Josh Barkey: Nicholl Fellowship Quarter-Finalist

Although I had no intention of posting during this week-of-retreat, the Academy of Motion Pictures has conspired against my best laid plans today by sending me news that I'm too giddy not to share. To wit:

"Dear Joshua,

Congratulations!  You have reached the Quarterfinal Round of the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. By doing so, yours is one of only 372 entries to advance beyond the First Round.

With 7,251 scripts entered and nearly 1,100 entries submitted by past quarter/semi/finalists, the initial round was more competitive than in any previous year."

For those who are not aware, the Nicholl Fellowship is THE screenplay competition to enter, and grants up to five prestigious fellowships each year. I submitted my screenplay, KILLING HARPER, not because I had the slightest belief it'd win, but because this is simply something one does when one wishes to be a professional screenwriter.

While it's still unlikely that I'll go on to win a fellowship (a math person might put my chances at about one in seventy-five)... I have to admit I might just have teared up a wee bit when I first read their email. And then I had this conversation...

ME: Thanks, Academy. You're the best.
ACADEMY: No, you're the best.
ME: Really!?! So you're saying I wo--
ACADEMY: No. We just wanted you to feel like you were doing well. There are lots of other great scripts.
ME: Oh. Ummm... so, you wanna make out, or something?
ACADEMY: Are you serious? We, like, just met, man.
ME: Right. Uh... yeah. Well, I'mma just... sorry.

(Fidgets. Almost says something, but then walks off alone into the darkness, mumbling.)