Austin Film Festival Announces Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship

Austin Film Festival (AFF) is thrilled to announce a partnership with acclaimed producer Barry Josephson to present the inaugural Josephson Entertainment Screenwriting Fellowship as an extension of its 2018 Script Competitions. This new opportunity will provide a one-on-one mentorship in Los Angeles for two fellows - one writer or writing team with a feature script and one writer or writing team with a teleplay pilot - selected from the Final Round of this year's competition. Fellows will be chosen based on the writers and scripts that imbue the most promise for development.

the first year I attended the festival in 1994, it's been equally rewarding to have mentored up-and-coming writers, and to have learned so much from the established writers we've been fortunate to have at AFF. That plus we all look forward to enjoying our evenings out in Austin each and every year! #goodkindahangover" said Barry Josephson.

In AFF's inaugural year, 1994, Barry Josephson along with producer David Valdez were invited to participate and judge for the Screenplay Competition. This resulted in them optioning the winning script, Excess Baggage, by Max Adams through Columbia Pictures and eventually getting produced as a feature film starring Alicia Silverstone and Benicio Del Toro. Since then, Barry Josephson has been integral to AFF's growth and success. Over the years, he has brought top screenwriters to AFF like Shane Black, Akiva Goldsman, and Ed Solomon.

"If it wasn't for Barry's input and support since the first festival, there probably wouldn't have been a second year," said AFF Co-Founder and Executive Director Barbara Morgan. "Now in our 25th anniversary, he still remains one of our strongest CHAMPIONS and for screenwriters and it could not be more evident through this fellowship."

Finalists in the feature and teleplay pilot categories of the Screenplay Competition will be invited to apply and AFF will select the top writers for Josephson Entertainment to further review. The selected fellows will be announced and presented by Barry Josephson at the Awards Luncheon on October 27, 2018. Each fellow will be flown to Los Angeles to be mentored by Barry and take meetings with various executives from Josephson Entertainment to take their writing to the next level. A maximum of $500 for airfare and maximum of $1200 for hotel will be provided per selected script for each fellow. Submissions are now open with an Early Deadline of March 30, Regular Deadline of April 20, and Late Deadline of May 15.

About Barry Josephson

Barry Josephson is a veteran of the entertainment industry with a wealth of diverse experience in film, television, and music. He has established mainstream success through numerous motion pictures, television series, and specials across a variety of genres. As president of Josephson Entertainment, Josephson's business acumen is derived from the various positions he has held, ranging from a successful talent manager to president of production at Sony Pictures. Mr. Josephson's credits include the international hit comedy Dirty Grandpa starring Robert De Niro and Zac Efron and the critically acclaimed film Enchanted starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey.

For television, Mr. Josephson produced Bones on FOX, which aired its 12th and final season, and AMC's period drama Turn: Washington's Spies, which aired its 4th and final season. His comedy series The Tick, written by Ben Edlund, is currently airing on AMAZON, and he recently wrapped the first season of UltraViolet, a Polish series based on the critically acclaimed book The Skeleton Crew, which was ordered to a second season. Josephson's previous television credits include the FOX drama The Finder, the critically acclaimed Maximum Bob, The Tick, Fantasy Island, and the cable series Tales from the Crypt. He also executive-produced the Syndicated show Pat Croce Moving In, as well as a number of cable comedy specials.

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. This project is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. www.austinfilmfestival.com

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