4th Annual Search For New Blood Screenwriting Contest

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS

January 19th 2018: quarter-finalists announced on Stage 32

January 31st 2018: semi-finalists announced on Stage 32

February 21st 2018: Top 13 finalists announced on Stage 32

March 8th 2018: Winners will be announced on Stage 32

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

• The Grand Prize Winner will meet with the Stage 32 judges: Daniel Bekerman (Producer, Scythia Films, The Witch, Rememory), Korey Pollard (DGA, Halloween, Salem, Deadwood), Dan Ingram (Executive, Dino Di Laurentiis, Hannibal, Dune, Red Dragon), Rudy Scalesce (Producer, New Nightmare, 6 Souls, Ritual), Christian Taylor (Producer, Taylor Lane Productions), Shaun O'Banion (Ravenwood Films, Scream 3, Dark Wall)
• Script title and logline listed on Stage 32
• Free Stage 32 Next Level Webinar
• Logline sent to over 500 industry executives, managers, agents and producers

2ND PLACE / RUNNER UP

• Two Skype meetings with an industry executive
• Logline sent to over 500 industry executives, managers, agents and producers
• Script development notes from a Stage 32 executive
• 2 Stage 32 Happy Writers online pitch sessions
• Free Stage 32 Next Level Webinar
• Script title and logline listed on Stage 32

THIRTEEN FINALISTS

• Will have their loglines shared with over 500 industry executives, managers, agents and producers

The Stage 32 Search for New Blood contest is not associated with The Blood List.

Daniel Bekerman (New Blood Contest Judge) - Producer, The Witch, Rememory, Shimmer Lake, Pay The Ghost,

Daniel Bekerman is a producer based in Canada with broad experience in creative producing, financing and service production.

Recent productions, The Witch, a US/Canada co-production, won the Best Director Award at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, the 2017 Independent Spirit Award for Best First Feature and made major sales to Universal and A24; and Bang Bang Baby, a musical directed by Cannes Residency alumnus Jeffrey St. Jules, starring Jane Levy, Justin Chatwin and Peter Stormare, won the Best First Feature Film Awards at the Toronto International Film Festival and Canadian Screen Awards. Pay the Ghost, directed by Uli Edel and starring Nicolas Cage, was recently released theatrically across the world.

The People Garden, written and directed by Nadia Litz and starring Dree Hemingway and Pamela Anderson, had its world premiere at the BAFICI Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Film, and has been theatrically released in Canada and US. Two Lovers and a Bear, directed by Oscar nominee Kim Nguyen which stars Tatiana Maslany and Dane DeHaan, premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival’s Directors’ Fortnight section. The Headhunter’s Calling, starring Gerard Butler, had its world premiere at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival’s Gala section. Army of One directed by Larry Charles and starring Nicolas Cage has been released in November 2016, and Rememory, starring Peter Dinklage and Anton Yelchin, had its world premiere at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival and is being released in September 2017.

Kayaking for Beginners, an adventure film set in BC’s Great Bear Rainforest, directed by Zoe Hopkins, Another World Is Possible, a documentary about the global youth climate movement, 22 Chaser, starring Brian J. Smith and Raoul Trujillo, Backstabbing For Beginners, a Canada/Denmark co-production starring Ben Kingsley and Theo James, ANON, directed by Andrew Niccol, starring Amanda Seyfried and Clive Owen, and State Like Sleep starring Katherine Waterston and Michael Shannon are all currently in post-production.

Korey Pollard (New Blood Contest Judge) - DGA AD (Credits: Salem, Halloween, Deadwood),

Korey Pollard is a DGA first assistant director. His previous television and film credits include, Salem (WGN), The Player (Sony/NBC), The King of 7B (ABC Family), Kevin From Work (ABC Family), A to Z (NBC), Stephen Bochco’s Murder In the First (TNT), Nashville, (ABC), Rizzoli & Isles (TNT), The Wedding Band (TBS), Lie to Me(FOX), Life (NBC), the critically-acclaimed show Monk (USA), Deadwood (HBO), House(FOX), Grey’s Anatomy (ABC), Boomtown (NBC), and CSI (CBS). Film credits include Once Upon a Time in Mexico, Spy Kids 2, And Starring Pancho Villa As Himself, Thirteen Days, Waterworld, Clear & Present Danger, Eye For An Eye, G.I. Jane, That Thing You Do, and Stand By Me, among many others.  He has worked with Seth MacFarlane, David E. Kelley, Carlton Cuse and dozens of other high profile directors.

He co-produced his first film in 2006, and independent adaptation of Robert Whitlow’s novel, The List.

Korey has been a guest lecturer at University of Texas, Austin; Branford College-Yale, New Haven, Belmont University-Nashville, Lipscomb University-Nashville, Eastern University, Lakeland, Florida, Azusa Pacific University, Dodge College of Film & Media Arts-Chapman University, Vanguard University, Orange County, Compass College of Cinematic Arts, Biola University, and Los Angeles Film Studies Center. He has been on the advistory boards of Compass College of Cinematic Arts and Hollywood Connect. He also holds a position on The First Assistant Director/Unit Production Manager Committee of The Directors Guild of America.

Korey lives in Sherman Oaks with his wife of over 20 years and two children.

