The New York Screenplay Contest Announces 2014 Award Winners

The New York Screenplay Contest, New York's top screenwriting competition, is proud to announce the winners and official finalists of the 2014 New York Screenplay Contest. One Grand Prize Winner, Empire Award Winner, and Park Avenue Winner from fifteen categories, were each recognized for their excellence in screenwriting. Winners include, Grand Prize Winner - "The Taking of the King" written by Nelson Blish, Grand Prize Winner - "Grace" written by Lynda Lemberg and Jeffrey Allen Russel, Grand Prize Winner - "Get Happy!" written by Phil Lowe, Empire Award Winner - "Halfway Home" written by David Schroeder, Empire Award Winner Claws, Paws and a Blue Macaw" written by Theresa Giese, Empire Award Winner - "Living With Linda" written by Diane Lisa Johnson, Park Avenue Award Winner - "Losing Time" written by Andrew Eisen, Park Avenue Award Winner - "The Secret of Sleep" written by Joshua Katz, and Park Avenue Award Winner - "The Impossible Dream" written by Manoj Panicker.

Only the most finely written screenplays are honored with the exclusive distinction of being a Winner or Official Finalist of the New York Screenplay Competition. This year's Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Michael Esser, writer of Operation No Moore, a story of Hunter McPherson who takes up the fight for her daughter Caroline's dignity when naked photos of Caroline appear on the Internet.

"We received a record number of astounding submissions this year, each a vision of emerging talent," said Oscar Gemayel, Festival Director of the New York Screenplay Contest. "We are honored to congratulate the talented winners."

NYSC 2014 Competition Winners and Finalists:

Action / Adventure

Grand Prize Winner - "The Taking of the King" written by Nelson Blish
Empire Award Winner - "Kill" written by Rodger Griffiths
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Losing Time" written by Andrew Eisen

Biographical / Historical

Grand Prize Winner - "Grace" written by Lynda Lemberg and Jeffrey Allen Russel
Empire Award Winner - "Hidden West" written by Kimberly Tompkins
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Heart of the Monster" written by Richard Opper

Comedy

Grand Prize Winner - "Get Happy!" written by Phil Lowe
Empire Award Winner - "Pure" written by Maggie Rowe & Andersen Gabrych
Park Avenue Award Winner - "The Secret of Sleep" written by Joshua Katz

Drama

Grand Prize Winner - "A Life Without Frosted Glass" written by Jeremy Taylor
Empire Award Winner - "Halfway Home" written by David Schroeder
Park Avenue Award Winner - "The Impossible Dream" written by Manoj Panicker

Family Film

Grand Prize Winner - "Claws, Paws and a Blue Macaw" written by Theresa Giese
Empire Award Winner - "The Long Way Home" written by Sharon Bake
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Charley's Choice" written by The Writers Group

Horror / Sci-Fi

Grand Prize Winner - "Candy's First Kiss" written by Brett Riley
Empire Award Winner - "April, Mei, and June" written by Paul Shiban
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Littler Sister" written by Deirdre Patterson

Thriller

Grand Prize Winner - "The Other Side of the Grass" written by Brian Streaty
Empire Award Winner - "Shaneytown" written by Christian Grier
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Blind Spot" written by Graham Parke

Feature

Grand Prize Winner - "A Lost Tribe in Amsterdam" written by Ian Sax
Empire Award Winner - "Hegira" written by Gannon Kenney
Park Avenue Award Winner - "The Roof Bolter" written by Joseph Porter

Short Screenplay

Grand Prize Winner - "Brecknock Court" written by Oscar Nobi
Empire Award Winner - "Growing Still" written by Graham Stephen
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Hannah's Birthday" written by Juliet Bergh

Stage Play

Grand Prize Winner - "Sisters/Sistahz" written by Daysha Edewi
Empire Award Winner - "Stop at a Winner" written by Justin Scott
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Standing Water" written by Lynne McMahon

Treatment

Grand Prize Winner - "Last of the Gods" written by Konstantinos Tsokalis
Empire Award Winner - "Fictional Journeys" written by Sabina Sattar
Park Avenue Award Winner - "The Pizza Mafioso" written by Stevan Šerban

Television Concept

Grand Prize Winner - "Hellbound" written by Bernard Zeiger
Empire Award Winner - "The Factory" written by Matt Coppa
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Loose Cannon" written by Jennifer Bouani

Television Pilot - Drama

Grand Prize Winner - "TrainHoppers" written by Mark Schroeder
Empire Award Winner - "Posterus" written by Peter Szumlas
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Apalachee" written by Gannon Kenney

