2-minute read time.
I’m happy to share some good news. For the past two years, I’ve been participating in the NYC Midnight screenplay competition, which hosts a variety of international writing challenges throughout the year. They’re fast‑paced, creative, and genuinely enjoyable; each round assigns writers a genre, subject, and character, all under tight deadlines.
Last year, out of about 1,700 writers, I made it to the second round but didn’t advance to the finals. This year, though, things took a big step forward. Out of roughly 2,600 participants, I placed in the Top 90 and am officially a 2020 NYC Midnight Screenplay Competition Finalist.
It’s been a rewarding experience, and I’m looking forward to continuing to grow through these challenges.
| Round # | Title | Assignment | Length | Logline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The French Disconnection | Political Satire/Innovation/A transcriber | 12 pages in 8 days | “In order to reverse a man-made disaster, a disgraced athlete and his gifted best friend race to win the class presidency.” |
| 2 | The Rubber Duck Runaround | Romance/An Inheritance/A toy maker | 8 pages in 5 days | “When an engagement ring comes with a life-altering secret, will a surfer agree to a desperate plot in order to preserve the inheritance of the man she loves?” |
| 3 | Sparks Flying | Open Genre (Fantasy)/A disappearance/A trainer | 5 pages in 24 hours | “A witch trains her young apprentice to catch and deliver sparks of creativity. When sparks start disappearing, will the witches be able to dispel troublesome figments of imagination?” |
I’m still taking it in, to be honest. The competition this year has been incredibly strong, and it’s been inspiring to read the work other writers have shared. There’s a lot of talent in the mix, which makes being a finalist feel especially meaningful.
I’m looking forward to receiving the judges’ feedback; it’s always a valuable part of the process, and I learn something new every time. For now, it’s just a matter of waiting for the final results, which will be announced on August 24th. The anticipation is definitely building.
To my fellow writers, I hope your creative projects continue to grow in ways that challenge and excite you. Competitions like this are as much about the experience as they are about the outcome, and it’s been a rewarding journey so far.
Thanks for being here,
Kristy
P.S. I write under a pseudonym for this competition, Mary-Margaret Winters, because I was too nervous to use my real name the first year!
