurs at the time, Dan O'Shannon, who later went on to exec produce Cheers, sold me a series of fat jokes for $10, a highlight being: I don't understand why I'm overweight, I try to eat a small amount of food from each of the 53 basic food groups. (Dan, if you're out there, will you take a look at my Night Court spec?).

Back to the Improv. Before the show, I asked Sean if he wanted to come and cold-read some scenes from my class to help the writers. Before I could even neurotically list all of the reasons he might not want to do it, he said yes.

Sean showed up 30 minutes early and agreed to talk about the business side of things. Sean has produced several films (he wrote one of them) whose cumulative budgets exceed $3 million, he has been a regular on The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital. He discussed how competitive things are for an actor and although he doesn't play any head games in the waiting room, he says when it's his turn to audition, he is there for blood, to kill to get the part. His honesty was refreshing.

Here is a reminder that you can learn more about a person by showing than telling: Sean earned his breakout role as Ralph Macchio's nemesis in Karate Kid III from a 2,000-person open cattle call. The year before the movie was even produced, Sean and I -- juniors in college who were home for the summer -- were sitting on the stoop of the local Pennzmart (gas station) sipping our Big Gulp equivalents of diet coke. Sean stood up and announced that he had read there would be a sequel to Karate Kid II, and that (in a huge nod to positive thinking and diligence) he was going to get the part as the kid who fights the KK. I may have left out the fact that I was double-fisting spinach and pepperoni strombolis, but not a word of this paragraph is hyperbole.

Sean and the other actress, Giovanna Maimone, read the scenes aloud and brought the students' scenes to life. This was one of the favorite parts of the class for the writers. A lot of my teaching forces students to see screenwriting from the perspective of the other filmmaking artisans - directors, actors, designers, etc. - to gain insight into telling a more nuanced and cinematic screenplay.

Sean read the climactic scene from one of the writers' heavy dramas. He playfully chastised the writer and us for throwing him a cold-read curveball and said that he would have liked more time to prepare. We thought he and Giovanna were amazing in the scene and the writer was reassured that the scene was working. Sean showed up to read scenes with no preparation. And that's why it was such a giving and graceful gesture. His willingness to be not perfect in support of the writers' growth was why his favor was such a gift.

The Weekend Class (l to r): John, Bob (repeat top 20, woo hoo!), Sean, me, Sharon, Tony, Magali, Giovanna (front)

Sean and several other actors, including, hopefully, Kurtwood Smith, will be joining us this year. There are still seats available for the 11/30-12/3 and 12/8-12/10 classes.

SHORTS WINNERS

2010-11-18T18:02:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition is proud to announce the winners of the Shorts categories.

BEST DRAMATIC SHORT

The Device and the Operator by Cassandra Holroyd

BEST COMEDY

A Simple Plea by Dean Watts

BEST SHORT SHORT (Less than three pages)

Aurora by Kristi L. Simkins

These winners receive $500 each and are invited to one of the Champion Labs. The other Top Ten shorts writers are welcome to attend the 11/30-12/3 or 12/8-12/10 sesssion at a 60% discount. Please email info@champ(xxx)creenwriting.com to sign up. Replace xxx with "ions."

Congratulations to Kristi, Dean and Cassandra!

TOP 20 FEATURE SCRIPTS

2010-11-12T19:44:00.000-08:00

Without further ado, from nearly 1000 features, here are the top top 20 features in the 2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition.

TOP 20 FEATURES

Anatomy of a Town by Patricia Fox

Bank Robbing for Dummies by Robert Watson
Civil War by Geoffrey Elsner and Carson Griffis
Closure by Darren Swanson
Controlled by Craig Cambria
Damascus Road by Patrick Homes
Dead Last by Kevin Lee Miller
Death in Venice Beach by Nicholas Horwood
Genius by Jim Kenney
Horror Comic by Stephen Hoover
Little Eden by Timothy Jay Smith
Monster Job Hunter by Yehudi Mercado
Nuclear One by Michael Toay & Travis Mann
Out of Range by Elizabeth Medes
Purple Haze by Jeff Fry
Spotnik by Celeste Chan Wolfe
Stealing Canada by Tyler Smith
Take My Advice by Alicia Lomas-Gross
The Queen is in the Parlour by Marc Goldsmith & Laurence Holzman
Zombies and Other Middle School Issues by Ted Strickland

All of these writers receive a spot in one of the week-long Champion Labs, a year-long membership to itsonthegrid.com, 10 pitches from VirtualPitchFest.com, a 15-minute recorded audio version of a screenplay excerpt from iScript, two career coaching sessions with Rhona Berens, Ph.D and a few other exclusive offers which I will announce soon.

Details about the class and other offers will go out soon and a mass email to everyone who entered will go out tomorrow via Constant Contact. Sign up for updates at http://www.championscreenwriting.com/ if you are not sure if you are on the list.

Shorts winners will be announced tomorrow!

The winners of the feature category will be announced in Los Angeles on Dec 3 at our informal awards dinner...Hollywood, Thai food, $10,000...someone's going to be Kung-Pao'd.

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to the writers who advanced.

Peace,
Jim Mercurio

Top Ten Shorts for 2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition

2010-11-10T16:36:00.000-08:00

We received more than 200 shorts and we are excited to announce the top ten scripts. We will announce the winners of the Best Drama, Best Comedy and Best Short Short in less than 48 hours. Each of the winners receive $500 and some assorted other goodies. We will send out a mass email when we announce the top 20 features, which should happen within the next 36 hours.

Thanks to everyone who entered and congratulations to these writers. Every one of these scripts is awesome.

TOP TEN SHORTS

A Simple Plea by Dean Watts

Aurora by Kristi L. Simkins

Broken Bulbs by Miyako Akina Fuqua

Cakewalk by Brian Baker

Dead in the Room by Marjory Kaptanoglu

Douchebag by Luke Spears

Skywhale by Carl Huebner

The Checker Game by Steve Warren

The Device and the Operator by Cassandra Holroyd

The Job by Steven Davis

UPDATE ON ANNOUNCEMENTS

2010-11-03T14:57:00.000-07:00

We will announce the top eight or ten shorts in a day or two. Am hoping to get top 20 Feature list out within a week, so everyone will have at least three weeks to get to Los Angeles. The first class begins Nov 30. Check out the previous blogs for info about classes.

