Nicholl finalists

[LauriD]

This was in "announcements" but I'm reposting here.

Any DD'ers?

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Ten writers have been selected as finalists for the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy’s Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.

This year’s finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):

* Art Corriveau, Santa Fe, New Mexico, “Nicky Flynn Finally Gets a Life”
* Destin Daniel Cretton, San Diego, Calif., “Short Term 12”
* Sebastian Davis, Los Angeles, Calif., “Drunk-Dialing”
* Marvin Krueger, North Hollywood, Calif., “And Handled with a Chain”
* Andrew Lanham, Austin, Texas, “The Jumper of Maine”
* Tim Macy, Kansas City, Mo., “The Last Queen”
* Micah Ranum, Beverly Hills, Calif., “A Good Hunter”
* Cinthea Stahl, North Hollywood, Calif., “Identifying Marks”
* Logan Steiner, Redondo Beach, Calif., “The Promise of Spring”
* Sage Vanden Heuvel, Ann Arbor, Mich., “Inner Earth”

The finalists were selected from 6,304 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a “first look” clause, an option, or any other quid pro quo involving the writer’s work.

The Nicholl Committee, chaired by producer Gale Anne Hurd, is composed of writers Naomi Foner, Daniel Petrie, Jr., Tom Rickman and Dana Stevens; actor Eva Marie Saint; cinematographers John Bailey and Steven B. Poster; executive Bill Mechanic; producers Peter Samuelson and Robert W. Shapiro; and agent Ronald R. Mardigian.

Fellowships are awarded with the understanding that the recipients will each complete a feature-length screenplay during their fellowship year. The Academy acquires no rights to the works of Nicholl fellows and does not involve itself commercially in any way with their completed scripts.

Since the program’s inception in 1985, 113 fellowships have been awarded, and a number of fellows have achieved considerable success. Mike Rich, a 1998 fellow, wrote the upcoming “Secretariat.” Susannah Grant, a 1992 fellow, earned an Oscar nomination in 2000 for her “Erin Brockovich” screenplay. Andrew W. Marlowe, a 1992 fellow, created and executive produces ABC’s “Castle,” for which Terri Miller, also a 1992 fellow, is a writer-producer. “City Island,” which was written and directed by 1991 fellow Raymond De Felitta, premiered at the 2009 Berlin and Tribeca film festivals, and premiered theatrically in March of this year.

[gregbeal]

Since this issue has been raised on various boards, I'll just mention:

Of the ten 2010 Nicholl finalists, one was born and raised in Tanzania and educated in London; another was born and raised in Staplefied, UK, prior to moving to Atlanta, GA; another was educated in London; and another was born and raised in Maui, HI. Of the ten, only one was born and raised in Southern California.

[NikeeGoddess]

it's our lousy education system... or the british invasion -- notice how they've been training their actors to speak yank and taking so many roles?

[Ajerd85]

I'd love to know the loglines/premises for these finalist scripts. All I know is that "A Good Hunter" is a murder mystery/thriller while "Inner Earth" deals with HP Lovecraft and another author (I forget which) teaming up with Merlin for some fantastical quest. Anyone? Thanks.

[cshel]

I'd be interested to hear the loglines, also. Especially the comedies that made it. Weren't there two? "Drunk-Dialing", obviously, which is a great title that has "the promise of the premise", as the late great Blake Snyder would say. I think the other one is "Nicky Flynn Finally Gets A Life". That one kinda does it, too.

[gregbeal]

Originally Posted by cshel

I'd be interested to hear the loglines, also. Especially the comedies that made it. Weren't there two? "Drunk-Dialing", obviously, which is a great title that has "the promise of the premise", as the late great Blake Snyder would say. I think the other one is "Nicky Flynn Finally Gets A Life". That one kinda does it, too.

Not quite sure when a finalist page will appear on oscars.org/nicholl but it could be today. That will include log lines for all ten scripts.

[Ajerd85]

Originally Posted by gregbeal

Not quite sure when a finalist page will appear on oscars.org/nicholl but it could be today. That will include log lines for all ten scripts.

Ah, the site has the loglines for the finalists. Thanks!

[cshel]

Thanks, Greg!

[jsay]

all of the loglines sound great... can't wait to read a bunch of these...

[LauriD]

2010 Nicholl Finalists

http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...-corriveau.jpg Art Corriveau

“Nicky Flynn Finally Gets a Life”

Born and raised: Vermont.
Current residence: Santa Fe, New Mexico.
A young boy realizes his new pound mutt is actually an ex-guide dog when it begins to help him navigate his troubled life as though he were blind. Adapted from his published children’s novel.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...10-cretton.jpg Destin Daniel Cretton

“Short Term 12”

Born and raised: Maui, Hawaii.
Current residence: San Diego, California.
A 25-year-old girl working as a supervisor at a teen group home struggles to care for her teenage patients while desperately avoiding the residue of her own dark past. Based on his short film of the same title.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...2010-davis.jpg Sebastian Davis

“Drunk-Dialing”

Born and raised: Staplefied, England and Atlanta, Georgia.
Current residence: Los Angeles, California.
A mild-mannered man wakes up on a karaoke stage at 1am, only to realize he’s drunk-dialed half his phonebook, including his boss. Now, he must embark on a one-night urban odyssey to save his job, aided only by the motley band of forgotten friends he called during his blackout.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...10-krueger.jpg Marvin Krueger

“And Handled with a Chain”

Born and raised: Chicago, Illinois.
Current residence: North Hollywood, California.
A delusional homeless woman and a young drug dealer have to help each other to recover the money from a drug deal gone bad. In the process, they save each others’ lives.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...010-lanham.jpg Andrew Lanham

“The Jumper of Maine”

Born and raised: Bangor, Maine.
Current residence: Austin, Texas.
A paramedic with Tourette’s Syndrome is forced to come to terms with his life and condition when he falls in love with a single mother who has ties to his past.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl..._2010-macy.jpg Tim Macy

“The Last Queen”

Born and raised: Missouri.
Current residence: Kansas City, Missouri.
When a woman in her twenties is diagnosed with a fatal condition she and the man who would do anything for her build her a tomb filled with a make-believe story for future generations to uncover.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...2010-ranum.jpg Micah Ranum

“A Good Hunter”

Born and raised: Minnesota.
Current residence: Beverly Hills, California.
In an unforgiving wilderness, a reformed hunter tracks a vicious killer who may have kidnapped his daughter years ago.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...2010-stahl.jpg Cinthea Stahl

“Identifying Marks”

Born and raised: Connecticut.
Current residence: North Hollywood, California.
A despondent tattoo artist’s life is changed forever when he makes a house call to a dying woman’s bedside. In the precious time remaining, she fights to revive his art, spirit and life.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...10-steiner.jpg Logan Steiner

“The Promise of Spring”

Born and raised: Tanzania.
Current residence: Redondo Beach, California.
An orphaned boy brings together a father and his estranged son.


http://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl...010-vanden.jpg Sage Vanden Heuvel

“Inner Earth”

Born and raised: Southern California.
Current residence: Ann Arbor, Michigan.
In 1916, a young J.R.R. Tolkien and a young H.P. Lovecraft embark on an adventure that becomes the inspiration for their later writings.