Event Horizon Films today unveiled its list of “Winning Writers to Watch” in 2022. The list advocates for emerging screenwriters to make them more visible among professional filmmakers.
Each screenwriter has been recommended by Event Horizon Films’ team of screenwriters from major entertainment companies for their strong writing skills. Their compelling scripts topped the charts among screenwriting competitions and film festivals across the country. Many even got representation and had their work produced.
“These dedicated screenwriters have proven to have a tremendous talent for their craft,” said Zack Frizzell, producer at Event Horizon Films. “We are excited to introduce this next generation of artists to the industry and look forward to seeing all of their excellent work produced on the big screen soon. “
Industry professionals interested in the work of these emerging screenwriters are encouraged to submit applications to eventhorizonfilms.com.
Winning writers to watch
Haley dercher is an award-winning screenwriter with a Master of Arts degree from New York University in Visual and Cultural Studies. She is the editor-in-chief of the Scandal Us podcast. She specializes in feature films and half-hour television dramas. Dercher describes his personality as a mixture of affable neurosis and kinky humor. She injects fresh, modern subjects with warmth and wit, creating crisp, relevant, and memorable characters. Dercher won the TV Pilots competition of the 2021 “Broaden Your Horizon” screenplay competition for the script for the comedy, The ties that unite, about an OBGYN who decides to explore BDSM. His scripts have also won CWA Imagination Script Summit, Filmmatic, Page Turner Awards and Creative World Awards. His first short film, Good girl, which is based on The ties that unite, is currently in post-production. Dercher is based in New York and a member of the WGA East.
Bruce dundore is a screenwriter, author and creative advertising director. It has several feature film scripts and an optional pilot / show bible and circulating on the boulevards. He is several finalist and winner of all major competitions and a former student and contributor to the Writer’s Bootcamp. Dundore is the Gold Winner of the Houston International Sports Film Festival’s Script Championship for his sports script, Blue Ball, a “Romeo and Juliet” tale about two street gangs competing in a baseball game and breaking the laws of Blue Sunday at the turn of the 20th century. He is currently working on a psychological horror script for his stepmother, Mamacita.
Johnny gilligan is an Irish coder born in Silicon Valley turned television cop turned science fiction writer. He started playing 10 years ago. During this time, he studied in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco where he had many successes on stage and on screen. Gilligan was the winner of the 2021 Dumbo Film Festival Screenwriting Competition for Sci-Fi Screenplay, Revelations, about a disgraced mathematician and a mysterious deep space event. His scripts have also received the highest honor from the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards, Table Read My Screenplay, Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition and Filmmatic.
John helms is a screenwriter in Novato, California. His passion for history comes from growing up in Eagle Rock and spending all day with friends watching the triple feature film at the Eagle Theater. Her writing style is character-driven, showing how thoughts drive emotions and, in turn, actions. Helms won the 2021 Dallas Screenplay Awards theme for his animated feature script, A no-fly zone, about a hippo who must learn to fly to save a gosling from a rat’s villainous plan. His script has also received the highest recognition from StoryPros and ScreenCraft.
Harry hunsicker is a professor of creative writing, author of eight thrillers and creator of numerous short stories. As the winner of the 2021 “Script to Screen” competition, his detective comedy, (S) hit the squad, will be produced by Torfoot Films, Event Horizon Films and IdeaMan Studios with legal partners, Litwin Law Group, PLLC and The Law Office of LaToya L. Blakely.
K. Jennifer llagan tells stories for a living in New York City when she isn’t eating ice cream or rappelling down a mountain to a more exotic location. She describes herself as the kind of goofball that pushes on people. Like a gremlin, she recommends that you don’t water her after 10 p.m. She is also a Senior Producer at Discovery ID with over 15 years of experience in film and programmatic television. Ilagan won the 2021 “Broaden Your Horizon” screenplay competition for his horror screenplay, BFF never dies, about a cheeky cheerleader trying to solve her own murder. Its screenplay also received highest recognition from the StoryPros International Screenplay Contest, ISA’s Horror and Thriller Genre Busting Screenplay Competition, New York City International Screenplay Awards, FilmQuest, Big Apple Film Festival, Barnstorm Short List. Fest and over 60 other renowned festivals and competitions.