Sign up now to guarantee yourself a spot!

Jim

NEW CHAMPION COVERAGE SERVICE

2010-10-07T09:59:00.000-07:00

Exclusively for Champion Entrants

Champion Screenwriting now offers its entrants a chance to use its readers for five to six pages of development notes. Several entrants were so happy with our coverage category that they asked if we would make our readers available for additional feedback. So we did. Now you can get detailed notes on your script from one of our awesome readers.

If you entered the Coverage Category, you can receive additional notes from your original reader for a discounted price of $250.

Entrants who did not use the coverage service or who did and would like feedback from a different reader pay $300.

Simply send a PDF of your screenplay and Paypal payment to coverage@champio___eenwriting.com. Fill in the blanks with "nscr"... Trying to avoid spam.

FYI:

The readers are not involved in the final judging process of the competition and remain anonymous.

I (Jim Mercurio) do not read the scripts as part of this service.

I do offer in-depth and recurring feedback as a story analyst myself but the Champion Coverage Service is a great value and can help many more writers than I can personally serve.

SIGN UP FOR CLASSES NOW!

2010-10-05T12:41:00.000-07:00

Everyone is emailing me about the classes, so here is some more information.

Based on last year's attendance, I should have 3-4 seats in each of the two Champion Labs and I currently have 5-6 in the Immersion class.

CLASS SCHEDULE

Champion Lab - Four-Day - November 30 - December 3 (Tuesday - Friday)
Friday night is Awards Dinner
Champion Lab - Three-Day - December 4-6 (Saturday - Monday)
A-List Immersion - Three-Day - December 8-10 (Wednesday - Friday)

All classes are in Hollywood within walking distance of the subway.

Sean Kanan and Kurtwood Smith are confirmed for at least one of the classes to help us workshop scenes. Having professional actors read your scenes is a great learning experience. We will workshop scenes from every writer.

WHO WINS SEATS?

The top 20 FEATURE writers will win a seat in the class and can choose any of the classes. If they sign up now to reserve a seat and then win the seat, their money will be refunded. Entrants and quarterfinalists receive a discount.

WHO CAN SIGN UP?

Anyone in the world can sign up for the Immersion Class now.

Only Quarterfinalists in the shorts and feature category may sign up for one of the Champion Labs now. Will sell three seats in each of the Champion Labs.

Am willing to open another Champion Lab on December 13-15 (Monday - Wednesday) if there are enough people interested. Email me if interested in this class. Will update here if this section opens.

If seats are available in a month, I will offer them to the general public.

WHAT IS THE PRICE?

The regular price for each of the classes is $399. Price for entrants in the 2010 Champion Competition is $299. Price for feature or shorts quarterfinalists is $199.

CAN YOU SIGN UP NOW?

Yes. Until I update the shopping cart at A-listscreenwriting.com, writers may Paypal payment to Jim@a-list....com (insert the word screenwriting in there). Put relevant information: name, email address, which section and name of script in contest or QF list.

I hope to see you in December. In 2011, I am going into hibernation to finish my book, so this is last chance to take a class with me for awhile.

Peace,
Jim Mercurio

2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition Quarterfinalists

2010-10-04T12:20:00.000-07:00

The 2010 Champion Screenwriting Competition wants to thank all of its entrants. We received more than 1100 shorts and features and are proud to announce our Quarterfinalists, who represent approximately the top 20% of submissions as determined by our first-round readers.

Congratulations to the writers who advanced. We will announce the top 20 features near the end of the month, so the writers may have time to plan their trip to a Champion Lab in December.

All Quarterfinalists will be given a chance to purchase the remaining seats in the December classes for less than half of the regular price. There are a few seats left in the current classes and we will add an additional session if necessary. For more information on how to sign up, check back here in a day or two or see the next newsletter. To reserve a seat now, email me (Jim).

The Grand Prize winner receives $10,000 cash plus development notes, a professionally recorded audio version of their entire script from iScript, a John Truby Genre DVD, and a gift certificate to the Writer’s Store.

Top 20 feature writers will each receive $1000 in prizes including a seat in one of the Champion Labs, 10 pitches from VirtualPitchFest.com, a 15-minute recorded audio version of an excerpt of their screenplay from iScript, two career coaching sessions with Rhona Berens‚ Ph.D., and a year-long membership to itsonthegrid.com.

Visit here or sign up for our free monthly newsletter to find out who advances.

Here are our Quarterfinalists who are vying for more than $40,000 in cash and prizes.

FEATURE QUARTERFINALISTS

A Girl and Her Dog by Dawn Ireland

A Rose For the Dead by L.J. Wright

Alibi by Jamie Buhr

Al's Last Con by Steve Hochman

Altar Boys by Samuel Contreras

Amsterdam XXX by Joseph Wiggins

Anatomy of a Town by Patricia Fox

Art of the Duel by Leonard Chan

Ask Me by Jonathan Eig

At Close Quarters by Curtis Nelson

Avenging Peace by Tom Stein

Bad Penguin by Phil Clarke Jr.

Baghdad Rules by Brent Spencer

Ballpark Frank by Mark Cohen

Bank Robbing for Dummies by Robert Watson

Be Good To Do Evil by Julia Kubik

Black Betty by John Alberts

Blood Red Dawn by Michael Thornton Jr.

