Act One

Act One Script Competition

November 1, 2010, HOLLYWOOD

Somewhere out there is a writer with a powerful story that will inspire and energize the world. Could it be you?

More than ever, Hollywood is craving new points of view and inspiring stories. You could hold the unique voice it’s looking for. Act One is holding its first ever Script Competition to find these unique voices. We’re looking for writers with great and undiscovered talent who have already made good first steps in mastering the craft of movie writing, and we want to give them the chance to have their work looked at by some of Hollywood’s top agents and producers.

We are looking for scripts that exemplify the core principles around which Act One was formed: artistry, professionalism, meaning and spirituality. We want scripts that move us and connect us to that which is good, beautiful and true. We want layered imagery, profound subtext and all the poetry possible in this powerful medium. We want scripts that are excellent, a cut above the rest, and reveal you to be the most vital, undiscovered voice out there.

Think you have a script like that? Then what are you waiting for?

All entries can now be submitted on Withoutabox: click here

The Early Bird deadline for entries is December 31st, 2010. You will be alerted by February 1, 2011 if your script has been chosen to advance in the competition. If it does not advance, you may re-submit all the way up to the extended late deadline on June 30^th, 2010. ALL who enter may apply entry fees toward a script consultation of their choice. Quarter- and Semi-finalists will receive mention on our website.

Finalists will receive:

-        A free extensive script consultation ($330 value)

-        The chance to have your screenplay read by top industry professionals

-        Mention on the Act One website and promotional materials

The Grand Prize Winner will receive:

-        $5,000 cash

-        A free extensive script consultation ($330 value)

-        Script will be read by partner production companies and agencies

-        Featured on Act One website and promotional materials

All submitted screenplays must be between 85-130 pages in length and conform to standard screenplay format (please reference The Hollywood Standard by Christopher Riley for formatting questions). Only feature scripts will be accepted. Optioned or sold scripts will not be considered eligible. Writers may submit more than one script, and all submissions must be copyrighted. For full set of rules see our FAQ Page here. To enter click here!

Act One, Inc., is a nonprofit organization that has trained Christians of all denominations for careers in mainstream film and television for the past ten years. Stressing artistry, excellence, professionalism, and Christian spirituality, Act One prepares students to pursue careers marked by personal integrity and professional excellence, in writers rooms, on sets, and in studio and network offices. The end goal is not to produce explicitly religious entertainment, but movie and TV projects that respect and serve the global audience, combining mastery of craft with great depth and meaning. Over ten years, Act One has amassed a vast alumni network of writers, producers, directors and entertainment executives who are dedicated to producing excellent work for a global audience.

2011 Programs Early Bird Deadline

September 29, 2010

2011 Writing and Producing Program applications are now available here. Apply by Jan. 1^st and your application fee is reduced. Plus, you’ll be notified of your status by Jan. 31st.

You’re Invited: Two Great Sessions on Showbiz

StoryLink and “Vibrating with Originality”

August 5, 2010

StoryLink is another free screenwriters resource that stands out amidst a vast sea of writing-related listings on the web.

The site functions as a social network with user-created profiles that allow writers to interact from the comfort of their desks. However, you don’t have to have a profile to sink your coffee-stained teeth into many of the site’s resources.

You can find professional help for your screenwriting career in the Services section, browse the 162 Contest listings, or read blog entries like this one from Izzy Frost on coming up with sizzlingly original ideas.

Quality Short Films in YouTube Screening Room

June 7, 2010

If you are looking to break into the entertainment industry through making a high quality short, chances are you need to see more of them. Here’s a place on the web that connects this underseen format with audiences all over the world.

WGA Resources

June 4, 2010

The WGA West is the union representing professional film and television writers west of the Mississippi.  The WGA (consisting of East and West branches) offers a wealth of helpful information to members as well as aspiring nonmembers. Be sure to check out their section on the craft.

Read Scripts for Free Online

May 24, 2010

Here are three great sources where you can find movie and TV scripts for free online.

Drew’s Script-O-Rama – If you can get over the fact that this site somehow feels like a remnant of the ’90′s, you’ll find this a useful resource for downloading free PDF’s of recent film and TV scripts.

Simply Scripts – Another free site where you can find movie scripts, teleplays, radio transcripts, musical scripts,  and anime scripts.

Internet Movie Script Database – IMSDb bills itself as the web’s largest movie script resource. This site  is one of the cleaner and more well-organized sources of free movie scripts on the web. However, scripts appear in the body of the website, not available for PDF download.  This means readers must be online when reading, and the reading experience feels less like you have the script in your hands than when reading a PDF.

The Right Brad

May 18, 2010

The secret to the professional, Hollywood-insider way to bind your feature-length script is in the brad. Purchase none other than Acco #6 brads from the Writers Store.  These strong, 1.5 inch brads will hold your script together without slicing the fingers of innocent readers.  Do not add brad washers or cut the ends of the brads, or do anything that might make the script difficult to unbind or dangerous to handle. Use only two brads; place one in the top hole of your script and one in the bottom hole, leaving the middle hole empty.

Act One Story Symposium

May 13, 2010

Yet another great resource for screen storytelling is the podcast weblog for the two-day Act One Story Symposium held in October of 2008 at the historic Roosevelt Hotel in Hollywood.

From the site:

“This conference marked the beginning of Act One’s 10th anniversary year. For ten years Act One has been committed to training artists to tell stories which are deeply rooted in the Christian philosophical and moral traditions. For ten years we have relied on professionals within the entertainment industry to help shape our students and our curriculum. This symposium is an opportunity to take a look at the “big picture” and re-evaluate where Act One will go in the next ten years under the Hollywood sign.

Our theme for this symposium was “Story is something that happens to you.” We believe that the storyteller has a unique place within society and that their stories carry an immense amount of political and spiritual weight. Therefore the storyteller has a great calling, a vocation, to use character, dialogue and plot to effect a change in individuals and within the greater society.

It is our hope that we can use this Socratic discussion to reshape the way in which we perceive the storyteller, as a moral agent within a growing global audience.

The Socratic Method (or Method of Elenchus or Socratic Debate), named after the Classical Greek philosopher Socrates, is a form of philosophical inquiry in which the questioner explores the implications of others’ positions, to stimulate rational thinking and illuminate ideas. This dialectical method often involves an oppositional discussion in which the defense of one point of view is pitted against another; one participant may lead another to contradict himself in some way, strengthening the inquirer’s own point.”

Here’s the link where you can read about the panelists and hear the various podcasts.

Christians and Media: Prayer for Forgiveness

May 12, 2010

Under the Prayer section of this website, we have a prayer for forgiveness written by Barbara Nicolosi Harrington. It’s a great resource for Christians interested in media and we wanted to highlight it in this post since it’s a bit hidden. It’s a gem for those seeking various ways to pray for the media industry.