Our Celebrity Judges have had their say in evaluating our ten semifinalists over the last two weeks.

Each writer will receive copies of their judges notes and ratings, and a few will use those notes to improve or enhance their scripts during the next phase of the FiLMLaB Contest: the optional rewrite. This is meant to simulate the experience of working screenwriters who may have only a few days or hours even, to effect a seven page rewrite. Therefore, the optional rewrite ends Thursday night (May 12th) at 11:59 pm!

Who are the lucky folks who get to stay in the lab a bit longer and get squeezed?

Why, our 2016 FiLMLaB Finalists, of course! Congratulations!

Maren Curtis (THE ROSES SHE REMEMBERS)

Before becoming a full-time writer, Maren worked as a property manager, city employee, international government contractor, dance instructor, construction worker, and energy sector consultant. She has traveled extensively, including a year spent in the Balkans where she was suspected of being a CIA agent and detained under suspicion of plotting to assassinate the President. She is a member of the Portland Screenwriters Consortium, a team of writers and writer-directors who collaborate on film, television, and other media projects.

Amy Fredericks (PENDULUM)

Amy grew up in Portland and now lives in Vancouver, Washington. She has always enjoyed writing and movies and combined the two interests by taking Cynthia Whitcomb’s screenwriting class in 2005, followed by the UCLA Professional Program in Screenwriting in 2007. A regular at the Willamette Writers Conference, she was a proud recipient of the 2013 Kay Snow Screenwriting Award, and in 2015 made the FiLMLaB Quarterfinals with her short HAPPY ANNIVERSARY.  Amy works for Evergreen Public Schools as an elementary math specialist.

Shaun Radecki (FRAME OF MIND and UNDIMMED)

This is Shaun’s second year entering the Willamette Writers’ FiLMLaB, and two of his scripts made the finals! In 2015, three of his shorts made the Quarterfinals and one the Semifinals. He “…truly enjoys the creative challenge this competition provides of writing a story within such fun and inspiring boundaries. It really tests you as a writer and the new skills and insights you gain from the experience are incredibly helpful on your next project.” In addition to shorts, Shaun enjoys writing features and fiction. When he’s not writing, you can find him drinking coffee, watching pro wrestling or chasing his twin toddlers around Portland with his lovely wife.

Now for the hard part–the optional rewrite.

Because producers notes can be confusing, conflicting and often overwhelming, each finalist will have a chance to consult with screenwriting veteran, Randall Jahnson, who has made himself available to help our writers interpret their notes before they jump into rewrites. This is a rare opportunity FiLMLaB offers its contestants; a chance to have their work evaluated by film industry professionals–and to alter it–before a final decision is made. When the 2016 FiLMLaB Producers meet to choose the winner, they will have each finalists original script, producers notes and revised scripts to use in determining who’s short will be filmed this summer.

It’s going to be a very exciting time in the lab for our 2016 FiLMLaB finalists!

Let’s not forget our Semifinalists, though, each of whom worked hard to meet the contest limitations and submit some really creative shorts. In addition to InkTip script listings, our ten semifinalists have won a Screenwriters Pass to the Portland Film Festival, this August 29th through September 5th; a chance to elevate their craft while doing some first rate networking. We hope to see you in Portland this summer!

Our four finalists will also add a downloadable version of FinalDraft to their prize list, software that is the industry standard and makes every screenwriters life easier.

We congratulate our 2016 FiLMLaB Finalists for their hard work and great writing. Good luck with your rewrite! Can’t wait to read it!