Winners Announced! Click the "Winners" Tab Above!

Three (3) Grand Prize winners will be flown to LA for meetings with a group of leading industry executives

• Second through Fifth place winners will meet with leading industry executives one-on-one via Skype
• Top 10 writers receive prize packages
• All Finalists will have their loglines presented to over 500 industry executives including literary managers, agents and producers

Our Contest Winners See Results

Every single one of our contest winners has been signed. Don't believe us? Click the "Winners" tab above to see videos and testimonials from our past winners! Stage 32 has quickly emerged as the leading source for industry executives to uncover new talent! Is this your year to move the needle on your career?

• Benji Smith - signed with Meridian Artists.
• Brittni Brown and Jenna Palermo - signed with Infinity Management International.
• Trish MacEnulty - attached producer Gavin Dorman to her script.
• Scott Waldvogel and Matt DeMartini - signed with Gotham Group and APA.
• Frank Ponce - signed with 3 Arts Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment.
• Glenn Forbes - signed with Infinity Management International and optioned by Glider Films.
• Richard Hobley - signed with Paradigm and Goldcrest Films International.
• Michael Madden - signed with BenderSpink and ICM and writing on ABC series.  

About the Stage 32 Happy Writers Annual Feature Script Contest

By immense popular demand, we are thrilled to bring you The 2nd Annual Stage 32 Feature Script Contest. We are looking to find the top undiscovered writers and the best feature scripts of 2016. As a result of our history with industry insiders and our global reach, we are able to connect the top writers from around the world to leading executives who can make a difference in their career. We develop and champion the best new writers in Hollywood, and executives across the industry love discovering talent from Stage 32 - click here to see what they say about us. Also, our success stories speak for themselves.

About the Exposure For Your Script

At Stage 32, we take access and exposure very seriously. To that end, we've lined up amazing opportunities for the top 10 writers of our feature contest.

Three Grand Prize Winners

This year we will be flying out the top THREE Grand Prize winners of The 2nd Annual Stage 32 Happy Writers Feature Contest to Los Angeles! Each winner will meet with a group of executives from top literary and production companies all around Hollywood. In our previous contests, our winners met with executives from Universal, RatPac Entertainment, Lionsgate, SONY and APA to name a few. And, as if that isn't enough, the top three Grand Prize Winners will also get unlimited access to a Stage 32 Happy Writers team member who will continue to champion their work for one year. With over 500 executives in our roster (many of them working exclusively with Stage 32), that Stage 32 Happy Writers team member will act as a gateway for the writer to gain access to the industry's leading companies and executives in Los Angeles, New York and London.

Top Ten Winners

2nd through 5th place winners will receive amazing opportunities including one-on-one meetings over Skype with our executives. And, in addition, 3 honorable mentions to round out the top 10 will also receive a Stage 32 Happy Writers online pitch session with the executive of their choice and a free screenwriting class on the subject of their choice. All of the Second through Fifth Place and Honorable Mention Winners will have their loglines mailed directly to over 500 executives. That's right. Ten writers will place in this contest!

Finalists

But that's not all. As we all know, screenwriting is an extremely subjective craft. Some very deserving scripts may make the finals but not move on. In this contest, that's OK. We're still creating opportunity by placing all our finalists' loglines on a special section of Stage 32 that only our 500+ executives can access. If any request your script, we will notify you and ask your permission to forward your work.

We have worked tirelessly to come up with the best possible opportunities for our writers from all over the world. With that, we are extremely proud to announce our Stage 32 Second Annual Feature Screenplay Contest.

Winner Announcements

July 20th, 2016: quarterfinalists announced on Stage 32

August 3rd, 2016: semi-finalists announced on Stage 32

August 17th, 2016: Finalists announced on Stage 32

September 7th, 2016: Winners will be announced on Stage 32

Three (3) Grand Prize Winners

The top three (3) winners will receive all of the following:

• Plane ticket to Los Angeles
• Meeting with a group of industry executives
• Cocktail hour with various executive contest judges
• A Stage 32 Happy Writers team member as a mentor for 1 year
  
• Your logline sent to over 500 executives
• Script's title, logline and writer's name will be listed on the Stage 32 Happy Writers site accessible by industry executives

