Champaign Urbana Film Society’s 6th Annual Pens to Lens Student Screenwriting Competition is now accepting submissions! Here’s the basics of what you need to know:
- The competition is for students K – 12 in East Central Illinois. They should submit an original short screenplay by February 28th.
- A select number of scripts will be chosen to be made into a fully-produced short film by the local filmmaking group Champaign Movie Makers. Some will also be adapted to movie posters by local designers from Champaign-Urbana Design Organization.
- Films will be screened at the Virginia Theatre in August.
There’s also a Student Filmmaking Competition for students who are interested in the artistic and technical skills involved with original, self-produced films. Students have until June 30th to submit their completed films. Click here for more details.
Here’s the full rundown:
CHAMPAIGN, Feb. 1, 2018—Submissions to the Champaign-Urbana Film Society’s 6th Annual Pens to Lens Student Screenwriting Competition are now being accepted! February 1st also marks the beginning of the 4th Annual Pens to Lens Student Filmmaking Competition, which encourages local students to write, direct, and produce their own short films.
Students have until February 28th to submit their short scripts for the Screenwriting Competition, and those participating in the Student Filmmaking Competition have until June 30th to submit their completed films. Films will be screened at the red carpet gala at the Virginia Theatre on Saturday, August 11th, 2018.
The Pens to Lens Screenwriting Competition invites K-12 students in East Central Illinois to submit original short screenplays. A select number of screenplays will then be chosen to be turned into a fully-produced short film by members of the local filmmaking group Champaign Movie Makers (CMM). Additional scripts will be adapted as movie posters by local designers from the Champaign-Urbana Design Organization (CUDO).
In addition to the screenwriting competition, the Pens to Lens Student Filmmaking Competition gives students the opportunity to share their artistic and technical skills with the community through their original, self-produced films. They will work with filmmaking equipment, collaborate with peers and mentors, and realize their own artistic vision. Cash prizes will be awarded to winners of the competition. Submission guidelines can be found at http://penstolens.com/student-filmmaking-competition/.
For students who are looking for additional inspiration in writing their scripts, local filmmakers may be available throughout the year to visit classrooms and after-school functions. To request a visit, teachers should fill out the “Schedule a Filmmaker Visit” form on the Pens To Lens website.
Last year, over 400 local students were involved with Pens to Lens. This included writers submitting over 200 scripts, actors appearing in many of the 16 produced films, and production crew helping out on set. This community involvement led to Pens to Lens winning the Social Venture Award at the 2016 Innovation Celebration hosted by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation.Submission guidelines, educational materials, previous years’ films, and more, are all available at PensToLens.com. For additional information, or if you are a local filmmaker, designer, or actor interested in getting involved with Pens to Lens, please contact [email protected].
Photo from Facebook.