As the ink dries on this year’s screenplays, there’s a buzz in the air—congratulations are in order for the talented writers who’ve maneuvered their way to the quarter finals of the Six-Figure Screenplay Contest! It’s like a high-stakes game of chess, where every round tests the limits of creativity and storytelling prowess. With so many captivating narratives competing for attention, the judging panel faced the tough task of sifting through an array of exceptional entries. What does it take to stand out in a sea of originality and talent? Perhaps it’s the ability to evoke laughter, tears, or even a sense of dread—an art form that’s as challenging as it is rewarding. As the anticipation builds for the upcoming semi-final announcements on September 25th, let’s dive into the remarkable scripts that have made it past this threshold. Each screenplay presented not just a glimpse into a story but also a peek into the diverse minds crafting the next big hit in cinema! So, without further ado, here’s the list of quarter-finalists—an impressive lineup that promises to keep us on the edge of our seats! LEARN MORE
A big congratulations to all the writers who’s screenplays have advanced to the quarter finals of this year’s Six-Figure Screenplay Contest!
Every round of the competition becomes increasingly difficult to judge, and this round was no different. There were lots of well written, exciting, original, and interesting screenplays this year, and choosing the ones to advance was no easy task.
We’re still busy at work trying to figure out which screenplays will move into the semi finals, so stay tuned for that announcement on Wednesday September 25th.
Here is the list of screenplays that have made it to the quarter finals of this year’s contest (listed alphabetically by title):
Features:
It’s What You See (drama) by Lisa Hickey
Log Line: A traumatized young woman must decipher which parts of her hallucinations are real in order to both unravel a man’s mysterious death and—just possibly—learn how to live.
Living Too Late (thriller) by Alex McAulay
Log Line: A kindhearted middle-school teacher tries to help a troubled student, but accidentally incurs the wrath of the student’s demented parent, who begins stalking him and trying to ruin his life. This is a darkly comic thriller.
Love & Detroit (drama) by Michael Dunker
Log Line: When his cancer has returned for the third time, a wealthy man takes a euthanasia pill that ends his life the next time he falls asleep. An hour after he takes it, he runs into his 8th grade sweetheart – the love of his life – and he’s forced to stay up as long as possible.
Mom’s Third Husband (comedy) by Isabelle Davis
Log Line: Following her second divorce, a mother of four grudgingly agrees to let her children set her up on a series of dates.
Next Door Domme (dramedy) by Kerstin Porter
Log Line: When a lonely introvert discovers her neighbor is a dominatrix, she teams up with the domme to find a partner, but when she ends up dating a submissive, she must face her true self, kinky or not, to find true love.
On the Hour (horror) by Brandon Rhiness
Log Line: A group of friends spending the weekend in the country fall victim to a curse that causes them to die off one by one, every hour, on the hour.
Self Storage (horror) by Robert Walcott
Log Line: On his first shift at a self storage facility, a new night manager discovers that his workplace harbors some very disturbing business practices.
The Salesman (drama) by Adam Seidel
Log Line: A lonely assassin on the cusp of a mid-life crisis is duped into a cross-country road trip with his next hit, an abrasive, suicidal man who wants company on his pre-death apology tour. ABOUT SCHMIDT meets BANSHEES of INISHERIN.
They Eat Their Own (thriller) by Steven Smith
Log Line: After losing WWIII the U.S. is split in half, just like Vietnam and Korea before it. Rebels fighting to reunite the country face mind-bending interrogations that threaten to crush the rebellion.
The Lyon of Times Square (drama) by Christopher Loveland
Log Line: Junior and his dysfunctional parents go to New York City for a college program’s audition. After blowing his audition, Junior and his family are caught in a mass shooting; the father dies playing the hero and is lionized by the media. CONTENT WARNING.
Trending (horror) by Mark McKee
Log Line: A woman is forced to reconcile her past and the privacy she holds dear after her selection for a game show that grants instant influencer status to the contestant.
Vengeance of Saints (thriller) by Phillip Roquemore
Log Line: A small town priest struggles with the strict rules surrounding the seal of confession when a man confesses what he did to the girl missing from the church youth group.
Shorts:
Domestic Disturbance (thriller) by Darren Coyle
Log Line: A cop is called to a domestic disturbance. He finds a woman chained to a radiator and a man with a gun. Cop subdues the man and frees the woman only to find she is a werewolf and he’s in trouble
Mouse (horror) by Michael Clifton
Log Line: A grieving father haunted by the loss of his child seeks solace in an unlikely visitor.
Sun Is Coming? (drama) by Saeid Ghasemi
Log Line: In a Dubai refugee camp, SHARIFOLAH battles bureaucracy and the looming threat of the Taliban to bring his scattered family together.
To the Moon (fantasy) by Michael Dukakis
Log Line: An LGBT+ kid from a troubled family tries to escape abuse by fulfilling three magical tasks in his grandmother’s fairy tale.
Trick-or-Treat (horror) by Carlos Perez
Log Line: A malicious young man receives a nasty payback on Halloween.
Wang and Da Rats (action/adventure) by James Bylinsky
Log Line: When a young Chinese deli owner in Queens pisses off a pair of neo-Nazis, he must confront his nonconfrontational nature to defeat them, save his deli, and save his life.
