Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition
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About
2024 Big Apple Film Festival (Fall Edition) will take place November 18- December 12 at Look Dine-In Cinemas NYC, with additional film screenings and events at Look Dine-In Cinemas, Los Angeles.
In addition to film screenings, the festival includes its Screenplay Competition, Meet The Agents and Managers Conference, industry panels, and year round networking and mentorship sessions. The festival also includes an Awards Presentation and Receptions.
MEET THE AGENTS AND MANAGERS CONFERENCE
BAFF Meet The Agents and Managers Conference provides career advice, strategies, guidance and networking opportunities with top agents and managers representing filmmakers and screenwriters. The conferences will assist filmmakers and writers in learning strategies for acquiring representation, selling/optioning/licensing material to TV/streaming networks, theatrical market, production companies, studios, distributors, development executives and more...
Participating agents and managers include reps from:
● The Gersh Agency
● William Morris Endeavor Agency
● Innovative Artists Agency
● Anonymous Content
● Culture Creative Agency
● Zero Gravity Management
● Kaplan Stahler Agency
● 3 Arts Entertainment
● Alexander Creatives
INDUSTRY FEEDBACK
Big Apple Film Festival offers screenplay competition entries the option to receive one page of written feedback from one industry professional. Feedback will be provided by either a professional screenwriter, story development professional, or producer.
Participating BAFF industry professionals have experience writing, story development and/or producing projects for various studios, production companies and streaming platforms, including Netflix, Warner Bros., CBS, Hulu, HBOmax, NBC, FOX, Disney, Marvel, ABC, New Line Cinemas and more...
YEAR ROUND INDUSTRY NETWORKING, MENTORING AND PITCH SESSIONS
In an effort to support and connect filmmakers, screenwriters and series creators to industry professionals throughout the year, BAFF offers a series of year round virtual networking, mentorship and pitch sessions.
For upcoming industry networking, mentorship and pitch sessionsvisit https://bigapplefilmfestivalindustrynetworkingevents.eventive.org/schedule
Networking conferences throughout the years have included representatives from agencies, management companies, studios and production companies including William Morris Endeavor, The Gersh Agency, A3 Artists Agency, Anonymous Content, Sony Pictures, 20th Century Fox, Magnolia Pictures, NBCUniversal and many more..
INDUSTRY JURORS
Industry jurors for this season's screenplay competition will include:
● KENT MORAN: Writer/Director of "The Challenger" (Freestyle Media, Netflix, Showtime) and "Listen to Your Heart" (Warner Bros., Gravitas Ventures, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime Network)
● THOMAS FERGUSON: Writer of the feature film "Forgotten" starring Golden Globe Award and SAG Award nominee Tom Sizemore, available on Roku and Prime Video.
● SHERI DAVENPORT: Writer of "Lucky Christmas" (Hallmark Channel) and "Autumn in the City" (Disney Channel, Hallmark Channel)
● ELIZABETH PAGE: Six time Emmy Award and three time WGA Award winning writer and playwright (ABC, CBS, TBS)
● AIMEE PITTA: Writer of HULU's "Christmas on Repeat", "The Clue to Love" (Reel One Entertainment), "Love's Second Chance" (Reel One Entertainment)
● JEFF STACY: Writer of "Gospell Hill", released by 20th Century Fox, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Chloe Bailey, Angela Bassett, Danny Glover, Julia Stiles
and more...
