Hear live reads from selected excerpts from some of this year’s screenplay finalists. A Q&A with attending screenwriters will follow immediately after the readings.
Mia and the Muse by Christine Burright and Jeffrey Koterba
When a YA author finds herself unable to complete the followup to her best-selling debut novel, she’s visited by her annoying muse-come-to-life and must learn to work alongside him or risk missing her deadline and losing her already-spent advance.
High Performance by Jessica Wei
A burned-out doctor resorts to the latest AI to keep up in life.
Waiting Games by Jeffrey R Field
A damaged, charismatic liar who spins stories to strangers in hospital waiting rooms helps a grieving mom deal with the loss of her twins.
Sue by Hayden Joseph Howe
A father discovers an unlikely means to cope with his daughter’s sudden passing.
A Lost Lady by Holly Swenson
Maddy Forester struggles to retain the power of her vibrance and spirit while trapped in a world where she doesn’t belong under the weight of the secrets of the men who love her.
Yours In Murder by Anthony Rainone
When a young woman survives as the first victim of the Son of Sam serial killer, she confronts her haunted past and tracks the depraved killer down, after the police fail her and the Son of Sam vows to come back and kill her, in 1970s New York City.
Werewolves Can Suck It! by Leah Simmons
Just like your dog, werewolves are terrified of vacuum cleaners. So when a pack of werewolves invade a rural town, it’s up to the owner of a failing vacuum repair business and her stoner friend to save the day with their arsenal of Hoovers and a plucky Roomba.
The Candle Maker by Jeanne Schieffer
Running from an abusive relationship, Sendra Edding secretly moves to a small Nebraska town within miles of the mental institution where her mother lives – a mother she has not seen since she was nine years old.
Writers Theatre
The Writers Theatre began in 2013 and brought our screenplay entries to the stage. Area actors perform selected scenes from our screenplay finalists for an enthusiastic audience and the attending Screenwriters. Often, this is the first time our writers have seen their work performed live. Leading up to the event, screenwriters have the opportunity to meet with actors and discuss scenes and motivations of the characters.
Script Competition
The Omaha Film Festival’s Script Competition welcomes entries from around the globe in three categories, Feature, Short, and Teleplay. A team of judges read each script culminating in an annual list of semi-finalists announced in January and finalists announced in early February.
While scripts aren’t as visual as the finished films, the relationships fostered with our screenwriters over the years is one OFF is proud of. OFF will continue to support and showcase the incredible work that screenwriters create for many years to come.
“This is an excellent festival and one of the better all round film festivals for writers. The Writers Theatre is an excellent concept that goes above and beyond what most offer. Friendly, great value, and wonderful people.” – James Howells, Screenwriter