2nd and 3rd Place Winners

2nd and 3rd place winners will receive the following:

• 2 Skype meetings with top executives
  
• Your logline sent to over 500 executives
• Script's title, logline and writer's name will be listed on the Stage 32 Happy Writers site accessible by industry executives

4th and 5th Place Winners

4th and 5th place winners will receive the following:

• Skype meeting with top executive
• Your logline sent to over 500 executives
• Script's title, logline and writer's name will be listed on the Stage 32 Happy Writers site accessible by industry executives

Three (3) Honorable Mentions

Three (3) Writers will receive Honorable Mentions. They will each receive the following:

• Your logline sent to over 500 executives
• 1 Free Stage 32 Happy Writers Pitch Session
• Script's title, logline and writer's name will be listed on the Stage 32 Happy Writers site accessible by industry executives

ALL Finalists

• All finalist's loglines will be listed on a special section on Stage 32 that only our executives can access. We will send out a notification with the announcement of the loglines to all of our executives. If a script is requested, the Stage 32 Happy Writers will act as the liaison.

Stage 32's Commitment: Opportunity. Access. Networking. Education.

It comes with great delight as we announce the 2nd Annual Feature Screenplay Contest Winners! Our judges were simply “wowed” by the writing caliber and talent of this group, and we couldn’t agree more. The 3 Grand Prize Winners are in for a Hollywood treat. They’ll be flown to Los Angeles to have meetings with a group of industry execs, enjoy a cocktail hour with some of our executive contest judges, be mentored by a Stage 32 Happy Writers team member for 1-year, have their logline sent to over 500 executives, and last but not least, their winning script’s title, logline and their name will be listed on the Stage 32 Happy Writers site accessible by industry executives.

Our hats are off to our winners!

Please celebrate with us on social and tag us on Twitter: @stage32 and Instagram: @stage32online #stage32rocks

Three (3) Grand Prize Winners

THE LOT Adam Taylor

SCARED LITTLE GIRLS Amy Heidish

THE CURMUDGEONS Shiv Sudhakar

2nd Place Winner

BE NORMAL Joanna Benecke

3rd Place Winner

SPIRAL STAIRS The Cahill Brothers

4th Place Winner

THE SOLDIER NUN Gabriel Robinson

5th Place Winner

DANCING WITH MYSELF Carl Hippensteel

Three (3) Honorable Mentions

BAD COP Devin S. Hamilton

AMBER Gary A. Piazza

QUARTERBACK QUEEN Larry Woldenberg

All Finalists loglines will be listed on a special section on Stage 32 that only our executives can access. We will send out a notification with the announcement of the loglines to all of our executives. If a script is requested, the Stage 32 Happy Writers will act as the liaison.

Past Contest Winners & Their Success Stories!

Stage 32 Happy Writers has helped change the lives of hundreds of writers. Just look at our recent contest results:

- Jenna Palermo and Brittni Brown were the most recent winners of our Stage 32 Happy Writers feature contest. They met with executives from SONY, Lionsgate, Universal, Warner Bros, 3 Arts Entertainment and Gotham Group to name a few and were signed by Seth Nagel at Infinity Group International:

- Trish MacEnulty, winner or Stage 32 Happy Writers feature contest attached producer Gavin Dorman (former Creative Executive of Vertigo Entertainment) to her script.

- Scott Waldvogel and Matt DeMartini (TV Writers Contest Finalists) sign with Gotham Group and APA!

- Glenn Forbes, Grand Prize Winner, Stage 32 Happy Writers Search For New Blood Contest, 2014; Signed with Infinity Management International and his feature was recently optioned by Glider Films.

"I have signed with a management company in LA, Infinity Management International. I met them when Stage 32 flew me down to LA, and now the deal is done. I'm so thrilled to have Stage 32 Happy Writers in my corner for this ride. I've been plugging away for more than 10 years to secure representation. My message is never give up on your dream, and surround yourself with people who can help you get there. For that, Stage 32 has become my lynchpin."

