Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition
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About
Big Apple Film Festival congratulates its official selections shortlisted for the 96th Academy Awards! This list of outstanding BAFF alumni include: "Amerikatsi" (Armenian selection, Best International Feature Category), "The Shepherd" (Short Film Live Action Category, distributed by Disney+), starring Ben Radcliffe, Academy Award nominee John Travolta, directed by BAFTA nominee Iain Softley, produced by Academy Award winner Alfonso Cuaron, "The One Note Man" ( Short Film Live Action Category).
2024 Big Apple Film Festival (spring edition) will take place May 20-23 in the heart of NYC.
In addition to film screenings, the festival includes a Screenplay Competition, Agents and Managers Conference and Networking Lab, and networking and mentorship sessions. The festival also includes an Awards Presentation and Reception.
AGENTS AND MANAGERS CONFERENCE
The BAFF 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
● Magnolia Entertainment
● Culture Creative Agency
● Art/Work Entertainment
● Zero Gravity Management
● 3 Arts Entertainment
● Alexander Creatives
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB
The Agents and Managers Conference will be open to the public, however submitters are also welcome to submit their projects for consideration to the Networking Lab. Projects selected for the Networking Lab will receive a series of small group networking and pitch sessions with select agents and managers. (NOTE: Agents and Managers Networking Lab selections are separate from film festival and screenplay competition selections).
(all agents and managers sessions take place virtually)
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 sessions visit 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
THIS SEASON'S INDUSTRY JURORS INCLUDE:
● Spencer Robinson (Literary Manager, Art Work Entertainment)
● Danny Alexander (Agent, APA)
● Harris Gurny (Producer, Amazon/Apple TV)
● Sheena Lambert (Author, HarperCollins)
● Lindsay Heiman (Writer/Showrunner Assistant, HBOmax)
● Thomas Ferguson (Writer, Amazon/Tubi)
● Brian Herskowitz (Writer/Producer, NBC/Hulu/Starz/Fox)
●Geoffrey Colo (Writer/Producer, Marvel/Fox/Hulu)
●Ned Farr (Writer/Director, Amazon/Roku)
● Ellen Ancui (Writer, Netflix/TriStar Television/UPN)
MORE JURORS TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON...
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB
In addition to our screenplay competition, submitters are also welcome to enter their projects for consideration into our Agents and Managers Networking Lab. Selected projects will be invited to a series of direct access meetings with multiple agents and managers, designed to provide writers the opportunity to share information on their projects and receive valuable feedback.
Lab meetings will take place virtually allowing all selected writers to participate remotely.
NOTE: Agents and Managers Networking Lab selections are separate from Film Festival and Screenplay Competition selections.
PREVIOUS SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND FINALISTS INCLUDE:
●Shia LaBeouf (SAG Award, People's Choice Award and Independent Spirit Award nominee),
● Caytha Jentis (written, directed, produced projects for HBO, 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)
● Rosemary Griggs (2x Quarter Finalist, award winning author, published by Fence Publishing)
●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)
●Michael Vaynberg (writer, director Cannes Film Festival selection 9.8 m/s²)
● Ken Krauss (writer of Tom, Dick, & Harriet for the 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 (Second Round Austin Film Festival Screenplay Competition, repped by Abrams Artists Agency)
● 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)
●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)
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.
5. Agents and Managers Networking Lab selections will be invited to attend a series of small group conferences with agents and managers. Selected writers will be given the opportunity to share information on their current projects and receive feedback.
NOTE: Agents and Managers Networking Lab selections are separate from Film Festival and Screenplay Competition selections.
Judges
Danny Alexander
Literary Agent
APA
Spencer Robinson
Literary Manager
Art/Work Entertainment
Harris Gurny
Producer
Amazon/Apple TV
Sheena Lambert
Author
HarperCollins
Lindsay Heiman
Writer/Showrunner Assistant
HBOmax
Thomas Ferguson
Writer
Amazon/Tubi
Ned Farr
Writer/Director
Amazon/Roku
Brian Herskowitz
Writer/Producer
NBC/Hulu/Starz/Fox
Geoffrey Colo
Writer/Producer
Marvel/Fox/Hulu
Ellen Ancui
Writer
Netflix/Jeff Franklin Productions/Tristar Television/UPN
Writer Success
Announcements
Rules
1. Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition, as well as the Agents and Managers Networking Lab, 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. 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. 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. All information provided on this page, including but not limited to: event dates, event details, guest speakers, jurors, awards, venue, etc. may be subject to change.
14. All questions or concerns may be forwarded to general@bigapplefilmfestival.com.