2017 Diversity Film & Script Showcase

The Diversity Showcase recognizes stories in any genre that feature a creator, or a story about a lead character, from an under-represented community.

2017 WINNERS (SCREENPLAY)

HALFWAY HOME

by David J Schroeder

Genre: Drama | True Story

Logline: A young man’s Ivy League scholarship is interrupted by a paralyzing accident and community service as a live-in supervisor in a halfway house for the mentally disabled.

Bio: Born in the small-town of Gloversville at the foothills of the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, David Schroeder was forever imprinted with its beauty. At 18, a paralyzing spinal cord injury in a diving accident resulted in a long accomplished journey beginning in Miami, Florida and the University of Miami where he wrote his thesis under the direction of Nobel Laureate, I.B. Singer and earned a M.A. in American Literature. Immediately after, he took a position at Miami-Dade College, where presently, he is a full professor teaching composition, creative writing and screenwriting.

In 2001, he received the Peter H. Clayton Endowed Teaching Chair for teaching excellence. The journey also included 13 medals in the National Wheelchair games, a world record in the wheelchair marathon, a six-time member of the US Disabled Sailing Team, and circumnavigating Manhattan in a kayak. Free-lance writing included magazine features, technical writing, and most recently screenwriting.

He has studied with Paul Lazaurus (WEST WORLD) and Tom Musca (STAND & DELIVER). Since 2010, six different scripts have won ‘Best Screenplay’ 57 times in different contests. Schroeder’s first production/screenplay short film, THIS MODERN MAN IS BEAT, has premiered in 9 countries, screened in over 84 festivals, and won 66 Best Awards in the past year. The screenplay HALFWAY HOME is the beginning of the journey.

Contact: djschro@aol.com

IMDb resume: www.imdb.com/name/nm5665873/resume

Facebook: www.facebook.com/david.j.schroeder.9

MIXED

by Chris Moore

Genre: Comedy

Logline: A mixed-race family navigates identity issue and stigmas living in a San Diego suburb.

Bio: Chris Moore grew up in Madison, Wisconsin, before moving to Accra, Ghana to complete high school. He moved back to Baltimore, Maryland for college and worked as a copywriter for an ad agency before attending film school at Chapman University.

Contact: chris84@ymail.com

2017 WINNER (FILM)

VARIABLE

written & directed by Chris Valenziano

produced by Maurice Whitfield, Ryann Graye and Veronica Pettiford

Genre: Science Fiction

Logline: A scientist working to discover the secrets of time travel gets a visit from a familiar face — himself, one day in the future. Now, he must follow his mysterious alter ego on a mission to correct the timeline he has created, forcing him to decide between himself, his family and the future.

Bio: Chris Valenziano (Writer/Director) and Maurice Whitfield (Filmmaker/Producer) met about 1 year before the film’s release to discuss a way to shine a light on diverse, young, talented actors while depicted real-life relationships and add the fun of Sci-Fi and fantasy into the mix. Both have worked in tv and film for over 10 years and have had a blast working on this piece.

Official Trailer

Maurice Whitfield on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Smoovmo9