Again this year, FMS students and recent graduates provided script coverage for the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition, sponsored by the Baltimore Office for Promotion and the Arts. Winners will be announced during the Maryland Film Festival. Under the supervision of FMS Senior Lecturer Lucy Bucknell, students were first readers for both features and shorts. Here’s what they had to say about the experience:

Indi Aufranc, Class of 2024: I was fortunate to have the opportunity to read and write coverage for three shorts submitted to this year’s Baltimore Screenwriter’s Competition. It takes effort and talent to write these scripts, not to mention courage to submit them for critical analysis and feedback, so I admire everyone who participated in the competition this year. I had a lot of fun reading the screenplays; they were diverse in genre, voice, and subject, and I was inspired by their various styles of storytelling. I appreciated the opportunity to apply what I have learned about film analysis in Hopkins’ FMS program to writing coverage for the screenplays. I hope that all who submitted continue to write and share their work!

Reid Bradshaw, Class of 2021: I was honored to be chosen as a reader for the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition. As an aspiring industry screenwriter, it was a valuable opportunity for me to practice the vital skill of coverage-writing. Furthermore, I’m always eager to encounter new writers and learn from their styles and skills, and the writers who submitted to this competition displayed both in spades. If there’s one thing I learned from this year’s entries, it’s that the future of film in Baltimore–and the future of Baltimore in film–is bright and inspiring.

Mary Yan, Class of 2021: This is my second time reading for the Baltimore Screenwriters Competition and I was, once again, impressed by the variety in the scripts I was assigned and the originality of the writers. It’s clear that there is an abundance of talented screenwriters in Baltimore, and I’m honored to be able to read their work. The competition itself is a great way for writers to showcase their chops and get their stories out into the world and is also a good opportunity for students like myself to gain more coverage experience. It’s been a pleasure being a part of this community and I wish all the writers the best in the coming year!