I always like to ask myself questions and then an idea will come up. This time I asked myself if competition is real in Art, because Art is so subjective. And what is making us always see projecting on other competitions ? The dance field is particular where our physiques also have a major role in our career.
2. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Duality and dance
3. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
I made this film with my own money and with my friends. I had no real budget. But I wanted it to look professional and demonstrate that with passion you can still make a good film.
4. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Wow, I was sooo thrilled! It is my first time, so seeing people from across the globe talking about the message behind the film or the techniques that we used made me so so proud ! I also felt that the message behind my film was understood so that made me happy.
I think it would be Clockwork Orange.
5. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
I always had a foot in Art in general, but when I was 14 I fell in love with cinema, and since then I never stopped having this passion. It’s even growing more and more everyday. It really is my purpose in life!
7. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
I don’t really know yet I would have to look deep into the festivals, I’m still very new to this. Maybe some help fundings for the winners or new filmmakers ?
8. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
It’s amaaazing. So easy and informative to put your film on festivals, it’s great.
9. What is your favorite meal?
I love sushi ahah!
10. What is next for you? A new film?
Yes for sure but maybe in a few months, now i’m focusing on my freelance career and my exhibition in Paris!
DISMISSING THE ENVELOPE, 10min., USA Directed by Steven Wright Clarkson A young girl enters the painting world of four prominent artists
Get to know the filmmaker:
1. What motivated you to make this film? Really it started with my collaboration with classically trained tabla player Shreyas Iyer. After collaborating on an EP, I felt that the music had entered into a territory that was bigger than both of us. I decided on using “Dismissing the Envelope” as it was Shreyas’ favorite track and had more of an Indian Raga feel in form and length.
2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? It was months to finish the EP. But once the music was completed, the idea to actually have a young girl enter the paintings in the art gallery came to me naturally. I thought to myself, what better way to dismiss everything we hold for granted in the world of art than to enter and spend time there. The film was extremely complicated as an AI project. It was actually five separate AI films edited together. The prompts took a long time to come up with, given the result I desired. I hope folks see this as a positive way to use AI. To have the individual as the visionary directing the program to produce exactly what the director hoped to accomplish.
3. How would you describe your film in two words!? Art Transcends
4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Really, to find the right people to accomplish my vision.
5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? Pure joy! So many fantastic film makers’, musicians’ and artists’ alike influenced who I am as a musician and film maker today. This was an incredible validation that you can make films that are completely outside the box and still be relevant in todays’ World.
6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? I have always felt my music works best when put to film or video of some kind. I just finished a music video production class at Berklee and that certainly cemented that my creative talents, whether film or music, will always be intertwined.
7. What film have you seen the most in your life? Monty Python and the Holy Grail
8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? Just keep taking chances on the little guy. The artistic community can be a little daunting for someone just starting on their career.
9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? It’s a great site — when I stumbled upon it and won my first award for “In the Beginning”, I knew it would be a partnership that would stand the test of time.
10. What is your favorite meal? Sashimi — I spent 6 months after graduating college teaching English in Japan.
11. What is next for you? A new film? — I continue to work on my music daily. I’m hoping to continue to create films and also I would love to work on a score for a film.
In this episode of Doctor Who, The Doctor and her friends are caught in the middle of a museum heist, but the perpetrator is a familiar face to the Thirteenth Doctor. But who is she?
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Shawn Devlin Jen: Val Cole Ryan Sinclair: Geoff Mays Yasmin Khan/: Allison Kampf
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
My screenplay is about The Thirteenth Doctor and The “Fam” are caught in the middle of a museum heist on the planet Prodigal. The Doctor seems to recognize the perpetrator, but she is unsure from where. This screenplay is mostly about the mystery of the criminal and the secrets of Prodigal.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
The genre is Sci-fi Adventure.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I believe my screenplay should be made into a movie because the twist is that it contains a character who has not yet had a resolved character arc. I think this twist character could have a lot of potential for interesting drama. Within this screenplay, I feel as though I have fleshed out certain concepts that have always been under the surface for Thirteen, but were never fully explored.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Mysterious and fun.
