3rd Annual TV Writing Contest

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!

The wait is over! One of our most popular screenwriting contests is back. The Stage 32 3rd Annual TV Screenwriting Contest is now LIVE!

For the 3rd straight year, Stage 32 is seeking the most original writing voices. No matter what format you write in – sitcoms, dramas, serialized, procedurals, mini-series, limited series – we want your work!

All 30 and 60 minute original pilots and 30 to 60 minute existing show teleplays are eligible. As you know, the television space is red hot and our incredible industry judges are anxious and ready to read your scripts.

This contest gives you unparalleled access! Last year’s winner, Danny Baran (Alt Alex), went on numerous meetings and was eventually mentored by Mickey Fisher, creator of Extant which is executive produced by Steven Spielberg. Another of our finalists, Duane Piedmont, was signed Kaplan-Stahler and Heroes and Villains Entertainment!

This year, our winning writer will be flown to Hollywood and sent on meetings all over town. Our 2nd and 3rd place winners will be set up with executive meetings over Skype or by phone. ALL finalists will have their loglines sent to our executive list featuring managers, agents, producers, development execs, financiers and more! 

OUR TRACK RECORD

We pride ourselves in giving our writers exclusive and direct access with industry decision makers. In 3 years, our contests have produced numerous writers who have been signed, optioned, produced or placed on television writing staffs! We work diligently for our winners to make sure they have every chance to take their careers to the next level! 

The first 2 years of our TV contest provided the following success stories:

• Scott Waldvogel and Matt DeMartini - signed with Gotham Group and APA!
• Duane Piedmont signs with Kaplan-Stahler and Heroes and Villains Entertainment
• Danny Baran mentored by Mickey Fisher (Extant – Steven Spielberg)
• Kelly Anelons met with Jerry Zucker (Airplane) and Scot Armstrong (Hangover 2) 

FEEDBACK OPTION

For an additional fee of only $49 (50% savings!) you can receive full coverage from our industry readers on your teleplay. Just check "coverage" upon checkout. Contest coverage will be sent once the winners are announced. 

WHAT KIND OF TELEPLAYS CAN ENTER?

30-minute Original Pilots

Teleplays in this category are 30-minute original pilots, and are not based off of an existing TV show.

30-minute Spec Scripts

Teleplays in this category must be based off of a currently airing 30-minute TV show, such as: Veep, Silicon Valley, Black-ish, Master of None, etc.

1-hour Original Pilots

Teleplays in this category are 1-hour original pilots, and are not based off of an existing TV show.

1-hour Spec Scripts

Teleplays in this category must be based off of a currently airing 1-hour TV show, such as: Story of Us, Orange is The New Black, Better Call Saul, The Ozarks, Mr. Robot, iZombie, etc.

Limited Series or Mini-Series Scripts

Teleplays for limited series such as Big Little Lies and The Night Of.

Anthology Series Scripts

Teleplays for anthology series such as Fargo, American Horror Story and True Detective

GRAND PRIZE WINNER

• Plane ticket to Los Angeles for a whirlwind tour of executive meetings!
• Meetings with contest judges from Zero Gravity Management, Bohemia Group Originals, Coscas Productions, Route One and more!
• Teleplay title, logline and writer's name will be circulated to our list of hundreds of industry managers, agents, executives and producers. If there is interest beyond the logline, we will facilitate the communication between the exec and the writer.
• Teleplay title and logline posted on Stage 32 for exposure to our global community.
• A logline review from the “The Logline Whisperer”, Emmy-Award winner Lane Shefter Bishop
• Free On-Demand Stage 32 Next Level Webinar.

2ND & 3RD PLACE

• 1 Skype Meeting with an executive, producer, manager or agent
• Three Free Pitching Sessions
• Free Stage 32 Next Level Webinar
• A logline review from the “The Logline Whisperer”, Emmy-Award winner Lane Shefter Bishop
• Teleplay title, logline and writer's name will be circulated to our list of hundreds of industry managers, agents, executives and producers. If there is interest beyond the logline, we will facilitate the communication between the exec and the writer.
• Teleplay title and logline posted on Stage 32 for exposure to our global community.