Television Pilot - Sitcom

Grand Prize Winner - "Outliers" written by Robbi D'Allessandro
Empire Award Winner - "Living with Linda" written by Diane Lisa Johnson
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Ms. Littlefield" written by David Minaskanian

Television Spec Script

Grand Prize Winner - "Breaking Bad: Sign your Name" written by Kyle Kulmann
Empire Award Winner - "Curb Your Enthusiasm- Susie's Cousins Syndrome" written by Gavin Grant
Park Avenue Award Winner - "Archer: Fool's Gold" written by Graham Currin

Action / Adventure

• "Stingray" written by Dianna Zimmerman
• "Geert the Elf" written by Stephen Stull
• "Requiem" written by Irene Suver
• "Mumbai" written by Clarence Naiman
• "Submission" written by Bruce Rose
• "The Spy in Canaan" written by Howard Schack
• "Gioacchino Lupara (Shotgun Jack)" written by Thomas Ascenzi
• "GP1 Clones" written by Ren Kolb
• "Crime Ex" written by Charles Hahn
• "The Lucky Charm" written by Melvin Kling Jr.

Biographical / Historical

• "Etty Hilesum - A Love Story" written by Ruth Garbus
• "The Last Monsoon" written by Franklin Gaskin
• "Libertaire" written by Elizabeth Indianos
• "Brooklyn Odyssey" written by Tony Giordano
• "Poster Girl" written by Jessica Folk
• "The Poet's Wife" written by Amber Karlins
• "Samson" written by Parker Wallace
• "Joining Up" written by John McGuire
• "Clash of Iron" written by Richard Reed
• "Hegira" written by Gannon Kenney

Comedy

• "Skin" written by Alberto Diamante
• "Melina's Dream" written by Leonidas Demas
• "The Inner Nymph" written by Jane Petreycik
• "The Roomate" written by Rob Tyler
• "Going 88MPH" written by Douglas Russo
• "Puerto Rican Pair-A-Dice" written by Charles Davis
• "Something in Susan" written by Serge Kushnier
• "Devil By the Toe" written by Jeffrey Rubin
• "Out of Brooklyn" written by Debi Calabro-Tuccio
• "Donna Rose - Queen of Hearts" written by James Sullivan

Drama

• "The Ivory Coast" written by Joshua Katz
• "Truesong" written by Eve Spence
• "Hachimitsu" written by Armando Lantigua
• "La Tierra Que Yo Amo (Land That I Love)" written by Jonathan LaPoma and Natalia Porras Sivolobova
• "The House in The Woods written by Giorgio Pirazzini
• "Bitumen Blues" written by Nattalia Lea
• "There's Something Wrong with Mom" written by Joy McCaffrey
• "Torn" written by Heather Rombone
• "The Whole Mishpocha" written by Susan Baruch
• "The Cyclist" written by Tom Milano

Family Film

• "Goodbye, Kid. Hurry Back" written by Terri Kauffman
• "Underwood" written by Theresa Giese
• "Bill, The Pirate" written by Todd Selleck
• "Bon Temps" written by Annie Kananack
• "The Double Dutch Club" written by Mable E. Singletary
• "At the Intersection" written by Andrii Kovalov
• "A Ghost Story Of Christmas" written by Eddie Yaroch
• "The Ball Boy" written by Thomas Doyle
• "Elena's Fire written by Bill Morales
• "Drosselbart" written by Effie Bathen

Horror / Sci-Fi

• "Sleeing Red" written by Sundae Jahant-Osborn
• "I H8 NY" written by Damien Paris
• "Anastasia's Pyramid" written by Carlos Burgaleta
• "Sardis the Merciful" written by Christian Thomas
• "Burning Sky" written by Nathan Burgun
• "Harlow's Plague" written by Myriam Roelli
• "The Crazed Method" written by Bille Anthony
• "Raythu Rising" written by Brad Carpenter
• "Sixx of Odd" written by Edward Viverette
• "Serial Brothers" written by Justin Kagan

Thriller

• "Crave" written by Tina Quach
• "American Hell" written by Nicholas Begnaud and Robert Bryce Milburn
• "The Demon of Hope Street" written by Craig Peters
• "Feeding the Sharks" written by Douglas Beer
• "Life of Kings" written by Daniel Russell
• "Clutter" written by Mark Lindberg
• "Ruby Diamond City" written by Tim Hewitt
• "The Lake" written by Carley Andrews
• "The Abyss Of Pain" written by David Sabbath
• "4 Corners" written by David Morring