Bramble Hill by Dominick Bagnato

Butterfly by Jill Wallace

Caller 7 by Daniel Stawanski

Canaries by Craig Cambria

Cargo by Mark Schoelkopf

Catch Us The Foxes by Tina Juarez

Catfish Creek by Deana Costner

Chances by Jeff Trently

Civil War by Geoff Eisner

Closure by Darren Swanson

Cold Barrel Zero by Ronald Ecker

Controlled by Craig Cambria

Cooties by Clint Clark

Crawfish and Specks by Robert M. Herzog

Cult Flick by Brian Hauser

Culture Shock by Jodi Levitan

Cutter's Woods by Donald O'Donovan

Damascus Road by Patrick Homes

Dangerous Cargo by WJM Fordsyce

Dark Legacy by Brian Campbell

Day Job by Ed Domingues

Dead Crows by Chris Todd

Dead Last by Kevin Lee Miller

Dead Man's Party by Michael Raymond

Dead Play by Terry Raun

Deadfest by Michelle Muldoon

Deadly Legacy by Russell Blyth

Death at Sea by Marjory Kaptanoglu

Death in Venice Beach by Nicholas Horwood

Defenders of the Faith by Brandon Marlon

Diamond Dead by Andrew Gaty

Dirty Crooked City by Luke Spears

Dreamland Confidential by Sean Agard

Edgewater by Max Freeman

Elephant Hearts by Josh Good

Eyes of the Enemy by Steve Hochman

False Sense by Craig Cambria

Fifty Years in May by Silvio Nacucchi

Fishing with Dynamite by Randy Sumeraj

Fool Moon by Gail Jenner

Frankie and The World's Fair Pear by Debbie Klaar

Freezer Born: The Adventures of Carl the Ice Cream Sandwich by Erin McLaughlin

From Point A to Point B by Elise Stempky

Fruit of the Tree by Fran Kaplan

Gallo by Richard Gold

Garbo Returns! by Kristof Bathory

Genius by Jim Kenney

Glow Stick by Michael Raymond

Golden Gloves by Drew Miyaki

Golden Years by Byron Wolter

Grey by Tony LaScala

Ground Work by Patrick C. Taylor

Growing Ivy by Karen Powell-Riggs

Halfway Down the Stairs by Jesse P. Howard

Handicapped Spaces by Clinton Braly

Hitchcock Blonde by Jeff York

Hoax by Scott Park and Matt Allen

Horror Comic by Stephen Hoover

How Not to Get Married by Donna Miller

Hurricane Grove by Jeffrey Thelen

I love you to Debt by Philip Strauss

Ice Deep by William Milano

In Search of Betty Blue by Mass Panor

In the Ground by Jeffrey Greenberg

In the Wake by Matt Mowrer

Interloper by June Escalanate

Jason's Quest by Chris Early

Jubilee by Dusty Rhodes

Kheng Kheng Crocodile by Donna Lisa

Kiki on the Beach by Christine Hinz

Killer Expose by JaLynn Hardy

Kindness: Left by the Side of the Road by Sonia Pathak

King of Atlantic Avenue by Drew Greco

Kissin’ Kuzins by Deana Costner

Kissing Your Sister by Dan Loschack

La Gargouille by Samuel Clark

Latent Image by David Hartzhelm

Leap of Faith by Alicia Lomas-Gross

Legacy by Jodi Levitan

Leonard by Margaret Riseley

Life Between Cigarettes by Joseph Cirrincione

Little Eden by Timothy Jay Smith

Living The Dream by Daniel Cohen

Lizzie Fox by Mike Murphy

Lulu by Samuel Bernstein

Macau Twilight by Tony Shyu

Mask of the Innocent by Teresa Bruce

Masked Men by David Evans

Master's Key by Kelly Anelons

Miss Christmas by Irin Evers

Mister Smith by Sonia Pathak

MoBay Blues by Leonard Chang

Monster Job Hunter by Yehudi Mercado

Mother's Day by Kevin Lee Miller

My Turn by M. David Shapiro

Natural Selection by Kathryn Kyker

Nature of the Beast by Eric Sentell

Newsflash by Trevor Maxim

Night Falls by Adam Aresty

Nightmare Valley by Jason Briker

No Man is an Island by Brandon Vedder

Nobody in My Family Has Sex by Carol Farrand

Nuclear One by Michael Toay & Travis Mann

Olohana by Daniel Fan

On Becoming Grim by Clark Ransom

On Common Ground by Kara Sachs

On Small Stages by Andrew Cangelose

Out of Range by Elizabeth Medes

Pandora, Princess of Cats by Dennis Hiatt

Patriots' Day by David Boe

Plausible Alternative by Peter Rozee

Post Apocalyptica: The Musical by Daniel Santerre

Punch It Out by Stephen Leach

Purple Haze by Jeff Fry

Purple Rayne by Alina Stephanie

Quest! by Emily Paul

Reconstructing Kate by Rachel McNevin

Red Forest by Aaron Marshall

Reverend Piper by Dan Borengasster

Rosale Ecce Mens by Tanya Klein

Scattered Thorns by Gary Talarino

Searching for Sanctuary by Rozalyn Mattocks

Sentient by Peter Arneson

Shadowplays by John Alberts

Sibusio by Steven Mare

Skin by Gary Riester

Skirt by Chris Mason Johnson

Skylark by Nicholas Pyle

Soccer Crazy by Mark Speed

Soulmating by John Galbraith

Spotnik by Celeste Chan Wolfe

St. Patrick's Tear by Neil Chase

Stealing Canada by Tyler Smith

Sure Would Be Nice by Thomas Serio

Tabby by George Hernandez

Tabula Rasa by J. Scott Sperber

Tainted Harvest by Nancy Smith

Take My Advice by Alicia Lomas-Gross

Team Players by Raef Eric Laswon

The Agora by Billy Duberstein

The Bend in the Bridge by Julia Kubik

The Butcher and the Butterfly by Jim Antonini

The Charm of Youth by Timothy Miller

The Chemist by John Moskowitz

The Chilling Effect by Scott Featherstone

The Cloudburst by Raj Naiksatam

The Dead on Arrivals by Miyako Akina Fuqua

The Enemy in the Castle by Letty Hummel

The Fibonacci Spiral by Nicole Avenia

The Good Life by Robert Winogron

The Hitler Family Reunion by Andrew Rothschild

The Klondike Story by Steve Warren

The Land of MILF and Honey by Stephanie Ogozaly

The Last Praetorian by William Milano

The Last Three Days of Paradise by Casey McClatchey

The Lion in the Backyard by Susan Murphy

The Longest Way 'Round by Elizabeth Medes

The Lupii by Caroline Farrell

The McTavish by Cheryl Miller

The Other Oregon by Steve Anderson

The Plush Life by Bill Scollon

The Queen is in the Parlour by Laurence Holzman

The Quest by Genevieve Ermanna

The Shroud by Joseph Paul Ferina & Joseph Patton Mashburn Jr.