4TH - 10TH PLACE

• Free Stage 32 Next Level Webinar
• Free Pitching Session
• Teleplay title, logline and writer's name will be circulated to our list of hundreds of industry managers, agents, executives and producers. If there is interest beyond the logline, we will facilitate the communication between the exec and the writer. 
• Teleplay title and logline posted on Stage 32 for exposure to our global community.

WINNER ANNOUNCEMENTS - 2018

April 23, 2018: Quarter-finalists announced on Stage 32

May 2, 2018: Semi-Finalists announced on Stage 32

May 16, 2018: Finalists announced on Stage 32

May 31, 2018: Winners will be announced on Stage 32

If you've opted for script coverage with your entry, you will be emailed your coverage once the winners are announced.

Tai Duncan - President of Production, Zero Gravity Management

As President of Production at Zero Gravity Management, Tai Duncan oversees film projects from inception to completion encompassing all aspects of development, casting, finance and production. Zero Gravity is a production and management company based in Los Angeles that boasts a strong client list of screenwriters, directors, actors and financiers for feature films and television.

 

Tai Duncan recently produced PROUD MARY for Screen Gems starring Taraji P. Henson and HOW IT ENDS for Netflix starring Theo James and Forest Whitaker, HONEST THIEF starring Liam Neeson and THE MARKSMAN starring Liam Neeson. Zero Gravity produced the Warner Brothers, Ben Affleck starring action/thriller THE ACCOUNTANT, the drama A FAMILY MAN starring Gerard Butler and Willem Dafoe and Executive Produced the hit Netflix television show OZARK starring Jason Bateman.

 

Prior to his time at Zero Gravity Management Tai was a producer and Senior Vice President at Paul Schiff Productions, contributing to the feature films: MONA LISA SMILE (Sony Pictures Entertainment), WALKING TALL (MGM), HOOLIGANS (Odd Lot Entertainment) DATE MOVIE, and EPIC MOVIE (New Regency/20th Century Fox). 

 

Prior to working with Paul Schiff, Tai worked as an executive at The Donners’ Company, primarily focusing on identifying and procuring new projects and contributing to the creative aspects of the following films: TIMELINE (Paramount), CONSTANTINE (Warner Brothers), XMEN 2 (20th Century Fox) and OUT COLD (Buena Vista/Spyglass Entertainment).

 

Before his time at The Donners’ Company, Tai started in the agent trainee program at the United Talent Agency (UTA).

Justin L. Ross (Judge) - Executive Vice President of Development, Bohemia Group Originals (BGO)

Justin L. Ross is the Executive Vice President of Development for Bohemia Group Originals (BGO). BGO is the recently launched production arm of 25 year old, international talent management company, Bohemia Group. BGO is focused on both finding and developing outstanding material for an ever-changing marketplace.

Bohemia group represents over 400 industry professionals including Catherine Dyer ("Stranger Things", THE BLIND SIDE), Elizabeth Daily ("Rugrats", HAPPY FEET, WRECK-IT RALPH), Geoffrey Cantor ("Daredevil", HAIL, CAESAR!)Aaron Schwartz (THE GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, "Gossip Girl", THE MIGHTY DUCKS), Jed Brophy (THE HOBBIT, DISTRICT 9), Annet Mahendru ("The Americans", "The Following", "Tyrant"), Christie Lynn Smith (THE CRAZIES, "Justified"), Lindsey Haun ("True Blood"), and Natalie Lander ("The Middle") to name just a few.

BGO was recently featured in Variety for their current development of THE GET, a feature film based on the 1981 interview between Emmy winning late night talk show host Tom Snyder and convicted murderer Charles Manson - an interview executive produced by Roger Ailes.

Mr. Ross began his career as a script reader; later promoted to Creative Executive at Intrinsic Value Films (XX/XY, BROTHER TO BROTHER; MARJORIE PRIME). Justin lives in Los Angeles and is passionate about two things: great stories and good people.

