Aaron Tudisco Options “Unplugged”
Independent Producer Aaron Tudisco optioned "Unplugged" from wordsmith Doug Simonton, after browsing the InkTip comedy listings this summer. Tudisco, a former executive at Lucasfilm and Wildbrain, has worked predominately in feature animation over the last few years, and is now looking to craft a more live-action-centric development slate. So when he saw Simonton's story about an aging British rock star falling for a single mom in the Midwest (think what would happen if Ozzy Osbourne got trapped in Nebraska), he knew he'd found the right script. Writer Simonton has had a recent string of successes through InkTip, including two comedies that are scheduled to shoot in China in 2009 under the care of international producer Ted Perkins. The secret to Doug's success lies in crafting the perfect logline. "Short 'n snappy is definitely the order of the day," Simonton relates. "The analogy I use is that of building a house: you've slaved long and hard to finish this impeccable Biltmore-like mansion, and now you want everyone to see it. So the first thing they see shouldn't be a ratty screen door..."

Above the Line Agency Reps Chris Pearson and “Frankenstoner”
Rima Greer with Above The Line Agency has entered into an agreement to represent writer Chris Pearson. Roger Soffer and Christian Ford, two of Rima's clients, discovered and optioned Pearson's comedy spec "Frankenstoner" on InkTip a little while ago, and when they mentioned the title to Rima, she had to read it. "I have a pretty full client roster, and wasn't looking for new writers to pick up, but when I heard the title, I had to give it a look. It was so high concept, and so funny, it had me falling out of my chair laughing!" Greer, who is also the author of "The Real Lowdown Dirty Truth about Hollywood Agenting," is an industry veteran, having worked on everything from "Backdraft," "Jumanji," and "Charlie's Angels," to the upcoming "Nowhereland" (Paramount) with Eddie Murphy, and the just completed indie films "The Poker House" written and directed by Lori Petty, and "HottieBoombaLottie," written, produced, directed by and starring Seth Packard. Writer Pearson has had some other recent successes, including being hired to co-write a feature for Vanguard Animation, and an animation series in development at The Hatchery. According to Pearson, this particular deal was quick and easy. "Roger called me up and said he thought the script was hilarious, and he'd like to option it. I said okay, and put him in touch with my manager. That was pretty much it. Next thing you know, I had a check in the mail." "Frankenstoner" is being cast right now with Kerry Barden in NY and LA, with a winter shoot planned for NYC.

Charles Lenhoff Reps InkTip Veteran Scribe BD Young
Charles Lenhoff with Lenhoff & Lenhoff is representing InkTip scribe extraordinaire BD Young, after yet another referral through an InkTip member. Long story short, Lindsay Moffat with CineChachi discovered writer Young about two years ago, while perusing the thriller listings on the site. Lindsay referred the writer to Randy Cheveldave, a veteran producer whose many credits include "Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan." Randy then turned Charles Lenhoff on to the writer, who in turn offered to represent him as his manager. Lindsay Moffat has since optioned one of Young's scripts and is close to an option on two others. No stranger to success, Young has had a lot of other recent successes, more than we can easily count - he had five options through InkTip just last year alone - and we're looking forward to hearing about many more deals through Lenhoff & Lenhoff.

Production Begins on “Trust”
Allan Harmon and Cynde Harmon, principals of Really Real Films, together with Producer Kirk Shaw of Insight Films, Executive Producers Tim Johnson, Joey Plager, Tom Berry, and Jeffery Lando, are pleased to announce the beginning of production on their movie of the week film "Trust." The story, written by InkTip scribe Jack Messitt, is about the wife of a successful entrepreneur who receives a series of mysterious letters and emails, and must choose between searching for the author of these messages and investigating her husband's fidelity. Cynde and Allan discovered the script after putting a call out to our writers last year, and the project now includes lead cast members Jamie Luner (Heat Wave, CSI), Nels Lennarson (Good People Bad Things, Smoke Jumpers), and Brendan Beiser (Something Beneath, The Sandlot 3). A true international co-production, Insight Film Studios and Really Real Films developed and produced Trust with the involvement of TF1, Landovision, Reel One/Premiere Bobine, Movie Central (a division of Corus), CAVCO and BC Film. Writer Messitt is no stranger to the feature film production process; a graduate of AFI, he has worked as a Director of Photography and Camera Operator on everything from feature films and television to music videos and reality shows (American Idol, Irreversi, Bones), and recently co-wrote and directed the horror feature "Midnight Movie," which will be coming to DVD January 9, 2009.

PHD Productions Completes Production on 'Sewn'
PHD Productions, a Vancouver-based boutique studio, has completed their latest feature film, the InkTip-sourced “Sewn.” PHD’s mission, according to President and principal producer Andrew Bronstein, is to produce independent films with studio-level quality and attention to detail. After an extensive search, Head of Development Bob Hume found the script on InkTip. Sewn is PHD's second completed feature, and the second produced feature for writing duo Mark Garbett and David Andrew Lloyd.

The project stars industry and genre legend Lance Henriksen ("Alien" franchise, "Millennium") and Kailin See ("The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford"), in her first leading role. See's background and pedigree was more than enough to earn her an audition, but the real fireworks started when she got on set with Henriksen.

"Lance [Henriksen] is this total cagey vet,” says Hume. “I mean, he’s done dozens and dozens of films; he’s in two of the absolute, all-time greatest Sci-Fi/Horror movies ever, so we knew how amazing he'd be. What really blew everyone away was the chemistry he and Kailin generated on set.

”Her character thinks Lance’s character murdered her father, so in the very first scene they shot together, she’s supposed to go in and confront him. Well, she absolutely pins him to the wall with this total energy and realism! I actually think Lance was a bit taken aback. In the dailies, a couple seconds after that first take cut, he breaks character and you can hear him whisper to himself, 'Jesus, that was good.' Everyone was pretty stoked after that."

Sewn is in the process of securing distribution. This is one of more than 70 films made through InkTip-sourced scripts, so if you're looking for your next great script or writer, log onto InkTip now!

Greenbelt Films Discovers 'St. Amber of Orange County'
Brinton Bryan with Greenbelt Films discovered writer Tim O'Brien's "St. Amber of Orange County" on InkTip. O'Brien is no stranger to the process; some of his previous InkTip successes include co-writing the feature film "Fall Into Me" for Tim Vandesteeg at Indiewood Pictures, and the option of "Off Madison" to Ben Pitts of Jetset Pictures. This latest option came about in an interesting way; Bryan was looking for a project to direct with his producers Erich Lochner and David Venghaus, Jr., and he was particularly interested in finding something that had the same merit and fantastical elements of "The Wizard of Oz." And when they stumbled on "St. Amber of Orange County," it was precisely what they were looking for. In fact, writer O'Brien says that Oz is what inspired him to write the script in the first place! Tim went on to say that this is "proof you don't have to live in LA to get a script optioned..." This script is now slated as a directorial project for Brinton Bryan, who's worked on a slew of studio-level projects in various capacities, including the upcoming Hannah Montana movie, "National Treasure" and "The Dark Knight."

'You Don't Know Me but I'm Famous'
Claude Reid and Christopher Free with NuConcepts Productions LLC optioned "You Don't Know Me but I'm Famous" by InkTip scribes Ivan Rothberg and Jeanne Grandilli after putting a call out to our writers. The story revolves around a Summer Arts Camp and was developed as a musical project to be promoted with a series of music videos and a concert tour. Music groups will be formed for the movie and an album will also be in the works. NuConcepts Productions' producers' previous projects include "Wages of Sin," "Motor Home Massacre," "The Fourth Beast," and the soon-to-be released "The Artifact." "You Don't Know Me but I'm Famous" is their first foray into mainstream family entertainment, and for this project, they definitely found the right writers. Grandilli and Rothberg's most recent options include studio-level deals, including "Perfect Mates" at Phoenix Pictures and "Couch Talk" with Marty Richards and Sam Crothers at the Producer's Circle, which are currently in turnaround. If all goes according to plan, this will be their first produced feature film, as production is slated to begin next spring.

Steve Stewart Hires InkTip Scribe to Start Up 'The Franchise'
Scribe Justin Brewer was hired by producer/manager Steve Stewart of Steve Stewart Entertainment to pen the pilot and bible for the TV series "The Franchise." This is actually an ongoing relationship; Steve discovered Justin on InkTip in July of last year, and hired him to write a thriller/horror feature. "Working with Justin has been an amazing experience," says Stewart, "and his passion for the project really translates right through to everyone we're working with." Justin Brewer has had a number of other features and shorts optioned through InkTip, and given Stewart's connections and experience in the industry, we're confident he'll be seeing these two projects through to completion.

Matthew Cervi Discovers 'Anthem'
Matthew Cervi with Mad Samurai Productions discovered "Anthem" from writers Sean Mick & Don Wells on InkTip. According to writer Sean Mick, he hit it off with Cervi over the phone, and the negotiation process went smoothly. This is Mick's first option.

David Ara Hires Lynn Beck for 'Hollywood Hit'
After putting a call out to our writers, David Ara, an independent film producer, has selected Lynn Grant Beck to pen his next comedy. The feature film project is titled "Hollywood Hit." Ara has previously produced and directed independent features, commercials and music videos. Lynn Grant Beck has been writing professionally for fifteen years. She has written a non-fiction book, stageplays, children's books, poetry and numerous screenplays. Early in her career she traveled to the former Soviet Union where she worked as an assistant producer in a traveling Russian theater company. She returned to New York where she founded the Chelsea Players and wrote and produced several successful Off-off Broadway plays. In 1996, she moved to California where she became a Creative Executive at Interscope Communications. In 1998, she founded River Productions, where she wrote and developed independent films. She is thrilled to be working with David Ara and is looking forward to seeing her work make it to the big screen.

Baron Redman Hires John Dowgin for Short
Scribe John Dowgin has been hired to write a short script for Baron Redman of Open Door Productions. This is Dowgin's third deal brokered through InkTip. Production is scheduled to start in March of 2009. Redman said, "We have a great crew working on this...we hope to have it done in time for the Kansas International Film Festival next year and look forward to entering it into other festivals as well. John is doing an amazing job at taking my idea for the story and characters and blending them together in a realistic world. We look forward to showing everyone what Indie filmmakers are capable of."

Production on 'Slick' Running Smoothly
Production on the short script "Slick" that was found through InkTip has begun! Mike Frediani is the director/producer of the film, written by MaryBeth Conti. Frediani found the short on InkTip almost two years ago. "Slick" is an ambitious script with 16 characters and 14 scenes, all within 17 pages. Production has taken place on an ice rink in Burbank, the soundstages of LA Center Studios and at a neighborhood in Saugus, where they shot an all-nighter with motion control. We look forward to hearing more about the completion of the short soon!