The Sky Below by David Thome

The Switch by Irin Evers

The Tetris Complex by Kevin Gilbert

The Truth by Gary Talarino

The Turnaround Guy by Bruce Kuglin

The Umpire Has No Balls by Debbie Bolsky

The Undertaker's Son by Chris Dancy

The Viking Factor by Erik Wolter

The Winter Wars by Anton H. Gill

The Witches Hammer by John Alberts

Torched by Jon Rosen

Tripytch by Wayne Keeley

Tyrant by Alistair Kaley

Unfinished Business by Richard Borinstein

Washington's One Night Stand by Daniel Bardwil

What Goes Around by Adam Butt

What Would Meg Ryan Do? by Mary Krell-Oishi

Which Witch is Which by KFM Marshall

World War G by Morgan Bramlet

Zombies and Other Middle School Issues by Ted Strikland

SHORTS QUARTERFINALISTS

A Quickie at Work by James Nelson

A Simple Plea by Dean Watts

An Ice Cream for Billy by John Connell

Anna by Dennis Jones

Archives by Nathalie Sejean

Auntie by Mike Goforth

Aurora by Kristi L. Simkins

Awkward by Matthew Stevens

Breeding Slave by Lisa Scott

Broken Bulbs by Miyako Akina Fuqua

Cab Fare by Brenna Kelly

Cakewalk by Brian Baker

Child X by M. Miller Davis

Dead In The Room by Marjory Kaptanoglu

Dharma by Stuart Land

Douchebag by Luke Spears

Exit Interview by Edgar Martinez Schulz

Father Bernstein: A Fish out of Holy Water by Richard Roth

Heaven Is Hell by Scott & Paula Merrow

How We Do by Brianna Bennett

I Can See My House From Here by Vinay Patel

It's All In The Spin by Michael Duke

Jack's Dress by Jeff Wergin

Killer App by Chuck Anderson

Love In Binary Code by Eric Dietel

Much Ado About Something by Thea Camilla Eriksen

Simple Nude by Steven Maré

Skywhale by Carl Huebner

Spinning With The Devil by Caroline Farrell

Spiritual Connection by Scott & Paula Merrow

Starfish by William Byrne and Megan Hardy

Survivor X by Darren Montgomery

The Checker Game by Steve Warren

The Cowboy by M. Miller Davis

The Cube by Scott & Paula Merrow

The Device And The Operator by Cassandra Holroyd

The Final Guardian by Scott & Paula Merrow

The Hit by John Cruz

The Incumbent by Alexis Perkins

The Job by Steven Davis

X-Mas in Double-Wide by Robert Peters

Zed High by Charles Cho

CHAMPION UPDATE

2010-10-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Quarterfinalist list should be up in a day or so. Withoutabox doesn't allow us to extract two authors at one time, so we have to manually go through all 200 QFs to check for multiple authors. Much fun.

Will also be announcing the winner of the free seat in the Champion Lab for an entrant who entered four or more scripts.

Quarterfinalists will be able to sign up for a spot in the Champion Lab and we will open another section if necessary. We are also going to be offering an expanded coverage service to our 2010 entrants where you can get 5-6 pages from one of our readers.

Sign up for the free newsletter Craft & Career, which will have the QFS listed, at championscreenwriting.com. It will go out by Monday and have more information about all of this, also. And remember, we make all of our notifications here and with Constant Contact, so even if you don't want the newsletter, sign up for contest updates.

More soon.

Peace,
Jim Mercurio
info@ch...screenwriting.com

2010 Champion Competition Updates

2010-09-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who entered. We received more than 1000 scripts this year and are busy reading.

Our tentative schedule is to have Quarterfinalists listed by the third week of September. And then we should be able to have the top 20 Feature Writers by November 1, so that they may have a month's notice to make any of the December Champion Labs.

I will announce the winner of the free Champion Lab seat soon -- probably in the next newsletter which should come out soon.

The $14,000 in cash prizes will be handed out at our informal awards dinner on Friday night, December 3rd when hopefully everyone from the two Champion Labs (the one that ends Friday and the one that begins Saturday) will be there.

I will be offering the extra Champion Lab seats to Quarterfinalists at a reduced rate and will even open another section is there are enoug writers who want to attend.

Also, some of you have expressed interest in getting more detailed notes from the reader who gave you coverage. We will officially offer that as a follow-up service next year but, for now, if interested, email us and we can arrange it.

Thanks again for entering.

Peace,
Jim Mercurio

UPDATE AS OF AUGUST 12

2010-08-12T14:59:00.000-07:00

For those of you with the Discount Pak via WAB, you can enter with no additional charge until the absolutely last chance to enter: August 12.

As of now, there are only seven people that I see who are eligible for the drawing for the free seat in the Champion Lab - John, David, Dennis, Nikky, Eric, Steve, Marce - for entering four or more features. But there are almost 20 people with three scripts. If you entered more than three scripts and you aren't on the list, email us at info@ch...ionscreenwriting.com..

Or if you entered only three, remember that one more script gets you a free shot at a seat in the Lab.

http://www.championscreenwriting.com/

August Ten - Midnight West Coast Time

2010-08-10T16:34:00.001-07:00

Tonight is last chance to enter contest before WAB-Exclusive Extension kicks in. The WAB extension is till August 20 but there are more fees.

Remember, enter four or more features to be entered into a random drawing for a seat in the Champion Lab.

Good Luck!

ENTER TODAY!

CHAMPION LAB DATES ARE SET

2010-05-30T14:54:00.000-07:00

The first two Champion Labs (with Jim Mercurio) are for the top 20 Champion feature writers. On Friday night, December 3, we will have some sort of informal dinner, gathering or party where I will announce the winners and give out $12,000 or so in cash. So plan to stay late or come early. Writers who take the three-day version will watch of Killer Endings and T-Word Theme and read a few short assignments before the first class.

