Saturday, February 28, 2015

Screenplay Contests and Film Festivals

Below, you can see how Storm Dragons is doing on some screenplay contests and film festivals:


WINNER Action-Adventure/Thriller 2013 




"...It is not often that I find myself completely surprised by blind alleys and unexpected twists in screenplays after reading so many, but this one left me flummoxed a couple of times...  There were a couple of times where I said, “Whoa!” out loud while reading.  Between these surprises and the shocking amount of bloodshed and carnage that characterizes the third act, I think I would have been well on the edge of my seat were I watching this classic hero’s journey in a theater.  And when the Storm Dragons... (spoilers here), just when I thought the drama couldn’t intensify?  The writer earned himself a little fist pump.  "






"I was drawn into the world of the story from the first battle scene. The characters were rich and they all had their own distinct voice. There was a very clear sense of direction and where the story was going, but in no way was it predictable. The time line was layered over a large span of time and I didn't get confused about where they were and what they were doing at any point. Each scene transitioned nicely into the next making an this an exciting reading experience."








WINNER 2015 



WINNNER November 2013 








3rd Place 2014 



"...It's a fantasy-action script that really understands action and does a great job building it's world at the right moments. The pacing is very effective; it gets more tense and heightens the conflict at the exact right moments...The script is bold and takes some surprisingly dark twists...Storm Dragons is a script which on the surface does enough differently to gain initial interest – however it is it's superb execution the makes it gripping."




2nd Place 2015 - SF/Fantasy  



2nd Place June 2015 







2nd Place 2015 - Best Scene  





















2nd Place December 2012

"The author has created a fully realized world in only the first 10 pages. It's quite an accomplishment."


Attention Grabber


Finalist Action-Adventure 2013

"STORM DRAGONS displays a great level of understanding in screenwriting technique and creative development as it relates to story concept. There is a nice balance struck between the use of visual description and action-driven detail throughout the draft, matched by a concise delivery that lends ease and accessibility to its readable pace...
  
...is unique, original, and marketable as a fantasy-action piece likely to garner attention from contemporary audiences... The story concept and its narrative flow are tightly crafted, which is one of the script's strong suits ...a very nice job, and this is material that has great potential for the silver screen. "


EXTREME SCREENPLAY 
Finalist 2013

"...Lots of interesting characters... Lots of good Dialogue... Lots of great twists in the end... Excellent film-wothy twist... An exceptionally well written and engaging story"







Written Word Finalist 2014 




Top Seven Scripts 2014






Finalist 2013

"...'Game of Thrones', 'Watership Down' and 'The Ring Trilogy' all mixed into one exciting yarn"








Quarter-finalist (2nd Rounder) 2014


"A powerful tale of Storm Dragons, God's and war. The writer of this epic fantasy definitely knows how to write and create story and character quickly and seamlessly.

...The opening scenes are visually strong and compelling. The fantasy world is immediately set in the readers mind and it is richly absorbing.

...All of the characters are interesting and well developed. The relationships between characters have depth and are believable. There are quite a few characters so hats off to the writer for making the introduction of each smooth, with strong visual descriptions.

...The dialogue definitely completes the fantasy of this world."



Semi-Finalist Action-Adventure 2013






Semi-Finalist Action-Adventure 2012

"The script displays an understanding of screenwriting technique and reflects a level of creative development in terms of the story concept. From its integration of visual imagery, action-driven detail, and measurable conciseness in delivery, the narration is a strong vehicle for the script’s stylistic aesthetic...

...From the outset of the story characterization technique is hard at work, illuminating aspects of persona across the range of characters present in the story while also working to foreshadow elements of the plot to come... the characters complement the world of the story through their developmental strength, adding layers of realism to their personalities and, by extension, the world they inhabit...

...As an extension of characterization the script’s dialogue is crafted with a degree of developmental strength. There is a noticeable attempt to balance the use of subtext, exposition, and conversational delivery that facilitates the movement of the plot while simultaneously giving insight to the individual personalities of the characters... 

...The concept is unique, original, and marketable as an action-fantasy"





“...an incredibly impressive fantasy action film that is sure to appeal to fans of The Lord of the Rings and Game of Thrones. I admire your ambition and applaud your ability to gracefully construct a vivid fantasy realm with clearly defined rules and mythologies. The first fifteen pages, in particular, do an exceptional job establishing the tone, setting, and characters without burdening the pace of the plot.

Dialogue is absolutely one of your key assets. You absolutely nail the tone and diction of the fantasy setting and it really helps immerse the audience in to the world of the narrative. Well done…

…Overall the potential is here for a highly commercial and marketable fantasy film that would appeal to a broad audience. What hinders this potential is that most films in this realm are based on well-known pieces of literary work. Being an original screenplay perhaps makes this an even more impressive writing sample... Good luck Leonardo. This is very strong work.”


SCREENPLAY SEARCH   Semi-Finalist 2013



"The entire script flows quite easily and well. Great conflict scenes and the final fight scene at the end was very well done. The characters are memorable..."








"You have brought emotion and a strong sense of character to your story right from the start. The audience immediately cares and becomes invested in thestory, this is a very good beginning.

I love your action in the first act, it’s always great to pull in the reader early in the script."





2nd Rounder 2013





"...a stirring, fantastical action-adventure that combines legend, theme, and thrilling action set pieces for a story that can easily appeal to mainstream audiences. 

...The writing is very strong, and you have a natural writing ability that immediately draws the reader in.  The writing is vivid, descriptive and highly visual, yet succinct. 

Strong command of the written language make this story come alive… Great job.

The theme is incredibly powerful, and you really express the theme through every facet of your script, especially in Zairos’ temporary change to becoming a vengeful man bent on violence – and the price he ultimately pays for his revenge. 

The theme is illustrated not only in the dialogue, but also in the plotting, the characters’ arcs, and the concept.  You do a great job of handling the theme with a light hand so that it’s subtle yet very powerful. 

The characters are also very strong, and you’ve created compelling, human and utterly engrossing characters. 

Zairos has a tremendous character arc, and you make him very flawed and human, along with his heroism..."






Honorable Mention 2014











"This screenplay tells a very interesting and deeply woven story that involved a generational history of tribes of men locked up in legends and myths and magical mysteries.  It has very well drawn characters and a story that is so large in scope that it actually spans entire lifetimes of characters.

First of all, I want to say that it is quite impressive how you have built this fantastical world and created all of the richly layered characters within it...

... Overall the script has a lot going for it and has a great character set and fresh perspective on a level of fantasy that we haven’t really seen before..."





"This is an extremely well-written and well-conceptualized, imaginative, epic tale. Although you are bringing us into a fantasy world, and there are a lot of action/ battle scenes throughout the story, your uses of vivid language and vertical writing provide clear, concise visuals which keep the story moving at a quick pace...

 …You have a great heartbeat-like rhythm to your story – for every moment of peace comes one of tension." 


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