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I’m going to cheat a little bit with this question and say the movie series I have seen the most was the Back to the Future trilogy. I was completely obsessed with the trilogy ever since I was a kid and although I haven’t seen the films in a few years, I could probably still quote any scene from memory.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I plotted the screenplay for about three months and it took me two months to write and edit.
7. How many stories have you written?
Way too many! I wanted to be Terry Pratchett until I realized I didn’t want to write prose, I just wanted to be snarky. But I’ve written eight screenplays so far.
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
That’s a hard pick. Today it’s “Burning Pile” by Mother Mother. But that could change.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
My biggest obstacle when writing this screenplay was probably balancing all of the characters and their reactions to everything. Especially considering the twist. But that was also the most fun part, figuring out how to write the dynamic between The Doctor and her “Fam” was an interesting experience and a fun writing experiment.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Pigeons, they’re so misunderstood.
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
FilmFreeway is pretty much the only platform I use to submit screenplays. I find the platform efficient and easy to use.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I submitted to this festival because I already thought this would be a fun story for Doctor Who before knowing about this and when I saw this festival on FilmFreeway I figured I’d give it a try.
She’s an emotionally damaged agent with a dilemma. Find a downed airman behind enemy lines, then decide whether to become his saviour or his assassin.
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Val Cole Paisley: Geoff Mays Madelaine: Hannah Ehman
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about? Pathfinder Down is about the horrors of Totalitarianism, regardless of what political or religious dogma it cloaks itself in. It is also about the futility of war…even the victors emerge damaged.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
Historical, Action.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
We are watching history repeat itself in the Ukraine 80 years later…there are real life Madelaines operating there today in attempt to fight back against the dictators.
4. How would you describe this script in two words? Historically accurate
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
Apocalypse Now
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
3 years
7. How many stories have you written?
4
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
Apple Music says it’s Weeping Willow by the Verve
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
My own learning curve
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about
Family, dogs, fitness
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
Always happy with Filmfreeway
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
When a petty car thief gets into a Monte Carlo he finds abandoned and running, he doesn’t realize he’s also getting into a $500,000 drug deal gone wrong. Will he be the hero of someone else’s story, or will everyone be brought down by his hidden past?
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Val Cole Business Man: Andy Camp
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
Rev is about accountability. It’s a story about someone who couldn’t handle their own story, so they drove out of it and into someone else’s. You know when you’re watching a movie and it’s so easy to say “why doesn’t she just talk to him?” or “no – don’t go in there!” That’s basically where Rev is at the start of the screenplay – life is something over there that he isn’t a part of and can pass quick judgement on. He’s trying to prove to himself and the world that nothing matters, that he can get away with anything. It’s only when he starts to care about the story he found himself in that Rev realizes there are consequences to his actions, and if he’s ever going to be where he wants to be in life he needs to accept that instead of running from it. It’s about accepting yourself, helping others, responsibility, and moving on.
It’s also about stealing cars and selling drugs.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
On the surface this is definitely a crime drama. There’s some humor to it and it starts off fairly lighthearted, but truly it’s more of a character study than anything else.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I think Rev would make a great movie because it tells a lot of familiar stories in new ways with new characters. It’s a ride a lot of people will enjoy taking, and will likely also leave them with some things to think about after they get out of the car.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
I’ve had some readers call it “Competence Porn” and others say “Too Long.” I think of Rev as “Karmic Justice” (but I’d spell “karma” with a “c”).
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
This is impossible to answer. There are some movies I have definitely seen upwards of a dozen (or dozens) of times, and I haven’t kept track of all of them. I can tell you that Max Payne (2008) and Inception (2010) are tied for ‘movie I saw in the theater most times’ at an even eight each.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I started writing Rev in 2022, but I had been working on the core ideas, characters, and plot for much longer. By the time I say down to write, I basically already had the whole movie in my head – it was just a process of getting it out and making sure it all fit. What’s been hardest is letting go of ideas I’ve had for a decade that didn’t quite fit. They’ll probably end up in the sequel if there is one.