SCREENPLAY COMPETITION ALUMNI INCLUDE:
● Shia LaBeouf - SAG Award, People's Choice Award and Independent Spirit Award nominee
● Elizabeth Page - Six time Emmy Award and three time WGA Award winning writer and playwright (ABC, CBS, TBS)
● Caytha Jentis - written/directed/produced projects for HBO, Warner Bros., Amazon
● Ron Friedman - Emmy nominee and WGA Award winner
● Jyllian Gunther - Emmy Award winner, producer for NBC, ABC, A&E
● Kent Moran - Feature films have been released by Warner Brothers, Netflix, Showtime, Paramount+, Starz, Apple, Hulu, Amazon, Hallmark, Lifetime, LMN, Regal Cinemas
● Nicole Delprado - Development Producer, Flying Bark Productions (Netflix, Hulu, Paramount +, Disney, NBCUniversal)
● Geoffrey Colo - Worked in development at Universal, followed by producer roles including 8 seasons of FOX's House M.D. and 6 years of Marvel TV dramas, earning him an Emmy nomination, 2 PGA nominations and 2 Webby awards
● Rosemary Griggs - 2x Quarter Finalist, award winning author, published by Fence Publishing
● Harris Gurny - Producer, "Coup!" starring Emmy Award and Golden Globe nominee Peter Sarsgaard, "The God Committee", starring Emmy Award winner Kelsey Grammer, Golden Globe and SAG Award nominee Julia Stiles and Emmy Award winner Colman Domingo
● Alex Forstenhausler - optioned screenwriter, Finalist Fox Comedy Pilot Competition
● Lindsay Heiman - showrunner's assistant, credits include “CONAN”, Warner Bros., “VEEP” Paramount, “INSECURE” HBO, “THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS” HBO Max, "THE GIRLS ON THE BUS" and "MORE," both premiering on HBO Max
● Sheena Lambert - Author, "The Lake", published by HarperCollins, optioned TV projects in various stages of development, represented by Blake Friedmann Agency in London
● Thomas L. Ferguson - writer, "Forgotten" starring Tom Sizemore, available on Amazon, Tubi, Roku
● Larry Collins - Emmy Award Winner, NBCUniversal/Peacock Network
● Henry Sarwer-Foner - Directors Guild of Canada Award nominee
● Daniel Talbott - writer ABC's "The Conners", "The Mist" produced by The Weinstein Company and Spike TV
● Ken Krauss - writer - Hallmark Channel
● Kevin Emerson - author of over twenty novels published by HarperCollins, Random House, Scholastic
● Linda Shayne - writer/director "Undercover Kid" released by WARNER BROTHERS, HBO Family, "Little Ghost,” distributed by PARAMOUNT video airing on HBO
● Chris Phillips - Finalist - Sundance Institute Development Track, Award for Overall Excellence in Playwriting-New York International Fringe Festival
● Maia Henkin - repped by Abrams Artists Agency
● Aimee Pitta - writer of HULU's "Christmas on Repeat", "The Clue to Love" (Reel One Entertainment), "Love's Second Chance" (Reel One Entertainment)
and many more...
TESTIMONIALS
"Since being a finalist with Big Apple, I was signed by A3 (Abrams) and have taken meetings with Starz, Lionsgate, and Anonymous Content (among others). I was also recently a Semi-Finalist for the Sundance Episodic Lab!" -Maia Henkin
"My feature script The Tenant recently became a finalist in the Big Apple Film Festival. This accolade moved my script onto Coverfly's Red List. This helped in querying representation and getting signed by a literary manager."
-Janet J. Lawler
"I wanted to thank you, I have signed with an agent. I met her because of the Big Apple Film Festival" - Andrea Careri (BAFF screenplay winner, Agents and Managers Conference participant).
"Two of the agents I’ve practiced-pitched to have requested my script and one has followed up with a phone call to discuss representation. Your service is career-changing" - Nate Bynum (screenwriter)
Benefits
Our network of professionals from previous years have included representatives from: HBO, NBCUniversal, Academy Award winning Killer Films, William Morris Endeavor Agency, The Gersh Agency, APA Agency, Magnolia Pictures, Film Rise(distributor of numerous Oscar Award winning and Emmy Award winning films), Emmy Award winning Gigantic Productions, Cinepointe Advisors(legal counsel on numerous Oscar nominated films), Academy Award nominated and Emmy Award winning filmmakers, Academy Award and Emmy Award winning screenwriters, Fimmakers with projects released through Sony, Disney, Lions Gate, HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Amazon Studios, Hulu, and theatrically, as well as staff writers for CBS, ABC, Lifetime, and more...
These meetings are designed to provide winning screenwriters with direct access and live interaction with industry professionals to provide strategies, guidance and mentorship to emerging screenwriters.
Conferences take place virtually allowing participants to join remotely.
2. Winning screenplays will be promoted to Big Apple Film Festival's list of alumni filmmakers, many of which include filmmakers who have had film released theatrically, as well as on numerous major distribution platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, Apple TV, NBCUniveral and more...