- Frank Ponce, 2nd Place, Stage 32 Happy Writers Search For New Blood Contest, 2014; His script has been picked up for development by Atlas Entertainment (The Dark Knight, American Hustle) and recently signed to 3 Arts Entertainment! (The Dark Knight, American Hustle)

"My only wish was to find this site sooner for the sake of saving time, discovering in-depth educational value, and making legitimate connections. I have to tip my hat at RB, Joey and the gang for changing the game and helping shape my future in filmmaking. I’m honored to be swimming in a community of like-minded individuals. I’m proud to be Stage 32’s HAPPIEST WRITER right now!"

- Michael Madden (Stanfordville, New York), winner of the 1st Annual Working Writers Contest. Michael was signed by Daniel Vang at Benderspink, which lead to being repped by ICM and being hired as a writer on ABC's show, Black Box.

"I was fortunate enough to win The Stage 32 Happy Writers Working Writers 2013 competition, and the enthusiastic endorsement of Joey Tuccio captured the attention of an outstanding managing agent. The agent read my script, offered representation, and soon thereafter I became a staff writer on the ABC drama, Black Box. It’s apparent that Joey is widely admired by agents and producers for his discriminating eye, and his recommendations are held in the highest regard. The success I‘ve enjoyed would not have been possible without the support and commitment of Joey and his staff at Stage 32 Happy Writers, and I’ll always be grateful."

Robert Cort (Feature Film Judge) - Producer (Runaway Bride, Jumanji, Mr. Holland's Opus, Save the Last Dance), Robert Cort Productions

Robert Cort Productions is an independent production company founded by Robert Cort after managing the Cort/Madden Company which had a first look deal with Paramount Studios. With Paramount Robert produced Runaway Bride, The Odd Couple II and Save the Last Dance. Prior to that he was a founding partner at Interscope Communications where he produced Jumanji, Mr. Holland's Opus, The Cutting Edge and Revenge of the Nerds. Currently Robert Cort Production has several projects in development including the Ruth Bader Ginsburg feature On The Basis of Sex with Natalie Portman, an adaptation of the best selling book THE SECRET, a feature based on the the famous French mime Marcel Marceau with ShivHans Productions, the live action hybrid feature based on the classic Mighty Mouse cartoon and a television adaptation of famous sleuth Perry Mason with Team Downey and Robert Downey Jr. attached to star.

 

Alysia Reiner (Feature Film Judge) - Actress (Sideways, Orange is the New Black), Producer (Equity - sold Sundance 2016),

When Stage 32 member, actress and producer Alysia Reiner (ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, SIDEWAYS) formed her own production company Broad Street Pictures last year we were in full support. Together with her producing partner Sarah Megan Thomas, they sought out to "find wildly entertaining and thought provoking tales about brilliant women doing rad things." And they did. They kicked ass and took names with a female project and development dream team. Broad Street Pictures' first film, Equity, premiered this week at the Sundance Film Festival and was promptly acquired by Sony Pictures Classics.

Alysia Reiner is  just won a SAG award, and finished her fourth season in her work as the tough as nails assistant warden “Fig” on ORANGE IS THE NEW BLACK, as well as an arc on Shonda Rhimes’ break out hit HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. She also just shot a series regular role in the pilot DOWN DOG for AMAZON. EQUITY is the 5th independent film she acted in this year, which she produced and was just acquired by  and recently in theaters are 5 FLIGHTS UP with Morgan Freeman and Diane Keaton, and FORT TILDEN (SXSW winner). Reiner, one of the SAG Award-winning ensemble of SIDEWAYS can also be seen in THAT AWKWARD MOMENT with Zac Efron, had 2 award winning films (both directed by women!) at the 2014 South by Southwest festival.

Alysia Reiner conceived of, Executive Produced, and starred in SPEED GRIEVING, which had its world premiere at The Hamptons International Film Festival, has screened and won awards at over a dozen more film festivals all over the country, and is now used as a grief counseling tool in every Cancer Support Community center in the country. Alysia was an Associate Producer on BACKWARDS.

Alysia loves working as a change maker for women, and last month spoke at the UN about this very thing. Additionally she was just awarded the Sarah Powell Huntington Leadership Award by the Women’s Prison Association, was recognized as an INTELLIGENT OPTIMIST in Ode Magazine and profiled by New York Women in Film and Television as a woman to watch.