Feature

• "Mine is Yours" written by Ann Hawker
• "Desert Rain" written by M Colleen Burns
• "The House" written by Lednita Zeqiraj
• "The Dominion" written by Melissa Cook
• "Signs, Songs & Optimism" written by Sharen Wood
• "Fair Play" written by Michael Pica
• "Abhishap - The Curse" written by Kirshna Behari
• "The Conductor" written by Kyle Works
• "The Open Road" written by Corey Swim
• "Remember Who You Belong To" written by Caleb Alexander

Short Screenplay

• "Zoo" written by Annemarie Lawless
• "Going Home" written by Nir Shelter
• "The Hotel Room" written by Jeffery van Davis
• "Red Run" written by Anders Vacklin
• "The Bequest" written by Joan Golden
• "The City Wild" written by Edward Cleary
• "Home Inc." written by Daniel Díez Colinas
• "At the Lightbulb Museum" written by David Klein
• "Head Trip" written by Shade Streeter
• "True Companion" written by Arturo Olivares

Stage Play

• "Etty Hillesum: A Love Story" written by Ruth Garbus
• "The Donors" written by Jessica Lemes da Silva
• "For the Record" written by B.J. Burton
• "Service to Love" written by Denis Edwards
• "La Vida Abajo" written by Kristin Goodman
• "Parable of the Asses" written by Elaine Chekich
• "Horatio Street" written by Ian Sax
• "One More Night" written by Eleutherios Kakathimis
• "Critter" written by Michael McClendon
• "Aoede's 'What Are Dreams Made Of?" written by Lisa Sniderman

Treatment

• "The Other Fate" written by Sandra Stoodley
• "Solomon's Choice" written by Richard Geiwitz
• "The Heir" written by Alessandro Neckels
• "True Believer" written by Richard Geiwitz
• "Liberty's Friend" written by Sandra Stoodley
• "My Sweet Babushka" written by Olena D. Adams
• "Mistletoe Fever" written by Jennifer Snow
• "Rook" written by Anders Vacklin
• "Carthage Must Die" written by Jonathan Gunning
• "Scorpio" written by Shahid Muhammed

Television Concept

• "Bullet Trace" written by Anna Bierhaus
• "Dogs of Service" written by Elaine Chekich
• "Bad Betty" written by David Livingstone
• "Overunity Unleashed" written by Kevin Heddwyn
• "Double Dream" written by Valerio De Bonis
• "Working Actor" written by Benjamin Seay
• "Office Pirates" written by Loren Marie Story
• "Road to Stand Up" written by Keith Paradise
• "The House" written by Cindy Lee
• "Thank You, Mr. Zuckerberg" written by Ed Purchla

Television Pilot - Drama

• "Haven" written by Larry Brothers
• "Red Coats" written by Tomax Aponte
• "Border State" written by Diana Garrett
• "The Reckoning" written by David Hendon
• "Hood" written by Greg Hart
• "Welcome To Oakland" written by Laura Spaeth
• "Pound for Pound" written by Travis Hodgkins
• "The Gower Chronicles: Operation Red Star" written by Rebecca Handley
• "Grey Matters" written by Ian Longacre
• "Immune" written by John Murray

Television Pilot - Sitcom

• "Grow Up" written by Denishea Bright
• "Held Back" written by Thaddeus Hackworth
• "End of The Line" written by Andrea Gardner
• "Talent Show" written by Ira Allen
• "Inexperienced" written by Cass Russell
• "The Three Dorks" written by Dorien Makhloghi
• "Beck & Call" written by Susan Loeffler
• "Bitter Berta" written by Kristin Vig
• "Recess H.S" written by Marcus Hayden
• "BubbleWrap" written by Dominic-Madori Davis

Television Spec Script

• "Girls Juggalo" written by Valerie Nies
• "The Big Bang Theory - The Wallet Experimentation" written by David Minaskanian
• "Girls Divorce Song" written by Erica Lies
• "The Mindy Project - Bondage" written by Rachel Wortherley
• "Modern Family Pinball Wizard" written by Jonathan Schawbe
• "Under His Wing" written by Gabriele Cheng
• "Dr. Who - No Mans Land" written by Justin Scott
• "The Simpsons - Chute to Kill" written by Michael Gibney
• "New Girl - Crafty" written by Dominic Morris
• "The Anatomy of Murder" written by Kristy Hamilton

A special thank you to our sponsors and partners, writer-producer Erik Bork, Mariner Software, and Scripped for their generous support in our competition.