The 4th annual Pens to Lens competition began accepting submissions today, Feb. 1st, 2016, for both aspects of ajudication: short scripts for Student Screenwriting, or completed films for the Student Film Festival. Both competitions are open to current students from grades K-12 in East Central Illinois.
Submission deadline for Student Screenwriting will be Feb. 29th, 2016, for finished scripts no longer than 5 pages. Check out submission guidelines at the website, which is also where all scripts must be submitted. The student filmmakers will have until June 30th, 2016 to submit their finished films for the Festival. Those films must be written, directed, and produced by current students, but read the submission guidelines for this, as well, and keep in mind all the films must be uploaded to vimeo or youtube to be considered.
Pens to Lens, recently winning the Social Venture Award at 2016’s Innovation Celebration, provides an opportunity to encourage young writers by showing them the power behind their talents. When professional actors and filmmakers create a finished film from a short script and screen it at the Virginia for a community audience, the effect is overwhelming.
From speaking to the 2015 winners, I know many kids have already been working on their scripts for months… but there’s still time to create something amazing and perhaps walk the red carpet yourself come August!