Screenwriting : New Voices in Animation contest -- who submitted? by Pat Alexander

"Oliviana" is a series where, against all odds, a little girl struggles to build a tiny railroad to try to save her town from economic ruin and in the process learns a trainload of life lessons.

I would love to have this produced as live action, but it'd likely be expensive and potentially dangerous. Even compositing much of it would be hard. And likely unrealistic. So... Animation! Possibly in the style of "Up" or "Brave." I'm also writing the story as a middle-reader novel, so if anyone reading this knows of a 7-12-year-old adventurer who might want to join my test readers and read and comment on each chapter as it's written, please let me know.

Otherwise, everything else I've done can be found at hankthewriter.com

Hey all, this is probably my 3rd New Voices contest! I'm running with my favorite project, "The Sword in The Sprawl."

"The Sword in The Sprawl" is an adventure series that follows Cid, a human kid who's physically out of place, but emotionally right at home hiding under modern day cities with the myths and monsters that you'd only think to find in a D&D game. Cid is a treasure hunter (or thief, if you believe in things like "rules") who ends up on the ultimate treasure hunt: the search for King Arthur's missing sword, Excalibur. Along the way, he's helped by his grumpy mentor, Magus the one-eyes dwarf, and his conscience/muscle, Lorraine, the half-orc knight who both try to keep him out of trouble in their own ways. While they may not be the most stable of teams, the three of them are absolutely astounding at finding and procuring treasure by deal or steal (much to Lorraine's protests) and they're the best hope to find the magical items before someone like the crime boss Gilbert can get his slimy hands on them.

"The Sword in The Sprawl" is aimed for children ages six to eleven much in the same way that "Avatar: The Last Airbender" was in that while it's a kid's show, it has something for everyone. With a healthy mix of "Robin Hood," "Indiana Jones," and the aforementioned "Dungeons and Dragons," all plastered against a modern, real world backdrop, "The Sword in the Sprawl" is prepared to delight and dazzle anyone who gives it a shot.

I currently have a (not super visual) pitch site up at https://www.theswordinthesprawl.com and I have a comic artist working on an adaptation for a proof of concept, but if you'd like to know more, I'm happy to answer any questions!

Other than that, good luck to all the entrants and I'm wishing us all the best!

I submitted "Black Powder", based on my YA time travel novel from Simon & Schuster. It's like a "Back to the Future" for the New Millennium, with a Black teen as its hero, and a high-stakes, big concept at its core on a subject I've always cared deeply about-- which is constantly in the news. The story takes place in present-day Los Angeles-- and medieval England. It's been called "a laser-fast ride through time and space", and "School Library Journal" said the novel is: “a touching story of two great scientific minds” and notes: “The author of the well-received Betsy and the Emperor …has once again woven together an inventive plot that will sweep readers along to a satisfying conclusion.”

My submission is a pilot episode called "The Gift" for a series I'm writing called "Pigsford Hollow." The series is a co-family show aimed at kids ages 6 and under.

"Life on the farm in Pigsford Hollow is full of exciting adventures for young Emmie Delle as she navigates the joys and challenges of being a new big sister—but things don't always go as planned!"

The pilot is all about a little girl named Emmie, who has a HUGE imagination and is currently awaiting the arrival of her new baby brother, but things don't start out well for Emmie when the new baby arrives! Emmie decides to make a gift (a mobile to hang over his crib) from items she collects around the farm. With the help of her best friend, a young rooster named Bucky Cluck, and some of the other farm animals, they search for the perfect items to hang from the mobile—and, of course, things go sideways!

Emmie and her farm friends all struggle with their emotions- something every young kid can relate to. By writing about these feelings with silliness and creativity, I hope to make the process of learning who she is both enjoyable and effective for families.

There are also cute moments in each episode that give a wink to the adults in the audience, along with real-life parenting situations, as Emmie's parents are also adjusting to life with two very different children! (Because parenting does not come with a manual!)