ThunderBall Films Discovers “American Pirates”
Mario Domina, President of ThunderBall Films, LLC was looking for a specific project with franchise potential to take place on a tropical island, when he discovered Mark Duffey's "American Pirates" on InkTip. Producer Domina, a member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, has already discovered a number of projects on InkTip, including “Escape from Paradise” and his current pre-production of “The House of the Baskervilles.” Writer Duffey relates: "The best thing I can say is that patience and persistence work hand in hand in this process. Your web site really does work and connections can be made easily when the timing is right. Mario contacted me through your web site and expressed his interest, vision and direction for the project; which connected with mine and the rest is history!" This is Duffey's first option.

Sinovoi Entertainment Uncovers Crime Feature “White Boyz”
Maxwell Sinovoi with Sinovoi Entertainment discovered writer Pete Ferrari’s true-story crime feature “White Boyz,” after seeing his logline listed in an old issue of the InkTip Magazine. Sinovoi is a well-rounded executive producer; his previous credits include “The Ten” with Paul Rudd and Jessica Alba, and “Harold” with Cuba Gooding Jr. and Rachel Dratch, which is in a limited theatrical engagement now! When we asked writer Pete Ferrari for a list of his previous credits, he explained that this was the first script he ever wrote – so get to work writing your next one, buddy boy!

Douglas Herman Finds “The Fifth Column”
Douglas Herman with LVX Productions, a veteran industry reader and development professional, joined InkTip about a year ago with a long list of references. His objective was to find the best and brightest upcoming writers for his clients, and he's delved into the database with the sort of methodical zeal that would make an agent cry! As expected, his effort paid off when he discovered "The Fifth Column," an extremely unique script based on a true event, by InkTip writer Matthew Allen. Based in Tokyo, Japan, Allen actually wrote the script for InkTip, after monitoring and tracking various other InkTip successes in the newsletter; he knew what the market wanted, and his story, which he describes as "The CIA and LSD in a brothel," was perfect for LVX Productions. Douglas was able to take the script to one of his clients, John B. Bennett (a producer on the upcoming "The Robbery of Ellie May," starring Zooey Deschanel), who negotiated the option with Allen's manager, Peter Meyer of Meyer Management. This is Allen's third InkTip success.

David Ara Options “Hollywood Hit”
David Ara, an Independent Producer, after putting a call out to our writers, has selected Lynn Beck to pen his next comedy that he has been developing: a feature film project titled "Hollywood Hit." Ara has previously produced and directed independent features, commercials and music videos. We wish them both the best of success and a true "Hollywood hit!"

Bradford Youngs Hires Jan Militello for 'Angel Dog'
Bradford R. Youngs with Twilight Entertainment has picked up yet another writer and script after putting a call out to our writers last year. His latest collaboration is "Angel Dog" with InkTip scribe Jan Militello. Youngs describes the process that led to this latest project: “My wife told me that all my projects were action thrillers, with no films you could really take the family to see. So I sat down with my six-year-old daughter and asked her what sort of movie she’d like to see, and she said ‘how about a story about a dog sent from Grandpa in heaven?’ I pitched the idea to Jan Militello, who knocked out three drafts in just a little over a month! The story came so quickly and naturally, it was actually kinda scary.” Youngs' other current projects underway include "Project Hitman," a dark comedy based on his award-winning short “Diary of a Hitman,” and "Walk a Mile in My Pradas." This is writer Militello's first feature hire.

Cube Vision of 'Barbershop' and 'Are We There Yet?' Developing InkTip Script
Jerry Sandoval with Cube Vision discovered “Karate Guy” by InkTip writer John Biemeret, and is now developing the project to take to studios with Sandoval attached as the producer. This is writer Biemeret’s first success, although he’s developing another comedy spec with a manager at Kaplan/Perrone. Cube Vision's credits include "Barbershop," "Are We There Yet?" and “The Longshots” (in theaters now), and is operated by executive partners Ice Cube and Matt Alvarez.

Trancas International Options Mark Davidson Script
Sam Montana with Trancas International Films optioned the horror/slasher "Blind Eye" from Mark Davidson, after discovering it on InkTip. Montana has discovered a number of other projects through InkTip, including "The Greenest Stop Lights in the World," a soon-to-be-released short film. Trancas International Films' other credits include the "Halloween" franchise. This is writer Davidson's third InkTip success story; one of his previous projects, a film he was hired to write titled "The Lost Tribe," will be released theatrically later this year.

Etosha Entertainment Discovers “Treasure”
Greg Feldman of Etosha Entertainment discovered "The Treasure of Loma Grande" from writer Richard Clark after putting a call out to our writers. Mark Heidelberger with Treasure Entertainment (Clark’s manager and producer on the upcoming "High Midnight" starring William Baldwin, Thomas Kretschmann, and Ted Raimi) pitched the script to Greg, and the option is now official. Clark, a seasoned television writer and member of the WGC, has written episodes for "Totally Spies!," "Class of the Titans," "Degrassi: The Next Generation," and many other shows, as well as four TV movies for Showtime. Among other projects, producer Greg Feldman is in the process of casting another script he discovered on InkTip, "The Badge," which he's producing as a directorial debut for acclaimed cinematographer Gabriel Beristain ("Street Kings," “Spanish Prisoner,” “Blade Trilogy”) in partnership with Jeff Stott (producer on "The Bucket List," "When Harry Met Sally," and "The Princess Bride”).

Foremost Films Aids Two More InkTip Scribes
Jeff Belkin with Foremost Films, after discovering Nicholl Fellowship finalists David Tish and Vaughan Risher through InkTip last year, helped negotiate two writing assignments for them with Carter Swan and his production company Defiance Entertainment. Belkin worked as a literary manager with Mad Hatter Films, and then as a producer with a deal at Warner Bros before striking out on his own as a literary manager. He currently has client projects with the likes of Echo Lake, Humble Journey and J. Todd Harris, among others. Swan, an executive on multiple seasons of MTV’s “The Real World,” was also a producer on the Cannes festival favorite “Tyson,” a feature documentary about the legendary boxer. Writing duo Vaughn and Risher are now busily developing two new features to add to the Defiance Entertainment lineup.

Ira Besserman Options “Kefi”
Ira Besserman of Adventures in Film optioned the feature-length romantic comedy "Kefi," based on an award-winning play from InkTip wordsmith William Coleman, after putting a call out to our writers. Besserman's previous credits include "When a Man Falls in the Forest," starring Sharon Stone and Timothy Hutton, and "Johnny Was," which was found on InkTip, and starred Vinnie Jones, Patrick Bergin, Eriq La Salle and Roger Daltry. Coleman adapted the screenplay from the stage play himself, demonstrating his skill at writing in different media. This is his fourth option, and his first through InkTip.

Twilight Entertainment Hires Lloyd Wagner for Another Feature
Bradford R. Youngs with Twilight Entertainment discovered InkTip member Lloyd Wagner after putting a call out to our writers last year. They've since co-written two feature scripts, including "Rotavele," a stylish thriller combining Hitchcock suspense with Tarantino style, to be directed by Youngs. Bradford Youngs was a producer on 111 episodes of the Emmy Award-winning TV series “Yes, Dear.” This is writer Lloyd Wagner's second collaborative writing assignment through InkTip.

Popart Film Factory & J. Walko Wrap “The Lazarus Papers”
Daniel Zirilli of Popart Film Factory brought in his long-time collaborator, InkTip writer Glase Lomond, to do an un-credited polish of Jeremiah Hundley's screenplay for "The Lazarus Papers." Hundley directed the film, which Zirilli co-directed and produced with Jude S. Walko in Thailand. The film stars Danny Trejo, Bai Ling, Gary Daniels, John Edward Lee and Tommy "Tiny" Lister. According to Zirilli, "Jeremiah has a very unique vision; this has been a dream project of his for years, and I knew Glase would come in with a fresh set of eyes. He was the perfect writer to help structure and focus the story into the final shooting script we filmed." Daniel originally discovered writer Lomond on InkTip in 2004, and they've since collaborated on five produced features.

Kathy Muraviov Pitches Cukor’s “Losing Daylight” – Starline Films Options
Kathy Muraviov of the Muraviov Company pitched "Losing Daylight," a psychological thriller by her writer Marla Cukor, to Starline Films in NY. The pitch led to an option! Muraviov, a 26-year veteran of Universal Studios, now runs a boutique literary management company in LA that has discovered some of the best and brightest up-and-coming writers on InkTip, including Cukor. In fact, she discovered writer Cukor on InkTip quite some time ago, and the relationship is already yielding results for both of them.

“Devil’s Knot” Sold to Dimension
Elizabeth Fowler with Clear Pictures Entertainment hired writer Mark Sevi to write a draft for her film project "Devil's Knot," which was just sold to Dimension. "Devil's Knot" is an adaptation of the non-fiction book of the same name. The story follows the 1993 conviction of the West Memphis Three for the murders of three 8-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkansas. Sevi is an experienced feature writer with 17 films to his credit, and Elizabeth Fowler has a number of other credits to her resume as well, including the soon-to-be-released "Making Change" starring Steve Guttenberg and Ed Begley Jr.

Epic Level Entertainment Options Feature from Eric Steele
Cindi Rice and John Frank Rosenblum with Epic Level Entertainment optioned "Ghost Finder" from writer Eric Steele after finding the script on InkTip. Epic Level specializes in fantasy stories and worlds, as evidenced by their previous credits that include "Dungeons and Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God," "The Gamers: Dorkness Rising," and "Dragonsteel," their upcoming 4-part miniseries for the Sci-Fi Channel. Writer Eric Steele is repped by his manager Anthony Vasto in Los Angeles.

Twilight Entertainment Nabs L. Wagner to Co-Write
Bradford R. Youngs with Twilight Entertainment discovered InkTip member Lloyd Wagner after putting a call out to our writers last year. They've since co-written the feature script "A Blind Eye," which now has C. Thomas Howell attached in one of the roles, and the film will be going into production in January 2009. This is writer Lloyd Wagner's second collaborative writing assignment through InkTip.

The Muraviov Company Reps Cukor
Kathy Muraviov with The Muraviov Company discovered InkTip writer Marla Cukor, and is now representing her. Muraviov, a 26-year veteran of Universal Studios, now runs a boutique literary management company in LA, and she's discovered some of the best and brightest up-and-coming writers on InkTip. In fact, this discovery took place some time ago, but now that we've confirmed it, we'd like you to see just what a great writer Marla really is.

Hiltz Squared Media Options Feature
Myles Shane of Hiltz Squared Media has optioned "Deborah Samson," a feature script by scribe John Bellingham, after discovering it on InkTip. This is Bellingham's second option; his other project, "The Italian Girl," which he co-wrote with writer James Dalessandro, begins production late this year or early next year with a $25M budget. Hiltz Squared Media is based out of Toronto, and Shane is the producer of the television series "Fairy Tale" and the feature film "Jack's House."