7. How many stories have you written?
This is also hard to answer. Rev is the first feature screenplay I have completed by myself (not counting indispensable insights from readers and fellow writers), but I’ve co-written other features and solo written shorts. But if we’re talking stories in any medium at any level of completion? No idea. I’ve got quite a few to tell.
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
I’ll give you four: Steal My Sunshine by Len, Savior by Red Hot Chili Peppers, and I’m Good, I’m Gone by 3oh!3 are my three personal favorites, but Rollin’ Balls by Vents was probably what I listened to most while working on this screenplay.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
Having the discipline to work on my very rare time off – that was a struggle. It’s hard to make time for yourself and your projects. Once I was actually writing, it was pretty easy. The hardest part really has been making cuts after thinking I was “done.” Killing your darlings, as they say, is never fun.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about film-making as a total gestalt experience – I don’t want to limit myself to just being a writer when there are so many other parts to telling a story I want to be involved in.
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
I’ve been using FilmFreeway since 2016, and have yet to have an issue with any of the services. I have submitted three feature films to dozens of film festivals and competitions through FF, and all of them have screened at a few venues. I also buy my event passes for festival screenings there. The search function is very good at finding the kinds of competitions you’re more likely to see success with, and the ticket vending is efficient and easy to use. I have yet to utilize any of the networking capabilities of the site, so I can’t speak to that, but I’ve been pleased with everything I have used.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
It sounded like the right competition for my screenplay, and so far it seems like it is.
My first response to the initial feedback was the same as it always is for any competition: I didn’t want to read it! I get so nervous, and I really need to set aside time and sit with the responses for a while to read line by line several times through to process it. I have to get to a state of complete detachment in order to turn the feedback into actionable notes in my mind. It’s really easy to hear analysis and critique and just get defensive about everything, but then your work never improves. When I was able to go through it, I was surprised to see how well my reader really understood the story’s themes and appreciated my style. The general point of their notes was that I needed to drop my page count if I ever wanted a producer to read it, which was hard to hear but also not unexpected. I’ve been hard at work trying to slim off 20 pages since, and I can tell you that the screenplay has only benefited from it.
Sam is out to avenge his true love being stolen from him.
CAST:
Narrator: Geoff Mays Sam: Steve Rizzo
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about? Poor Sam, outmaneuvered by a devious, conniving administrator , not only lost his job, but his true love and is going to get his revenge.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under? Definitely a “Time-Traveling-RomCom.” Is that a genre?
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie? It’s good fun, lots of confusion as Sam and his true love flip back and forth thru time trying to fix things.
4. How would you describe this script in two words? RomCom time-aelicious
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life? Guessing: “Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”?
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay? Several weeks now, trying to lay out the storyline.
7. How many stories have you written? Least a hundred different scripts of varying quality.
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?) Varies throughout my life, but generally movie music and generally from Musical movies.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay? Time is a big one.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about? Animation (watching and making).
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site? Amazingly easy. I actually started working before FilmFreeway and tracking down contests and entering was a real hard thing to do. They’ve made it wonderfully easy and productive.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? I was intrigued and wondered could I actually make a “one page story”. I’ve become a great fan of short script/short stories, how they wonderfully force you to “cut the fat” and concentrate on just the story.
Summary: After Nefret goes missing, it puts Mazim’s place in the war in doubt, but despite his family’s safety, he won’t leave without Nefret, which leads him to face horrifying consequences.
CAST LIST:
Narrator: Val Cole Mezut: Steve Rizzo Layla: Hannah Ehman
Get to know the writer:
1. What is your screenplay about?
My screenplay is about, thematically, the struggle of reconciliation. The protagonist, Mazim Al-Farouq, chooses to have he and his family (wife and son) remain in their home village of Zareda, despite the encroaching invaders. His extraordinary super power is also his vice as he cannot emotionally live without his steppe eagle, Nefret. In reality, he should leave and put his human family members first, but he refuses to abandon his avian companion. This decision indirectly results in the death of son, Mezut. The remainder of the script explores the fallout from this tragedy.