The Immersion class is free for the first four script consulting clients of Jamespmercurio.com who sign up for Coaching or Mentoring between now and then. If current clients decline to take the class, it may be open to more writers.

The Scene Workshop is a stand-alone class that is open to all actors, writers and directors. There will be four professional actors there and we will read two-three scenes (or more) from every participant. The main focus will be on the writing but there will be some tangential topics on directing, acting and thinking like an actor and director.

Quarterfinalists in the Champion Competition will be offered a chance to purchase available seats in the Champion Lab and in the Immersion. Top 20 Feature Writers will also be allowed to attend the Immersion class if their schedule doesn't permit them to attend the Champion Labs. And, as a last resort, Immersion writers may attend the Champion Lab if there is room and their schedule requires it.

Champion Lab - Four-Day
November 30 - December 3 (Tuesday - Friday)

Champion Lab - Three-Day
December 4-6 (Saturday - Monday)

A-List Immersion - Three-Day
December 8-10 (Wednesday - Friday)

Scene Workshop with Professional Actors - Two-Day - Open to the Public
No theory - Just working on scenes
December 9-10 (Saturday - Sunday)
$199 for both days. $129 for one day.
20% discount for professional actors who will read for at least an entire day.

Here are some testimonials for the classes.

TOPICS IN THREE- AND FOUR-DAY CLASSES
Exploiting Concept
Dilemma
Character Orchestration
Character Arc
Theme
Killer Endings
Scene Writing
Dialogue
Shurtleff's Guideposts
Action Description
Prose Style
Essence of Climax
12 Steps to a Better Scene
Changing Spec Market
+ MANY MORE

I haven't even begun to market them or placed them on sale. If you want to hold a spot in the Scene Workshop, email me. Otherwise, sign up for A-List Screenwriting's Craft & Career and check the box for Contest or Class updates.

Free Killer Endings Offer and Resubmissions

2010-05-19T17:29:00.000-07:00

If you entered the coverage category and did not get the email sent out today, then you can access it here. It has the instructions on how to get your free Killer Endings DVD. This is only for people who entered in the coverage category.

Also, you can resubmit any time before August 6 and not have to pay the crazy WAB-Exclusive-Extension Fees. The last two weeks -- till the 20th -- are the WAB-Exclusive period where their fees are rough. Remember to rename your project (add the word "resubmission") because the system doesn't allow the same exact title to be entered more than once.

REGULAR DEADLINE IS MAY 15 - TONIGHT AT MIDNIGHT CA TIME

2010-05-15T19:22:00.000-07:00

Today is the last chance to sign up for the coverage service, which also gets you a free copy of my DVD Killer Endings.

The coverage service allows you to find out your status in the contest and allows you to resubmit later. Also, if you enter today in any category, you save at least $5.

If you are having technical problems, email us before midnight and we will make sure that WAB support allows you to enter early this week as if today. We are not going to penalize you for technology nightmares.

Remember, there will be at least 20 seats given away to my weeklong Champion Lab, $10,000 to the Grand Prize Winner and $500 to best short short that is under three pages.

ENTER TODAY!

ScriptShadow Interview with Jim Mercurio

2010-04-23T07:15:00.000-07:00

Here is a pretty extensive interview I did with ScriptShadow. His blog is a great resource for aspiring writers, so I will give him the traffic and just link directly to the site:

ScriptShadow Interview

We talk about contests, what contests are looking for and "what" new writers should and shouldn't write. I don't like to go around prescribing what people should write but at least consider the perspective as food for thought.

2009 CHAMPION ENTRANT SELLS LOW BUDGET SCRIPT

2010-03-04T20:53:00.000-08:00

CHAMPION SCREENWRITING 2010

Champion Screenwriting Competition's Co-coordinator Kathryn Cottam interviewed one of last year's entrants who sold his script because of the contest. The writer entered the contest under the pseudonym Solomon Grundy and now, as you will read, has even more reason to keep the project anonymous.

WHAT IS YOUR SCRIPT ABOUT?

Well, for the time being the producer wants me to avoid saying too much about the script. He's considering some unconventional marketing approaches for the finished film, so until he sorts everything out he wants to keep the script "under wraps."

I can say pretty generally that the script is in the low budget horror genre.

WHAT'S YOUR BACKGROUND? HAVE YOU WRITTEN ANY OTHER SCREENPLAYS OR TELEVISION SCRIPTS?

I did a little graduate work in English Literature, then switched over to Law, so I guess my background is in Law. I'm a pretty new writer -- I've written a few other short scripts, but this is my first feature-length script.

WHY DID YOU ENTER THE CHAMPION SCREENWRITING COMPETITION ANONYMOUSLY?

I use a pen name because it's easier -- cleaner -- to keep my writing life separate from my work life, and just avoid any unpleasant complications at work. You can probably guess the kinds of complications I'm talking about. Will people at work find out that I'm writing? What will they think about it? Will my bosses resent me for it, or take it as a sign of laziness -- "if you have a life outside of work, then clearly you don't have enough work to do"?

Using a pen name also has benefits that I didn't anticipate. For one thing, it makes rejection a little easier. When I get a rejection letter ("Dear Solomon Grundy, your screenplay sucks, love, Film Festival"), I tend to shake off the disappointment a little more quickly because it's not directed at me personally; it's directed to that other guy. That Solomon Grundy guy. Yeah, it's a silly psychological trick -- but whatever, a benefit's a benefit.

HOW DID YOU CHOOSE YOUR PEN NAME?

I picked "Solomon Grundy" because I've always liked the nursery rhyme ("Solomon Grundy, Born on a Monday, etc."). I always thought it was kind of cool and creepy.

WHAT MADE YOU ENTER THIS PARTICULAR CONTEST? HAVE YOU ENTERED OTHER CONTESTS WITH THIS SCRIPT? IF SO, THEN HOW DID YOU DO?