Ryan M. moore is a screenwriter, producer, director in Los Angeles. His cinema, Emmedon, was Best Sci-Fi Feature Film at the Toronto Independent Film Festival and won Best Overall Cast at FirstGlance Film Fest Hollywood. Moore was also the winner of the 2021 Dumbo Film Festival Screenwriting Contest Short Film for Sci-Fi Screenplay, The fenced forest becomes a backyard.
Dave paterson is an Australian screenwriter and director, best known for Butcher’s shop (2014) and BONE (2015). Focusing on dark dramas, it is replaced for Australian work by RGM. Paterson was the Concept winner of the 2021 Dallas Screenplay Awards for his feature-length screenplay, The Blind Sea, a drama about a mother who searches for a now partially blind but brilliant investigator to find her missing daughter. His screenplay also won the Grand Prize in the 2020 Shore Scripts Feature Film Competition.
Bernard Pucher is a screenwriter, director and producer, known for Ravers (2018), Black sand: a story of a man of sand (2017) and Headquarters on Liperti Street (2020). According to Pucher, his storytelling abilities began when he first convinced his parents that a pack of cigarettes belonged to an invented girlfriend. From then on, he made a living by telling stories, making commercials and making films. Pucher was the Page Turner winner of the 2021 Dallas Screenplay Awards for his feature film screenplay, Property, a thriller about a family of ranchers who clash with border officials over the cause of a massacre. His scripts have also received the highest honor from the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards, ScreenCraft, SF Indie Film Fest and The Academy Nicholl Fellowship.
Edith rodriguez is a writer-director who grew up between the sunny beaches of Puerto Rico and the cold winters of Wisconsin. After a successful career in corporate content development, she began writing and directing to pursue her passion for storytelling. His films include Ashes, Pride, and Las Cruces. Rodriguez won the Characterization Award at the 2021 Dallas Screenplay Awards for his feature-length screenplay, Girls from the south side, a drama about the troubled life of two teenagers in a Puerto Rican neighborhood. Her scripts have also been recognized by Austin Film Festival, ScreenCraft, PAGE, BlueCat, ISA and Stage 32. She is covered by The Mission Entertainment.
Jon savage is a Brooklyn-based screenwriter, teacher, and visual artist. Savage won Dialogue at the 2021 Dallas Screenplay Awards for his feature film screenplay, Rat tale, a whimsical, pun-filled comedy about a lonely teenager in love with the girl who loves her teacher. His scripts have also won the Los Angeles International Screenplay Awards, ScreenCraft, and the ISA Genre Screenplay Competition.
Kirsty zane is an emerging British-Australian writer-producer who writes comedies for stage and screen. She studied at the Australian National University (BA, MSt), the Australian Film, Television & Radio School (Industry Cert. Script Assessment) and the University of California, Los Angeles (Professional Program in Producing). Her awards for dramatic writing include the ACT Writing & Publishing Award for Fiction for paper clippings (2018) and the Short + Sweet award for best screenplay for Brexit (2016). Zane was the winner of the 2021 “Broaden Your Horizon” Screenplay Short Film for the black comedy screenplay, Happy Ending Retirement Home. His scripts have also received top recognition from the Hollywood Just4Shorts, Sherman Oaks Film Festival, Pittsburgh Shorts, and the London International Screenwriting Competition. Zane is currently working on an amateur theater comedy television series and romantic comedy feature film set in the UK and Australia.
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About Event Horizon Films
Event Horizon Films is an online network of experienced film professionals created to help screenwriters improve their stories, increase visibility and understand the Hollywood business. From script contests and analysis services to professional consulting, Event Horizon Films is committed to encouraging writers to keep writing. For more information, visit eventhorizonfilms.com.