At the end of the day, the love the Delle family has for each other shines brightly in delightful and heartfelt ways!

Hey there, I submitted my 4Q feature:

TITLE: Night of the Living Veg

COMPS: Goosebumps meets Gremlins

LOGLINE: When backyard vegetables roar to life and attack, a nature loving trans-tween must battle cabbages, kale stalks and Grandma's dreaded brussels sprouts to save her brother and survive the night.

Thanks!

Hey everyone, this is my first time submitting to a Stage 32 contest. I present a passionate and personal project of mine called, "Shadow Knight".

Shadow Knight is a high fantasy, adult animated series set on an original world called Tyr (after the Norse God of War). Tyr is a world that once brimmed with magic and tranquility until the invasion of Dark Lord Solomon and an ethereal race known only as the Marauders. The First Great Demonic War wreak havoc in Tyr until all races united under a human prophet named Prophet Zilfilna. Using a unique magic similar to the power of light, Prophet Zilfilna triumphs over the Dark Lord. Thus, a religion named Zilfility, Valiant Order, and the Conclave were established in her name.

A thousand years later, the pilot episode follows Mason, a schizophrenic knight under the Valiant Order with a mysterious power known as Shadow Magic. He also travels with his loyal dog companion named Jake, and with his horse, Luger. After successfully vanquishing a chimera, Mason takes its head and journeys out to cash it in for a reward. Along the way, he encounters a massacre in a nearby village. Mason investigates... Only to be ambushed by "Marauders". Once he recovers, he follows their trail to another village, Marathcaren, a home to a race of nekojins (artificial hybrid race of humans and cats). From there, Mason meets Cassandra, a devout nekojin follower of Zilfility and a peasant. However, Mason discovers Cassandra is a target by Dark Lord Solomon because of the same magic that Prophet Zilfilna wielded. Therefore, Mason entangles himself into a new war that will determine the fate of the world.

Shadow Knight is personal and difficult for me because it incorporates some of my experiences when dealing with mental illness. I wanted to share my experience using a fantasy setting and through the eyes of Mason. The Witcher and Netflix's Castlevania were major influencers, and shares the tone and style in how I envision this series. Also, some elements from the Lord of the Rings.

The most important takeaway from Shadow Knight is that even when all hope is lost, with yourself or with the world, never stop trying to do good. Nothing will get better if you stopped trying.

Thank you all for reading and best of luck to the other entrants. I wish them success in the contest and in the industry.

Have you heard of Bluey? It's the animated TV Series that's taking Australia by storm, with its own amusement park here in Brisbane, and making inroads in North America. Well, our submission to the comp could well be the next Bluey, and it had the CEO at Ludo (the animation company that produced it) interested, but their schedule was full. Which is why our team is reaching out to NA studios.

The Woody & Sir Humphrey Series (& the submitted episode timely named DISinformation) was inspired by two of our menagerie of birds. Sir Humphrey is a Princess Parrot, a rather arrogant and manipulative creature who wants everything his own way. The name comes from Sir Humphrey Appleby, of the Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister BBC TV Series. His mate is the rather shy and lacking-in-confidence, but very personable Woody, the Canary, who often bends to Sir Humphrey's opinioned fake facts. In the first of 16 episodes our team has created, Sir Humphrey spreads the word that Woody's feathers are going to fall out. Near panic, poor Woody flits through the neighbourhood, searching for the source of the rumour, only to find, thanks to Wise Old Owl, that the spreader of the fake news is none other than... Humphrey.

During the course of the first season of episodes, a core cast of animals come into play, and their relationships provide a subtext of lessons and humour that even adults will enjoy!

Bluey, watch out!!

Hi everyone, my submission is called "Object of Balance", its about nine fairies that go on adventure across their world - Andel. They must get the object back from a bewitched dragon for the wizards before it is too late, for without the object their world will be covered in storms.

