Congratulations to Our 2021 TV Division Quarterfinalists & Semifinalists

We’re pleased to announce the Original Drama, Comedy, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy division quarterfinalists and the Original Children/Family division semifinalists for our 2021 TV Retreat & Fellowship Contest!

Many thanks to our hardworking judges, who read tirelessly and whose assistance we could not exist without!

WHAT’S NEXT

Quarterfinalists in the Original Drama, Comedy, and Sci-Fi/Fantasy divisions now advance to the semifinalist round, after which there will be another round of judging to determine finalists and division winners. Semifinalists in the Original Children/Family division advance to the finalist round, where judges will determine the division winner and finalists.

Division winners advance to another judging round to determine the 2021 TV Fellow.

The TV Fellow, division winners, and finalists will be invited to attend the retreat. Any remaining spots will be offered to division semifinalists and quarterfinalists.

2021 VIRTUAL TV RETREAT

Due to the ongoing pandemic, the 2021 TV retreat will be a virtual event. As during live events, retreat attendees receive three one-on-one, one and a half hour sessions with CineStory mentors during which they can discuss everything from the project they submitted for feedback to jump starting their writing careers. For an additional fee, retreat attendees also have the option to add a fourth mentor session.

The virtual retreat also will include our unique informal sessions, comedy and drama writers’ rooms, one-on-one mentor meetings, virtual happy hours, writers’ hangout rooms with mentor AMAs, and a lunchtime guest speaker series.

Our goal is to create as valuable and collaborative an environment as our usual in-person retreat.

OUR 2020 VIRTUAL RETREAT ALUMNI SAY IT BEST

Says Greg Fortier, a 2020 virtual TV retreat attendee of his experience, “Despite all things 2020, I able to come out of the virtual CineStory equipped with exactly what I had hoped an in-person retreat would’ve provided: mentors with whom I genuinely connected and a supportive, brilliant community of writers.”

Click here for additional information about the TV retreat and fellowship and for additional testimonials from 2020 virtual TV retreat attendees.

2021 TV CONTEST QUARTERFINALISTS & SEMIFINALISTS

Congratulations to this year’s quarterfinalists and semifinalists, and please check back in mid-January, when we’ll announce our TV Contest division semifinalists and finalists!

