The ‘Pitch in Time’ competition is now closed… 
Here are the ten winners who have been chosen to get a free ticket to the Festival as well as a masterclass with Julian Friedmann before going up on stage to give their live pitch in the evening of Wednesday 2nd July.
‘Rag Dolls and Riches’
By
Vega Powell
‘How to be Popular’
By
John C Roberston
‘Little Wheel’
By
Elena Fuller
‘The Nuns of Navarone’
By
Anthony Keetch
‘OAPower’
By
Martin Gunn
‘Without President’
By
Simon Sayce
‘Picture of Darren Grey’
By
Barry Grossman
‘Divine’
By
Lucy Filmore
‘Baby Love’
By
Lindsay Darking
'12 Things I’m Gonna Do When I Grow Up’
By
Nicola Depuis
We have had tonnes and tonnes and, let it not be said, tonnes of entries, nearly 2000 all together, so much so here is a rough overview of what we’ve has been sent to us. As a Screenwriters’ Festival Website first, it is brought to you in rhyme...
'A Pitch in Time - The Rhyme'
There’s been Zombies, Ghosts, Vampires and Ghouls,
Stuff set in the past and stuff set in our schools,
Evil Kings, Innocent Queens, manipulating Politicians,
A shit load of Serial Killers with strange machinations.
Incidents, Accidents, Hints and Allegations,
Historical Events and a lorra Adaptations,
Cops, Firemen, Doctors and Nurses
Women with fury using nasty little curses.
Celebrity this and Celebrity that,
Animated animals and a talking Cat,
Apocalyptic visions and blowing up shit,
Aliens attacking, nice planet, we’ll take it.
God vs. The Devil in the ultimate fight,
Angels and Demons vying for the Light
An unsolved Murder of somebody good,
A futuristic Soldier hidden under a hood.
An Idealistic hero up against time,
A heroine in danger neck deep in slime,
Santa Claus and Elvis together at last,
A time travelling future boy stuck in the past.
Wives vs. Husbands, Girls vs. Boys,
Computer animated objects vs. Computer animated toys,
Jealousy and Revenge leads to Murder most fowl,
A quaint, simple tale of a man and his trowel.
Back from the dead and hungry for brains,
A chase on a motorway smashing up lanes,
Children lost in a faraway fantasy land,
A neighbour who felt like lending a hand.
Out of all these fab entries, ten will be picked,
A masterclass in pitching, to help get it licked,
In front of a live audience, each one a writer,
Hopefully leading to a future that’s brighter…
Good luck...KM
This is how two of last years’ winners, Darrin Grimwood and Jon Boam, have got on since pitching at the Festival.
Darren Grimwood – ‘Euston, we have a Problem’
– “I've had a very good year since the Cheltenham Festival. A representative of Hammer Films called Nic Ransome was in the audience when I pitched my zombie-comedy EUSTON, WE HAVE A PROBLEM! and requested the script. He enjoyed it and passed it on to Hammer-heads Simon Oakes and Marc Schipper who decided to purchase it. At this point I contacted Rob Kraitt from AP Watt who I also met at the festival who read the script and agreed to represent me. I'll be signing the contract tomorrow and will start on the first rewrite in the new year. I have also just had my first film made this year, a slasher movie starring Steve Guttenberg called CORNERED! It was shot on 35mm in Los Angeles and will be completed hopefully in April 2008. The Cheltenham Festival opened up a lot of doors for me so thank you for all your hard work that made this possible.”
Jon Boam – ‘Bloody Famous’
– “Script is going well. Hammer Horror are currently developing my screenplay, and since then I have got myself an agent, Borra Garson from the Deborah McKenna Agency. I am writing quite a few scripts at the moment, just to get my name and work out there.”
THIS COULD BE YOU
Just to remind everyone what will happen now:
- Ten writers will be chosen to go forward to the live pitching event at the Festival where they will pitch their ideas to the panel of industry experts and the audience.
- The ten finalists will receive a free ticket to the whole festival.
- Prior to the pitching session agent Julian Friedmann will hold an intense private pitching lesson for the ten finalists.
- After their pitch, the writers will get expert feedback from the panel.
- Out of the ten pitchers the panel will choose three winners.
- The three winners will then get the chance to talk directly to Film4 Executives about their ideas.
All shortlisted entrants will be interviewed and featured on the 4Talent website - www.channel4.com/4talent - within a special Festival editorial piece, giving exposure to their ideas and themselves to a global Internet audience of peers and industry professionals.
Terms and conditions:
- 'A Pitch in Time' Competition (the "Competition") is open to everyone.
- The Competition is not open to employees of the Screenwriters’ Festival (the "Festival") or 4Talent.
- Entry into the Competition is acceptance of these Terms and Conditions.
- Entries by Email only and must be in English.
- Entries on behalf of another person will not be accepted and joint submissions are not allowed.
- You can send in multiple entries but only one entry per writer will be chosen.
- By submitting your entry to the Competition you hereby warrant that all the information submitted by you is true, current and complete, and that the pitch idea and synopsis is original and your own work.
- No responsibility is taken for entries that are lost, delayed, misdirected or incomplete or cannot be delivered or entered for any technical or other reason.
- If you are chosen you must be available to attend the Screenwriters’ Festival from Tuesday 1st to Thursday 3rd July 2008
- If you are one of the ten finalists you will receive a free ticket to the whole three day festival.
- If you are one of the three winners chosen on the night of the pitching competition, you will win additional prizes that are to be confirmed.
- The tickets are non-exchangeable, non-transferable and will not be redeemable for cash or other prizes.
- Closing date for the competition is midnight Friday 29th February 2008. Any entries after this date and time WILL NOT be entered into the competition.
- The 10 winning pitches will be chosen by Friday 14th March 2008.
- Winners will be informed week commencing Monday 17th March 2008.
- As one of the ten finalists you may be asked to take part in publicity for the Festival and 4Talent.
- Pitching the idea, and/or winning, does not mean that your idea will be optioned, commissioned or taken any further.
- The panel's decisions are final and we will not enter into correspondence about their decisions.
- The Winners meeting with the Film4 Executives also does not guarantee any contract or development deal.
- Travel, Accommodation, Food and Drink at the Festival is your responsibility.
- Details of the ten finalists will be made available on the SWF website as will the three winners after the festival.
- The ten finalists may be asked to take part in promotional and media interviews for and on behalf of 4Talent and the Festival.
