Six emerging screenwriters are getting a boost from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
The organization announced Thursday the winners of its annual Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, which comes with a $35,000 prize and yearlong academy support toward the completion of a feature-length screenplay.
Winners will receive the first installment of their prize money and hear their work performed aloud at a Nov. 3 event at the film academy's headquarters in Beverly Hills, California.
The global competition drew 6,915 screenplay entries. The winners and their hometowns are Michele Atkins, "Talking About the Sky" (Seattle); Spencer Harvey and Lloyd Harvey, "Photo Booth" (Balgowlah, Australia); Geeta Malik, "Dinner with Friends" (Los Angeles); Elizabeth Oyebode, "Tween the Ropes" (Sunnyvale, California); and Justin Piasecki, "Death of an Ortolan" (Los Angeles).
Mike Pierantozzi joins Movers+Shakers as exec creative director
Creative agency Movers+Shakers has appointed Mike Pierantozzi as executive creative director. In this new role, he will help guide the creative direction of Movers+Shakers’ socially-native campaigns. Pierantozzi will report to co-founder and chief creative officer Geoffrey Goldberg.
With nearly two decades of experience as a copywriter, creative director, and multi-platform storyteller, Pierantozzi brings a wealth of knowledge from his work with major brands including Kraft, Unilever, IBM, and Walmart. He has led the creation of award-winning campaigns for agencies like Red Tettemer, Ogilvy, The Brooklyn Brothers, TAXI, Saatchi & Saatchi, and most recently, Vayner, where he spearheaded culturally iconic work for Planters including “Death of Mr. Peanut.” He led the National Down Syndrome Society and Luvs account, whose “First Kid. Second Kid” campaign was awarded by the Effies, ADC, Clios and LIAs.
Outside of the office, Pierantozzi practices what he teaches brands. He’s gone viral multiple times on his own TikTok account, featuring comedic interactions with his son and a trombone. He’s accumulated 15K followers on TikTok.
“Mike brings a rare and awesome combination of deep social and platform experience, a keen eye for excellent storytelling, and a humble and kind approach to leadership,” said Goldberg. “Mike’s got a knack for turning brand stories into cultural movements, making him the perfect fit for Movers+Shakers. He’s got the kind of bold vision and attention to culture that fits perfectly with our mission to push creative boundaries and drive industry firsts. Plus, as a creator himself he has the innate ability to make people stop, laugh, and share--which is exactly what we’re about.”
“I’ve... Read More