The Nashville Screenwriters Conference Announces Winners of the First National "Screenplay Showdown"

Winners Compete Head to Head to Win Top Prizes and the Opportunity to Work with - A-List Agencies, Management Companies and Production Companies - The Nashville Screenwriters Conference and Ed Rugoff from the prestigious Chesterfield Writers Film Project today announced the winners of the first annual Screenplay Showdown". Two first-prize winners were chosen in two categories: First place winner, Kevin Henderson of New York City is the top winner of the All Genre Category" with his screenplay submission Term Life", a dark comedy about an adulterous couple and a hefty life insurance policy, and Rand Bishop of Nashville won top honors of the Music Category" with his screenplay The Tin Roof", a drama about a one-hit wonder on the comeback trail in Nashville. Both winners travel to Nashville in June to attend the 2005 Nashville Screenwriters Conference -- a package worth over $1,400.00 that includes the benefits of the Conferences Silver Screen Pass with admittance to VIP parties and opportunities to meet and mingle with industry top professionals

Beverly Hills, CA (PRWEB) January 24, 2005 -- Second Prize Winners win $500.00 cash awards: Music Category" winner is Australian screenwriter Adam Spellicy with his screenplay Race with the Devil", a biopic about the passionate and tormented life of 50s rocker Gene Vincent, and Richard Hamilton of Los Angeles took second in the All Genre Category" with Hidden" a thriller about a childless couple, both doctors, who adopt the boy next door when his parents are murdered...and begin to wonder if the boys as innocent as they believed. $250.00 Third Prize winner Chris Velazquez of Los Angeles won in Music Category" with his submission of Inappropriate" a wild comedy about a brilliant advertising exec on the verge of a nervous breakdown, who is forced by his company to spend the next 24 hours a day with a famous woman psychiatrist, who may be having her own break with reality, and Lorri Shundich and Daniel Ezell of Santa Monica, California won third in the All Genre Category" with 41 Minutes", a drama about a New York composer who has to teach chorus in a public school while he pursues his big break. All winners will also receive a prize package of goods and services from Movie Magic, ScriptShark, Scr(i)pt Magazine, and the Writers Boot Camp.

Winners were selected by a panel of professional filmmakers, including screenwriter Sam Harper (Cheaper by the Dozen", Just Married"), producer-manager Doug Draizin (Fools Rush In", Spy Hard"), and Director Bryan Gordon (HBOs Curb Your Enthusiasm").

This is the first year of the Screenplay Showdown and is sponsored by the Nashville Screenwriters Conference. The Screenplay Showdown was created to honor the work of the best new screenwriters from around the country and to serve as a bridge between writers and the Hollywood film industry.

The competition, which began in May 2004, attracted 368 participants from all over the country, as well as Canada, England and Australia. All contestants had to meet eligibility requirements and could not have earned income more than $20,000 as writers in the film and/or television industry. Screenplays submissions from 34 applicants advanced to the semi-final round and the top three finalists in each category had their screenplays read and considered for representation by people from literary agencies and management companies including Creative Artists Agency, the William Morris Agency, United Talent Agency, Paradigm Literary Agency, Industry Entertainment, Bender-Spink Literary Agency, and Blue Train Entertainment. In addition, the winning screenplays were read for possible optioning and development deals by production companies and producers: HBO Films (The Sopranos", Six Feet Under", Deadwood"), Tapestry Films (The Wedding Planner", Pay it Forward", Plan B (Brad Pitt and Jennifer Anistons Production Company) Fusion FilmWorks and William Teitler Prods (Polar Express", Mr. Hollands Opus")

For information about the Screenplay Showdown visit www.nashscreen.com

About The Nashville Screenwriters Conference:

Founded in 1999, the Nashville Screenwriters Conference is a 501 (C) (3) not-for-profit organization. A portion of conference profits benefit the Watkins Film School.

For more information about NSC visit www.nashscreen.com or contact Lisa Jackson at MaxMedia 951-272-2228

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