Plaza Classic Podcast: Plaza Classic Podcast 5: "Best Screenwriter in the 915"

The third Plaza Classic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition is accepting entries!

Hosts Stephanie Valle and Lisa Elliott are joined by Austin Savage, one of the competition's organizers, and Carrie Silva, who won the 2023 competition with her screenplay, "Best Dive in the 915."

Submit your screenplay through July 3. First prize receives $500 and second prize is $250. Go to https://plazaclassic.com/screenwriting for more information on how to enter.

El Paso’s Austin Savage coordinates the Plaza Classic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition. He is a freelance writer, director and actor with more than 20 years of experience in the performing arts. His screenplay, El Pavo Bravo, is a Nicholl Quarterfinalist and has made it to the second round at Sundance and won first prize in The Black List x Hornitos “Take Your Shot” Competition. It’s also a short film.

Austin was heavily involved in the theater department at UTEP as a student, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in theater in 2009. He founded The Border Theatre in 2010, a collaborative designed to develop original, cutting-edge works that explore the human experience through the artistry of theater. He serves as its artistic director, and written, directed or supervised more than 17 original works, including the improvisational Icarus Was a Rookie series that toured local venues. Austin recently completed his Master of Fine Arts in screenwriting at Emerson College.

Carrie Silva is an El Paso native who earned her Bachelors at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. After graduation she wrote the screenplay, The Best Dive in the 9-1-5, which won first place at the Plaza Classic Film Festival in 2023. In addition she is a founding member of Las Madrinas, a production company advocating for greater inclusion of women and LGBTQ+ individuals in film and media. Although she has no social media, you can follow Las Madrinas @lasmadrinaseptx on Instagram or Facebook.