2021 ORIGINAL DRAMA DIVISION QUARTERFINALISTS

45 STORIES by Eric Berg

THE ACADEMY by Brit Cowan

ALMOST by Leanna Woodley-Tock

AMERICAN PSYCHE by Richard Nguyen & Vinita Mehta

AMY: AN AMERICAN COMPOSER by Lillie Gardner

AND CALL ME IN THE MORNING: THE STORY OF THALIDOMIDE by Richard Willett

ANGELS OF War by Natalie Bergman & Victoria Rau

AT RISK by Alex Thomas

BAGHDAD BY THE BAY by Michael Weinreb

BEASTS OF BURDEN by Thomas Gaunt

BLACK HATTERS by Adam Toltzis

BLACKWELL ISLAND by Elba Román-Morales

BUTTONWOOD by Robin Regensburg

CAVALIER by Sydney Painter

CIRCLE OF THIEVES by Thomas Gaunt

CITY OF GOLD by Daniel Fisch

D1 by Brooke Buffington & Maddy Curley

DEAD NAME by Audrey Webb

DEATH OF A REVOLUTION by Marshall Ferrin

DISCONNECT – DUTY OF CARE by Dan Bronzite

DISMALAND by Sara Hallowell & Arabella Field

DIVE BAR by Kris Hagen

DON’T FORGET ME WHEN I’M GONE by Rachel Brethauer

THE DROWNING OF GHOSTS by Noni Salma

ELECTION DAY by Kyle Bown

THE ENVOY by Toby Elliott

FINDING SATOSHI by Shruti Saran

FRUIT FLY by Mark Bowes

GHOSTRUNNER by Jonathan Flicker

THE GREAT BRIDGE by Samantha Silvay

GRUNT by James Brunel

THE HEADLANDS by Lisa Locascio & Katya Apekina

HELSTON by Amy Allen & Josh Allen

HIDDEN BLOOD by Seda Anbarci

HOMECOMING by Rae Binstock

INSURGENT by Faisal Qureshi

INTERNITY by Brian Cohen

KIKI by Jen Bosworth-Ramirez & Gina Pulice

KINGDOM OF DUST by Erik Martinez

LIBERATI by Maren Curtis

LITTLE KNOWN FACTS by Christine Sneed

MARCH by Benjamin Caro

MAY THE WOLF DIE by Eric Berg

MURDER BALLADS by Jennifer Dunn

MYSTIK by Craig Fleming & Chris Webster

THE NEW GUYS by Margaret Lazarus Dean

NIAGARA FELL by David Pirinelli

ODD BODS PILOT – CURTAIN GIRL by Katherine Eyres

ONCE IN A LIFETIME by Rachel Hroncich

THE PAISLEY WITCH TRIAL by Julia Campanelli

PALM BEACH ARCADE by Michi Broman

PAPERGIRL by Louisa Makaron

PROS AND CONS by Andrea Lawson

PUSH IT! by Mirella Christou

THE REBOOTS by Andrea Lawson

REBRANDED by Carolina Ribeiro

RED SPY QUEEN by Leslie Lyshkov

THE REPATRIOTS by Andrea Lawson

RUBBERNECKER by Tom Hancock

SOCRATES H, BEHAVIORAL DETECTIVE by Kimon Koufogiannis

STRUTS by Sidney Rushing

THANK GOD FOR MISSISSIPPI by Alexie Basil

TRIPLE THREAT by Grace Gao

VALIANT by James Brunel

WHITE LOTUS by Ryan Williams

WISDOM OF THE ANCIENTS by Mark Perlick

A ZOO STORY by Felicia Romeo

2021 ORIGINAL COMEDY DIVISION QUARTERFINALISTS

(DIS)CONNECTED by Jamie Osnato

ACE OF SPADES by Taya Walter

AFRO by Jenn Shaw

AFTER SCHOOL by Aaron Barrocas

AREA 51 by Josh Smooha

BACKBURNER by Michelle Wilker

BAD JEW by Adi Blotman

BIG STAR by Melanie Holmes

BITCHALICIOUS by Christa Butler

BREAK A LEG! by Brian Laughran

BUNKING OUT by Danielle Schwartz

CARTUNION by Alessandro King

CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE by Wendy Pierce

CODENAME: MAME by Chatherine Vouvray

COMMITTED by JenniferBlair

THE CONTENDERS by Jamaal Pittman & Lila Hood

CUPID’S ARROW by Eddy Gaspard

THE DARKEST HOUR GOTHAM EMPORIUM by Leanne Mangan

DEAD WEIGHTS by Max Wolfson

EXPATS by Dorian Frankel

EXTRAORDINARY by Giulia Corda

F OR WAR D by Albert Nunez

FOGIES – COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT by PJ Andrews

F-YOU! I’M A TEACHER by Michael Lipoma