3. Winners will receive a complimentary all access badge to Big Apple Film Festival film screenings, access to select Agents and Managers Conferences, access to select industry networking and mentorship sessions and awards reception.
4. Winners will receive a complimentary InkTip listing, which will provide access to InkTip's entire network of producers, filmmakers, agents and managers. Producers have made over 400 films discovered thru InkTip.
Industry Jurors
Kent Moran
Writer and Director
Writer/Director of various critically acclaimed films including "The Challenger" (Freestyle Media, Netflix, Showtime) and "Listen to Your Heart" (Warner Bros., Gravitas Ventures, Hallmark Channel, Lifetime Network)
Thomas Ferguson
Writer
Screenwriter of the feature film "Forgotten" starring Golden Globe Award and SAG Award nominee Tom Sizemore, available on Roku and Prime Video.
Sheri Davenport
Writer
Writer of "Lucky Christmas" (Hallmark Channel) and "Autumn in the City" (Disney Channel, Hallmark Channel)
Elizabeth Page
Writer
Six time Emmy Award and three time WGA Award winning writer and playwright (ABC, CBS, TBS)
Aimee Pitta
Writer
Writer of HULU's "Christmas on Repeat", "The Clue to Love" (Reel One Entertainment), "Love's Second Chance" (Reel One Entertainment)
Jeff Stacy
Writer
Writer of "Gospell Hill", released by 20th Century Fox, starring Samuel L. Jackson, Chloe Bailey, Angela Bassett, Danny Glover, Julia Stiles
Writer Success
Announcements
Rules
1. Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition accepts submissions as feature length screenplays, series/episodic pilot scripts and short scripts. Feature length scripts must be a minimum of 60 pages and no longer than 150 pages. Series/episodic and short scripts must under 60 pages.
2. Submitted screenplays can not have been optioned, purchased, or otherwise produced at the time of submission.
3. Writers may submit as many screenplays as they’d like to the competition, however each script requires a separate application and payment.
4.All entries must be submitted in English.
5. Submissions must include the title, author(s) and any relevant registration or copyright information.
6. Screenplays must be submitted in PDF or MS WORD.
7. All screenplays are considered complete once they are received by the Big Apple Film Festival. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted.
8. Submission fees are non-refundable.
9. Please be sure to read all rules and regulations prior to submitting your project.
10. SUBMITTERS MUST HOLD ALL NECESSARY RIGHTS AND CLEARANCES TO ALL MATERIAL SUBMITTED TO BIG APPLE FILM FESTIVAL, LLC
11. The organizers of the Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition wish to make it clear that while we welcome and appreciate all submissions, we are unable to provide individualized feedback on entries (unless purchased by the submitter). Furthermore, the selection process is subjective and may involve various factors. BAFF is under no obligation to provide feedback or comments regarding submitted projects to any applicant (unless purchased by the submitter). As such, Big Apple Film Festival and Screenplay Competition is not obligated to explain why a particular project was not selected for inclusion in the festival, or why a particular project did not advance in our screenplay competition. Our decisions are final and not open to negotiation or appeal.
12. Big Apple Film Festival reserves the right to withdraw any project from our festival program or entry pool at any time for any reason we deem necessary.
13. For legal and liability purposes, entrants to the Big Apple Film Festival screenplay competition requesting Agent/Manager feedback or industry feedback hereby acknowledge and agree that the identities, business affiliations, and contact information of the reviewing agent, manager or industry representative shall remain strictly confidential and will not be disclosed under any circumstances to the submitter.
14. While Big Apple Film Festival, LLC will make every effort to ensure our industry reviewers, judges, screening committee members and readers provide a fair, thorough and unbiased review of all projects submitted, please be advised that representatives providing feedback are third party independent contractors, and therefore Big Apple Film Festival LLC, is not liable for any reviews or feedback a submitter disagrees with or believes is unwarranted. Big Apple Film Festival, LLC is under no obligation to interpret or justify feedback provided by our third industry professionals.
15. All information provided on this page may be subject to change, including but not limited to: event dates, event details, networking opportunities, event format, guest speakers, jurors, awards, venue, etc.
16. All questions or concerns may be forwarded to general@bigapplefilmfestival.com.
