What might be Duluth’s first screenwriting competition is one month away. “Unfinished Work: A Screenwriting Contest” will present some of the region’s finest screenwriters showing off a portion of their newest work. The event is on Saturday, Aug. 3, from 2 to 4:30 p.m., at Zeitgeist Teatro. Admission is free.

Participation is limited to writers living within 125 miles of Duluth. Each 15-minute segment features a different cast performing a script reading of a screenplay. The scripts range from drama, intrigue, sci-fi, fantasy, action, rom-com, and more.

Three judges will determine which screenplays will be selected: Karen Sunderman, Patrick Kinney and Francis Heid, Jr.

Sunderman is a storyteller, filmmaker and former television producer. Kinney is an experienced arts marketer and film programmer, and Heid is chair of the board of trustees of the Zeitgeist Center for Arts and Community. All three have been involved in the area film community in many roles over the past few years.

There is still time for screenwriters to enter. Details are at creativecoffeeduluth.com.

Everyone in attendance will vote for their favorite screenplays. They will get a ballot for each reading and will score the reading based on a numeric scale. Ballots will be collected each hour and the average score of each screenplay will be tallied. At the end of the day, the three screenplays with the highest scores will be deemed the winners.

The winners will receive area business gift certificates and bragging rights.

“Unfinished Works” is organized by Creative Coffee, a screenwriting group that formed in 2013 and has been meeting monthly on Saturday mornings. In the past, the group has organized and participated in the 48-hour film competition and other film-related events. Membership has included some writers who have made feature-length, documentary and short films. New members are welcome.

The Catalyst Content Festival is considering adding “Unfinished Work” to its fall programming.

Unfinished Works
Saturday, Aug. 3, 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Zeitgeist Teatro
222 E. Superior St., Duluth