APPLICATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL BALTIMORE SCREENWRITERS COMPETITION
Are you an aspiring screenwriter looking for your big break? The Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, in partnership with the Morgan State University, Film and Television Writing Program and the Johns Hopkins, Film and Media Studies Program and Maryland Institute College of Art, is seeking up and coming film writers for the second annual Baltimore Screenwriters Competition. The competition is designed to create awareness of the screenplay as a literary art form and to encourage new screenwriters into the entertainment industry. The competition is accepting applications and original feature length screenplays that can be filmed in Baltimore. The early bird submission deadline is Wednesday, November 15, 2006, and the application fee is $35. The final deadline is Tuesday, January 16, 2007 with a $50 application fee. Materials can be mailed or delivered to the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition, Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, 7 East Redwood Street, Suite 500, Baltimore, Maryland 21202. The Screenwriting Competition is project of Mayor Martin OMalley and the Baltimore Office of Promotion & The Arts, Division of Film, Video and Television and sponsored by Municipal Employees Credit Union of Baltimore (MECU), Maryland Film Festival, Baltimore Theatre Alliance, Baltimore Area Convention and Visitors Association, Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel, Hyatt Regency Baltimore, Sotto Sopra and the Creative Alliance at the Patterson.
All eligible scripts will receive coverage by local screenwriters, and final scripts will be judged by film industry professionals John Astin, Marie Rowe, David Simon, and Richard Walter. John Astin is an actor and the visiting professor at Johns Hopkins University conducting the program in Theater Arts and Studies. Best known for his role as Gomez in the television series The Addams Family, he appeared numerous movies and television roles including Freaky Friday, European Vacation and Night Court. Marie Rowe is a story developer who works with academy award winning director, screenwriter and producer Barry Levinson. Her projects include Wag the Dog, Sphere, Liberty Heights, and Sleepers. David Simon is the creator and producer of the HBO series The Wire. His credits also include the award winning NBC network series Homicide: Life on the Street and the HBO mini series The Corner. Richard Walter is the head of UCLAs Department of Film and Television and the author of Screenwriting: The Art, Craft, and Business of Film and Television Writing.
The competition is open to all screenwriters. First place winner receives a one-year membership to the Screenwriters Federation of America; all access pass to the 2007 Maryland Film Festival; a reading at the 2007 Baltimore Book Festival; scriptwriting software; two VIP passes to The Senator Theatre in 2007; a one-year Art Posse Level membership to the Creative Alliance at the Patterson; certificate for two nights at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront Hotel; dinner for two at Sotto Sopra; two one-year VIP passes to Baltimore Attractions; and a Filmed in Baltimore t-shirt. The second place winner receives all access pass to the 2007 Maryland Film Festival; recognition at the 2007 Baltimore Book Festival; scriptwriting software; four passes to The Senator Theatre; four Passes to the Rotunda Theatre; four passes to The Charles Theatre; and a Filmed in Baltimore t-shirt. The third place winner receives an all access pass to the 2007 Maryland Film Festival; recognition at the 2007 Baltimore Book Festival; two passes to The Charles Theatre; two passes to The Senator Theatre; two passes to the Rotunda Theatre; and a Filmed in Baltimore t-shirt.
To download the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition application, visit www.baltimorefilm.com or call 410-752-8632.
