MOVIES - July 11, 1989

A record 1,400 aspiring screenwriters across the country have submitted entries in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ annual Dee and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in screenwriting, the most ever in its four years of existence. This is the first year the competition was open to anyone who had not worked professionally on a screenplay or teleplay. Previously only college students were eligible. “It’s been very interesting discovering just how many aspiring screenwriters there are out there,” notes Academy President Richard Kahn. The annual fellowships allow would-be screenwriters to devote themselves exclusively to writing scripts for at least one year. Nicholl Fellows are expected to complete a full-length feature screenplay during the fellowship year. Up to five fellowships of $20,000 each will be awarded, with recipients to be announced in late November.