Alexandre Coscas - Producer, Coscas Productions / Storyworks Entertainment

Mr. Coscas comes from a background of writing and producing film and television content with a primary focus on producing. Coscas is an Executive Producer on the recently set up shows I Know Who You Are (1 Hour Spanish Format) at CBS TV and PARAMOUNT NETWORK with David Semel directing and Wish a ½ hour comedy at NICKELODEON. He was a Co-Executive Producer on the Hallmark Channel television series When Calls The Heart (Based on a series of books), and he was the Co-Executive Producer on the pilot for The Saint starring Eliza Dushku and Adam Raynor, directed by Simon West and written by Jesse Alexander, rebooting the 1960’s series of the same name based on the international bestselling books. He’s produced a number of television movies for the Hallmark Channel, The Christmas Spirit, All Yours, A Christmas to Remember, A Royal Christmas, A Harvest Wedding and was an Executive Producer on the Lifetime film TalHotBlond, which was adapted from the documentary with the same name. He’s worked on high profile films such as Expendables, Playing for Keeps, Conan, Trespass while he was an executive at Nu Image/Millennium Films.

 

Coscas worked as a Creative Executive and Production Executive at Nu Image, one of the largest independent production, finance, and foreign sales companies in the world. While there, he worked on some of their higher profile pictures. He transitioned from Nu Image to MPCA, where he worked as their SVP of Production and Development overseeing the development of their television department while maintaining their independent feature film output.

In 2014, Coscas created Storybox Entertainment which is a production & development company with an international sales arm that booths at every market (AFM, MIPCOM, MIPTV, NATPE, BERLIN). As a sales company Storybox represents third party producer’s content and Storyobx is the exclusive sales agent for all of Hallmark Channel’s owned content (since 2015). Storybox currently has over 50 films on their sales slate. After four successful years, Coscas sold Storybox Entertainment in 2017 and started his own company Coscas Productions and a new international sales and Production and Development company, Storyworks Entertainment with his new partners Michael Lurie and Jeffrey Giles of Automatic Entertainment.

Storyworks and Coscas Productions are currently packaging and developing many different television movies and series based on formats, books, graphic novels and other IP, along with a healthy independent film slate.

 

Stuart Arbury, TV Executive - Ramo Law

Stuart is a television executive at Ramo Law. Ramo Law represents a number of producers, financiers, and writers, and are looking to find more clients to work with as well as connect their clients with applicable projects. Their offices work to develop, package and submit material for clients represented by the firm.

Ramo Law is currently packaging a Stage 32 writer's script with A-List talent and a top tier producer, as well as multiple other Stage 32 writers not yet announced.

Ramo Law has been involved in more than 400 feature and television projects, with over 50 in 2017 alone, and 13 projects at this year's Sundance including WHITE RABBIT, co-executive produced by Ramo Law's Tiffany Boyle and Elsa Ramo. They are looking to expand in the television space, where they have already provided Production and Legal Services on a number of series including Netflix's "Altered Carbon" and "Chef's Table", tru TV's "Those Who Can't", ABC's "This Isn't Working", DirecTV's "Billy & Billie", the Vimeo Original Series "Lonely and Horny", MTV's "Happyland", Hulu's "Battleground", and "Woke Up Dead", which premiered on the Sony Pictures Entertainment owned Crackle.

Stu previously served executive positions at Captivate Entertainment (THE BOURNE series), Dimension Films ("Scream", THE MIST, 47 METERS DOWN), and Canvas Media Studios. Stuart was also one of the co-founders of Wolf Knife TV, an award winning online comedy channel. His TV producing and writing credits include "Couchers" and "Bonnie Blake: Parole Officer".

 

Company credits include:

Rachel Clair - Route One Films

Rachel Clair is the Executive Assistant to Russell Levine at Route One Entertainment where she helps with the development and production of independent films and television content. Prior to joining Route One Rachel worked in development at Viacom and Good Universe.