Thank you to this year’s Screenplay Competition Readers!
Andrea has been doing theater and/or film for over 50 years now (back when it WAS shot on film!) primarily on the Production Design side including Costumes and Make-up. She was part of the Seattle Film scene in the 1980s through early nineties before becoming a nurse. Several years ago she came back to film. Her years as a charge nurse helped make her a good producer, which is her current focus. | Andrea Hays |  |
 | Alena Schoonmaker | Alena is the marketing director of Spokane Spectrum Singers and interim director of the Spokane International Film Festival. She got her degree in film from Seattle University and also studied film at NYU. Alena spends her free time volunteering at Pawsitive Outreach Spay/Neuter Advocates and writing and directing short films. |
| Adam Sharp | ||
 | Kristi Simkins | Kristi is an award-winning screenwriter, director, and editor. Her screenplays have won, or placed highly in, many acclaimed screenwriting competitions. She is recently edited the behind-the-scenes featurettes for the upcoming feature film EAST OF THE MOUNTAINS starring Tom Skerritt and Mira Sorvino. Kristi’s multi award-winning short film, SOMETHING SPECIAL, was a finalist in a New Zealand international filmmaking competition in which she had the honor of working with executive producer Barrie Osborne (LORD OF THE RINGS, THE MATRIX). SOMETHING SPECIAL screened at dozens of film festivals all over the world, including the Cannes Film Festival, the Seattle International Film Festival, and the Palm Springs International ShortsFest. The film was also broadcast on television in the PBS series “Official Best Of Fest” and The Pentagon Channel. |
Originally from L.A. and currently based in Seattle, Monica loves every aspect of the filmmaking process from idea inception to screening. She’s a trusted, veteran script reader/editor who believes there is nothing without strong, original story. Monica respects the power of film to encourage imagination, enrich diversity, and break barriers. She’s worked on sets fulfilling many roles, most notably as a b-t-s photographer and Producer for the well-received short films “El Camino Solo,” “RETCH,” (winner of the Best Film Award at the Seattle Black Film Festival 2020) and “Such An Honor,” continuing its way through the festival circuit. Her most recent producing project is "Lioness," Written and Directed by Nicole Pouchet. "Lioness" is proudly the recipient of the Women in Film Seattle Professional Grant and just completed filming. Monica is currently in pre-production for a feature-length anthology project, and is making strides in starting her own production company. | Monica Valenzuela |  |