Columbia Presents Written Image Awards to Student and Alum Screenwriters

PhotoFrom left to right: Griffin Pettyes, Stephen Gleason, Jonathan Kolo, William H. Kisor, Kieran Gleeson, Cody Miller, Reese Taylor Givens, and Erika Valenciana.
On Nov. 28, Columbia College Chicago hosted its annual event to honor Cinema and Television Arts students and alums.

The Written Image Screenwriting Prize’s 20th Reunion and Celebration was held on Nov. 28, 2022. Written Image is a screenwriting prize awarded to students and alumni of Cinema and Television Arts at Columbia College Chicago.

Screenwriting Director and Professor Josef Steiff along with current faculty Sue Mroz and past faculty Cari Callis hosted the event that included finalists pitching their scripts. Audience Choice for Best Pitch was awarded to Reese Taylor Givens for Hello Big Foot. The winners and honorees in each category included the following:

Alumni Feature - 1st Place

Lonnie Holiday’s Trip to the Moon by Savannah Oakes

Alumni Feature - 2nd Place

Punk Show Chicago by Erika Valenciana

Student Feature - 1st Place

Time by Jonathan Kolo

Student Feature - 2nd Place

Cult Classic by William H. Kisor and Gage C Swanston 

Student Short - 1st Place

Performance Issues by Drew Brown

Student Short - 2nd Place

Kids Having Kids by Parker Forest Olson

Student Short - Honorable Mention

Surprise by Griffin Pettyes

Student Television Pilot - 1st Place

Hello Big Foot by Reese Taylor Givens

Student Television Pilot - 2nd Place

Sushi Force by Stephen Gleason

Student Television Pilot - Honorable Mention

Oak by Cody Miller

All first- and second-place winners receive Final Draft software. First-place student winners also advance to the second round of Columbia’s Script Launch event in the Spring. First-place writers in the Student Feature and the Student Television Pilot categories will each receive a professional mentor.

Congratulations everyone!

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