FrightFest Reanimates Its “New Blood” Search for the Next Generation of Horror Writers
Arrow Films FrightFest does more than just highlight today’s best and up-and-coming horror practitioners, they are actively seeking out and supporting the next generation of genre writers. For the third year in a row, the annual London event is sponsoring a “New Blood” search for future horror heavyweights.
Here’s the full scoop from this morning’s press release:
With FrightFest entering its 20th year, the search is set to resume for new writers in the horror genre. For the third year running, New Blood reunites FrightFest with Giles Edwards of Queensbury Pictures with its mission to find emerging UK-based writers dedicated to the genre and nurture their projects from script to screen. Queensbury is ultimately interested in buying the finished script rather than the idea, and so, this year all successful final candidates if selected should be able to send even a rough draft of the first ten pages of their script through with their acceptance.
Already the scheme has delivered one new project Broadcast Signal Intrusion. Written by Phil Drinkwater and Tim Woodall, it’s directed by Jacob Gentry (The Signal) and goes into production in early autumn.
The successful shortlisted applicants will workshop their ideas in a group setting under the guidance of top industry professionals and genre experts. Among this year’s panel are two-for-the-price-of-one directors The Soska Sisters, producer Jen Handorff (Prevenge, The Chamber), novelist and critic Kim Newman, and Queensbury Pictures’ Giles Edwards.
Giles Edwards of Queensbury Pictures said, “Having already achieved the initial aim of New Blood, with the discovery of the phenomenal script Broadcast Signal Intrusion from Phil and Tim that’s going into production in Chicago in September, we’re more adamant than ever that the cream of UK genre writing talent is out there, just waiting for the opportunity to wrench our collective gut with their visions of true terror.”
Greg Day, co-director of FrightFest added, “For FrightFest to help and enable aspiring scriptwriters to have this opportunity is very gratifying, especially as Giles and Queensbury Pictures have proved that they really mean business and are not just playing industry lip-service.”
The New Blood networking and workshop event will be held on Thursday, August 22nd, the opening day of this year’s festival, in a Central London venue
Applications are open from Wednesday 10th July with potential participants asked to submit a 400-word proposal through the dedicated New Blood page on the FrightFest website and if selected, each writer is expected to submit the first ten pages of their script idea. The deadline is Wednesday 31st July. All successful applicants will be notified by early August and then will be requested to send over their sample script pages. All participants are expected to pay for their own travel and accommodation.
For full application requirements and to apply: http://www.frightfest.co.uk/newblood.html
FrightFest 2019, 20th anniversary edition, runs 22nd to 26th August.
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