I entered the Champion Screenplay Competition because I was intrigued by the special prize for micro budget horror. My script is a low budget horror script, so I thought there might be a good match there.
I did enter some other horror contests too, and did pretty well in a couple of them. But doing well in a horror contest does not compare with the experience of actually optioning your script and joining a team of smart, creative people who are trying to turn that script into a great movie.

WERE YOU HAPPY WITH THE CONTEST ADMINISTRATION?

Very happy. Early on in the competition I sent an email to ask a technical question about the competition rules -- to my surprise, I received a very friendly response the next day. Now, I'm not going to name names or bash other script competitions, but let's just say that kind of responsiveness is rare -- I can only think of a handful of competitions that provide that kind of attentive service and The Champion Screenplay Competition is one of them, for sure.

WERE YOU GIVEN ANY FEEDBACK ON YOUR SCRIPT FROM CHAMPION? IF SO, DID YOU FIND THE FEEDBACK HELPFUL?

The Champion Screenplay Competition has provided me with tons of amazing feedback on the script.

I have to say that Jim Mercurio has been incredibly generous with his time, and has made himself 100% accessible to discuss the script at any time and in any format -- email, telephone, whatever. Last week, he spent hours on the telephone with me discussing the script, everything from larger structural issues and "what if" scenarios right down to the tiniest details. It seems almost an insult to call it "feedback" -- basically, he gave me a free "master class" on how to make my script the best script it can be.

HOW DID CHAMPION HELP TO FACILITATE THE SALE OF YOUR SCRIPT?

The Champion Screenplay Competition was instrumental in getting my script optioned. Instrumental.

Jim contacted me initially to let me know that there was a producer, who happened to be a contest judge, interested in the script. Then he helped to initiate the negotiating process and was with me every step of the way, guiding me through the process from beginning to end.

So, without the festival and without Jim's help, there is no way that my script would have been optioned.

WHAT WERE THE NEGOTIATIONS LIKE FOR YOUR SCRIPT?

I'm a lawyer, so of course I know how the negotiating process works generally -- but I'm not an entertainment lawyer and I've never negotiated an option agreement for a script before, so really I had no idea what to expect. But looking back on the whole negotiation process, I can honestly say that it was pretty painless. I think I was fortunate to be working with people I liked -- the producer was very reasonable and, as I've said, Jim made himself available to me every step of the way.

The whole negotiation process was very friendly, very civil and was wrapped up quickly, in a couple of weeks.

WHAT IS YOUR STRATEGY -- AS A WRITER -- NOW THAT YOU HAVE WON CHAMPION AND HAVE AN OPTIONED SCRIPT?

My strategy is pretty simple -- I am going to continue working diligently on my rewrites and make sure that I deliver (on time) a final polished script to the producer.

The Champion Screenplay Competition has given me every opportunity to succeed. I know very well that opportunities like this don't come around very often so I feel a responsibility to take full advantage here.

COULD YOU SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT YOUR WRITING PROCESS?

I've never been a huge fan of The Who, but there's this Pete Townshend quote I've always loved -- he said something like, "I smash guitars because I like them." That's kind of how I feel about my writing process.

Before starting a new script, I outline -- obsessively. I'll spend inordinate amounts of time crafting the outline, revising it, agonizing over every detail of it. But once I finish the outline and start writing the script, invariably I'll either ignore the outline completely or throw away large portions of it.

It seems like an incredibly inefficient way to write a script, writing an outline and then discarding it. But I think writing that outline is important for me procedurally because it helps me to absorb the universe of the script, to understand the people and the places and the "rules," so that once I begin to write I can do so with a lot more poise and confidence.

So, that's why I smash outlines. Because I like them.

WHAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PIECE OF ADVICE YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN AS A WRITER?

Be budget conscious when you write.

If you want to get your script produced, then there are obvious practical advantages to writing something that anybody can pick up, read and then think, "You know what? I could make this movie." I mean, you can go ahead and write a script with lots of amazing stunts and huge explosions and eye-popping special effects, but just remember that there are only a handful of people out there with the power and resources to actually produce that kind of script.

WHAT'S NEXT? ARE YOU WORKING ON A NEW SCRIPT?

Right now my only concern is polishing and finalizing my current script. After that? I'm not really sure. I've written two other scripts that I'd like to begin revising and readying for market, and there may be a couple other cool opportunities out there. I guess we'll see.

ENTER BY MARCH 26 AND SAVE

10 REASONS TO ENTER CHAMPION ASAP... OKAY, MAYBE THERE ARE ONLY THREE OR FOUR

2010-02-11T15:10:00.000-08:00

My designer created a tall banner ad to run at Withoutabox, so I figured I would show it off here.

"Pretty cool, huh?"

Also, I wanted to tell you about the advantages of entering the Champion Screenwriting Competition ASAP, i.e., by the Early Bird Deadline, March 26.

I have heard people give the advice that it's better to enter early because readers are less tired or rushed. I think this is nonsense. Readers are professionals and they choose how much they want to read.

However, from a purely math standpoint (check out my blog about the left-brained reasons to enter contests), the $5, $10 or $15 you save has a huge impact on your budget and your expected value from a contest. Expected value? Jim, is this a screenwriting blog or a stats class? Okay, read the blog link if you want more. But, remember, if you enter 20 contests this year and only enter during the periods with the lowest entry fee, you would save between $100 and $300.

If you are using our coverage service, entering early can allow you more time (several months) to rewrite and resubmit. It's no secret that reading scripts is a subjective process. So for your $40 coverage fee, you may or may not be given the holy grail of screenwriting insight. However, you will give yourself a better understanding of how your script can advance to the quarterfinalist round. And remember, based on last year's numbers 20% of quarterfinalists make the top 20 AND each of those writers receives about $1,000 in prizes. So, the coverage service is far more valuable than the notes themselves.

Another advantage to entering early is that I get to give my readers more work (spread out over the entire run of the contest). It's a good deal for me, because I keep my best readers happy. Is it a good deal for you? Not necessarily. But it's a good deal. It's a good deal for me. For me. Did I mention me?

Back to you.

