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What's New, BlueCat?
The Official Newsletter of the
Bluecat Screenplay Competition
June 25th, 2013
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IN THIS WEEK'S NEWSLETTER:
- 7 Steps to Writing Your Screenplay
- 19 of the Best Films of 2012 Available Now on Netflix
- Gender and Spec Sales
- Jim Jarmusch's Five Golden Rules of Filmmaking
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Selected Scripts: TAKE SHELTER
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Hitchcock's Storyboards from 13 Classic Films
- Video Interview with MUD Writer/Director Jeff Nichols
- Ten Best Last Lines
- Willamette Writers Conference
- Upcoming Workshops: Philadelphia, New York, and online
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2014 Call for Entries
We are now open for submissions!
Official Call for Entries
Next Deadline: Monday, July 1, 2013
Entry Fee: ($60 Features, $40 Shorts)
All screenplays submitted by July 1 will receive written analysis by July 15.
This year, BlueCat establishes one of the largest cash prizes in the world for a Short Screenplay, with a Grand prize of $10,000, along with an increase in our Feature prize to $15,000.
Students will be eligible to submit their short screenplay at a discounted rate of $29 for the duration of the competition.
Each Short Screenplay submission will receive one written analysis, while each Feature Screenplay entry will receive two.
Best Feature Screenplay
$15,000 Grand Prize
Four Finalists
Best Short Screenplay
$10,000 Grand Prize
Three Finalists
$1,500 Prize
The Cordelia Award
Best Feature Screenplay from the UK
$1,500 Prize
The Joplin Award
Best Feature Screenplay from outside the USA, Canada or the UK
$1,500 Prize
Movie Title Contest:
Three Winners $250 each
SUBMIT YOUR SCREENPLAY
Recent achievements by BlueCat Alumni include:
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Young Il Kim's script, RODHAM, a 2012 Blacklist Script, recently attached director Jason Ponsoldt (THE SPECTACULAR NOW). Young recently won the 2013 Alfred P. Sloan Commissioning Grant from Sundance, where he will write a biopic on Stephen Hawking.
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Aaron Guzikowski's PRISONERS, starring Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal and Melissa Leo, will be released September 2013. The Sundance Channel recently bought Aaron's TV pilot, THE DESCENDENTS, making it their second scripted show after RECTIFY.
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Ashleigh Powell sold her script, SOMACELL, to Warner Brothers, with David Goyer attached to produce.
- SOMACELL, along with RODHAM, were two 2012 Blacklist Scripts written by BlueCat Alumni.
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Seven Steps to Writing Your Screenplay
Today's featured article comes from Ryan David Jahn and the pages of the BlueCat Blog.
In the latest blog entry, Ryan lays out a seven-step plan to writing your screenplay, from choosing a story to sending query letters and starting all over again.
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Netflix Additions
Some of 2012's Finest
If your Netflix queue is lacking, and if you're still try to catch up on last year's critical darlings, then follow the link below to Indiewire for a list of 19 films from 2012 that are currently available on Netflix Instant. With a variety of options, you're bound to find something to suit your tastes. From Indiewire:
"With so many new movies flooding the theaters every week, it's understandable that a few noteworthy releases might have slipped under your radar within the past year. Thanks to the magic of online streaming, getting caught up on some of the best films of 2012 is just a click away."
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Jim Jarmusch's Five Golden Rules of Filmmaking
MovieMaker Magazine
Filmmaker Jim Jarmusch premiered his latest work, ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE, at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, inspiring MovieMaker Magazine to republish his "Five Golden Rules of Moviemaking" from 2004.
One highlight from Jarmusch: "... disregard the 'rules' you are presently reading, and instead consider them to be merely notes to myself. One should make one's own 'notes' because there is no one way to do anything. If anyone tells you there is only one way, their way, get as far away from them as possible, both physically and philosophically."
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Spec Sales and Gender
Under-representation of Women Continues
Only one of out of every eight spec scripts sold (those that were tracked) from 1991-2012 were written by women, according to a recent analysis by Susana Orozco.
Follow the link below to GO INTO THE STORY for all of the details and a more detailed breakdown of the analysis.
Share your thoughts: send us a note on Facebook or Twitter and let us know what you think.
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See Gordy at the Williamette Writers Conference
Portland, OR - August
Enjoy Gordy's workshops? The Williamette Writers Conference will be held August 2-4th at the Portland Airport Sheraton Hotel. "Willamette Writers' goal is to provide and encourage a creative environment and support system for current and aspiring writers." Register and find out the details here.
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Interview with MUD Writer/Director Jeff Nichols
From DP/30
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DP/30: MUD, writer/director Jeff Nichols
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With the success of his latest film, MUD, Jeff Nichols recently scored a deal with Warner Bros for an unnamed project. Nichols' second film, TAKE SHELTER, earned a slew of awards, including several from the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Follow the link below for Goyer's interview.
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We recently came across this list from a January 2012 Guardian article.
Reaching the end of a script is always a great feeling, but imagine how good it would feel to come up with one of these memorable lines as the final touch. You can always dream, right?
Follow the link below for the list.
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Wow. That's about all there is to say. Take a look at these incredible storyboards for films from Alfred Hitchcock. From Filmmaker IQ:
"Hitchcock was known for his extensive storyboarding down to the finest detail of production. He was reported to have never even bothered looking through the viewfinder, since he didn't need to do so. Looking at his storyboards versus the final film it's safe to say that is a vast overstatement."
Follow the link below to get a glimpse inside the mind of a master.
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Connect With BlueCat!
Be sure to "Like" us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter, for your opportunity to win a FREE ENTRY. Recent Facebook topics include sharing ideas with others and uncomfortable notes received as feedback. Follow the conversation on Twitter and look for writing tips, videos, and screenwriting articles.
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Hey, Whaddya Say?
"I think cinema, movies and magic have always been closely associated. The very earliest people who made films were magicians."
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Advertise With BlueCat
Would you like to advertise in our newsletter? Interested in a dedicated e-blast? We have nearly 13,000 screenwriters who read our newsletter every week. To discuss, please contact Heather at info@bluecatscreenplay.com.
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BlueCat Workshops
BlueCat Screenplay Workshops are a one-day, intensive opportunity to certifiably improve your script in a small group environment, led by award winning screenwriter and BlueCat founder Gordy Hoffman.
Your script will be read in advance both by Gordy as well as the other workshop participants; everyone receives in-depth feedback on their script from a number of different perspectives.
UPCOMING WORKSHOPS:
Online Script Workshop - June 27th - REGISTER
Online Workshop - September 26th - REGISTER
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