Diverse Voices presented by WeScreenplay
Diverse Voices

Contact
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Web:
Click here
Email:
support@wescreenplay.com
Contact: Sarah , Director of Contests
Report Card |
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Overall: |
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(4.7/5.0) |
Professionalism: |
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(4.4/5.0) |
Feedback: |
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(3.8/5.0) |
Signficance: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.0/5.0) |
Report Cards: |
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Objective
Diverse Voices is a screenplay contest and lab that strives to encourage stories that are told from perspectives that are often underrepresented in Hollywood today. This includes writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood.
The Grand Prize Winners will be flown to Los Angeles and put up in an iconic LA Hotel for a Diverse Voices Four-Day Screenwriting Lab. The Lab will include hands-on development with industry executives, WeScreenplay staff, writers, and each other. It’ll also include meetings with executives and managers about the writers, their career, and their projects in development..
Every entry gets free, written feedback!
Show MoreDeadline/Entry Fees
Expired. Previous Deadline: 10/15/2020Notification: Semifinalists – November 15th, 2020 – Top 20%. Finalists – December 15th, 2020 – Top 50. Winners – January 20th, 2021 – Top 3-4.
Rules
Please see https://www.wescreenplay.com/diverse-voices for full list of updated rules.Awards
Past winners have signed with Heroes and Villains, Industry Entertainment, and Gotham Group! The contest has helped raise over $12,000 for non-profits.
JUDGING: Our judges are all industry-experienced gatekeepers. The final round of judging will be completed by the best readers, guest jurors, and at least one industry member. Judging will be based on all aspects that make stories great. Budget and marketability will not be considered for this contest.
JURY:
Joy Ganes
Joy is the President of Tracy Oliver's (GIRLS TRIP, FIRST WIVES CLUB) production company, Tracy Yvonne Productions, which is committed to championing diverse voices of all genres, across TV, film, and digital media.
Kesila Childers
Kesila is the Vice President of Development for Powderkeg, Paul Feig's (ZOEY'S EXTRAORDINARY PLAYLIST, THE OFFICE) digital content company that aims to champion new voices with a commitment to female and LGBTQ creators and filmmakers of color.
Jess Burkle
Jess is a TV writer currently staffed on the CW show IN THE DARK -- and he happens to be blind himself.
Louisa Minghella
Louisa is a literary agent at Blake Friedmann Literary Agency in the UK who focuses on representing diverse talent.
The Grand Prize Winners will be invited for a Diverse Voices Lab in Los Angeles for hands on development with industry executives, WeScreenplay staff, writers, and each other.
Diverse Voices

Contact
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Web:
Click here
Email:
support@wescreenplay.com
Contact: Sarah , Director of Contests
Report Card |
||
Overall: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.7/5.0) |
Professionalism: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.4/5.0) |
Feedback: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(3.8/5.0) |
Signficance: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.0/5.0) |
Report Cards: |
|
|
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card
|
Categories
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Diverse Voices presented by WeScreenplay

Contact
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Web:
Click here
Email:
support@wescreenplay.com
Contact: Sarah , Director of Contests
Report Card |
||
Overall: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.7/5.0) |
Professionalism: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.4/5.0) |
Feedback: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(3.8/5.0) |
Signficance: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.0/5.0) |
Report Cards: |
|
|
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card
|
Categories
Contest News
MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter J J Hillard
An interview with screenwriter J J Hillard regarding the Diverse Voices Writing Competition.
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?A: The title of my short screenplay is "MY STARDUST" and this is the logline: An astronaut’s elderly widow, watching TV news of an unmanned test flight to Mars, discovers evidence that she may be more than just a viewer of the mission.
IndieWire Press Release: http://www.indiewire.com/2016/07/wescreenplay-diverse-voices-screenwriting-competition-winners-announced-1201706359/
A: My short screenplay fit two important criteria for WeScreenplay's Diverse Voices competition, which was "designed to encourage writers who are under-represented in Hollywood..." My main character and I are both over forty!
My Stardust [and another short of mine ("S&M IN SPACE")] won a "platinum award" laurel in the Spring 2016 International Independent Film Awards: http://www.iifilmawards.com/Platinum_Award.html
The results for a few other contests I've entered are still pending.
A: I am very satisfied with the administration of this contest and with the direct communication (email and phone) I've had with Mark Stasenko, WeScreenplay's co-founder and director (and a screenwriter himself).
Cumulative scores (covering 9 aspects of screenplays) were posted by each reader in sequence during the competition and all deadlines were met. The awards for winners are now forthcoming and generous -- including an invitation to a party for all the finalists (WeScreenplay will pick up the drink tab)!!
A: This script has gone through quite a few revisions over the course of the past few years, based on helpful feedback from readers in other contests. This is the first time it has won an award. It was carefully structured and I would estimate the number of drafts it had to be more than a half-dozen.
Q: What kind of software did you use to write the script, if any? What other kinds of writing software do you use?A: I used Final Draft to write this script, but it's not the latest version of that software. I have used Dramatica Pro in the past for a novel manuscript, but not lately.
Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?A: Like many screenwriters, I try to set aside several hours to write every day, but that ends up including research as well. The good thing is I am now writing full-time as my career.
Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?A: First, I prepare a detailed outline of my entire screenplay, so I'll know where I need to go in each scene. Then I start writing in Act 2 and move onto Act 3. That way I know the critical elements Act 1 will need to include to foreshadow what will be revealed later. This helps me avoid getting stuck in earlier scenes. Also, doing research, reading produced screenplays, and watching films helps me if I need a break from crafting a script.
Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?A: I took 3 UCLA extension screenwriting classes online, all taught by Screenwriter Jessica Scott.
One of my shorts (BOING!) won a Creative Screenwriting Magazine-sponsored contest at a past Screenwriting Expo. Because of that I was awarded a 2-year fellowship to Jeff Gordon's Writers Boot Camp.
Following that I completed Hal Croasmun's online ScreenwritingU ProSeries course.
I am rewriting 3 feature screenplays. I have written one teleplay (an episode of The Big Bang Theory) and a half-dozen shorts. I've had a short optioned once (S&M IN SPACE). My crime thriller short (CAGEY) got a Wildsound monthly contest videotaped table read.
A: I don't live in Los Angeles, although I have lived in Long Beach. I'm in Northern California at this time. It will be very easy for me to fly down to L.A. and stay for meetings if/when invited.
Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?A: As well as rewriting the 3 feature screenplays I mentioned, I am working up a premise for a contained horror film centered in Napa Valley. I also want to revisit the novel manuscript I wrote which is the companion piece to a screenplay.
Thanks for making this interview format available.
Posted Wednesday, July 20, 2016
Diverse Voices presented by WeScreenplay

Contact
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Web:
Click here
Email:
support@wescreenplay.com
Contact: Sarah , Director of Contests
Report Card |
||
Overall: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.7/5.0) |
Professionalism: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.4/5.0) |
Feedback: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(3.8/5.0) |
Signficance: |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
(4.0/5.0) |
Report Cards: |
|
|
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card
|
Categories
Submit Report Card
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First-time user? Register now to receive FREE email contest updates, news, results, deadline reminders and more. Rest assured, information submitted here is held in strict confidence. MovieBytes never sells or in any way distributes email names or addresses. We promise!