Several of the years when I ran the Expo Competition, I would find extra last-minute prizes to add: Second place in shorts, a runner-up, travel per diem for an additional writer. And last year, I opened up the Champion Lab to more than 20 writers. We took a big risk this year jacking up the Grand Prize to 10k while other contests are lowering their cash outlay. As soon as I know I am not going to end up on the streets of Hollywood Boulevard (mmm, Kung Pao Kitty) because the prizes the contest promises, I start getting generous and increasing the prize pool. For instance, if we get 1400 features, I will double the cash portion of 2nd and 3rd place and add a second Champion Lab. And I will also... oh, wait, why ruin the fun?

Anyway, I was just looking for a reason to stay in touch and show off the cool banner. I look forward to the ever-growing list of quarterfinalist titles and being curious about which one will win. I hope we get to read your script soon. And we are working hard to make this year's contest a cool experience for many of our entrants.

ENTER TODAY!

TESTIMONIAL FROM GRAND PRIZE WINNER

2009-12-24T06:50:00.000-08:00

I must admit: I've always been a little suspicious of screenwriting seminars and the people who teach them. If Robert McKee really knows how to craft a Black-List-topping, low-to-mid-six-figures-selling, Oscar-winning screenplay, why doesn't he sit down and write one of his own, instead of charging me and you and everyone we know a thousand bucks to learn his patented secret formula? I mean, what could this Jim Mercurio character possibly teach us that couldn't be learned from watching Chinatown for the 23rd time?

It was with this general air of skepticism and a mild hangover that I entered Jim's class on a Saturday morning. And, by the time we hit California Pizza Kitchen for lunch, my headache and my doubts had vanished. Jim really knows his shit.

Jim's unique way of thinking about writing opened my eyes to a whole new way of looking at a script. In short order, he armed me with a ton of ideas for exploring character, revealing theme, tightening plot and turning up the funny in my stuff. The guy is a diet-soda-fueled tornado of insights and ideas. His knowledge of film is encyclopedic. His DVD collection is first-class. And his course is fun, fast-paced and seriously inspiring. I strongly recommend.

- Tony Nichols

MORE TESTIMONIALS FROM THE A-LIST/CHAMPION LAB

2009-12-21T17:39:00.000-08:00

Having just completed the 2009 Champion Screenwriting finalist workshop with Jim Mercurio, I’m happy to say I left with a deeper understanding of my screenplay as well as how my script fits into the current business state of affairs in Hollywood.

Working in an intimate setting, Jim will analyze your screenplay beyond the usual structural considerations in an attempt to push you to extract and exploit all aspects of story, including openings, endings, theme, symbolism and how these relate to the intersection of plot and character.

Jim’s approach is not dogmatic, nor is this a five-day lecture. There’s plenty of room for questions, differing points of view and input from the attendees. This makes for a thought-provoking, dynamic workshop guaranteed to push your creative boundaries. In essence, it’s a relaxed but intense master class.

If you’re fortunate enough to make it to the finalist level, I believe you’ll find Jim’s class informative, inspiring, and energizing.

- Mark Penberthy

Thank you so much for the fantastic opportunity you gave me and the other Champion Screenwriting Contest finalists to attend your A-List "Immersion" class this weekend. And what an immersion it was! I can truly say I got more out of those three days than I have in other writing courses that have lasted for months. The principles you teach are so essential to good screenwriting and you somehow managed to make them all so clear for me - I now know what I need to do to make my writing better. I really appreciate this amazing gift you've given to me. I will definitely be spreading the word about what a great contest this is - I feel so fortunate to have found Champion Screenwriting!

Sincerely,
Sharon Clark

Jim Mercurio is a whirlwind of energy and enthusiasm, a bracing blast of insight into how to make every scene, every line of dialogue, every beat and every blade of grass serve your story. Immerse yourself and emerge a transformed writer.

- John Dummer

The practice of writing anything is a very nuanced, very detailed subject. I'm skeptical of anyone who says they know how to teach it because so much of the craft of creation is ineffable and utterly intangible. But after taking his class, I was impressed by Jim's ability to touch on almost every aspect of screenwriting. He has an incredible sense of what constitutes a good story, a good sequence, a good scene, a good action, a good line or dialogue. He draws parallels in all of these things, compressing over a semester's worth of knowledge into succinct, poignant examples. He also has an intuitive ability to break down and deconstruct a series of pages and rebuild it in the most polished, gripping way possible. He's able to engage in a discussion on any topic or genre and find what's below the surface.

This is excellent for someone in any stage of writing. If you have a completed, polished, ready to go script - this class will help you. If you have a blank page and an idea in your head - this class will help you.

Think of it as the Rosetta Stone of screenwriting. You learn by instruction, observation, deduction, and extrapolation - not pages of notes and definitions. Even to a seasoned writer, this class will allow new gears in their brain to turn. And as any artist knows, a new angle, a new way of thinking is the first step to a reative windfall.

- Matt Zbrog

WINNERS - CHAMPION SCREENWRITING 2009

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The Champion Screenwriting Competition is proud to present the winners of its inaugural contest. All winners receive several additional prizes including development notes, time with mentors, pitches with PitchQ.com and a seat in the 3-day or 5-day 2009 A-List: Immersion.

Thanks to everyone who entered.

FEATURES WINNERS

Grand Prize - $2500
Mr. Unlucky by Tony Nichols

Second Place - $1000
Scout by Laurie Weltz

Third Place - $500
The Moonbeam Fisherman by John Dummer

Low Budget Horror - $500
Doctor Cockner's Carnival of Carnage by Jason Siner

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED
SHORTS WINNERS

First Place - $1,000
Kitten - by Susanna Rennes

Second Place - $500
Shoe by Nick Kelly

NEXT YEAR'S GRAND PRIZE WILL BE TEN K. More news and surprises soon...

A-List Immersion Lovefest

2009-12-11T22:49:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday at the class midpoint, I made the Champion Entrants give me a midweek tweet-like update on the class. Here are some of the responses.

I'm here taking your class-I've learned a lot of interesting things that can be applied toward my current script. My favorite part of the class is your application of location. How to incorporate it into the scene.