David Mamet Hooks Up with InkTip Producers
Caleb Applegate and Michael Ludlum with Beloved Pictures, and writer/director/actor Michael Worth with Grizzly Peak Films, have entered into an agreement to produce the highly anticipated David Mamet project, "Come Back to Sorrento," after connecting with producer/manager Gigi Garner (daughter of actor James Garner) through InkTip. David Mamet, the Oscar-nominated writer of "Wag the Dog" (with Dustin Hoffman and Robert DeNiro), recently added another directorial credit to his resume with the mixed martial arts hit "Red Belt." Some of his previous films include "The Untouchables," "Hannibal," and "The Verdict." Actress Rebecca Pidgeon, who also co-wrote the script with her husband David Mamet, is attached to play one of the lead roles.

Another InkTip Film Scheduled for Production
Hari Mahesh, with Smera Productions, optioned a script titled "Somniphobia" from InkTip father/daughter writing team Michael & Jessica Brody earlier this year. The project is now scheduled to start production on November 4. Shortly before optioning this script to Smera Productions, Michael Brody optioned another feature script titled "Date With Destiny" to Jeff Hayes (producer of "The Starter Wife," among others), which is now being represented by the William Morris Agency through Hayes' relationship there. Jessica Brody's best selling debut novel, "The Fidelity Files," was recently released through St. Martin's Press.

PHD Picks Up Another InkTip Script
PHD Productions (Andrew Bronstein - Producer, Bob Hume - Head of Development) purchased the feature script, "The Neverman," from scribes Kevin Cahill and Richard Chiaramonte, after putting a call out to our writers earlier this year. PHD Productions' most recent feature, the horror thriller titled "Sewn," was written by InkTip scribes Mark Garbett and David Andrew Lloyd (Hume is now credited as a co-writer). "Sewn," starring veteran actor Lance Henriksen ("Alien" franchise, "Millennium"), has since been completed and is now headed for market. This is Chiaramonte and Cahill's first script sale.

Skylight Films Hires Cowan for Yet Another Feature
Mark McNabb with Skylight Films has hired InkTip scribe Barry Cowan to pen the feature screenplay, "Megalighting," after discovering Barry's work on InkTip. This has actually been an on-going relationship between Skylight Films and Cowan; Cowan was originally hired to write "Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes," which was shot and stars famous wrestler and action star Roddy Piper (known for, among other projects, his role in John Carpenter's "They Live"). "Secret of the Runes" was the sequel to "The Mystical Adventures of Billy Owens," which is being released by Artist View Entertainment. This is the third in a series of hires by Skylight Films for writer Cowan just in the past month alone.

Saltarelli Hires Helgren for RomCom Feature
Marc Saltarelli hired InkTip scribe Jake Helgren to pen the romcom feature "Silverlake Holiday,” after viewing Jake’s teen comedy "Frivolity" on InkTip (just before it won First Place Comedy at Filmmakers International). This isn’t Helgren’s first option; he currently has a teen horror script under option, and was recently commissioned to write a sci-fi feature for Camron Carrier at C. Wesley Pictures.

Skydive Films Options Feature
Skydive Films optioned the feature screenplay “An American Horror” by writer Kenneth Dyson. Production will start later this year, and will be shot in Nashville, TN. Zac Adams’ previous credits include the award-winning series “Southern Haunts,” and the documentary “It Happened in Country Music.” Skydive Films is an award-winning production company that produces TV shows, feature films, music videos, and commercials, and is headed by BJ Brown and Zac Adams.

Star Lady Productions Hires Goldman for Feature
Lynne Widgerow with Star Lady Productions has hired writer Lynn Esta Goldman to pen the feature script “South Side Story,” after putting a call out to our writers for dance scripts last year. Widgerow, who specializes in international co-productions and whose credits include Disney’s “Tarzan: The Epic Adventures,” is based out of South Africa. This is Lynn Esta’s sixth option or hire, and her first through InkTip.

Endeavor Handles Financing on “Truckstop”
As Mentioned in Variety on July 7, 2008, Rotimi Rainwater with Village Entertainment Inc. and Susan Wright with The Criterion Group will be going into production on "Truckstop” this October. The project now has Rachel Miner and Mimi Rogers attached to star, with financing being handled by Graham Taylor at Endeavor Independent. “Truckstop,” written by scribe Tony Aloupis and discovered through InkTip, will be directed by Rotimi Rainwater, whose previous credits include the award-winning documentary "SP!T." "It was amazing," says Rainwater, "I'd never used the site before, but it was suggested by a writer friend of mine. So I went on and found this little gem of a story." 37 movies were made from 2006-2007 as a result of writers and scripts found through InkTip. “Truckstop” proves yet again how easy it is to find quality writers on InkTip!

CRAZEntertainment Hires Doug Simonton for RomCom
Ted Perkins with CRAZEntertainment hired InkTip writer Doug Simonton to pen the feature romcom script, "Wedding Warriors," based on the writer's comedy pitch. This is yet another in a string of successes for writer Simonton; his last feature spec on InkTip, "Comic Relief," was purchased by Perkins late last year and is scheduled to go into production this fall in China. Perkins and Simonton met through InkTip back in 2003 when they teamed up to write an action spec for Fox, and as you can see, their working relationship has flourished. Perkins, although currently living in Los Angeles, specializes in international production and works extensively in overseas markets.

Plastic Poetry, Inc. Options Feature
Henning Winkelmann with Plastic Poetry, Inc. has optioned the feature script "Mile 42" from InkTip scribe John Dowgin, after reading the short script of the same title and concept on InkTip. Winkelmann is an established commercial director and producer of 15 years - he has worked for such well-known brands as Macy's, Cisco, Nestle and Audi. This is Dowgin's second short option, and his first project to turn into a feature.

Skylight Films Hires Cowan for Feature
Mark McNabb with Skylight Films has hired InkTip scribe Barry Cowan to pen the feature screenplay "The Legend of Bragg Creek," after discovering Barry's work on InkTip. This has actually been an on-going relationship between Skylight Films and Cowan; Cowan was originally hired to write "Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes," which was shot and stars famous wrestler and action star Roddy Piper (who is known for, among other projects, his role in John Carpenter's "They Live"). "Secret of the Runes" was the sequel to "The Mystical Adventures of Billy Owens," which is being released by Artist View Entertainment. This is the second in a series of hires by Skylight Films for writer Cowan just in the past month alone. Stay tuned for another announcement on an upcoming project!

Casualty Films Options Short
Diana Kemp Jones has sold her short screenplay "Gnome Sweet Gnome" to Matt Morgan of Casualty Films. He initially saw a different logline of Diana's on InkTip, but after recently reading several of her shorts he decided on "Gnome Sweet Gnome." Matt premiered his short film "Stalking You" the other weekend at the El Cajon Video and Film Festival at the Museum of Photographic Arts in San Diego. He is looking forward to making Diana's short and is already in pre-production with principal shooting to begin towards the end of the summer.

Skylight Films Hires Barry Cowan for Feature
Mark McNabb with Skylight Films hired InkTip scribe Barry Cowan last year to pen “Ghost Trap,” a feature screenplay going into production later this month. This has actually been an on-going relationship between the writer and Skylight; Cowan was originally hired to write “Billy Owens and the Secret of the Runes,” which was shot in 2007 and starred famous wrestler and action star Roddy Piper (known for his role in John Carpenter’s, “They Live,” among other credits). ‘Secret of the Runes” was the sequel to “The Mystical Adventures of Billy Owens,” which is being released by Artist View Entertainment. This is just the latest in a series of hires by Skylight Films for writer Cowan; stay tuned for more announcements on their upcoming projects!

Armstrong Pictures Inc. Hires Kevin Ward for Feature
Andy Armstrong with Armstrong Pictures Inc. hired writer Kevin Ward to pen the feature action film “Steel & Silk,” after discovering Ward’s screenplay, “American Empire,” on InkTip last year. “I am constantly browsing [InkTip.com] looking for interesting people and I certainly found one in Kevin Ward,” said Armstrong. “I hired him to write a very specific script for me which had some extremely specific boundaries and limitations. He performed this duty far above and beyond my (pretty high) expectations.” They’ve been working on a number of story ideas together since that initial contact; culminating in this most recent hire - demonstrating yet again that producers can find not only great scripts, but also great writers on InkTip.

BlueMercuryProductions Options Feature from Steven Manchester
Eric Holloway with BlueMercuryProductions optioned the feature script, “Gooseberry Island,” from InkTip wordsmith Steven Manchester after putting a call out to our writers earlier this year. Holloway’s previous credits include “Breaking Pointe” with Corbin Bernsen of "L.A. Law" fame. Writer Manchester, author of twelve published books, has had several short scripts optioned and produced, but this is his first feature project.

Desert Moon Pictures Hires InkTip Writer
Justin Ament with Desert Moon Pictures hired InkTip scribe Russ Lippitt to write a feature MMA action film titled, “Lyon's Pride,” after putting a call out to our writers. Ament’s previous credits include the soon-to-be-released, “Shadowheart” (with Angus MacFadyen, William Saddler and Daniel Baldwin). Writer Lippitt has one other previous option on his script “Lion’s Share,” which was based on his best-selling novel of the same title.

Illuminary Pictures Adds One to the Slate
Masiela Lusha, founder and president of Illuminary Pictures, has optioned the feature script, “Graf,” from InkTip writers Roman Rosales and Peter Loffredo. Lusha, who played the beautiful and feisty daughter on “The George Lopez Show,” is building a slate of projects to develop and package through her various industry sources and contacts. You can also see Masiela in “Blood: The Last Vampire” and “Time of the Comet,” two features which will be released later this year. Writer Rosales has been writing, producing and directing television programs for twenty years (including “Ripley’s Believe It or Not,” and “Steve Harvey’s Big Time”), but this is his first feature option.

Joops Fragale & Mike Long Option Short
Joops Fragale and Mike Long of 3hree8ight6ix Films have optioned Gene Doucette's short script, “Parting,” after discovering it on InkTip. Doucette's previously optioned films include “Lady in Black” (with Firesite Films), and “PrintError” and “Surviving Hector,” produced in association with the RIFC. Two of his features are listed on InkTip and he is actively seeking representation. Fragale stated he is a great fan of the site and checks it regularly for new writers and material, “I think its simple navigation and ease of writer contact are fantastic.”

Producers Ricky Moore & Dustin McKim Option Short
Producer Ricky Moore and producer/director Dustin McKim have optioned the short script,"Hitman," from Phyllis Heltay. After they searched several outlets, they found the short on InkTip. Moore stated that “Phyllis is very easy to work with and came back hitting the nail on the head for each of our suggestions towards the script in a more than timely manner, usually that same day.” Cult Classic Films is comprised of Actor/Producer Ricky Moore, Director/Co-producer Dustin McKim, Camera Operator/Colorist/Editor Luis Flores and FX/Storyboard Artist Tony Moore, all based out of the Los Angeles area. This is the first short optioned by Cult Classic Films from Inktip.com. Storyboarding has begun and the short will be shot in late August. This is the second option of work placed on InkTip for Heltay whose other option was for a feature film.