Mazim and his wife, Layla, along with Mazim’s close friend, Firadh, escape the village upon the invasion, but Mezut falls to the sword by the Sojan warlord. Mazim and Layla must now emotionally reconcile the damage done by their beloved son’s demise. And Mazim, alone, must reconcile the fact that he could have saved his son from death and himself from unbearable guilt. As Layla grows increasingly resentful of Mazim, blaming him for Mezut’s death, the couple grows emotionally apart. However, despite this falling out of love, they must pick themselves up and return to the village to bury their son so that his soul may find peace in the Field of Reeds, for only those buried can find their way out of the Underworld and into Paradise.
2. What genres does your screenplay fall under?
The umbrella genre that this screenplay falls under would be Drama. The sub-genre would be Action/War.
3. Why should this screenplay be made into a movie?
I think this screenplay should be made into a film for the sole reason that Hollywood, as an industry, has seemingly fallen out of love with grand epics of antiquity. Sword and Sandal films like Gladiator, with strong emotional cores, are rarely made anymore. I would like that to change.
4. How would you describe this script in two words?
Emotional journey.
5. What movie have you seen the most times in your life?
I haven’t kept count but I have probably watched Finding Nemo the most out of every movie. It’s not my absolute favorite film but I watched so much as a child and as an adult, I have seen it a handful of times as well. My favorite film of all-time is specifically, The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Director’s Cut). A close second is The Social Network. However, I would argue that the single greatest 2 films ever made, objectively speaking, are The Green Mile and The Shawshank Redemption.
6. How long have you been working on this screenplay?
I have been working, creatively, on SAND for about 6 years. I conceived of the idea in 2017 and wrote my first draft in 2023. Between 2017 and 2023, however, I slowly developed the premise and themes, mentally writing the script in preparation to actually, physically write it. The draft I submitted is significantly different from the original. I don’t know the number, but it’s probably the 7th or 8th draft, barring small adjustments here and there.
7. How many stories have you written?
I have written, counting shorts, around 40 stories; give or take. SAND is one of my most recent.
8. What is your favorite song? (Or, what song have you listened to the most times in your life?)
My favorite song is a tough question… I feel like it changes all of the time. I don’t have the same relationship to music as I do with film so my opinions and preferences aren’t as rigid or set in stone through years of consideration and thought like my beliefs of film. I would say, at least at the moment, my favorite musical piece is actually a musical score from the show “Andor”. The track titled “Past/Present Suite” by Nicholas Britell is amazing and my favorite thing to listen to at the moment. I’m weird and actually listen to musical/orchestral scores more than normal songs like most people do. I particularly love Nicholas Britell, Hans Zimmer and Thomas Newman. Another favorite musical piece of mine is the main theme of “American Beauty” by Thomas Newman. The track shares the title of the film it is in. If I had to pick a “song, song,” I would say I really like “Always Alright” by Alabama Shakes.
9. What obstacles did you face to finish this screenplay?
I don’t know if I’d call them obstacles but I guess the hardest part of writing SAND was trying to get really down to the emotional core of the story. The plot is easy. Nailing the emotion; the internal conflict, was difficult. I think I did it, but I also recognize that there is much more room for improvement.
10. Apart from writing, what else are you passionate about?
Apart from writing, I’m very passionate about Football and Video Games. I honestly consider myself an NFL expert. I have a really serious and deep breadth of knowledge of NFL history and the game of football. I can tell you anything there is to know about it.
Video games are my main daily hobby. I play them often and get so much rich inspiration for films by playing video games. Film and video games are deeply connected; both being visual media. I’ll always love them and hopefully will still be playing them even when I’m old.
11. You entered your screenplay via FilmFreeway. What has been your experiences working with the submission platform site?
My experience on Film Freeway has been up and down. Mixed. I have entered many other screenplays into various contests over the last couple of years and the only success I’ve ever had was winning the Mystic, CT Screenplay Contest for a boxing script I wrote called “Journey Man” and I won 2 other festivals with a TV pilot I wrote called “From the Ashes”. The latter has also gotten 2 other awards in other festivals but they were more minor awards. Your festival is the first one in which SAND was awarded anything; although I have only just recently entered SAND into any at all. Yours being one of the first ones.
