2021 SCRIPTWRITING
'5-minute Short Film' Script Writing Competition
The Shark Awards inaugural short film script writing competition attracted hundreds of entries from 32 countries around the world. The script submissions covered a wide range of genre’s from first time writers to seasoned professionals.
Each entry was assessed against the simple criteria set out in the invitation to enter, resulting in 37 entries going forward to reach the coveted shortlist. Following further consideration, six scripts made it to finalist stage (see below) and one winner was chosen by director Paddy Breathnach
The winner will receive a Gold Shark trophy and €1,000
Sharks Short Film Script Writing Competition Finds it's Soulmate in Winning Entrant
Sharks Short Film is pleased to announce 'Soulmate Wanted' written by Mary Kirwan as the winner of the 2021 Script Writing Competition.
The 5 minute short film script follows Gwen, a pedantic believer in all things mystical who has just received a sketch of her soulmate. Determined to find love and hope in a pandemic, she launches her own personal search campaign.
Mary's script was heralded the winner by acclaimed features director Paddy Breathnath, and selected from hundreds of scripts sent in from 32 countries around the world.
A costume assistant coming from the theatre world, this is Mary's first ever script and said: “I am over the moon to win this award. Winning it has quietened any thoughts that writing is just a pipe dream and has really encouraged me to keep going.”
Paddy commented: “Choosing a winner wasn’t an easy task as there were many great scripts entered but for me “Soulmate Wanted” stood out because of it’s wonderful comedy and humanity, it’s great concept and the precision and craft in the writing. “
The script submissions covered a wide range of genres from first time writers to seasoned professionals. Each entrant was required to submit a 500 word synopsis to win a coveted sharks head trophy and €1000 in prize money.
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The script is available to prospective directors/producer who may wish to collaborate with Mary to get this script made into a finished film
Finalist Scripts
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Charlie Doris "Tuff Guy"
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Richard Salguero "Had An Accident Recently?"
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Lorenzo Sorbini "Boys Don't Cry"
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Patrick Ryan "Martyr"
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Kate Dolan "The Disappearance of Conor McIntryre"
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Mary Kirwan "Soulmate Wanted"
Shortlisted Scripts
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Conor Going "Gallows Humour"
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Medb Johnstone "Where We All Belong"
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Tim Riley "The Start of Something"
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Nick Fore "F*cking B*tch"
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Patrick Ryan "Martyr"
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Mary Kirwan "Soulmate Wanted"
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Lorenzo Sorbini "Boys Don't Cry"
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Richard Salguero "Had An Accident Recently?"
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Neil Saul "Just The Trick"
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Cole Squires "Afflicted"
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Steven Blows "Soar"
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Mark Dollard "Weeping Wall"
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Charles Hall "Sleeper"
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Lee Chambers "Sugar Rush"
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Charlie Doris "Tuff Guy"
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R. J. Cardullo " The Teacher
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James Sellick "Break"
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Daisy Cave "Reality"
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Theo-ziny Joel "Clicks"​
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Joe G Clift "The Buskers"
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Matthew Cook "Unknown Caller"
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Nick Coates " Carried Away"
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Max Blustin " Sage"
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Matt Fitch, Chris Baker "Vote TAL"
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Mike Felix, Kirsty Masefield "A Chat Over Death"
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Kate Dolan "The Disappearance of Conor McIntryre"
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Dickie Connell "What People Find Funny"
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Aaran Parry "Ice Cream In Winter"
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Alex Webb "A Beautiful Day"
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Marjory E. Leposky "La Fuente (The Fountain)"
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Saeed Zamanian "The Flower Play"
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Ken White "Two Women"
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Robert Boyle "Dust"
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Mark Osborne "Mom-o-morphus"
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Mark Daponte "The Disagreeable Dinner"
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Nicola Thompson "A Talk In The Park"
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David Cowzer "Rainbow Republic"
A big thank you to all who entered. We appreciate the time and effort taken to submit your entry. We hope you will enter again in 2022. Details will be posted on the Shark Awards website
The Brief
Lockdown generally isn't much fun, but there are occasional opportunities that arise and we're absolutely sure of this as we're providing one of them. To cut to the chase, now (while you have a bit of spare time) might be a good time to consider the Sharks' short-film script competition.
