Script Pipeline discovers and develops writers for film and television, connecting them to producers, agents, and managers. Since 1999, several produced films and over $8 million in screenplay and TV pilot spec sales are credited to Script Pipeline’s unique, intensive process of long-term writer-to-industry facilitation. Contest finalists and “Recommend” writers work with Script Pipeline executives year-round, getting broader exposure in addition to continuous, one-on-one development assistance.
Success stories include:
Tripper Clancy, winner of the Screenwriting Contest, sold the comedy The Ambassadors to 20th Century Fox and the pitch Winter Break, before writing Stranded for Sony and Hacker Camp for Hasbro. In development: High Five with Amazon, an adaptation of the bestselling novel The Art of Fielding for Mandalay / IMG, and a Kevin Hart series for Quibi, Die Hart. His action-comedy Stuber sold to Fox for the mid-six figures and starred Dave Bautista (Guardians of the Galaxy) and Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick) star. Tripper was also staffed on the Netflix series I am Not Okay With This (2020).
Contest winner The Standoff at Sparrow Creek, written by Henry Dunham, premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Henry made his directorial debut with the crime-thriller starring James Badge Dale (Iron Man). Lit Entertainment Group and UTA signed Henry a few weeks after he was announced as the winner of the competition.
Screenwriting Competition winner Evan Daugherty selling Snow White and the Huntsman to Universal for $3 million and later taking the lead on studio films Divergent, Ninja Turtles, and Rose Red from Disney. Evan was previously attached to write the limited series Esmeralda for ABC Studios, GI Joe 3 for Paramount, an adaptation of Myst for Hulu, and the Tomb Raider reboot. His most recent project is the upcoming Anaconda reimagining for Sony. The contest-winning script Killing Season was produced and starred Academy Award-winner Robert De Niro and John Travolta.
Finalist Jen Goldson had her romantic comedy Off the Menu produced, starring Santino Fontana (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) and Dania Ramirez (Devious Maids). Jen was introduced to director Jay Silverman at a Script Pipeline event–the screenplay went into production in less than a year. She has two other features in production, including her contest-placing dramedy Everything’s Gonna Be Okay, Andy Tennant (Hitch) set to direct.
Howard Jordan Jr., runner-up in the Script Pipeline TV Writing Competition with the comedy Family Be Like, was staffed on the CBS series Superior Donuts. He later joined the writing staff on Netflix’s Family Reunion and another CBS sitcom, The Unicorn, in 2019, and followed that up with Bigger on BET in 2020.
Screenwriter Brian Watanabe had his Script Pipeline “Recommend” action-comedy Operation: Endgame, also initially developed by Script Pipeline, produced by Script Pipeline’s Chad Clough and Sean McKittrick (Get Out). The film starred Zach Galifianakis (The Hangover), Adam Scott (Parks and Rec), Maggie Q, Ellen Barkin, Bob Odenkirk (Better Call Saul), and an ensemble cast.
Most recently, Screenwriting Competition winner Helen Gaughran signed with UTA, and several other finalists and winners landed management, such as First Look Project winner Nick Roth and TV Writing finalist JP Estes getting representation from Zero Gravity (Ozark).
And in one of the biggest spec sales of all-time from an unproduced writer: 2020 Screenwriting finalist Crosby Selander sold his script Bring Me Back to Legendary for seven figures. Crosby was signed by Kaplan/Perrone in September 2020 after Pipeline introductions.
Outside of its own writer successes, Script Pipeline’s first produced film, The Living Wake, starring Academy Award-nominee Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network) and comedian Mike O’Connell (Dr. Ken), received high praise when it made its festival debut.
A number of original feature and TV projects are in various stages of development, and over 150 writers have found representation, had their scripts optioned and produced, and seen their careers launched as a result of facilitation. With a constantly expanding industry network, Script Pipeline searches for new material and writers on a daily basis–and an anticipated 20,000 screenplays, pilots, and original pitches will be reviewed for 2020.
*Industry requests to review material from Script Pipeline writers can be made here.