QUARTER-FINALISTS – APRIL 29TH
SEMI-FINALISTS – MAY 14TH
WINNERS – JUNE 5TH VIEW OUR WINNERS
• Submit the first pages of your screenplay (must be between 5-20 pages in length) that best shows your writing talent. Features, TV Pilots and Shorts are accepted.
• Writers who are shortlisted as semi-finalists will then be able to upload full length scripts and/or addtional material that will be reviewed (at no extra cost).
• 8 winning writers will be chosen to participate. Our semi-finalists will be invited to mixers and networking events.
☑ ONLINE MIXER & NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
Our Semi-Finalists will be invited to an online mixer as part of the Script to Screen Program.
The mixer will include Shore Scripts Staff, Script to Screen Program winners, and special industry guests. Get your questions answered, network, and become part of a larger screenwriting community!
☑ WILL RECEIVE SHORT FEEDBACK ON AN ASPECT OF THEIR SCRIPT THAT IS WORKING AND AN AREA THAT COULD USE FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
☑ A FREE 18-PAGE BOOKLET ON HOW TO GET YOUR SCREENPLAY PRODUCED
° (a Zoom-based program) Please note that this program is subject to change based on the guest speaker’s schedules. If something needs to be updated, we will ensure it is an equally valuable session.
WITH NORA KIRKPATRICK
WGA NOMINATED WRITER/DIRECTOR
HOW TO THINK LIKE A DIRECTOR
Focus: An overview of the craft of directing.
Covering:
– Finding the visual language that matches your writing voice.
– Evaluating creative choices from multiple angles.
– The director’s responsibility on set and in post.
– How directing influences how you write future scripts.
Nora Kirkpatrick did what her parents told her not to do, and joined a rock band. This band, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, won a GRAMMY, a gold record, and toured the world. Upon leaving the group, she sold shows to CBS, Hulu, Paramount and Comedy Central, among others. Her debut feature, A Tree Fell In The Woods, starring Josh Gad, Alexandra Daddario, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. She was recently a writer on Amazon’s Emmy and Golden Globe nominated hit series, Daisy Jones and the Six where she received a WGA nomination.. She is currently here second feature, Whodunnit.
Nora is also an actress, having played many roles in film and TV, including roles in Shrinking and The Office.
LESSON: SHOTLISTS
LEARN HOW TO CREATE A COMPREHENSIVE SHOT LIST
A shot list is not just a technical checklist. It is:
• A storytelling blueprint
• A communication tool for your crew
• A decision-making filter on set
• A time-management survival tool
WITH GOTHAM GROUP
MANAGEMENT & PROD COMPANY
HOW MANAGERS WORK WITH WRITER-DIRECTORS
Focus: How writer/directors position themselves, build credibility, and get hired.
Covering:
– How reps view and work with emerging writer-directors.
– Pitching yourself + your “visual voice”.
– Building a directing sample (shorts, scenes, proof-of-concepts).
– Finding work as a writer-director.
The Gotham Group is a prominent, woman-owned Hollywood management and production company representing top creatives and producing successful films like The Maze Runner and Kodachrome. They are known for nurturing storytellers across animation and live-action, offering deep client relationships and strategic career guidance.
LESSON: PITCHING
HOW TO PITCH YOUR SCREENPLAY
By the end of this lesson, participants will:
• Understand what a pitch really is (and isn’t)
• Be able to deliver a clear, compelling verbal pitch in under 5 minutes
• Know how to adapt a pitch for different audiences (producers, execs, financiers)
• Avoid common pitching mistakes that kill momentum
WITH NAT DIFFORD
HEAD OF FILM DEVELOPMENT AT CINEREACH
INSIDE THE DEVELOPMENT PROCESS: FROM PITCH TO GREENLIGHT
Focus: A step-by-step breakdown of how an executive moves a project through their system.
Covering:
– How to best position you and your project to recieve funding and grants.
– Tone meetings, lookbooks, and why execs need to understand the film you plan to make.
– Translating common development phrases (“leaner,” “raise the stakes,”.) into practical script and directing adjustments.
– Understanding the internal politics of a studio/prod comp to help better understand potential notes and delays.
Nat Difford is a British/American award-winning producer, script consultant, development executive. She is the Head of Filmmaker Development at the non-profit production company, Cinereach (Marcel the Shell, Sorry To Bother You, Beasts of the Southern Wild). As a consultant, Nat has run workshops for the European Film Market (EFM), led masterclasses for Film London, NYU, among others. Nat is on the advisory board for SXSW, is a proud awardee of Jezebel’s ‘Amazing and Kickass Women’ and is always looking for new ways to help nourish and hone ambitious visions.
LESSON: A DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
By the end of this lesson, participants will:
• Understand the purpose of a director’s statement and visual deck
• Be able to clearly articulate their personal vision for a project
• Create a concise director’s statement that builds trust
• Assemble a visual deck that communicates tone, world, and execution
• Avoid common mistakes that make decks feel generic or unprofessional
WITH JODY LEE LIPES
EMMY NOMINATED CINEMATOGRAPHER
VISUAL STORYTELLING & SHOT LANGUAGE
Focus: How cinematography supports story, and what writers-turned-directors must know visually.