"The Sharks short film script competition you say?"
Yes, which couldn't be simpler - we're looking for short film scripts, specifically no longer than five mins (you might get away with ideas timed at 5 mins 11 secs-ish but any longer and we'll definitely know you're taking the..).
You'll need just three things; 1) a terrific idea 2) a 500 word synopsis of your terrific idea and 3) a script to show how it will be shot.
And..um..that's basically it. There's a cash prize of €1000 for the script judged (by a top director) to be the best.
So, if you're fed-up watching daytime re-runs of repeats of re-showings of Friends (ffs how many of them did they make!?) get your thinking cap on and get busy.
Action!!!!
Features Director Paddy Breathnach to Judge Script Writing Competition
We're proud to announce that our judge for the very first Shark Awards short film script writing competition (bit of a mouthful that!) is the brilliant and very lovely features director Paddy Breathnach.
Paddy began his own career making short films and natural history documentaries before the draw of story telling through film drama became his format of choice!
His most recent feature film ‘Rosie’ - with screenplay by Roddy Doyle - explores the heartbreak of homelessness and was awarded first prize at the French Film Festival "La pauvreté sans clichés" in Montreuil, and also showed in Toronto.
In 2015 Paddy directed the very open, honest and really quite moving Spanish language LGBT film ‘Viva’ which was set in Cuba and won the ADL Stand Up Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, and shortlist for best Foreign Language Film for the Academy Awards. It also premiered at Telluride and screened at Sundance.
Paddy said: "I'm very honoured to be judging Shark Awards Short Film Script Writing Competition. These opportunities are vital part of the film industry and the creative community, not only for the emerging of new talent but adding fresh ideas, a new energy and way of thinking to the status quo which can only add to the evolution of creativity and innovative ideas. During my judging, I’ll be looking to be utterly engaged and wanting to feel compelled to turn to the next page.”
Paddy will select the winning script out of an expected high number of entries hoping to win the coveted cash prize of €1000 and be honoured as Shark Awards Short Film Script Writing Competition winner!
Competition Conditions
Rules
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Open to entries worldwide written in English language only.
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We close for entries on 17th March 2021.
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The Script must be your original creative work, and you warrant that you are the sole creator. Writing teams are accepted.
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You agree we may publish the synopsis of the winning script. You retain all rights to the Script itself and any other creative materials submitted to the Competition.
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You agree that your submission will not infringe, misappropriate or violate the intellectual property, privacy or other rights of any third party.
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You are solely responsible for protecting your intellectual property rights in the Script.
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The script must not have been previously produced into a movie before the winner is announced.
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Participation in the competition constitutes permission to use the winners name and photograph on our website and in promotional material.
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We will publish a shortlist of Finalists, prior to announcing the winner, here on our website and in social media.
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The team at The Shark Awards (writers and producers) will sift the entries to create a manageable list for our judge to review.
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This is a free to enter competition, therefore you agree there is no contract entered into, implied or otherwise.
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You accept that the decisions made by the staff and judges are their personal subjective opinions and for reasons of confidentiality we do not provide further comment on individual entries.
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We reserve the right to revoke/disqualify any entry or award for a breach of these rules.
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Entry Instructions
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Submit your entry via Filmfreeway (see link below)
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Name the PDF file as per The_Film_Title.pdf
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The Film Title should sit in the header at top of page.
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No credits should appear on page.
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No more than 5 pages
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The 500 word synopsis should sit immediately under the Film Title.
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The script should follow.
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You may include a treatment or storyboard if you so wish.
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Advice
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Please note that the brief is for a '5 minutes or less' Short Film, not Heaven's Gate! Entries should be written as succinctly as possible. The judge will principally be looking for an idea that can be compellingly expressed in a 5 minute time-length. This should be clear from the synopsis. It is quite likely that any entry that clearly fails this first objective will be discarded from further reading. Once the 5 minute rule has been established the script and treatment will help visualise the execution into moving image. Think 5 minutes, less is more!
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