- Rubi

Lots of great info. I love the "fix the ending by fixing page twenty." Will you marry me?

- Mark

Jim takes both basic and complex abstract processes and pulls them out through excellent, diverse scene examples. He demonstrates a true understanding of The Story and the result is archetypal advice that's universally applicable.

- Matt

They all joined me for diner with some of the top 20 writers - Tony, John, Sharon and the shorts winner Susanna. I gave out half of the prizes and I will post the winners SOON.

The 3-day intensive starts tomorrow in Hollywood.

FROM SHORTS WINNERS - WRITER OF KITTEN

2009-11-22T19:49:00.000-08:00

Hi, Jim and everyone at Champion,

Thanks for this great news! I'm honored to receive this award from you. Congratulations also to the other winners and entrants.

Thanks for all you do to make this contest possible and for being a voice that encourages emerging talent.

Best wishes and a long life to Champion Screenwriting!

M Susanna Rennes

EXCLUSIVE OFFERS FOR CHAMPION SCREENWRITING COMPETITION ENTRANTS

2009-11-22T11:45:00.000-08:00

There are still three seats left in A-List Screenwriting's weeklong class A-List: The Immersion (formerly Killer Screenwriting). Feature Quarterfinalists in the Champion Competition can take the class for $200 and we will use their scripts as part of the clas. All other entrants may sit in on the class for $200 (their scenes will be workshopped) and can choose to have their scripts integrated into the class for an additional fee.

The class is Monday-Friday, 9-5, December 7-11 in Los Angeles. As Erik Bauer, founder of Creative Screenwriting, says, "Jim doesn't like to teach the first hundred pages of the "screenwriting book"; he likes to teach the last hundred." This is a great chance to improve your craft in an intensive week of interactive education.

Every attendee will have scene(s) read aloud and workshopped. Last year, Kurtwood Smith (from that 70s Show and Robocop) read scenes for the class. Jim has an invitation out to him again this year.

SUBJECTS COVERED:

Hook - Exploiting Concept - Dilemma - Character Orchestration - Theme - Killer Endings - Scene Writing - Shurtleff's Guideposts - Essence of Climax - Sequences - Blockbuster Myths - as well as many other craft and career topics

"I had the privilege of attending Jim's (A-List: The Immersion) in LA in 2008. This was not just a class. It was a reconditioning of my creative mind. It was, for me, as well as the others who attended, a life changing experience. "

-Jill Wallace

To take advantage of this offer, email Jim today.

If seates are available after Wednesday, Nonentrants may take the class for $300.

_____________________________________________

AN EXCLUSIVE OFFER FROM THE SCRIPT DEPARTMENT FOR FRIENDS AND ENTRANTS OF THE CHAMPION SCREENWRITING COMPETITION

Just Mention the Discount Code: CHAMP

Announcing: Just Effing DO IT!, a new Tele-class Series by The Script Department's own Julie Gray!

Plan for 2010 and get what you want out of your career in order to achieve and meet all your goals next year! It's a five part series coming live over tele-conference in November and December 2009.

Julie Gray (founder of The Script Department & the Rouge Wave, and author of the upcoming book "Just effing Entertain Me") will be speaking about how to plan for 2010 and what to expect in the industry with working writers, producers and industry experts in the world of Film, TV, New Media and Reality TV.

Classes begin at 6pm PSTS and are approximately one hour with a live Q & A Session. Prices are $25 per class.

Click here and we'll send you the info on payments and next steps. Champion Screenwriting newsletter recipients receive a 10% discount. Discount code: CHAMP

The Remaining clases:

Dec 1st - "TV & Film Script Contests: What it takes to win and get noticed in 2010" - Kevin Miller and Margaux Froley talk about what they've learned through their recent Wins in the world of Contests and Fellowships...Class code: D001

Dec 3rd - "Webisodes: Write it - then SHOOT IT" - Testing your ideas for TV or Film by shooting them as a series for the web. Get noticed and get repped... The world of Webisodes by Mike Perri - Class Code: D003

Dec 8 - "The Story within Reality TV" - Seasoned Reality Producer and Writer, Rebecca Winston, talks about her life "writing" for reality TV and the importance of STORY! Class Code: D008

Dec 10 - "How to plan and meet your goals for 2010" - Life Coach (Life in Production's) Libby Barnes talks about how she helps writers, producers, actors and directors focus to meet their goals every year and how you can too... Class Code: D0010

AND THE SHORTS WINNERS FOR 2009 ARE...

2009-11-16T17:52:00.000-08:00

FIRST PLACE - $1,000 CASH

KITTEN - by Magali Rennes

SECOND PLACE - $500 CASH

SHOE by Nick Kelly

THIRD PLACE - TIE

The Anniversary by Stephen Mack
Sparkle by Jan Ducker

I am so excited that my first post on this blog was to announce winners. Stay tuned for features winners and more announcements about prizes and other opportunities for quarterfinalists and entrants.

REMINDER:

TOP SIX SHORTS

The Anniversary by Stephen Mack
The Blackberry that Saved LA by Keith Blackwell
Kitten by Magali Rennes
Shoe by Nick Kelly
Sparkle by Jan Ducker
Stalker: A Love Story by Pamela Nash

THE TOP 20 FEATURES

#14 by Solomon Grundy
A Mate for Lonesome George by Sharon Clark
Coal Hard Cash by Arthur Schurr
Controlled by Craig Cambria
Doctor Cockner's Carnival of Carnage by Jason Siner
Funny Bone by Jan Stanton
God Complex by Matthew Zbrog
God's Girlfriend by Alexandra Williams
Hell and Jack by Ben Shearn
Holmes by George Nicholis
Mr. Unlucky by Tony Nichols
One Night Stand by Ian Coyne
School Spirit by Robert Watson
Scout by Laurie Weltz
Shift Tab Kill by Yarrow Vincent-Wayman
The Black Cat by Mark Penberthy
The Hardway by Todd Schlichter
The Moonbeam Fisherman by John Dummer
To Live, Press 1 by Stephen Hoover
Townrats by Josiah Signor