12. What influenced you to enter the festival? What were your feelings on the initial feedback you received?
I was influenced to enter your festival because I saw it while browsing festivals and figured SAND was a great fit for the theme of your festival; being a “Fantasy/Sci-Fi” festival.
My feelings on the initial feedback were definitely positive. I was flattered by the compliments and receptive of the critiques. I already have a total rewrite of SAND in the works based on your feedback as well as some close friends and colleagues who also write. The only criticism I feel confused about, in regards to how exactly I can improve on it, is the aspect that my “voice” doesn’t come out in SAND. A colleague of mine has also stated the same criticism about SAND as well as a few other of my screenplays. I’m not insulted or offended by the critique, I’m simply unsure of what exactly it means. How can I address it in subsequent drafts? I have not really been given an example of precisely what the “voice” means and how to make it present in the screenplay and my other writing. Perhaps we can discuss it when we do the podcast interview.
A showcase of the best Action/Adventure Films and Screenplays from around the world.
Submit via FilmFreeway:
Festival takes place every single month online.
Film Festival will be showcased at the monthly virtual film festival.
Screenplay submissions offers writers at all levels the fantastic opportunity to hear their stories read aloud using professional actors. Full feedback on all submissions as well by our team of professional screenwriters.
We have created a hybrid festival with 4 tiers to enhance your film and your festival experience. All accepted films receive all four tier options:
Tier #1 – Your film plays at a private festival event where the audience will record their comments/reactions to your film on their camera or phone, then we edit them and send you a promotional video. No matter what you will receive a promotional video of your film of people commenting on your film.
Tier #2 (optional) – Your film plays on the Film Festival streaming service for 30 hours and invite a select industry audience to watch it. With this system, some films have already received a distribution deal as many platforms are looking for solid feature and short documentaries. We can not guarantee anything of course but this has been very helpful to many in the past. (see testimonials below)
Then (Tier #3) we will send you a list of questions to answer for our blog interview that will promote you and your film. Then after that (Tier #4) we will set up a podcast interview on our popular ITunes show where will we chat with you about the process of how the film was made.
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HOPE FOR THE HOLIDAYS, 95min., USA
Directed by Yuri Omar Shariff Williams, Nathan Cribari
In this participatory documentary, join Yuri and Rodney on a heartfelt mission as they, dressed as Santa’s helpers, traverse the diverse landscapes of every US state during the holidays. Their goal is to bring hope to families facing difficult circumstances, including those in animal shelters, homes with special needs, disabilities, and individuals battling life-threatening illnesses. From snow storms in remote landscapes to navigating the weathered side streets of major cities, these two men are committed to spreading holiday cheer by providing gifts and dedicating time to listen to the stories of those they encounter. Doors will open across America as Yuri and Rodney embark on a journey to bring hope during the holiday season.
info@hope4theholidaysfilm.com
Festivals take place at various Cinemas in downtown Toronto, Canada, for the audience feedback video.
Submit via FilmFreeway:
NOTE: The festival has created a hybrid festival with 4 tiers to enhance your film and your festival experience. All accepted films receive all four tier options:
Tier #1 – Your film plays at either a public live event where we will record the audience reactions of your short or feature and then send you the feedback video. Or, it plays at a private festival event where the audience will record their comments/reactions to your film on their camera or phone, then we edit them and send you a promotional video. No matter what you will receive a promotional video of your film of people commenting on your film.
Tier #2 – We put up your film live on the Film Festival Streaming Service for 30 hours and invite a select industry audience to watch it. With this system, some films have already received a distribution deal as many platforms are looking for solid feature and short films. We can not guarantee anything of course but this has been very helpful to many in the past. (see testimonials below)
Then (Tier #3) we will send you a list of questions to answer for our blog interview that will promote you and your film. Then after that (Tier #4) we will set up a podcast interview on our popular ITunes show where will we chat with you about the process of how the film was made.
Festival Reviews 