UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television’s Professional Programs has announced the winners of its 2022 Feature Screenplay, Television Pilot and Acting for the Camera Pitch competitions.
Amanda Rivera is the Advanced Competition winner for her drama Queen of Coins, which focuses on a young woman and her classmate who create a cryptocurrency in an attempt to ace their class project. Tessa Roy is the Screenplay Competition winner for her horror script Chokecherry, about the travails of a schizophrenic teenage girl following a hiking trip gone awry. Christin Finch received the honorable mention for his coming-of-age drama Raised by Dogs about a spirited young girl who fights to survive against her neglectful mother’s sinister boyfriend, who wields a pair of dogs to his advantage.
Colin Moore is the Writing for Television Drama Pilot Competition winner for his crime/sports drama Fixed, about a college senior basketball player whose dreams of professional stardom, and even his life, are put into serious jeopardy. Landon Nemoto received the honorable mention for his drama Kismet, which tells the story of a fast-talking gambler who strikes a deal with the mob after his new partner witnesses a hit in Vegas.
Garret McKay is the Writing for Television Comedy Pilot Competition winner for his comedy Muse, about a 23-year-old go-go dancer with no specific talent who is nevertheless convinced he’s destined for more. Allison Azuara received the honorable mention for the half-hour comedy High Expectations, about a ragtag team of stoners who must do everything they can to save their beloved, old-school smoke shop after it is bought out by a tech-bro start-up.
Turi Haim is the Acting for the Camera Pitch Competition winner for the psychological thriller Camarillo, in which a group of students begin a search for their beloved missing professor and discover the terrifying dark history of their school. Parya Sadeghifard received the honorable mention for her drama The Influenced about three high school seniors who seek progressive change to the toxic social media application “Influence,” but are framed for the murder of its creator.
Each received a prize of $1,000. They were chosen from among the yearlong Professional Program in Screenwriting, the yearlong Writing for Television Professional Program and the yearlong Acting for the Camera Professional Program.
Taught by industry experts and leaders working in the entertainment industry, Professional Programs at the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television is in its 29th year of offering numerous graduate-level, non-degree courses modeled after TFT’s master of fine arts curriculum.
