6th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Contest

THE WINNER HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED!

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Stage 32 is excited to present our 6th Annual Sci-Fi/Fantasy Screenwriting Contest!

Open to both Feature Script and Television Pilots!

The winner will meet with an incredible judging panel including

Executives from Marvel Studios, Unique Features, NBCUniversal & more!

This contest is accepting submissions of feature length, half-hour pilot and hour-long pilot scripts NOW through April 13th, 2022.

Who doesn't need a healthy dose of escapism? Sci-Fi and Fantasy classics like LORD OF THE RINGS, the HARRY POTTER films and STAR TREK are favorites we can watch over and over again for a reason. They transport us to a different world, while still exploring universal themes like family, friendship and good versus evil. Modern sci-fi and fantasy have taken this to a new level, showing us important and sometimes uncomfortable truths about society. This genre is all about pushing boundaries, and we know you can! Keep reading to learn how your Sci-Fi or Fantasy script can be read by judges with credits like MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, MR ROBOT, THE GOLDEN COMPASS and MORE!

What Types Of Scripts Can I Enter?

We are looking for out of this world Sci-Fi and Fantasy scripts of all subjects and tones. Whether your story is high fantasy, magical realism, sci-fi comedy, sci-fi drama - our judges want to read it! This contest is open to Feature Length Screenplays and Television Pilots for Limited Series and Recurring Series. If you write Sci-Fi or Fantasy, this contest could launch your career!

Feature Length Screenplays & Television Pilots:

This contest is open to Feature Length Screenplays and Television Pilots for Limited Series and Recurring Series. Please no pilots over 65-pages.

Judges' Credits and Company Credits Include:

NEW! Feedback & Resubmission Option

Would you like immediate feedback on your submission and the option to make changes and resubmit? Using our NEW Feedback & Resubmission Option you will get 3-5 pages of coverage/notes back in 5-days with a guaranteed option to resubmit one (1) revised draft of your script up to 10 days after the Final Deadline! See what elements of your script are working and what still needs to be developed. You can position yourself for the best chance of success - all for an additional fee of only $99.

This option is good for a one-time use and is non-refundable/non-transferable if you do not enter an updated draft. See full terms in the Rules Section.

Congratulations to our Winner!

Congratulations to our Finalists!

Congratulations to our Semifinalists!

Congratulations to our Quarterfinalists!

The Grand Prize winner will be flown to Hollywood to meet with:

Sean E., Manager of Production & Development, Marvel Studios (SHE-HULK, CHARLIE'S ANGELS)

Agustine Calderon, Producer, 3Pas Studios (READY PLAYER ONE, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD)

Michael Fry, Director of Development, Unique Features (LORD OF THE RINGS, THE GOLDEN COMPASS)

Drew Smith, Creative Executive, Unique Features (LORD OF THE RINGS, THE GOLDEN COMPASS)

Fiorela Canaj, Business Development & Strategy, NBCUniversal (MR ROBOT, THE IMPOSTERS)

Andrew Kersey, Literary Manager, Kersey Management (ROSWELL: NEW MEXICO)

Matthew Carpenter, Head of Creative Development, Venezia Media (ASCENSION, PARTY DOWN)

Casey Malone, Producer Snap, Inc. former Creative Executive, ImageMovers (MANIFEST, FINCH)

Spencer Robinson, Literary Manager, Art/Work Entertainment (BURN NOTICE, JUSTIFIED)

If you reach the Finals, you still get massive exposure to decision makers!

ALL FINALISTS will receive a FREE MONTH OF THE MEMBER'S ONLY STAGE 32 WRITERS' ROOM and will be in a Stage 32 Look Book which includes their script title, logline & bio mailed to over 500 industry executives including, managers, agents, producers, development executives, and financiers! Stage 32 Look Books are some of the most sought after talent resources for the industry and have helped secure meetings with places like Verve, Good Fear, 3 Arts, APA, Echo Lake, Amazon, UTA, CAA, WME, First Friday, Pathfinder, The Cartel, Art/Work and many, many more.

Previous Stage 32 contest winners have gone on to have great success! Most recently, the winner of our 1st Annual Action/Thriller Contest, Gregg Guest, booked a writing job on a feature through Stage 32. Winner of the 6th Annual Television Writing Contest, Layla O'Shea, booked a job as a script doctor through one of the judges of the contest! To check out more of what Stage 32 can do for you, take a look at our Success Stories page!

Sean Earley (Judge) - Manager of Production and Development, Marvel Studios

Sean is a Manager of Production and Development for Marvel Studios, where he has been working on "SHE-HULK", an upcoming comedy limited series for Disney+.