Poche Pictures Hires Hughes
Rich Poche of Poche Pictures has commissioned Daniel Hughes to write a short script currently titled, "Hell Hath No Fury." Poche Pictures produced the romantic comedy feature, "Rescuing Rufus," by Daniel Hughes, which stars Stuart Brazell (of the reality show “Dirty Dancing”), Elizabeth Di Prinzio, Gina DeVettori, Natalie Edwards, Sara Konecky, and Elizabeth Lauren Hoffman (from YouTube's popular “Blonde Star”). This is the ninth short optioned through InkTip for Hughes.

Immediate Discovery
Within minutes of his first login to InkTip, Matthew Herath with The Lighthouse Group discovered Nur Nur Cummings's dark comic thriller, "Death and Taxes.” Herath's previous credits include "One Kill" (starring Anne Heche and Sam Shepard). Cummings, an award winning writer/director whose credits include “Only In LA,” is now currently attached to this project as a co-producer. He is also developing “Feeling Ducky,” a romantic action comedy with his manager Jay Sanders, one of the producers on the feature "Jumper" (starring Samuel Jackson and Diane Lane).

ThunderBall Films Options “Escape from Paradise”
ThunderBall Films has optioned “Escape from Paradise” from InkTip writer John Harding. The published book, which Harding co-authored with his wife, May Chu, reached the Amazon.com bestseller list in the UK at number 7. The book is based on the true story of May Chu, a woman in Singapore who escaped from an arranged marriage with the help of an American expatriate. The former president of Singapore even wrote a glowing review of the book on Amazon, although the book has since been banned in that country. Executive producer Mario Domina of ThunderBall Films is currently in pre-production on “American Lip Sync,” a reality series, “The House of the Baskervilles,” a feature documentary and subsequent feature film also optioned from InkTip a few years ago, and several projects in development including a documentary feature following the Zodiac Killer of the late 60s and 70s.

Illuminary Pictures Options Another for Their Slate
Masiela Lusha, founder and president of Illuminary Pictures, has optioned the feature script, “On, Cupid!,” from InkTip writer Mark Onspaugh. Lusha, who played the beautiful and feisty daughter on “The George Lopez Show,” is building a slate of projects to develop and package through her various industry sources and contacts. You can also see Masiela in “Blood: The Last Vampire,” and “Time of the Comet,” two features that will be released later this year. Mark Onspaugh, one of the writers on the cult favorite, “Flight of the Living Dead,” has also written for episodic television (including “X-Men” and “Street Fighter the Animated Series”). This is his second option through InkTip.

Soffer & Ford Option their Fourth from InkTip
Producers Roger Soffer & Christian Ford have optioned the feature script, “Reprobates of the Wasteland,” from InkTip scribe James Ivan Greco. This is their fourth InkTip find as they work on building a slate of independent films to fast track into production. Ford & Soffer's credits include "Kazaam" (starring Shaquille O'Neil), "Slow Burn" (starring Minnie Driver, James Spader and Josh Brolin), "Merlin's Apprentice" (starring Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson), and a variety of ABC, CBS and Hallmark miniseries. Ford & Soffer are also developing a global, state-of-the-art, next-generation online Independent Film & New Media University. This is Greco’s first option.

IAFT Hires InkTip Writer
InkTip writer Axel Melzener joins the International Academy of Film and Television (IAFT) in Cebu, Philippines as a Screenwriting Mentor. After putting a call out to InkTip writers, IAFT chose Melzener from among the many qualified applicants. IAFT is Asia's premier film school, attracting talented students from numerous countries. Melzener is now one of the industry-recognized practitioners from across the globe that comprises the faculty at IAFT. The top-tier education, coupled with hands-on training, provides a unique learning environment for students. IAFT's parent company, Bigfoot Entertainment, holds credits in producing films such as "3 Needles," (starring Lucy Liu, Sandra Oh, Stockard Channing) "Shanghai Kiss," (starring Ken Leung, Hayden Panetierre) and "Within" (starring Lori Heuring, Sam Jaeger). Melzener, a successful German writer and producer, is also credited in English-language feature writing, and currently has a film in development with a Los Angeles based production company.

Illuminary Pictures Options Action/Adventure
Masiela Lusha, founder and president of Illuminary Pictures, has optioned "The Yellow Rose of Savona" from InkTip wordsmith Anna Pernicci. Lusha, who played the beautiful and feisty daughter on The George Lopez Show, is building a slate of projects to develop and package through her various industry sources and contacts. Special effects wizard, Patrick Tatopolous (Director of "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans"), is attached to direct. You can also see Masiela in “Blood: The Last Vampire” and “Time of the Comet,” two features to be released later this year. Pernicci meanwhile, has written for the Royal Court, King's Head and Soho Theatre Company in the United Kingdom. She has also worked on a BBC television drama, but this is her first feature script option.

Instrinsic Value Films/Red Giant Media Options Feature
Intrinsic Value Films/Red Giant Media has optioned the feature screenplay, "On a Field of Legends" from InkTip scribe, Nicky Julius. Intrinsic Value has produced more than twenty feature films in the last decade, including their most recent, "The Alphabet Killer," starring Eliza Dushku, Cary Elwes and Timothy Hutton—scheduled for release in 2008. "On a Field of Legends" won at the Key West Independent Film Festival, was a winner at Telluride Indiefest, and received a staged reading at The Westchester Film Festival. Julius is also a writer on the independent feature, “Sight Unseen,” and a number of short films.

Indiewood Pictures Hires InkTip Scribe
Tim Vandesteeg and Indiewood Pictures have hired InkTip writer, Jeffrey Turner, to pen their latest feature project, “Epitaph.” You may recall reading about Vandesteeg and Indiewood when we profiled their romantic comedy, “Fall into Me,” on the cover of the InkTip magazine last year. Indiewood Pictures, in association with Destiny Pictures, is also currently producing the feature-film, “Pushing Life,” based on the inspirational true story of Terry Hitchcock, a widower who ran 75 marathons in 75 consecutive days to help raise awareness to the struggle of single-parent families. Turner recalls his first contact with Vandesteeg, “I was at the CONduit science fiction and fantasy convention in Salt Lake City as a minor guest author, and was in the green room chatting with authors who were far bigger names in fiction than I, when suddenly I got a call from this film director…” Indiewood’s relationship with Turner actually started through InkTip a number of years ago, before it was even called ‘InkTip.’ They’ve since worked together on a number of other projects.

Rob Walker & Brad Thornton Option Feature
Rob Walker, a director with Canyon Pictures, and Producer, Brad Thornton of Chain Gang Films, have optioned the feature screenplay, “Malo City,” from InkTip writer, Chris Rodgers. Walker is best known for “Killer Weekend,” starring Oscar Nominee, Eric Roberts, and “Circus,” starring Eddie Izzard. Brad Thornton is currently producing the feature, “The Cursed,” starring Costas Mandylor. This is Rodgers’ first success as a writer.

Beloved Pictures option “The Phoenix” by Daniel Blake Smith
Caleb Applegate, Michael Ludlum, and Jason Usry with Beloved Pictures have optioned InkTip writer Daniel Blake Smith’s true story script, “The Phoenix,” after discovering the writer through InkTip. The script is based on the inspiring life of former University of Kentucky football player, Harold Dennis. As a high school athlete, Dennis fell victim to one of the worst drunk driving incidents in American history when 27 of his classmates were killed on a field trip. After suffering extensive burns and injuries, and being told that he would never play sports again, Dennis earned a coveted wide receiver slot on the University of Kentucky football team as a walk-on in 1994. He went on to win the Arete Award, the Gene Autry Courage Award, and the Johnny Unitas Courage Award. Dennis has been featured on ESPN, in People Magazine, Sports Illustrated, and has appeared on the Montel Williams show just last month on a special episode about this very project. Production is slated for late 2008/early 2009 with Williams attached as an actor and Jason Epperson (runner-up in last year's Fox filmmaker reality series, 'On the Lot,') slated to direct.

Illuminary Pictures option “Angel Hair” by Jack Vandagriff
Masiela Lusha, founder and president of Illuminary Pictures, has optioned "Angel Hair" from InkTip scribe Jack Vandagriff. Lusha, who played the beautiful-but-feisty daughter on The George Lopez Show, is building a slate of projects to develop and package through her various industry sources and contacts—special effects wiz Patrick Tatopolous (Director of "Underworld: Rise of the Lycans") is attached to direct. You can also see Masiela in “Blood: The Last Vampire” and “Time Of The Comet,” two features which will be released later this year. Vandagriff is a former studio publicist who’s won or placed highly in a number of screenwriting contests. This is his second option and he is currently seeking representation.

Hudson Agency Signs Penny Minor
Sue Giordano with the Hudson Agency discovered wordsmith Penny Minor's heartwarming holiday script, "A Quantum Christmas" on InkTip and has entered into an agreement to represent her. The story is generating good buzz among television producers at a time when the market is hot for the next great Christmas MOW. “A Quantum Christmas” is available and continues to receive requests as we go to press. So, don’t wait to check out the logline below and feel free to contact Sue for your copy.

New Integrity Films option “Control Alt Delete” by Ruth Kulstad
Independent Producer Joseph Barmettler of New Integrity Films has optioned the screenplay "Control Alt Delete" (aka "Gravity Gaming") from InkTip scribe Ruth Kulstad. New Integrity Films produced the hybrid feature, "Alien Secrets," which is being distributed by Warner Home Entertainment. Barmettler is also the producer of the soon-to-be-released, "Green Flash," starring David Charvet ( “Baywatch,” “Melrose Place” ), Torrey Devitto (“I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer,” “One Tree Hill”) and Kristin Cavallari (“Laguna Beach: The Real Orange County”). Barmettler, who found the screenplay by searching InkTip.com, is an established independent producer of feature films, dramatic series and Discovery Channel documentary series. Meanwhile, Kulstand, a member and former board member of the North West Writer's Guild, has informed us that this is her first option.

Roger Soffer & Christian Ford option script by Peter Farrell
Producers Roger Soffer & Christian Ford have optioned the feature alternate-reality comedy, "The Universe Running Company," from InkTip scribe Peter Farrell. This is their third InkTip find, as they work on building a slate of independent films to fast track into production. Ford & Soffer's credits include "Kazaam" (with Shaquille O'Neil), "Slow Burn" (with Minnie Driver, James Spader and Josh Brolin), "Merlin's Apprentice" (with Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson) and a variety of ABC, CBS and Hallmark miniseries. Ford & Soffer are also developing a global, state-of-the-art, next-generation online Independent Film & New Media University. This is Peter Farrell's first feature option and he is seeking agency representation and/or management.

mFilm Finds Comedy
Producers Roger Soffer & Christian Ford have optioned the feature alternate reality comedy, "The Universe Running Company," from InkTip scribe Peter Farrell. This is their third InkTip find as they work on building a slate of indie films to fast track into production. Ford & Soffer's credits include "Kazaam" (with Shaquille O'Neil), "Slow Burn" (with Minnie Driver, James Spader and Josh Brolin), "Merlin's Apprentice" (with Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson), and a variety of ABC, CBS and Hallmark miniseries. Ford & Soffer are also developing a global, state-of-the-art, next-gen online Indie Film & New Media University. This is writer Farrell's first feature option.