Sev Ohanian (Feature Film Judge) - Award-Winning Producer (Fruitvale Station),

Sev Ohanian is a filmmaker native to Los Angeles. At the age of 20, he produced and self-distributed My Big Fat Armenian Family, a no-budget indie feature film that became extremely popular with Armenian audiences around the world. Shortly after, he attended the USC School of Cinematic Arts MFA program - using the profits from his film to pay for tuition.

Since graduating in 2012, he has been a producer on 9 feature films. His first feature was as the Co-Producer on Fruitvale Station, written & directed by Ryan Coogler, starring Michael B. Jordan & Octavia Spencer. Fruitvale Station premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award. The film was released by The Weinstein Company in theaters everywhere 2013. Sev helped produced The Labyrinth, Memoria, and Yosemite for James Franco’s Rabbit Bandini Productions. In 2013, he was a producer on Where Hope Grows, a feature film shot in Kentucky, released theatrically by Roadside Attractions in 2015. He was an Executive Producer on the 2015 Sundance Film Festival Film Results, shot in Texas, and released by Magnolia Pictures. Sev also produced Tenured, a feature film for Fox Digital Studios, which premiered at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival. He Executive Produced a high profile Chinese co-production, the Untitled Papa Project to be released in China. Finally, he recently produced Clea DuVall’s directorial debut, to premiere in 2016.

In 2014, Sev was recognized by The Wrap in their annual list of 11 Innovators Changing Hollywood, alongside Angelina Jolie, Jimmy Fallon and other industry names. In 2013, he was awarded the annual Breakthrough Filmmaker Award by the Arpa International Film Festival.

Nuala O'Leary - Creative Executive, Raindog Films (Colin Firth's co.)

Nuala is looking for films in the $20MM budget range. She is interested in scripts with important themes. They are open to all genres EXCEPT horror. Nuala is very keen on high-end thrillers and dramas about real events and historical or culturally important figures. She is a huge fan of sci-fi and is always on the look out for great comedies.

Check out the trailer for Eye in the Sky, produced by Raindog Films!

Raindog Films is a film production company run by Colin Firth and Ged Doherty. Raindog Films looks to produce prestigious films with a social message, films like Eye in the Sky (Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul), and 2016's Loving.

When Ged Doherty and Colin Firth set up Raindog, they wanted to make the films that don’t get made because they may seem too challenging. They're open to lots of genres but the ideas should have something to say about the world we live in.

Nuala O'Leary is a Creative Executive with Raindog Films. Nuala began her career at Embargo Films working on feature films including; I, Anna (Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne), Pusher (Richard Coyle, Agyness Deyn) and the UK number one box office hit, The Sweeney (Ray Winstone, Ben Drew).

Most recently, Nuala was the Co-Producer on Sean Spencer's Panic (David Gyasi), and Associate Producer of the Catherine Hardwicke drama, Miss You Already (Drew Berrymore, Toni Collette) before moving over to work with Raindog Films. Nuala works in a Creative Executive capacity across development and production. They are heading into production on Official Secrets, directed by Gavin Hood and co-produced by Nuala O'Leary.

Credits include:

 

Patrick Raymond (Feature Film Judge) - Creative Executive, Mandalay Pictures

Patrick Raymond is a Creative Executive at Mandalay Pictures, Peter Gruber’s decades-old production company who is responsible for producing the 2016 Sundance Film Festival hit The Birth Of a Nation, which sold for a record-breaking $17.5 Million! Mandalay is also responsible for films such as Sleepy Hollow, The Score, The Jacket, Into the Blue, When the Game Stands Tall, Horns and many, many more.

At Mandalay, Patrick gets to work on his passion every day: cultivating amazing stories and working with great writers. Prior to joining Mandalay, Patrick studied business and film production at the University of Southern California. He worked in the financial services industry for four years before transitioning to entertainment, where he worked as a production assistant in television. After that he transitioned to working at Gersh in the production department but he also gained exposure to the literary world, working with writers and story. He then moved over to LD Entertainment for three years, where he was a Creative Executive, working with writers and helping build scripts and acquire ideas for new projects. Here he had the opportunity to work for Tate Taylor on a James Brown biopic entitled, Get On Up, and learned about assembling large studio films. He has since transitioned to the Creative Executive position at Mandalay Pictures. Patrick was born in Alaska and raised in Seattle prior to moving to LA.