 

At Marvel, he has been involved in every single aspect of the development and production life cycle - from Head Writer pitches, staffing a writers room, the writing period, prepping pitches for and hiring a director, pre-production, on-set production, and post.

 

Sean started his career at CAA in the Motion Picture Talent Department. After leaving CAA, he worked at Lionsgate as an assistant to the President of Production. During his time at Lionsgate he worked on many projects in development, and was on the desk during the production and release of THE SPY WHO DUMPED ME and ROBIN HOOD starring Taron Edgerton.

 

After Lionsgate he went to work at Doug Belgrad's production company 2.0 Entertainment, which had an overall deal with Sony. While there, the company released PETER RABBIT, BAD BOYS FOR LIFE, and the CHARLIE'S ANGELS reboot. He successfully set up projects with Screen Gems and worked on projects in development with Columbia, TriStar, Sony TV, TriStar TV, and more.

Agustine Calderon (Judge & Mentor) - VP of Features, Amigos Studios

Agustine Calderon is the VP of Features at Amigos Studios. Previsouly he was VP of Features at 3Pas ("Trey Pās") which has a First Look production deal with Lionsgate for features, and ABC Signature for series. Their previous 3 projects with Lionsgate have made over $250m in the Global Box Office - starting with breakout remake of the classic OVERBOARD with Anna Ferris.

Previously, Agustine identified the IP, and co-produced TETRIS starring Taron Egerton for Apple+. He also just developed CRITICAL THINKING directed by actor, John Leguizamo.

He was previously an executive at a major production company with a co-financing and production deal at Warner Bros. His production and development credits include HORRIBLE BOSSES, MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, THE REVENANT, BIRDMAN, READY PLAYER ONE, WONDER WOMAN, THE LEGO MOVIE & THE LEGO MOVIE II, THE JUNGLE BOOK.

Agustine is also currently in development on a project with producer Beau Flynn (Rampage, Requiem for a Dream, San Andreas). Agustine specializes in Drama, Horror, Comedy, Action-Comedy Features, and Television of all genres.

 

Spencer Robinson (Feature Contest Judge) - Literary & Talent Manager, Art/Work Entertainment

Spencer Robinson has been in the industry for nearly a decade as a manager and is currently a literary and talent manager at Art/Work Entertainment. Spencer began his career in production at Cornice Entertainment and Howard Entertainment, and then moved into talent management at MBST Entertainment. For the past 6 years Spencer has been with Art/Work and continues managers both writers and actors for television and film.

Art/Work is a management company headed by Cindy Ambers and Julie Bloom. Art/Work merged with Verve in 2010 and represents writers and actors throughout the industry. They represent writers like Eric Heisserer, writer of 2016's Oscar-winning film ARRIVAL which grossed over $200 million worldwide.

 

Fiorela Canaj (Judge) - Business Development & Strategy, NBCUniversal

A native of Connecticut, Fiorela began her career as an Office PA on the Showtime series “The Big C”. From there she received her MFA from UCLA’s School of Theatre, Film and Television and went on to work in scripted at Electus, a production company run by Ben Silverman ("The Office", "Ugly Betty").

Fiorela left Electus to join the Current Department at the NBCUniversal Cable Scripted Networks (Syfy, USA, E!, Bravo) where she helped manage over 26 scripted series across the four brands. For USA, she worked on series including Anonymous Content's "Mr. Robot" starring Rami Malek and Carly Chaikin, Legendary Television's "Colony" starring Josh Holloway and Sarah Wayne Callies, and Hypnotic's "Suits" starring Gabriel Macht and Meghan Markle. On Syfy, she worked on series including DC Entertainment's "Krypton" and Original Film's "Happy" starring Christopher Meloni and Patton Oswalt. She also worked on series including "Imposters" for Bravo and "The Arrangement" for E!.

Fiorela currently works in Business Development and Strategy for NBCUniveral Digital Enterprises, but maintains a large network in scripted development.

Drew Smith (Judge) - Creative Executive, Unique Features

Drew Smith is the Creative Executive at Unique Features, the feature and television production company founded by veteran producers Bob Shaye and Michael Lynne. The duo have produced dozens of high profile films including THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy, The A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET films, HAIRSPRAY, THE GOLDEN COMPASS, WHEN THE BOUGH BREAKS, "Shadowhunters" (Freeform), THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES.

