Poppy Jasper Film Festival Script Competition

The Poppy Jasper Short Script Competition has come to a close and the three finalists have been chosen by Victor Miller.  Below are the winners of our competition with their loglines:

• First Place: Off to See the Wizard by  Sam Buttari: Inspired by one of his grandfather's stories, a young boy and his best friend embark on a quest to find heaven.

• Second Place: Cabbie by Diana Kemp-Jones:  A mysterious cab driver intervenes to keep a desperate young mother from abandoning her baby.

• Third Place: Salvaged by Michael and Alexandria Casey:  A student filmmaker stitches together found video footage into an "indie" hit but the mob footage he used was never meant to be found.  Now the original shooters want to make another hit of their own.

 

SHORT SCRIPT COMPETITION

The Poppy Jasper Film Festival (PJFF) announced its first Short Script Competition to promote and support new filmmaking talent by creating a professionally-juried component to the annual film festival. This Competition was one of several new events and activities celebrating the festival’s upcoming 5th-year anniversary. Winners will be announced by June 30, 2008 and will receive recognition at the Festival’s Opening Night Awards Ceremony on Friday, November 14, 2008.

The 2008 Festival runs November 14 - 16.

The top three scripts will each receive a critique by Emmy-winning writer, Victor Miller. Mr. Miller is best known as the creator of the Friday the 13th movie series and as head writer for some of television’s most popular daytime “soaps.” His credentials also include three Emmys, three Writers' Guild of America Awards, author of 11 published books, and nine “Kojak” novelizations.

“We are excited to add the script competition as we move toward our 5th anniversary. The caliber of professional appraisal that we’re injecting into this script competition fits our mission of being a film festival that brings high-value to filmmakers,” according to festival chair, Kim Bush.  “This is what we’re passionate about, and our collaboration with Victor Miller keeps us moving in the direction of giving filmmakers direct access to peers with proven track records.”

“I’m personally thrilled to be involved with a group so genuinely dedicated and committed to advancing the craft of filmmaking, rather than getting sidetracked with screen celebrities,” says Mr. Miller.  “This is one festival that really pushes ‘craft,’ not ‘celebrity’ and makes the filmmaker the star of the event.”

 

AWARDS

1. First place will receive $250, consultation with Victor Miller and festival pass to the 2008 PJFF.
2. Second place will receive $100, written consultation from Mr. Miller and festival pass to the 2008 PJFF.
3. Third place will receive written consultation from Mr. Miller and festival pass to the 2008 PJFF.

 

 

About the Poppy Jasper Film Festival

The Poppy Jasper Film Festival focuses on giving emerging filmmakers access to recognized and distinguished peers in the film industry in a smaller, interactive environment.

Taking its name from Morgan Hill’s rare poppy jasper gemstone, the Festival mines the fast-growing niche of short film crafting (30 minutes or less). The 2007 event attracted films from five other countries (Australia, Canada, France, Germany, and United Kingdom), and included films by twelve female filmmakers.

The Fifth Annual Poppy Jasper Film Festival will be held November 14-16, 2008 in Morgan Hill, CA. For further information about the Poppy Jasper Film Festival, please visit www.poppyjasperfilmfest.org