New Integrity Options Feature
Joseph Barmettler with New Integrity Films has optioned the feature script “Rapid Descent” from InkTip writer Bob Sinnott. Barmettler’s recent credits include the soon-to-be-released “Green Flash” (which stars Craig Charvet from “Melrose Place” and Torrey DeVitto from “One Tree Hill” fame), as well as the TNT series “L.A. Heat.” This is writer Sinnott’s second option.

TV Producer Options InkTip Writer
James Rich Jr., a producer on "Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl" and hundreds of TV shows like "Sweeney Todd" and "People's Court," has optioned InkTip scribe Marc Conklin's feature script "Deadbeat Boyfriends," after finding it on InkTip. “Deadbeat Boyfriends,” a romantic comedy about a professional fiancé-for-hire, was repped by Caleb Applegate with the Beloved Management Group. Beloved Management is also repping another InkTip writer while packaging their based-on-true-story project "The Phoenix," which was recently profiled on The Montel Williams Show.

Feature Purchased!
Producer/director Stephen Manuel has purchased the feature script “Lucky Teeter” from InkTip author Jason Allen. Manuel’s previous credits include the recent “Perfect Hideout” with Billy Zane, and “Fatal Rescue” with Steve Guttenberg. “Lucky Teeter” had been previously optioned to Manuel, and after that option expired, it has since been under option to a few other producers – so when it went back up on InkTip recently, Manuel swooped in and picked it right back up. Allen’s entertainment attorney Elsa Ramo of The Law Offices of Elsa Ramo in Beverly Hills negotiated this latest purchase. Preproduction is already underway, and the project will be going into production within the next couple of weeks. This is not the first success through InkTip for Allen, who has had numerous option deals and writing assignments.

Forever Films Signs Writer for 25 Episodes
Sal Anthony with Forever Films International hired InkTip writer David Penn to write the pilot AND the next 25 episodes of the animated television series “The Moronz.” The series, a Mafioso family comedy in the vein of “South Park” or “Family Guy” meets “The Sopranos,” is already on the market, and Fox International has already expressed some interest. Penn’s previous options include a romantic comedy spec to Faye Schwab Productions (producer of “Demolition Man” with Sylvester Stallone) and a comedy spec to Slipknot! Productions, where Penn also works as an acquisitions executive.

Cantelon Options “Endgame”
Todd Cantelon, producer with tNtFILMS, has optioned "The Endgame" from writer Paul Lewis, after browsing the listings on InkTip. Cantelon recently signed with Spy Filmz as producer's rep for “The Storm,” a micro-budgeted supernatural-thriller he wrote and directed. In addition to “The Storm,” tNtFILMS is currently developing four other pictures, including “The Endgame.” Paul Lewis, meanwhile, is excited: although he's been hired on some other direct-to-video projects, he considers this his first true option.

Director/Producer Jack Cook of Top Realm Pictures has acquired the suspense/thriller short “Feed the Beast” from screenwriter Steve Calderwood. The two are working closely together as the project is going into immediate production. Represented by Danie Cortese Entertainment, this is Steve’s sixth short sold through InkTip.

Writer Sells Sixth Short
Director/Producer Jack Cook of Top Realm Pictures has acquired the suspense/thriller short “Feed the Beast” from screenwriter Steve Calderwood. The two are working closely together as the project is going into immediate production. Represented by Danie Cortese Entertainment, this is Steve’s sixth short sold through InkTip.

Amy Wagner and Ron Gwiazda of the New York office of Abrams Artists Agency have signed an agreement to represent wordsmith Douglas Rappaport’s script “One Day the Weatherman” (based on his novel of the same name) after discovering it through InkTip. Abrams Artists Agency represents a number of studio-produced writers whose works have received wide theatrical release, including Tracy Letts, for whom they have closed a deal to adapt his Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County” for the big screen. This is writer Rappaport’s third deal through InkTip.

After putting a call out to our writers, Scott Vandiver and Todd Brown with Alpine Pictures discovered and optioned the feature screenplay "Holiday Cheer" from InkTip scribe Serena Lowe. Vandiver, whose credits include the soon-to-be-released "Dark Honeymoon" with Daryl Hannah, Tia Carrere and Roy Scheider, is also working on the animated feature "Dorothy of Oz," a continuation of Dorothy's adventures in the land of Oz, which is being adapted from the book by Roger Baum (the great grandson of L. Frank Baum, the writer and creator of the original "Wizard of Oz"). This is Serena Lowe’s first feature option.

White Knuckle Films, led by Chris Godfrey and Gary Kurtz, has optioned the screenplay "Big Blue Meanie" from InkTip writer Mark Davidson. White Knuckle found the script while browsing crime-based thrillers on the site. This is one of a number of scripts that the company has optioned through InkTip, including "Highrisers" by Donnie Dale, which has Mary Lambert ("Pet Sematary") attached to direct and Brittany Murphy set to star. White Knuckle is currently completing financing on "The Vent," a supernatural thriller to be directed by Greg Page ("The Locals"), and "Sandman," a sci-fi action piece to be helmed by Greg Dark ("See No Evil'). The company worked with Mark Davidson's representative Justin Olson at Rebel Entertainment to secure the option on "Big Blue Meanie." Incidentally, this script was only on the site for 2 or 3 days before White Knuckle discovered it!

Babu Subramaniam with Lakshmi Films, Inc. hired InkTip writer Matthew Allen to pen the feature screenplay “Itsu Mademo.” Subramaniam has directed a bevy of television shows, including episodes of “Third Watch,” “One Tree Hill,” and “E.R.,” and is now working on developing his first feature directing project with Matthew.

Henning Winkelmann with Plastic Poetry, Inc. has just signed a contract hiring Axel Melzener to complete his action/comedy screenplay, "Hasch." Winkelmann, who found Melzener by searching InkTip.com, is an established commercials director and producer of 15 years - he has worked for such well-known brands as Macy's, Cisco, Nestle and Audi. Melzener, a produced German writer and producer who’s branching into English-language feature writing, has a film currently in development with another production company in Los Angeles.

Scott Vandiver with Alpine Pictures discovered and optioned the feature holiday screenplay "Visiting Katie" from InkTip scribe Joanne Records, after putting a call out to our writers. Vandiver, whose credits include the soon-to-be-released "Dark Honeymoon" with Daryl Hannah, Tia Carrere and Roy Scheider, is also working on the animated feature "Dorothy of Oz," a continuation of Dorothy's adventures in the land of Oz, which is being adapted from the book by Roger Baum (the great grandson of L. Frank Baum, the writer and creator of the original "Wizard of Oz"). This is Joanne Records's first feature option, and Joanne is repped by Barry Perelman with the Barry Perelman Agency.

Hari Mahesh with Smera Productions has optioned the feature thriller script “Somniphobia” from InkTip father/daughter writing duo Michael and Jessica Brody. Hari is currently in preproduction on “Shanti,” a Holly/Bollywood co-production with David Sutcliffe (“Gilmore Girls” and “Under the Tuscan Sun”) and Ayesha Takia (one of the hottest actresses on the Bollywood scene) attached to play the lead roles. Michael and Jessica Brody have had one other feature script optioned to date – an option that took place just after the strike ended, so their writing career is really on a roll!

Producer Terry Charatsis with Infinity Pictures hired InkTip wordsmith, Matthew Allen, after reading Matthew’s script, “The Fifth Column,” on InkTip! Terry has produced various features including, “Sally Marshall is Not an Alien,” “The Life of Harry Dare” and “Struck by Lightning.” Matthew’s manager, Peter Meyer, has been in talks with Terry for some time and they are finally ready to start working with each other!

Greg Feldman at Etosha optioned Mark Onspaugh's script, "My Summer as a Superhero." This is the third Inktip option for Mr. Feldman, who has numerous projects in development and two in pre-production. For this most recent undertaking, Mr. Feldman says he loves the concept of the script. This will be Onspaugh’s second option through InkTip.

Brandon Baker with Baker Productions and Boll AG, after posting a note on the alerts board on InkTipPro stating that he was seeking completed films for a possible distribution deal, connected with Tommy Brunswick at The Skeleton Factory and picked up three of their recent pictures: "They Must Eat," "Evil Offspring," and "Little Red Devil" (with James Russo, Dee Wallace, and Daniel Baldwin) for Uwe Boll's sales and distribution company, Boll AG. Some of Baker's producing credits include the HBO Video release "Living & Dying" (with Edward Furlong, Michael Madsen, Arnold Vosloo, Bai Ling, and Jordana Spiro) and "Fall Down Dead" (with Dominique Swain, Udo Kier, and David Carradine). Baker also executive produced "The Alphabet Killer" (with Eliza Dushku, Timothy Hutton and Cary Elwes).

Appleseed Entertainment has optioned the feature script "Speaking of Dreams" from screenwriter Elizabeth Hansen after an InkTip call for scripts set in Paris. Appleseed partner Ben Moses, best known for creating and co-producing "Good Morning Vietnam" (with Robin Williams), will produce. This will be the feature directorial debut for Appleseed partner Lynne Moses who recently directed a short she co-wrote with Ben Moses, "Le Chat est Mort," featuring Elizabeth Perkins ("Big," "Weeds"). While this won’t be Elizabeth’s first option, she is very excited about working with Appleseed!

Manager Ryan Lewis with Stone Canyon Media discovered writer Glenn Rabney's script "Milwaukee Roulette" after searching on InkTip last year, and now represents him. That script, which has since been rewritten and re-titled "Milwaukee's Best," is a comedy about two brothers working for a low-level crime syndicate in Milwaukee who take on their first hit. Stone Canyon Media represents writers, directors and authors. Rabney has also recently written a spec feature, “Bars & Grill,” about a celebrity chef who gets thrown in prison and starts a five-star restaurant behind bars.

After putting a call out to our writers in InkTip’s Preferred Newsletter, John Johnson at Darkstone Entertainment hired scribe Keith Emerson to pen their latest feature project, entitled “John Johnson's GraveBit.” Darkstone is already having a banner year, with their soon-to-be-released feature “John Johnson’s Alucard,” (written by Spenser Tomson, another writer hired through InkTip) which will be released on DVD June 3, “667 Neighbor of the Beast: Another Skeleton Key,” and “Deceptors,” coming out in September, and with their television series “KnightStalkers” going into production this fall! This is writer Emerson’s first feature hire.