Unique features recently announced they will produced the contained, horror-thriller NIGHTLIGHT under Sony's Columbia Pictures. The original spec script was penned by Tyler MacIntyre and Chris Hill, with MacIntyre also set to direct.

At Unique, Drew is responsible for bringing in project ideas, exposing the company to new talent, and providing insight on current projects to better reach a worldwide audience. Prior to joining Unique, he was the manager of acquisitions at The Steel Company and brokered deals on behalf of some of the biggest international distributors at film markets included Cannes, Berlin, Toronto, and the AFM.

Andrew Kersey (Judge & Mentor) - Manager, Kersey Management

Andrew Kersey is a Literary Manager and the head of Kersey Management. In fall 2021, his client's comedy VACATION FRIENDS starring John Cena and Lil Rel was Hulu's biggest 3-day weekend opener for an original in the streamers history. A sequel is being fast-tracked.

In 2023, Andrew sold his client's action comedy spec script NEVER TOO OLD TO DIE, to Amazon Studios with Sylvester Stallone attached to star and produce!

His incredibly talented clients are working on projects at all the major studios and streaming outlets including Netflix and Amazon, and the networks and cable channels ABC, Fox, NBC, CW, Disney Channel, and Nickelodeon.

Andrew worked his way up through the industry, starting as a production company intern before working for the management and production powerhouse 3Arts Entertainment. He left 3Arts to get experience in development at a Universal production company, before starting his own management company, Kersey Management, in 2004. Kersey Management is a boutique literary management company that
nurtures unique storytelling voices in film and TV.

 

 

Matthew Carpenter (Judge) - Managing Partner / Head of Creative Development, Venezia Media

Matthew Carpenter is a Producer and Creative Executive with extensive experience in both film and television.

As a writer he co-developed and wrote for the SyFy Channel series Painkiller Jane, and oversaw creative development for the animated horror feature Deadspace:Downfall based on the hit Electronic Arts video game franchise. Other works include the action/horror feature film Navy Seals vs. Zombies released by Anchor Bay, the animated pilot Alien Admissions for Blue Ant/Mondo and the drama series Eden that was set up with eOne and Imagemovers.

Previously Matt was the Director of Creative Development for StarzMedia, developing both comedy and drama projects for the network, including the critically acclaimed Party Down, Crash, Head Case, Gravity and Pillars of the Earth. He then ran television development for Jason Blum’s, Blumhouse Productions, where his projects included the MTV drama series Eye Candy and Syfy Channel limited series Ascension.

Later, Matt was named Head of Development for ASIB Entertainmentwhere he focused on international co-productions for both features and television. Matt has since partnered to form Venezia Media, where he serves as Managing Partner/Head of Creative Development, developing scripted and documentary content, and is currently producing the feature-length documentary Zero Gand I Feel Fine based on the early days of NASA.

Casey Malone (Judge) - Independent Producer, Snap, Inc.

Casey Malone is an Associate Producer at Snap Inc. which owns the Snap Originals.

 

She was previously the Creative Executive at ImageMovers the production company of feature film Writer/Director/Producer Robert Zemeckis. She now takes projects directly to ImageMovers as a Producer.

 

Most recently she's worked on FINCH with Tom Hanks for Amblin Partners, Warner Bros.'s THE WITCHES, NBC 's "MANIFEST", and Disney's live-action PINOCCHIO.

 

She also has several original series and feature ideas in development. Casey meets with writers, directors, actors, producers, and is always searching for new and incredible stories to tell. And with a penchant for horror, she'll never say no to a good ghost story!

 

Prior to working at ImageMovers, Casey worked in production and at CBS Television. She worked at "THE PRICE IS RIGHT" and then made the jump to scripted TV and film at ImageMovers.

Michael Fry (Judge) - Development Executive, A-List Production Company

Michael Fry works as a the Director of Development for an A-List production company that has produced and sold films and series to Netflix, Paramount, Disney/ABC, and other major studios.

 

Most recently, the company signed a multi-year deal with Shout! Studios to release films across theaters, digital, VOD, broadcast and home entertainment.

 

The principal of the company was previously the head of New Line Cinema and the company has produced series including THE LIBERATOR for Netflix, SHADOWHUNTERS for Disney & ABC, and features for Screen Gems and Netflix.

 

Michael previously worked in high level development positions at a number of production companies including Michael Bay's company Platinum Dunes where he contributed to A QUIET PLACE and David Leitch's company, 87 North, which produced DEADPOOL 2 and Brad Pitt's latest film BULLET TRAIN This executive also had a hand in involved with such films as BUMBLEBEE and LA LA LAND.