Dan Ingram (New Blood Contest Judge) - De Laurentiis Company (Hannibal, Dune, Red Dragon),

Dan Ingram is the Head of Story Department at the De Laurentiis Company, where he was actively involved in the critically acclaimed show "Hannibal" for NBC, as well as the company's feature and TV slate.

De Laurentiis has been producing cult and wide-spread classic films since 1947, including:

• DUNE
• HANNIBAL
• FLASH GORDON,
• RED DRAGON
• CONAN THE BARBARIAN
• ARMY OF DARKNESS
• KING KONG
• THREE DAYS OF THE CONDOR

Today, the De Laurentiis Company continues to break new ground and push the boundaries on both large and small screen with exciting new projects that include NBC's "Hannibal". The De Laurentiis Company has also overseen the construction of several international film studios, including EUE /Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, NC; the Village Roadshow Studios (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, THE LEGO MOVIE) on the Gold Coast in Australia; and currently the CLA- De Laurentiis Studios in Ouarzazate, Morocco.

Christian Taylor (New Blood Contest Judge) - Producer, Taylor Lane Productions,

TAYLOR LANE PRODUCTIONS is an independent production company founded in 2008 by producer Christian Taylor and based in Los Angeles.

Christian Taylor has spent over a decade in the entertainment industry, working in talent and literary management at Industry Entertainment and Lighthouse Entertainment, and in development at Imagine Entertainment.

Our focus is adapting notable works of literary fiction and developing fresh and innovative reimagining of genre – from micro-budget to studio tent pole films – with exciting emerging and established filmmakers.

Our mission is to inspire and preserve the integrity of each artist’s unique vision, and make the development process an enjoyable and rewarding journey, from page to screen.

 

Taylor produced HICK starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Eddie Redmayne, Blake Lively, Alec Baldwin, Rory Culkin, and Juliette Lewis. He most recently completed filming on MEASURE OF A MAN, directed by Jim Loach and starring Donald Sutherland, Blake Cooper, Luke Wilson, and Judy Greer. The project is in post-production and set to release in 2017.

Taylor Lane is currently in pre-production on FOUR SEASONS starring Emma Roberts, Jeffrey Tambor, and Jane Levy. Projects in development include CURTAIN CALL, a historical drama/thriller recently featured on The Blacklist, written by Chris Wu and Michael Kastelein; and INAUGURATION DAY, a contained political thriller written by Patrick McConville.

Shaun O'Banion (Judge) - Producer, Ravenwood Films,

Shaun O'Banion is an award winning producer with over a decade of international producing and production experience on some of today’s top titles. He has worked on the Oscar Winning Film JOJO RABBIT written and directed by Taika Waititi, JUNGLE CRUISE starring Emily Blunt and Dwayne Johnson, TERMINATOR: DARK FATE produced by 3 time Oscar Winning Producer James Cameron and stars Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, and the Emmy Winning Series GENIUS.

Shaun is concurrently the owner of Ravenwood Films with a slate of films in development. His film GIRLFRIEND starring Shannon Woodward (WESTWORLD) premiered at TIFF, and sold to Strand Releasing. DAKOTA SKYE streamed on Netflix, Showtime and Hulu, and THE AUTOMATIC HATE starring Joseph Cross(LINCOLN) and Deborah Ann Woll (TRUE BLOOD), premiered at SXSW and was released by Film Movement.

Shaun has formed a strategic partnership with Broad Reach Productions where he and his partner have recently optioned several novels. Among the projects they are currently developing is a big-budget period drama with Academy Award-winner Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY), a family adventure film for Disney+ along with an Academy Award-nominated producer, and two limited series for premium cable both of which he co-created and co-wrote.

Shaun believes development is one of the most important parts of the creative process and is eager to help young creators bring their projects to fruition.

Rudy Scalese (Judge) - Producer

Rudy Scalese is a producer who is the former Vice President of Production and Development at NALA Films where he produced films for IM Global, A24, Warner Independent Pictures, and worked with Academy Award-winner Paul Haggis, Emma Watson, Will Ferrell, and Julianne Moore!

Scalese has also produced a number of projects for Crypt TV, an online horror platform ran by legendary producer Eli Roth and spoken at the Television Critics Press Tour for Starz.

Scalese previously worked on New Nightmare with horror legend Wes Craven and Greenlight, starring Danielle Bisutti and Shane Coffey.

Scalese is also responsible for the critically acclaimed horror documentaries GOING TO PIECES: THE RISE AND FALL OF THE SLASHER FILM with Starz Entertainment, NEVER SLEEP AGAIN: THE ELM STREET LEGACY and CRYSTAL LAKE MEMORIES: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF FRIDAY THE 13TH with 1428 Films.

Scalese is also the former VP of Production and Development at NALA Films where he produced films including IM Global's 6 SOULS starring Julianne Moore & Nate Corddry, A24's THE BLING RING starring Emma Watson, Warner Independent Pictures' IN THE VALLEY OF ELAH directed by Academy Award-winner Paul Haggis, CASA DE MI PADRE starring Will Ferrell, Diego Luna and Genesis Rodriguez, and THE AIR I BREATHE starring Kevin Bacon & Brendan Fraser.