THE GAUNTLET by James Wade

GHOST ARMY by Alex Kaplan & Brandon Gross

GIVE ME PATTI LUPONE, OR GIVE ME DEATH by Jacob Combs

GOOD VIBES ONLY by Lily Gwyer

GOOD VIBES ONLY by Kyra Jones

HALLE HAD CANCER, OKAY? by Kate Herzlin

HEARTH by Dalton Short

HELP YOURSELF by Susannah Bohlke

HER EXCELLENCY by Guljan Toktogul

HOW TO SCORE by Honora Talbott

I KNOW WHAT YOU’RE THINKING by Nick Hurwitch

INFIRM by Carolyn Bridget Kennedy & Richard J. McRae

INVENTOR MAN by Ryan Stanisz

JERSEY SURE by Holly Mills

JUDGMENTAL by Loic Pichot

LEAST FAVORITE ANIMAL by Heidi Nyburg

A LITTLE RACE-ISH by Ursula Taherian

LIVING OUT LIVE by Barry Hite

LOVE-40 by Duke Yang

LUCKY PENNY by Shelley Dennis

LUSTY GLANCES by Misha Calvert

MARSHALL by Mark Evans

ME AGAIN by Brian Farrey-Latz

MESSRS. by Jacob Combs

MID LIFE by April Hartmann

MUSIC STREET by Tony Ferrendell, Tonia Kempler & AL Finocchioi

NEITHER HERE NOR THERE by Janene Lin

OFF COLOR by Haley Daniels

ON THE ROCKS by Lolia Etomi

PINNING by Nicholas Leitzke

POLITICAL SCIENCE by Jordan Hall

POST by Perre Finn

THE RELATIVES by Elanie Little

S.P.I.C.E. by Erin Enberg

SELLOUTS by David McMahon & Emily Donahoe

SNOWFLAKE by Wilandrea Blair

STREET LEGAL by Timothy Lundgren

SWIPE by Alex Arabian

TACOHEADS by Christian Moldes

TELEPATHIC by Andy Knuth

THAT’S LIFE – “MOVING DAY” by Alexander Colbeth

TOGETHER, AGAIN by Samuel Robotham

TRAPPED IN PARADISE by Kevin Bowden & Tasha Bowden

TRAPPED QUEENS by Patrick Mensah-Boadi

UNPLANNED by Scott Peterman & Cat Davis

VELVET RUT by Nicole Beckley

VOIDEAD by Karina Kalaydzhyan

WE BOUGHT A FUNERAL HOME by Ryan Stanisz

WHEN DREW DIED by Rangeley Wallace

WINE COUNTRY by Ashleigh Nichols & Anastasia Washington

WISE GUYS by Anthony Falcon

WRESTLERS by Ryan Wolin

2021 ORIGINAL SCI-FI/FANTASY DIVISION QUARTERFINALISTS

THE ACADEMY by Brit Cowan

APOLLO 19 by Ray Gettman Bush

ASSIGNMENT: CENSORED by Richard Krzemien

BENNY SAD & THE WONDERLAND FOR DEAD PEOPLE by Shaun Perry

CENTER OF THE UNIVERSE by Wendy Pierce

CLAMPDOWN by Rebecca Akerlund & Daniel J. Lindergren

CRESCENT COVE by John Lawniczak

EAT by Elfi Martinez

ECTOGIRLS by Elena Perez

THE FAIRY KNIGHT by Samuel Tracton

FAN THEORY by Brian LaPerche

FORTUNES by Ray Gettman Bush

THE FUTURE NOT PROMISED by Amber Beard

HER MAJESTY’S WIZARDS by Scott Peterman & Cat Davis

HOLLOW EARTH by Michael Natale

THE MÂR CHRONICLES by A. S. Templeton

MISS HYDE: “THE GOOD SEED” by Deanna Carlyle

NEUROTRANSMISSION by Andrea Berting

THE NUT FARM by Warren Clarke

NZR by Leon Masters

PATIENT 22 by Christian Hulen

POST-APOCALYPTIA by Arthur Diennet

PRACTICAL MAGIC by Brady Caverly

PROJECT OMEGA by Peter Norris

RETROGRADE by Ed Robinson

REVELATIONS by John Gilligan

RIPPED by Raymond Urrutia

SAMURAI STACY by Brendan Boogie

SANTA MUERTE by Dougals Stark

SAVANT by John Gilligan

THE SHADOW KING by Chris Bolton

SOL by James Fox

SOLARIUM by Todd Zing & Irish Rivera

TERMINAL by Dan Ast

VODOUN by Stuart Creque

2021 ORIGINAL CHILDREN/FAMILY DIVISION SEMIFINALISTS

THE COLORFUL LIFE OF LILLY BRIGGS by Leanna Woodley-Tock

ILEANA SIMZIANA by Iuliana Diaconescu

MADAME PELLEGRINO by Raquel Cedar

A PINCH OF TIME by Ed Robinson

SMASH by Chris Bolton