UA’s TCF Department Chooses Scriptwriting Contest Winners

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s department of telecommunication and film offered local aspiring screenwriters a new challenge this semester: the chance to not only work with an award-winning Hollywood director but also to win $5,000.

Each year, former “Seinfeld” director Tom Cherones visits to teach a class in the telecommunication and film department, and the department has hosted the scriptwriting contest for several years. But this is the first time a panel of judges has selected a winner for a cash prize.

“A TCF alumnus knew about this scriptwriting contest and donated the money to encourage more student participation,” said Dr. Glenda Cantrell Williams, chair of the telecommunication and film department. “He doesn’t want his name attached; he just really wants to encourage writing and creativity. It’s a great opportunity for our students.”

The first-place winner of $5,000 was Brittany Walton, a telecommunication and film major, with an emphasis on media production, from Mobile. Her script was called “The Unthinkable.”

Second prize ($2,500) went to Rachael Giles, from Prairieville, La., who also is majoring in telecommunication and film, with an emphasis on media production, for “Wishful Thinking.”

Thomas Kennemer, a political science major from Birmingham, won third prize and $1,000, and his script also was selected to be produced by Cherones’ class.The contest rules stipulated that the best-written script would win the first-place cash prize, whereas Cherones would have additional input into which script would best fit his class’s needs.

Kennemer’s script, titled “A Day in the Life of Willie,” will be produced during the spring semester and will be screened in April.

The scriptwriting competition for 2015 is already underway, with the same cash prizes available. The competition is open to all UA students; scripts are due in the telecommunication and film offices by the first Friday in December.