BlueCat

Founded in 1998 by WGA writer Gordy Hoffman, the BlueCat Screenplay Competition continues its mission of developing the undiscovered writer. BlueCat’s winners and finalists have gone on to sign with agencies including ICM, CAA, and WME, with their work sold to several major studios such as Paramount Pictures, Warner Bros., and Universal. BlueCat writers have won awards at Sundance, Berlin, and Tribeca all following their recognition with BlueCat.

BlueCat Alumni

Ana Lily Amirpour (2007 Winner, CAA), writer and director of A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT, is slated to direct the remake of CLIFFHANGER produced by Neal Moritz and starring Jason Momoa.

Kimi Lee (2015 Winner) is a staff writer at Amazon Studios for THE EXPATRIATES, produced by Nicole Kidman.

Aaron Guzikowski (2005 Finalist), writer of  PRISONERS and the remake of PAPILLON, is currently working on Ridley Scott’s TV series RAISED BY WOLVES.

Fergal Rock (2011 Fellini Award) recently saw his BlueCat winning script DEPARTURES produced, starring Nina Dobrev and Maisie Williams.

Ashleigh Powell (2012 Finalist), wrote Disney’s THE NUTCRACKER AND THE FOUR REALMS, starring Keira Knightley.

Young Il Kim (2006 Winner), recent staff writer on BILLIONS, is writing the adapted screenplay THE RISE OF THEODORE ROOSEVELT, directed by Alex Timbers (MOZART IN THE JUNGLE).

Kateland Brown (2014 Finalist) wrote for Warner Bros. FAMOUS IN LOVE, starring Bella Thorne.

Savion Einstein (2014 Joplin Award), recently had her script SUPERFECUNDATION picked up by Sony’s Screen Gems.

If you would consider sharing this information with your communities, that would be greatly appreciated. In the meantime, check out a few of BlueCat’s latest screenwriting blogs below!

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us at media@bluecatscreenplay.com.

1000 WORDS TO WRITE BY

"All the writing advice in the world can't replace good tools and lots of practice. This is why I've compiled the following list of more than a thousand action verbs. I needed a handy, printable reference tool that didn't strain my eyes or wrists. Try it for yourself sometime. It works."

Award-winning novelist and screenwriter Deanna Carlyle has shared with us on the BlueCat blog a simple reference tool for writers looking for synonyms for common action verbs.

5 TOP REASONS IT’S HARD TO WRITE A SCREENPLAY (AND HOW IT GETS BETTER….)

"While I'm thinking about the script in front of me, staring me in the face, casting its shadow across my every day, I know full well why it might be difficult to write a great screenplay. What are the common reasons it's so challenging? Why can't we seem to cross that last stretch and finally complete a script that changes everything for us?"

BlueCat founder and judge Gordy Hoffman lists the five most common difficulties we all face when writing a screenplay, before giving us a pep talk on how to overcome them.

THE SHOW DON’T TELL RULE: YOUR FIRST 10 PAGES’ BESTFRIEND

“If you’ve ever taken a screenwriting class or have read a book on the craft, you’re probably familiar with the adage ‘show, don’t tell’. It is the idea that it is better to showcase a beat of information in a visual way than to simply explain it to the audience. This can be a challenge on the page because you’re, in a way, simulating the visual medium instead of actually working in it, and many writers struggle with this writing rule because of that.”

Rob Clarke, a production coordinator in Indie Horror and this week's guest writer on the BlueCat blog, explains how the writing technique of “show, don’t tell” is both a creative and effective way to reveal information.