Press Release

Storytellers Wanted

Everybody Has a Story and Scriptapalooza Wants to Read It in Their 4th Annual Screenwriting Competition

LOS ANGELES, March 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Bridging the gap between an idea and a completed screenplay isn't as difficult as the average person with a dream thinks. Consider Scriptapalooza's 1st Place Winner last year, Rett Thompson, and his script ``Ted, Inc.'' Hailing from Rochester, N.Y., not exactly the Mecca for screenwriters or the place you would think a well crafted story and executed screenplay would come from, however, it did. And, it was the first screenplay he had ever written. The former, proving that storytellers come from all over the world and from all walks of life because of the simple fact that everyone has a story. Scriptapalooza's goal: to seek out that storyteller and honor their script with a grand prize of ten thousand dollars.

Rett Thompson was certainly honored with his cash prize and a great software package from Screenplay Systems, but more importantly he had many doors opened for him as a writer and has since relocated to Los Angeles to continue pursuing his writing career. A few other highlights from past competitions include Andrea Baily's script ``Falling Over Venus'', a 2nd place winner from 1999 which has attracted the eyes of Mary Stuart Masterson, who is set to direct. Barbara Schwartz, a finalist from Scriptapalooza's TV writing competition was introduced to Klasky-Csupo and she wrote her first Rugrats episode that aired last month. These are several success stories from writers that entered the competition and had their work read by Scriptapalooza's participants, which are established production companies and literary representatives.

The usual conditions apply to those storytellers entering their screenplays, such as, the script should not have been previously sold or optioned. Stories can be fabricated or based on someone's personal experience or be adapted from other works as long as the writer has the rights to the material. The stories that stand out the most are the ones told with passion, those are the ones that deserve some Hollywood eyes on it, and that's what Scriptapalooza does best. Most production companies have signed up long before the winners are announced just to guarantee a first look at the scripts. Scriptapalooza fields calls from other production companies throughout the year making the winners and runners up available to all legitimate interested parties.

Mark Andrushko, Kelli Bennett, and Genevieve Cibor, with the intention of discovering talented writers and promoting them through the Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition founded Scriptapalooza Inc. in 1998.

Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition deadline is April 15, 2002. For application and rules visit www.scriptapalooza.com or call the office 323-654-5809.

SOURCE: Scriptapalooza Inc.