Happy Oscars’ Weekend + Yes, Virginia, There Is a Showcase
Happy Oscars’ Weekend!
If you’ve long dreamed of writing a screenplay, you’ve probably also envisioned stepping out onto the stage at the Academy Awards giving your acceptance speech for Best Screenplay—or Best Adapted Screenplay. To make it a bit more real, write it out and send it in to mnscreenwritersworkshop@gmail.com, and we’ll print our favorites in the next newsletter. Be clever. Be pithy! If we use your fantasy speech, we’ll send you a $10 Target gift card. Members only. Deadline is April 1, 2022 at midnight.
Evan and Noah’s Annual Oscar Reviews
If you know one thing about SWW’s 2nd Sunday Host Zach Jansen, it’s that he loves movies. His whole family loves movies, and for the Jansen household the Oscars are an annual holiday. (They even make Oscar-shaped sugar cookies.). To prepare for this annual event, Zach’s kids make a video reviewing their favorite picks to win the Academy Award. Because they’re kids, sometimes all they have to go on is the trailers, but that’s what makes their reviews all the more fun. Click here for this year’s Oscar review. (Spoiler alert: They really like Dune.)
Yes, Virginia, There Is a Showcase!
Last year was the first every SWW Short Film Showcase outside at the Gremlin Theater in St. Paul. Good news! We are currently in discussions to bring the showcase back for a second year. If you’re a member and you have a short film you’ve written, directed, and/or produced, plan on submitting it to the showcase. Of course, if you don’t have one, the good news is there is still time to write and shoot your short film. Films must be 10 minutes or less to be considered. Stay tuned for further information in future newsletters.
David Grant Facilitates Wednesday Writers’ Workout on April 6th at 8 PM
Noted screenwriter David Grant will be the guest facilitator for the next Wednesday Writers’ Workout on April 6th at 8 PM on Zoom. (See link below.) As a screenwriter, playwright, and renowned instructor, David has had a long career nurturing other writers in their craft.
As a playwright, he has been commissioned to write new work for the Minnesota Science Museum, the Minnesota Historical Society, Mixed Blood Theater (in conjunction with Bedlam Theater and Voices of Cedar-Riverside), VocalEssence, The Playwrights’ Center, and The History Theatre. As a screenwriter, a sampling of his work includes “The Screenplay Project: Four Shorts” for Twin Cities Public Television (KTCA TV), which was awarded the 1990 Regional Emmy Award for Best Original Drama, the feature film scripts, “Fast Girls” for Russell Simmons’ Def Pictures, “Spirit Dive” for HBO New York, “Black & Blue,” a feature length dramatic series pilot for Davis Entertainment, and the Showtime Network, and “Block by Block,” a web-based dramatic series for children.
Don’t forget to join David to give your writing a mid-week boost!
Annual Meeting Moved to Late Spring
Due to fluctuating schedules in the first part of 2022 and a desire to reconnect in person, the Screenwriters’ Workshop Annual Meeting will be in the late Spring. We are working out details of a speaker and a venue, but the meeting will be in person and online and include a lite lunch (sorry, not available for the online folks), the announcement of our grand prize for our Mini-Challenge winners throughout the pandemic, and prizes.
The winners of our short script Mini-Challenges are as follows:
Social Distancing Challenge (May 2020)—“The Shell” by Neal Patrick Peterson on themes of social distancing
The Charlie Chaplin Challenge (August 2020)—“Dreamsicle” by Karen Frank, a script with 10 words of dialogue or less
The Halloween Challenge (October 2020)—“Knock Yourself Out” by Tiffa Foster, a Halloween-themed script
Procrastination Challenge (January 2021)—“Breaking Up Is Hard to Do” by Jeff Holman, on the theme of procrastination
The 5 Senses Challenge (March 2021)—“The Driving Lesson” by Karen Frank, a script that evokes all five senses
A Stitch in Time Challenge (June 2021)—“Reverse Wedding Pact” by Mike Dugan, a script that has a flashback or flash forward
The “Twisting Tropes Challenge” (September 2021)—“A Hooker, Her Pimp, and Their John” by Lucas Miller, a script that is written contrary to a common trope in movies
The Medium-Inspired Challenge (November 2021)—“Starry Night” by Charlton Metcalf, a script that was inspired by a work of visual art.
Watch the website and future newsletters for more details on the annual meeting.
Submissions Now Accepted for the 2022 Catalyst Story Festival in Duluth
Are you interested in series writing? The Catalyst Story Festival in Duluth is now accepting scripts, pitches or videos for series. Minnesota screenwriters are encouraged to submit applications now for the Festival in the fall. Click here to apply.
Participate in a Script Group, 2nd Sunday Table Reading, or Wednesday Writers’ Workout
Throughout the pandemic, our regular script groups have continued, 2nd Sunday has transferred hands, and our pilot of Wednesday Writers’ Workshop is now a regular program on the first Wednesday of each month at 8:00 PM. Drop in to hone your craft or simply get inspired. For more details on our regular programs, go to: https://www.screenwritersworkshop.org
Except for the Saturday morning script group, all online events are available at:
Join Zoom Meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/533859616?pwd=OWF5MTJkOFk3Y1Z4aHVVS0p1R3ZUdz09
Meeting ID: 533 859 616:
Passcode: 848149
Call in:
+1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