Beloved Pictures, in association with Randy Spelling and Adam Targum, has hired scribe Daniel Blake Smith to write an as-of-yet untitled screenplay. Beloved Pictures is helmed by arts and business veteran Michael Ludlum, and fellow business partners and screenwriters Caleb W. Applegate and Jason E. Usry. Writer Smith’s previous credits include “Black Indians: An American Story,” a feature documentary narrated by James Earl Jones, which aired nationally in 2003, and “Terror of the Soul: Edgar Allan Poe,” a docudrama for the American Masters series on PBS, starring John Heard and Treat Williams, with music by Philip Glass. Smith also wrote a feature in development entitled “The Phoenix,” the inspirational story of how an athlete survived one of the worst drunk driving accidents in American history, and went on to win a full football scholarship at the University of Kentucky. Smith will be interviewed about this project on the Montel Williams show on April 30, and Jason Epperson, the runner up on last year’s reality series “On the Lot,” is attached to direct, so tune in!

“Lost Mission,” a feature military thriller written by InkTip scribe Keith Robinson and produced by Thomas Moser and Michael Wallace, which also was featured on the cover of the InkTip magazine a few months ago, hits the shelves at Hollywood Video this week!

Producers Richard Friedman and Richard Sindell with RSF Productions have optioned InkTip screenwriter Corey Druskin’s script, “This is My Choice.” Mr. Friedman has worked as a director and producer on many television and feature projects including “Baywatch Nights” (David Hasselhoff), “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman” (Dean Cain and Teri Hatcher), “Dark Wolf” (Samaire Armstrong of “Dirty Sexy Money”), “Ground Zero” and the recently completed feature, on which Mr. Friedman and Mr. Sindell worked together, “Born.” This will be Corey’s first option!

After carefully researching our database of scripts last year, Rick Friedberg optioned the quirky feature comedy script "Jesus Christ Superstore" from InkTip writers Nancy Nyman & Heather McNama. Friedberg, whose previous credits include "Spy Hard" (with Leslie Nielsen) and episodes of "The Real Housewives of Orange County," is adding this project to a three-film slate. This is the writers' first feature option. Nyman is a graduate of the Warner Bros Comedy Writers' Workshop, and McNama has worked as a script supervisor and writing instructor, but as they've both only worked in the television half-hour format, this is their first venture into feature writing.

BP Cooper Pictures has purchased the feature script “Too True” from scribe Peter Ivan, after finding it on InkTip. The script is a Nicholl Fellowship semi-finalist from the writer of the pilot for Bryan Brown's Australian TV series “Two Twisted,” and is being developed as Bradley King’s directorial debut. BP Cooper’s previous credits include “Chasing 3000” with Ray Liotta, “Cosmic Radio” with Michael Madsen, and the upcoming “Ten Years Later” with Jake Hoffman.

Scribe Jed Rigney has signed with Abrams Artists Agency, after Amy Wagner discovered him through InkTip. He is now working with Ron Gwiazda and Amy Wagner (out of the New York office of Abrams Artists Agency), who are representing all of his screenplays. Abrams Artists Agency represents a number of studio-produced writers whose works have received wide theatrical release. Another writer they represent is Tracy Letts, for whom they have closed a deal to adapt his Pulitzer Prize-winning play “August: Osage County” for the big screen.

On their first visit to InkTip, Jamison and Jason Brandi with Brandi Bros. Productions discovered the perfect script for their next project - the romantic drama “Cabin 6” by InkTip wordsmith Mark E. McCann. After beating out at least two other bidders, Brandi Bros. Productions is now in the process of attaching talent and networking with co-producers to get the project greenlit. Jamison recently directed his first feature, “Johnson Family Dinner,” which was picked up for DVD distribution by a division of Warner Brothers. “Cabin 6,” meanwhile, is a feature-length adaptation of McCann’s award-winning short film, which was recently picked up for distribution through Vision Video.

Producers John Aguirre and Scott Rudolph of Great American Cinema optioned the romantic comedy "Bed Bugs" from up-and-coming Canadian scribe Jennifer Westcott. Aguirre’s credits include the recently completed feature “Women on Top” and the upcoming film “Frail,” which is in negotiations with Aspect Film London and Global Universal out of Canada. Scott, who discovered the offbeat story through InkTip.com, says he is excited to "get the ball rolling" on casting and expects to be shooting by the end of the year. Meanwhile, this will be Jennifer’s second option through InkTip!

David Sterling with Sterling Entertainment has finished production on the feature film “Metal Man,” which he hired InkTip scribe Carlos Perez to pen. Sterling is a prolific producer with over fifty credits on his resume, including “Pirates of Ghost Island,” which was distributed through Lionsgate late last year. Carlos Perez has had a bevy of recent options and hires, and has also written a number of produced stage plays.

United Kingdom director Ather Khalid discovered Kimberly Coleman’s award-winning short script, “Mother,” on Inktip in February. Production on the film, centering on the life of an Iraqi woman forced into prostitution by a co-worker, is underway. Several of Kimberly's short scripts about ordinary families in Baghdad have won awards, most notably, “Zaid's Cup” was the Short Screenplay Winner at the Omaha Film Festival. Though most of her work is set in Iraq, she also writes about Darfur. Her feature, “The Last One,” is about a retired IRA bomber whose autistic daughter is kidnapped by Janjaweed militants and is a finalist in the current Charleston International Film Festival. Mr. Khalid has called Kimberly's writing, “very honest and passionate.” The film of “Mother” is expected to be released within a year.

Helen Penjam with Penjam Productions has signed a contract with Linda Andersson for Andersson’s short “Out of Sequins.” The project has already been translated to Finnish and is in pre-production. It will also be subtitled in English and Estonian for festival submissions outside of Finland!

The TCS Productions options 'Milo' from InkTip scribe Jan Wilson. This week producers Tobe Sexton and Kelly Farrell happily welcomed Jan Wilson into The Technological City State family (The TCS). Sexton's 10 year old company is coming off of the international success of their award winning comedy feature 'The Metrosexual'. Recently, the aggressive company completed production on the MMA Action-Drama 'The Red Canvas' starring Ernie Reyes Jr., John Savage, Maria Conchita Alonzo, George Takei, Sara Downing, Frank Shamrock and Fernanda Romero. Award winner Farrell is set to direct Wilson's London themed Dark Romance about a Psychotic Mailman and his love of a local shop girl. "Milo is a terrific addition to our upcoming slate which is another high quality project found through InkTip. “This is a very exciting time," continued Sexton. This is the fifth script The TCS has acquired through InkTip and the first for Wilson.

John Murlowski with Maple Island Films recently hired InkTip veteran writer Kraig Wenman to pen an as-of-yet untitled feature thriller, which will be distributed through MarVista Entertainment. Maple Island, a one-stop shopping company that develops, shoots, posts, and delivers family films and thrillers, is planning 4-5 films a year to be distributed by MarVista. Murlowski recently completed production on the feature film “Marlowe,” which was written by another InkTip scribe and is wrapping up post production now. Wenman, meanwhile, has had more options, hires, and produced features through InkTip than we can easily keep track of!

After discovering Robert Adamo on InkTip and hiring him to pen the feature screenplay “The Deal Maker,” Tony Conforti has now also picked up two more of Robert’s scripts: “The Walker” and “The Midnite Sun.” Tony has produced numerous music videos and Broadway plays, including “Knockout” with Danny Aiello (directed by Frank Corsaro) and the critically acclaimed classic, “Richard Pryor Live in Concert.” Robert Adamo, while having written over 10 scripts of his own, is also a producer, and the two are set to co-produce these three upcoming features together. Thus far “The Deal Maker” already has an all star cast attached - look for the list in an upcoming newsletter!

Producer Tim Scott with Aurora Productions Inc. has optioned InkTip scribe Linda Shayne’s feature screenplay entitled “Fallen Angel.” Currently Mr. Scott has a project entitled “The Hunchback” in pre-production with a cast including the likes of Monica Cruz, John Rhys Davis, Christopher Lee, Danny Trejo and Stephen Berkoff. Linda Shayne is a produced writer and has written for Showtime, Disney, Quincy Jones' company QDE and the Kids Warner Brothers Network.

Cynde Harmon of Really Real Films Inc. discovered the feature script “Trust” by scribe Jack Messit, after sending a note out to our writers through the newsletter. Really Real Films is headed up by Allan and Cynde Harmon, whose credits include various episodes of “Gene Roddenberry’s Andromeda” (with Kevin Sorbo) and “Afghan Nights” (with Michael Madsen).

Update! “Lost Mission,” a feature military thriller written by InkTip scribe Keith Robinson and produced by Thomas Moser and Michael Wallace, has been picked up by Vanguard Cinema, and is scheduled for an April 22 release. If the title sounds familiar to you, it’s probably because the movie poster was recently featured on the cover of the InkTip Magazine!

Joey Nasser of Nasser Group North has discovered InkTip scribe Jeanne Mckinney after reading Jeanne’s script on InkTip, and has hired Jeanne to pen a feature. Some of Mr. Nasser's credits include “The Last Brickmaker in America” (starring Sidney Poitier), “A Father's Choice” (starring Peter Strauss and Michelle Trachtenberg), and they are currently in post-production on “Impulse” (starring Angus Macfadyen)! This writing assignment will be a first time job for Jeanne!

The TCS Productions options “The House That Evil Built” from InkTip scribe Michael Coady. This week, producers Tobe Sexton and Kelly Farrell happily welcomed Micheal Cody into The Technological City State (The TCS) family. Sexton’s 10 year-old company is coming off of the success of their comedy feature, “The Metrosexual” starring Colm Meany, Mya, Bruce Weitz, Shaun Benson, and Nick Paonessa; an official selection of 24 festivals world wide, and winner of 16 awards including two Accolade Awards. "Coady's feature Horror/Ghost story about a young woman who battles the angry spirit of a demonic witch to save her family is a fantastic addition to our current slate of films," says Sexton. "Through InkTip we have acquired projects that have high artistic merit as well as exceedingly strong commercial and franchise potential, which sales agents and distributors are demanding,” continued Sexton. This is the 5th script The TCS has acquired through InkTip and the 6th for Coady.

Alexia Melocchi with Little Studio Films discovered writer Douglas Rappaport, after putting a call out to our writers. Melocchi’s objective was to find scribes with feature writing samples about classical music composers, and Rappaport submitted his script about Paganini in response. And fortunately for him, Melocchi was specifically looking for material about that same composer, so after reviewing two of his other scripts and his published novel, she’s now signed on as his manager. Melocchi not only produces, but also reps writers, directors and other producers. This is Rappaport’s (second) deal through InkTip; his last one was the hire that actually resulted in the development of the script which Alexia discovered.

Caleb Applegate with Beloved Management picked up InkTip writer Daniel Smith, after reading an announcement about one of his recent options in the InkTip newsletter. Beloved Management has dedicated itself to finding and developing new talent in the areas of film and production. Daniel Smith, meanwhile, has had a bevy of recent options and produced films, including his most recent option to Porchlight Entertainment, the announcement of which landed him his current representation.