Object of Balance was inspired and written for my family , I have so many nieces and nephews plus children of my own. It is a very long novel with many characters that I think would make a great animation film for both children and adults alike. It has action, love, magic, and adventure throughout the whole story and even has two deaths to add some drama to the fairies lives. It is my hope that it will be one of the chosen and made into film.

Hi all! HUMPTY is a 4-quadrant animated feature script in the vein of SHREK. The humor works on many levels for both children and adults. The themes depict how everyone has something to offer and contribute no matter their size or challenges in life and it conveys this message in a fun, heartfelt and entertaining manner.

What if Humpty didn't fall?

What if he was pushed?

And what if someone did put the pieces back together again?

Logline:

With the help of his itty bitty friend, Tim Thumb (Tom's brother), Humpty recovers from a nasty spill to lead a motley group (the Unmagnificent Seven) in their quest to overthrow an evil King.

Hi all,

I entered my animated pilot "Frankie's Place." This is my first time entering this contest, so good luck to all!

Frankie's Place is an animated, comedy, soap-opera following Frankie, an average Frankenstein’s Monster, and his found family of supernatural outcasts as they navigate the everyday horrors of modern life at Frankie’s Place, the hottest monster bar in Silver Lake.

If “Scooby Doo” is “Beverly Hills 90201,” “Frankie’s Place” is “Melrose Place.” The action and dialogue are fast paced, sharp, and funny. The humor is biting, satirical, and occasionally gushing blood. There are soap opera story lines with our characters falling in and out of love, bed, and their own skins. While this is a comedy first and foremost, the characters are genuine, likable, and relatable in their own, unique and horrific ways. These creatures may be undead, Satan’s spans, but they are all looking for love, connection, and a place to belong. The visuals are comic book, POP art bold and colorful with Scooby Doo, Archer, and Tim Burton influences.

I hope you will check out the visuals and the pilot script here:

https://michaelderrydesigns.com/frankiesplace

I am currently working on a short film version at the moment, so any advice or feedback would be welcome. I'm also just looking to connect with other writers/creators.

Some really great submissions kids!

This is my first time submitting to a Stage32 competition, and the 4th script I've ever wrote, so I'm really excited to see what people think of it.

A little bit more about my animation feature script My World:

It centers itself around two lonely teenagers who are from different backgrounds/places. They go on a journey to take of the teens back to her home, whilst figuring out why she came here in the first place.

It's a journey of self discovery and loving yourself for all your differences, added with songs and scenery that will rattle your emotions.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

(The poster was created by a good friend of mine)

I wrote this story for a novella contest based on the following prompt: A dragon, an elf, and a dwarf embark on a quest to find the lost heir to the kingdom. Then, I also decided to write the screenplay version, which led me here. With Morte, the Lost Heir, this is my first time submitting to a Stage32 competition.

The story takes place in a fantasy world where we meet the king's two sons, Morte and his younger brother, Sol. When the king falls ill, Sol believes he would be a much better king than the rightful heir, Morte, so through his schemes, the crown prince finds himself trapped in a catacomb with no way out. Morte's childhood friend, Tobi, becomes suspicious of Morte's mysterious disappearance, so he sets out to find and rescue him with the help of new friends he meets along the way:

a healer elf girl whose abilities are banned, a dragon who wants to become human, and a wizard who may know much more than he reveals.

It's a tale of sacrifice, where characters are forced to make difficult choices, often at the cost of their own desires. I hope their selflessness and unwavering courage, even in the face of overwhelming odds, will resonate with the audience, evoking a deep sense of empathy and admiration.

Hello, everyone!

"Koun Apsara" is about Ra, a lonely Cambodian-American teenager, who is thrust into another world of Cambodian folklore, and he must save the land from an evil war while accepting his identity as a warrior of two worlds.

This was my first animated feature and I enjoyed every second of it. "Koun Apsara" is a deeply personal story that connects my Cambodian culture and struggles growing up as a Gay Asian-American. In addition, this story reflects the Khmer Rouge War and Genocide that my parents survived.

I hope my story can connect to fellow outcasts, survivors, and increase representation for unheard voices as well.