Ever wanted to write a movie? The time may be now. The Virginia Screenwriters Forum (VSF) is looking for the best thirty pages of a feature script for its inaugural “First Act, First Look Screenplay Contest.” The winner will receive $500 and feedback from award-winning screenwriters. The grand prize winner will be selected September 1 by guest judge Jesse Vaughan, RVA’s own director extraordinaire. Vaughn is the recipient of the 2020 Ted Yates Award for lifetime achievement from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
This first-of-a-kind, national contest will be held between April 1 and May 31. Aimed at newish to mid-level screenwriters, the contest emphasizes the importance of the first act, which serves as the audience’s introduction to the entire world of the script – people, places, and time frames.
For thirty-two years, VSF has critiqued hundreds of screenplays to help members develop scripts that sell, get optioned and win awards. Our former members include Vince Gilligan, who wrote “Breaking Bad” and “Better Call Saul” as well as dozens of produced screenwriters and winners of prestigious awards. For more information about the contest and VSF, visit virginiascreenwritersforum.com.
Feature photo is a VSF in-person meeting from 2019. Robin Farmer with VSF says the group has been meeting over Zoom, but plans to resume in-person meetings this spring.