PHD Productions (Andrew Bronstein / Producer, Bob Hume / Head of Development) has finished principal photography on the horror feature “Sewn,” written by Mark Garbett and David Lloyd. “Sewn” came to PHD’s attention after putting a call out to our writers last year. Lance Henriksen plays the key lead role of Sheriff Virgil Logan. This supernatural thriller also stars Kailin See, David W. Kopp, James Kirk, Lara Gilchrist, Richard Stroh, and Guess model Sarah Mutch in her first lead role in a feature. Jesse James Miller directed. “Sewn” is now in post production, aiming for an early June completion date.

Brian Lively of Peerless Productions has optioned Tony Jerris' short script “1-800-DO-I-CARE?” which he found on InkTip and is based on Tony's award winning one-act play of the same name. Production will begin the end of March. Tony has listed several feature films on InkTip over the last few years, and has recently been hired to pen "The Tammy Faye Messner" bio-pic.

Roger Soffer with mFilm recently optioned the feature stoner comedy screenplay, “Frankenstoner,” from InkTip scribe Chris Pearson. Soffer’s credits include “Final Days of Planet Earth” (with Darryl Hannah and Gil Bellows) and “Merlin’s Apprentice” (with Sam Neill and Miranda Richardson), and he recently developed an online producer’s training program for the Independent Film Channel (IFCU) as well. Pearson, meanwhile, optioned an animated series to a production company last year, and has been hired to pen a feature animation script.

Daniel Alegi with Cinemahead recently optioned Experiment in Love from InkTip scribes John Bernstein and Tasha Huo. Cinemahead is a niche European production company, based in Scandinavia, with a number of award-winning short films in their catalog, including “Czar of Make Believe,” “My Favorite Flower,” and “This is Molkom.” Bernstein, meanwhile, has had a number of feature options, this being his second one through InkTip. His last InkTip option, “Adele,” is in preproduction with Bruce Caines and Wacky Dog Imageworks, and already has some impressive name talent attached (including Giancarlo Esposito, of “Malcolm X” and “The Usual Suspects” notoriety) and a distribution deal secured.

Sheldon Brigman with Spy Filmz has just found and optioned Quinn Saunder’s script, entitled Stripper. Sheldon was contacted by Quinn’s manager, Jeff Belkin with Foremost Films, after Sheldon put a call out to our writers. Belkin, a long time InkTip member, also produces films and is on board as a co-producer on this feature. Quinn has some diverse experience in this industry including directing credits on episodes of CBS’S “Big Brother.”

Producer Robert Child with Rob Child & Associates has just hired InkTip scribe James Hughes to write an action themed bio-pic. Rob saw James’s screenplay, “The Revolutionary,” while browsing through InkTip and contacted James soon after. Rob Child deals mainly in documentaries, his most recent being “Silent Wings: The American Glider Pilots of World War II” (Walter Cronkite and Hal Holbrook). This will be James’s first writing job.

After hiring InkTip scribe Sheri Tor to pen a short script for newcomer Morgan Kirner, Tony Picciotti with Any 5 Films and Jenny Lynn Productions has hired Tor to write a feature script for the actress entitled “Magic.” This latest project will shoot this summer, and will star Ray Franza (from “Analyze That” and “The Sopranos”) as the male lead. This is Tor’s umpteenth option through InkTip in recent months; recently she was hired through InkTip to write an MOW for JPA Productions, and she also has two pilots underway.

Producer Anne Renton optioned “The Perfect Family” from InkTip writer Claire V. Riley, after putting a call out to our writers. The script, which has taken third place in the Red Inkworks Screenwriting Competition and placed in the top ten in another, is Riley’s first option. Riley has another script listed on InkTip which is also a contest winner – it took the “Best Female Character Not Used as a Murder Prop or Decoration on the Leading Man’s Arm” award from A Feeding Frenzy. “The Perfect Family” is in pre-production now, and will possibly be shot in Renton’s native Australia.

Richard Clark Jr. with New Daydream Films has just discovered Michael Wesley’s screenplay “Accidentally Yours” on InkTip and entered into an option agreement with the writer! New Daydream Films is a production company based out of North Carolina whose credits include “Serial” and “Heredity” and they are currently in pre-production on a feature entitled “Grinder.” Michael meanwhile is in the process of getting two more of his scripts on InkTip. This will be his first option.

Amanda Harvey at Generation Films has picked up Brian D. Young's short script “FADE OUT” after finding it on InkTip. Doug Busby is attached to direct. This is the 6th short of Brian’s that has been picked up - and 5 of those have already been produced! He's also had 12 features optioned, sold, or hired-to-write, and 3 films made.

Harvey Kahn with Front Street Pictures recently optioned “Buried Lies” from writer Barbara Kelly, after one of his colleagues found it on InkTip. Front Street is a Canadian production company, which has added 24 television/MOW credits to their catalogue in just the last 4 years alone. Mr. Kahn produced the critically acclaimed feature “We Don’t Live Here Anymore,” which starred Naomi Watts, Mark Ruffalo, Laura Dern, and Peter Krause, and which was acquired at Sundance by Warner Independent Pictures. Front Street has a bevy of other recent credits with name talent, which can be found on IMDB.com. Writer Barbara Kelly, meanwhile, has a multitude of other scripts available on InkTip. This is her fourth option (her third through InkTip!).

Joey Nasser of Nasser Group North has discovered InkTip scribe Madison Crouch after reading Madison's script, “Plum & Burdette” on InkTip, and has hired the writer to pen a feature. Some of Mr. Nasser's credits include “The Last Brickmaker in America” (starring Sidney Poitier), “A Father's Choice” (starring Peter Strauss and Michelle Trachtenberg), and they are currently in post-production on “Impulse” (starring Angus Macfadyen)! This will be Madison Crouch’s first writing assignment ever!

Richard Clark Jr. with New Daydream Films recently found Mark Davidson’s screenplay “Pinky Promise” on InkTip and has just entered into an option agreement with the writer! New Daydream Films is a production company based out of North Carolina whose credits include “Serial,” “Heredity,” and they are currently in pre-production on a feature entitled “Grinder.” Mark Davidson has had recent success being hired to write the feature, “The Lost Tribe,” which is scheduled to be released theatrically near the end of 2008!

Ben Pitts has just optioned InkTip scribe Tim OBrien’s teleplay titled “Off Madison.” The teleplay is set to be released as a series of webisodes and casting is already underway. This will be Tim OBrien’s second deal through InkTip, his first resulting in a produced feature called “Fall Into Me,” which has been internationally released and was featured on the cover of InkTip Magazine!

Barry Perelman with the Barry Perelman Agency discovered writer Craig Peters after reading his script “The 49th Day” on InkTip and is now representing him. Peters is a nationally produced playwright who’s making headway in his screenwriting career; “The 49th Day” has been a finalist in a number of contests, and is available to download and read on InkTip.

Duke Fire with the Cape Fear Community College has hired writer Patrick Bates to write the pilot for a series of webisodes, entitled "Zeke's Bar," to be produced and directed as student projects. "I couldn't be happier with the quality of writing and the amazing response we have received for this project, and having Patrick on board has been monumental in the past two weeks of preparing for the webcast," Duke reports. “Zeke's Bar” will be produced and directed entirely by student filmmakers.

Jay So with Genesis Filmworks International has optioned “Flicker” by Keith Robinson. Robinson has one produced feature credit to his resume, Lost Mission, which was featured on the cover of the InkTip magazine last month.

Ira Posnansky of Eclectic Filmworks has hired InkTip scribe Daniel Smith to pen an as-of-yet untitled feature thriller. Ira is currently in preproduction on “All of Me,” with Queen Latifah attached to star and Adam Shankman (whose credits include “Hairspray” with John Travolta, “The Pacifier” with Vin Diesel, and “Premonition” with Sandra Bullock) attached to direct, and which New Line will distribute. Daniel Smith’s produced credits include “Black Indians: An American Story,” a documentary narrated by James Earl Jones. He also has another project under option, “The Phoenix,” with Nick Cannon attached to star and produce.

Dallas Henry with Wheatfield Productions, in cooperation with Outpost Pictures, has found and optioned the feature script, "Sweetest Chances" from writer Lanny Grant, after finding Lanny’s screenplay through InkTip. Outpost Pictures just recently completed their feature “Rigged” and is in post on another feature entitled “Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula!” Lanny Grant meanwhile has one other feature under option and two features ready to go.

Jill Maxcy and Tim Swain with Jmaxproductions have optioned “Stealing Jesus” from scribe Phyllis Heltay, after finding the script on InkTip. Tim Swain has produced 11 pictures, including the documentary “Class C” with Phil Jackson (the Lakers coach), and his recent film “Outrighteous,” which Jill Maxcy directed. Maxcy has written and directed three features, including her recent “Nora’s Hair Salon 2,” which starred Tatiana Ali, Stacey Dash and Mekhi Phifer. Jill and Tim expect to produce three more features together in 2008. Phyllis Heltay, meanwhile, has another feature in development with Michael Rymer, of “Battlestar Galactica” fame.

James Axiotis of JPA Productions has hired InkTip writer Angela Vehorn to pen the MOW/pilot script “Thy Will be Done.” Vehorn, who was hired through InkTip’s Preferred Newsletter, is a published novelist with a screenplay adaptation of her most recent book listed on InkTip. James Axiotis specializes in TV MOWs, although he's worked in just about every conceivable aspect of production, and most recently has worked in raising financing for non-profit media. This is the second InkTip writer James has hired in the last month or so, as he continues to build a slate of projects.

Mario Domina and his ThunderBall Films, LLC, have optioned Murex from InkTip scribe Giacomo Arrigoni. Arrigoni, an Italian native and resident of Milan, has written and directed two short films, which ThunderBall Films is also looking to expand into features as part of the deal. Domina, meanwhile, is currently in postproduction on a trailer about the late 60s and 70s Zodiac Killer, to be produced as a documentary feature.

Dallas Henry with Wheatfield Productions, in cooperation with Outpost Pictures, has found and optioned the feature script Poodle Call from scribe Mark Saunders, after seeing Mark's screenplay on InkTip. Outpost Pictures has recently completed a feature called Rigged and is in post on another feature entitled Bonnie & Clyde vs. Dracula! Saunders is a former professional cartoonist who has had numerous stageplays produced in regional theatres across the country, including NYC.

Anthony Rice with iLine Entertainment has optioned Kenneth Shelden’s feature script The Playwright after finding it on InkTip. This is Shelden’s first feature option, although he also has another short film currently in the works.

Mark Daniel’s short script Super Hero recently completed production in Los Angeles. The script was found on InkTip by Linda Andersson of Showbiz Shorts. Andersson stated, “It’s a pleasure working with Mark. He has a lot of great ideas and I hope to acquire more shorts from him in the very near future.”