Covering:
– Collaborating with a cinematographer: communication, references, flexibility.
– Composition basics: framing, blocking, lens choice.
– Camera movement and emotional meaning.
– How best to work on set.
Jody Lee Lipes is an Emmy and Independent Spirit Award-nominated director of photography.
He has worked with numerous acclaimed directors including: Derek Cianfrance on the Emmy-winning limited series “I Know This Much Is True” starring Mark Ruffalo; Kenneth Lonergan on the Oscar-winning “Manchester by the Sea” starring Casey Affleck; Marielle Heller on the Oscar-nominated “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” starring Tom Hanks; Sean Durkin on the Emmy-nominated limited series “Dead Ringers” starring Rachel Weiss and the Sundance Film Festival Best Director Award-winning “Martha Marcy May Marlene” starring Elizabeth Olsen; Lena Dunham on the Independent Spirit Award-winning “Tiny Furniture” and the Emmy-winning “Girls“; Tobias Lindholm on the BAFTA and Golden Globe-nominated “The Good Nurse” starring Eddie Redmayne and Jessica Chastain; Judd Apatow on the Golden Globe-nominated “Trainwreck” starring Amy Schumer.
LESSON: THINKING VISUALLY
LEARN HOW TO VISUALIZE A SCENE
By the end of this lesson, participants will:
• Learn how to analyze a scene beyond dialogue
• Identify emotional beats, power shifts, and visual opportunities
• Train themselves to think like visual storytellers
• Discover how to communicate story through blocking, framing, and action
WITH DAN JINKS
OSCAR WINNING PRODUCER
THE PRODUCER AND DIRECTOR PARTNERSHIP
Focus: Creative Collaboration vs. Practical Constraints
Covering:
– How a producer decides whether a director is the right fit for them.
– Rewriting.
– Negotiating creative ideas with budget, scheduling, and logistical realities.
– Working together to help maintain the original vision.
Dan Jinks is an Oscar-winning American film and TV producer, known for hits like American Beauty, Big Fish, and Milk. He’s produced TV shows like Pushing Daisies. In 2010, he established his own company, The Dan Jinks Co.
WITH BASIL KHALIL
OSCAR NOMINATED DIRECTOR
PRACTICAL DIRECTING: SHOTLISTS, BLOCKING & SET LOGISTICS
Academy Award & Palme d’Or nominated writer and director Basil Khalil was born and raised in Nazareth. His debut feature A Gaza Weekend premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, winning the FIPRESCI prize. Previous to that he co-wrote and directed the short film Ave Maria that premiered in the official selection at the Cannes Film Festival and went on to receive an Oscar nomination. Basil studied for an MA script development at Screen Academy Scotland, in Edinburgh, then worked on a number of television productions in London.
WITH DEVIKA BHISE
ACTRESS / PRODUCER
DIRECTING PERFORMANCE & WORKING WITH ACTORS
Devika Bhise is a talented actress, celebrated dancer, filmmaker, jazz vocalist, and native New Yorker. Bhise can be seen in television series such as Netflix’s The Recruit, ABC’s The Rookie: Feds, Fox’s Fantasy Island, NBC’s Chicago: Med, and the Apple+ anthology series Extrapolations, starring Kit Harrington and Meryl Streep. Her notable feature film credits include starring opposite Dev Patel, Jeremy Irons, and Stephen Fry in The Man Who Knew Infinity, Griffin Dunne’s romantic comedy The Accidental Husband starring Uma Thurman and Colin Firth, and The Warrior Queen of Jhansi, where she served as executive producer and played the title character, ‘Rani Lakshmibai” who led her army against the British East India Company in the infamous mutiny of 1857.
LESSON: WORKING DIRECTLY WITH ACTORS
WORK ONE-ON-ONE WITH PROFESSIONAL ACTORS
By the end of this lesson, participants will:
• Understand the director–actor relationship
• Learn how to prepare for actor collaboration
• Be able to communicate direction in a way actors can use
• Run a rehearsal productively
• Give notes that improve performance
WITH CHRIS LEBENZON
OSCAR NOMINATED EDITOR
EDITING FOR WRITERS/DIRECTORS
Focus: How editing reshapes the story and what directors must anticipate before shooting.
Covering:
– The editor’s role in shaping tone and pacing.
– Common mistakes new directors make.
– How to “edit in your head” before shooting.
– Why coverage matters.
Chris Lebenzon is a renowned, Oscar-nominated film editor known for his extensive work on major blockbusters, particularly his frequent collaborations with directors like Tony Scott, Tim Burton, and Michael Bay, earning him two Oscar nominations. Starting in the late 70s, he’s worked on nearly 40 films, becoming a key figure in Hollywood, establishing himself as a celebrated editor with a distinctive style. The films he has edited have grossed over $10 billion worldwide.
WINNERS & SEMI-FINALISTS MIXER
WINNERS & SEMI-FINALISTS ONLINE MIXER
An online mixer and opportunity to network with our winners, semi-finalists, Shore staff and available mentors.
2-PAGE COVERAGE EXAMPLE
