AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2021 SCRIPT AND FILM COMPETITION FELLOWSHIP AND AWARD LINE-UP.
Austin, TX – (April 21, 2021) – Austin Film Festival (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing the writers’ contribution to film, television, and new media, announced new and returning partners for their 2021 film and script competitions including award and fellowship opportunities presented by Rooster Teeth; WarnerMedia; Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios Company; FloSports; Writers Guild of America, East; Enderby Entertainment; AMC; and Josephson Entertainment.
New opportunities for this year’s competitions include The Rooster Teeth BIPOC Fellowship which seeks scripts from underrepresented writers in the industry and The Rooster Teeth Women & Animation Fellowship which seeks scripts from women looking to enter into the field of animation.
Winners of each of the Rooster Teeth fellowships will receive a $2,500 prize and will be flown (travel-expenses covered) to Austin for a three-day-long mentorship with Rooster Teeth’s team.
Also added for 2021 is The Warner Bros. Pilot Award sponsored by WarnerMedia which is open to any script submitted to the Comedy or Drama Pilot categories. Finalists and winners will have the opportunity to meet with Warner Bros. representatives and the winner will receive a $1,000 prize and travel and hotel reimbursement to the in-person Festival in October.
Gravitas Ventures will be sponsoring a first look distribution deal to the Narrative Feature Competition Winner. The Narrative Feature winner will also receive a $2,500 cash prize and finalists will have the opportunity to meet with Gravitas Ventures executives at the Festival in October.
Additionally, FloSports, a local Austin subscription video streaming service, will be sponsoring the Documentary Feature and Documentary Shorts Competitions.
Returning competition partners include, the Writers Guild of America, East who will present the Drama Feature Screenplay Award and provide top, professional screenwriters to judge the Finalist round of the Drama Feature category.
Enderby Entertainment returns with the Enderby Entertainment Filmmaking Fellowship Award which is open to short films entered under the Narrative Short and Narrative Student Short categories. Founded by Daniel Petrie, Jr. (Beverly Hills Cop, The Big Easy) and Rick Dugdale, the production company will provide airfare and hotel accommodations for a week-long trip to Enderby’s Los Angeles offices, guidance, and the opportunity to shadow executives and filmmakers on-site. And for the script competition, the Enderby Entertainment Award, which is open to feature scripts in all genres with an original concept and distinctive voice that can be independently produced under $10 million.
AMC is back for it’s eighth year sponsoring the Pilot Competition! Finalists will have meetings with AMC executives and receive a $1,000 cash prize.
Finally, producer Barry Josephson’s company presents The Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship which provides a one-on-one mentorship for the writers of two scripts – one feature script and one teleplay pilot – selected from the Final Round of the 2021 Screenplay Competition. Each fellow will be flown to L.A. to be mentored by Josephson and take meetings with various executives from Josephson Entertainment.
AFF’s Script and Film Competitions are currently open for submissions. The next Script and Film Competition deadline is May 21. For more information including rules, eligibility, and how to submit, please visit www.austinfilmfestival.com.
ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL:
Austin Film Festival (AFF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established writers and filmmakers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. AFF is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Badges and passes are available for purchase online at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST.