Vicki Letizia with Porchlight Entertainment has optioned the feature script ‘True Confession’ from InkTip writer Daniel Smith, after discovering his script on InkTip. Ironically, although their paths have never crossed before, Smith sold another script to Showtime a few years ago while Vicki was working there! PorchLight Entertainment, a multi-faceted production and distribution company, has produced more than 40 live-action and animated movies, including the recent Christmas film ‘The Family Holiday,’ which starred Dave Coulier, and ‘Secrets of Maple Cove,’ starring Melissa Joan Hart. Daniel Smith’s produced credits include ‘Black Indians: An American Story,’ a documentary narrated by James Earl Jones. He also has another project under option, ‘The Phoenix,’ with Nick Cannon attached to star and produce.

Rich Helms of That's Rich Productions has purchased the short horror/comedy script 'The Usual Sacrifice' from InkTip scribe Philip Greenstreet. Greenstreet, a winner of an Academy Technical Achievement Award for his work in developing a backdrop filming system, has had one previous feature option and another hire to write a feature screenplay. Helms has worked in image technology since the mid-1980s, and his production company is the culmination of a lifelong dream. 'The Usual Sacrifice' joins another short film project in Helms' portfolio, which continues to grow.

Mike Garcia with Gingerbread Productions has optioned Kenneth Shelden’s short script, ‘Living with Ned - The Mad Scientist' after finding it on InkTip. This is Shelden’s first short option through InkTip, although he also has a feature script currently under option. ‘Living with Ned’ is being developed as a pilot for a series of short films/webisodes. Shooting is scheduled for April 2008.

David Sterling with Sterling Entertainment hired Carlos Perez to pen the feature script ‘Metal Man,’ and with the script and preproduction finished, the feature is scheduled to shoot in February! Sterling is a prolific producer with over fifty credits on his resume, including ‘Pirates of Ghost Island,’ which was distributed through Lionsgate just a few months ago. He’s also an experienced service producer who is available for consultation or hire (look him up online, or email us at InkTip for his contact info!). Carlos Perez has had another recent option (stay tuned to next week’s newsletter for that announcement), and has also written a number of produced stage plays.

InkTip scribe Carmine Caracciola has recently been hired by Mark Riccardi, Ben Fiore, and Tom Bragg of TakeTwoEntertainment to pen an episode of their TV series 'The Mamalukes,' a sitcom about an Italian-American family from Brooklyn whose father purports to being a mafioso. Riccardi has worked as a stunt coordinator and stunt double for people such as John Travolta and Jonathan Frakes. Recently he produced and directed a short called 'Livewire' and will soon be shooting 'Shabbos Night Fever.' Fiore, meanwhile, is a retired NYPD officer who's acted in a flurry of pictures and produced a slew of short films. And Caracciola is in preproduction on another script, Elementary Pimp, to which he's secured the attachment of Eddie Griffin.

Writing duo David Tish and Vaughan Risher have recently picked up representation from Jeff Belkin of Foremost Films after Jeff read their screenplay 'Plain Jane' in response to a lead that he sent out to InkTip's writers in the newsletter. Mr. Belkin worked as a literary manager with Mad Hatter Films and then later on as a producer at a top production company (who held a deal with Warner) before striking out on his own. Jeff searches InkTip regularly, putting himself in an excellent position to find the best up-and-coming writers. Tish and Risher are definitely promising talents!

James Axiotis of James Axiotis Productions has hired InkTip scribe Sheri Tor to pen the feature script 'Free At Last.' Tor has had a short produced recently, which led to her being hired to write two other features, one with Manmade Entertainment, and another with Edge of LA Productions. She also has two pilots underway, which she was hired to write, and meanwhile, another of her short scripts is being developed into a feature (also on hire) – so if you've emailed her recently and haven't heard back, please be patient - Sheri is one of InkTip's busiest writers this season! James Axiotis, meanwhile, really specializes in TV MOWs, although he's worked in just about every conceivable aspect of production, and most recently has worked in raising money for non-profit media.

Dave Stone and Johnny Meier with Intrigue Films have optioned ‘The Fourth Quarter’ from InkTip writer Larry Surowiecki. Stone and Meier run a newly redesigned operation with a mandate of producing family-friendly films out of Arizona, while Surowiecki is busy writing and working in the film industry in Florida – proving yet again that InkTip helps get the right script into the right hands regardless of the distance between the two parties. Congratulations!

Jina Panebianco with WhiteBread Productions has optioned the feature thriller script Floored from InkTip scribes Kevin Haskin and Jason Bortz. Panebianco’s recent credits include Parmisiano and 9 Lives of Mara. Haskin’s recent credits include a series of short films (which he wrote, directed and produced), as well as three other feature screenplays currently under option.

After hiring InkTip Scribe Roberto Montesinos to pen a short, Marc Saltarelli of Line 9 Productions has now assigned Roberto the task of adapting that short into a feature! The short has become a finalist in the Latino Screenplay Competition and will now start its journey into becoming a feature. Saltarelli’s credits include the short Wingtips and the feature film Dead Boyz Don’t Scream.

Rotimi Rainwater with Village Entertainment Inc. has optioned the feature coming-of-age screenplay Truck Stop from InkTip scribe Tony Aloupis. Rainwater’s other projects include Four to the Floor, which is already funded, and to which he already has Cylk Cozart attached, as well as the recently completed Spit, which was a Center Piece Featured Film at the Starz/Encore Film Festival. This is Aloupis’s second option, and his first through InkTip.

Ted Perkins with CRAZEntertainment and VOY Pictures has optioned Comic Relief, a buddy road trip comedy written specifically for a Chinese audience, from InkTip scribe Doug Simonton. This is Simonton’s fifth option; Perkins, although currently living in LA, works extensively in overseas markets.

Cecil Green has recently signed as a writer with Attica Peece at Earth Angels Literary Management. Attica specifically is representing his horror scripts. Earth Angels specializes in women and minority writers. This is Green’s first representation opportunity.

Joey Nasser of Nasser Group North has discovered InkTip scribe David Blanc after reading David's script, 'An Angel's Tale' on InkTip, and has hired the writer to pen a feature. Some of Mr. Nasser's credits include 'The Last Brickmaker in America' (starring Sidney Poitier), 'A Father's Choice' (starring Peter Strauss and Michelle Trachtenberg), and they are currently in post-production on 'Impulse' (starring Angus Macfadyen)! David Blanc has had 4 scripts of his already produced and this will be his first deal through InkTip!

PHD Productions, a Vancouver-based boutique studio, has purchased ‘Sewn’ from InkTip scribes Mark Garbett and David Andrew Lloyd. Now in preproduction, ‘Sewn’ is scheduled to shoot in February 2008. This will be Garbett’s second produced credit, to follow up on ‘Midnight Movie,’ which was produced by Bigfoot Entertainment.

Mr. Shannon W. Rawls, producer and president of Cinema Hill Motion Picture Company, has optioned the crime-drama screenplay ‘Impulse’ from InkTip scribe Andy Caille. Rawls' previous credits include ‘Matthew 26:17,’ ‘Family Reunion,’ ‘Smashing Stereotypes,’ and ‘Occupation: Hollywood,’ which can be found at your local DVD retailer, and all of which have had international distribution success. Mr. Rawls is also the founder and producer of the acclaimed International Digital Video & High Definition Film Festival, a festival dedicated to digital projects originating in DV or HD only. Meanwhile, this is not only Caille's first option – it’s the first screenplay he completed!

Gino Alfonso of Itchy Productions has optioned the short script ‘Harmony’ by scribe Rie Natalenko. Alfonso is currently in post-production on two features, ‘#1 Priority' (a zombie horror film) and ‘A Vintage Romance’ (a gay coming-out, coming-of-age film). Natalenko has a Doctor of Creative Arts in screenwriting, and her scripts have won the IF award for ‘best unproduced screenplay in Australia’ for Heloise and was a 2005 Nicholl semi-finalist among other accolades.

Aaron Weisblatt’s short script ‘Campfire Break-up’ recently completed production in Los Angeles. The script was found on InkTip by Linda Andersson of Showbiz Shorts. Weisblatt directed the film that showcases the up and coming star Bryan McGowan. Andersson stated that Aaron “is a great writer/director. We plan to use him again for future projects.”

Michael Grais of Michael Grais Productions optioned ‘Visions’ by InkTip scribe Danny Howell – just before the strike got underway! Grais’s previous credits include ‘Great Balls of Fire,’ Stephen King’s ‘Sleepwalkers,’ ‘Marked for Death,’ ‘Poltergeist,’ and ‘Poltergeist 2.’ This is Howell’s first option.

Sean Thomas and Tandees Tanavoli of ChefThomas-Filmatica have optioned 'Crush on You' by writer Maria Lusby. Sean Thomas's recent credits include 'Fall Down Dead' with Dominique Swain and David Carradine. Tandees Tanavoli is a veteran TV and film producer and promoter who created and produced ‘Impromptu,’ which garnered three Leo Award nominations. Brit helmer Robert Young, who is known for 'Splitting Heirs' (with Eric Idle, Catherine Zeta-Jones, and Rick Moranis), is on board to direct. Young also just recently wrapped shooting on 'Wild Blue Yonder' with Lauren Bacall and Brian Cox. This is Maria Lusby's first option – in fact, this is the first script Maria Lusby has ever written!

David Sterling of Sterling Entertainment has discovered and hired InkTip scribe Carlos Perez for a writer-for-hire opportunity after having read his script, ‘Don't Go in the Basement’ on InkTip. David has a number of credits to his name, including two features where the writer was found on InkTip, one of which, Pirates of Ghost Island, (written by Kristin J. Johnson and Pauline Thomas) is being distributed by Lions Gate Entertainment. After having produced 7 films, Pirates of Ghost Island was Mitch Toles’s directorial debut.

Ryan Vernon, formerly with Avatar Entertainment, hit upon writer Mark Davidson’s script, Blue Blood, on InkTip.com, leading Avatar Entertainment to hire Mr. Davidson to write the screenplay The Lost Tribe. Principal photography began this month and the film is scheduled for a Summer 2008 release. Roel Reiné is directing the film (more information about the director and producers can be found on IMDB.com).

After optioning and producing Richard Dane Scott’s screenplay, Cathy in Space (found on InkTip!), Anita Udeep of Pentamedia has hired Scott to do rewrites on one of her own scripts. Scott, who is repped by InkTipper Jeff Belkin of Foremost Films, has had a number of short films produced by InkTip members, as well as a couple of feature options and hires. Pentamedia specializes in family-oriented animation features. Their previous credits include an animated version of Gulliver’s Travels and now Cathy in Space.

Dutch scribe Y.J. Boertje has optioned the short script Figment to Roughneck Pictures and director Jay Lee to be made for the 7 Deadly Films Festival (www.deadlyevent.com). The film has completed production and stars two local favorite actors, Kimber Leigh and Aaron Burckle, in the key roles. "InkTip.com played an important role in this production as I needed to come up with a script in a fairly short period of time," said Jay Lee. "It's a site I come to regularly when I'm ready to make my next film as it offers a wide variety of storylines and genres to choose from. With so many talented writers offering up their ideas, it's really a director’s dream when selecting projects to produce."

Monalisa Dasgupta has optioned and produced the short script When Summer Com