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2009 Confirmed Screenplay/Teleplay Competition Judges

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More judges are added everyday!============================= 

BILLY BROWN
Billy Brown, an Emmy, Peabody and WGA award-winning writer and producer has been creating, writing and supervising quality film and television production for twenty-nine years, although it seems like thirty.  In 2007, along with longtime collaborator Dan Angel, Billy wrote and produced the first in a series of Direct to DVD movies in partnership with Universal Home Video and The Hatchery Entertainment:  “R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour: Don’t Think About It,”  premiered on The Cartoon Network to record ratings in September of 2007 and earned him a WGA writing award nomination for Best Writing in Children’s Long form. The Halloween DVD continues to sell well around the world.  Billy began his writing career as a staff writer of “Saturday Night Live” in 1980-1981.   The twists and turns of show business pulled Mr. Brown away from comedy and into the genre of suspense, thriller and horror when he co-created and wrote the Ace-Award Nominated “John Carpenter Presents Body Bags” for Showtime. Next, Billy became the head writer for the number one hit show, “Goosebumps” for FOX Kids Network, winning the WGA Award for Best Children’s Teleplay. From 1997 to1998, Billy served as Story Editor/Writer on “The X-Files.” See a full list of credits here. 

DARK HERO STUDIOS 

WARREN ETHEREDGE, founder of The Warren Report, president and head of development for Lockspring Pictures
Warren Etheredge is the founder and host of The Warren Report (www.thewarrenreport.com), which stages, podcasts and broadcasts over 250 film (and arts) related events throughout the year, across the country. He has conducted over 1,500 interviews with such luminaries as Oliver Stone, Darren Aronofsky, Amy Sedaris, Michael Pollan and Sir Salman Rushdie. Additionally, he is a founding faculty member of TheFilmSchool. For six years Warren served as curator for the 1 Reel Film Festival. 

CARLO EUGSTER, Development Executive, Out of the Blue Entertainment  

MARY JOHN FRANK, Polymorphic Pictures

JEFF GRAUP, manager, Graup Entertainment
Has been in the entertainment industry for over 15 years he has been involved in many studio and network TV shows as either as a producer and as a manager. He has represented academy award winners and directors of major studio releases and has had as many as 15 studio-released movies by clients in a calendar year.  Jeff recently finished the movie Obsessed for Sony starring Beyonce, which was also #1 at the box-office, and to date has grossed over $68 million domestically. He also exec produced Lakeview Terrace, which was released by Sony and was #1 at the box-office last September starring Samuel Jackson with Neil Labute directing. Jeff is in pre-production on the comedy Black Ice starring David Spade. He is also in pre-production on Last Day an action movie and Condemned both set to start production in October. His management firm was behind the hit TV shows the OC and has represented many show runners/creators in TV.  He was named in Fade In Magazine as one of the top 100 people to know two separate times.  

FRED STRYPE, Sarah Lawrence Filmmaking Program / Columbia Graduate Film Division 

MATT SUMMERS, vice president, 821 Entertainment 

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All of these judges will be in attendance at the 2009 Austin Film Festival and Conference (October 22-29).  For a full list of confirmed panelists click here. 

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