Tales from the way out there wierdness that is my life

My Great Great Aunt just friended me on facebook. I’ve never met this woman, never heard of her, never knew she existed. She saw my picture on someone else’s friends list and asked who I was because I looked so much like my grandmother, her niece, Cleo.

I never met Cleo, who died when my mom younger than I am now. Mom never had many pictures — Cleo’s death left her an orphan, so I don’t really know what Cleo looked like other than she had red hair in a bob. Mom’s grandparents, who I only know as Pa and MeMa, died when I was young.

MeMa would be this woman’s sister. Pa died 3 days after I was born, having been asked to stay alive long enough for my mom to get in the car and drive her newborn the 8 hours to meet him. He met me and died the next day. MeMa I knew when I was very little, but I don’t have any memories of her. She was the only grandparent I ever had, and she was my great grandmother.

So today I was surprised to find out that, no, no grandparents, but yes, a great great aunt. And I was also surprised to find out I look like Cleo. I find it cool that I look so much like her that, though I was an apparent stranger, this 84 year old woman asked about me. And I find it cool because she’s like ancient history that I know nothing about yet am connected to.

Tales from the way out there wierdness that is my life
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Nicholl: Another Apology for the False Congrats

Hi Ashley,

As many of you already are well aware, we sent two e-mails to you this morning. The first was a regret e-mail telling you that you did not advance to the Nicholl finals. Sadly, that was the correct e-mail.

We’re not sure why our e-mail data base system decided to add your group of semifinalists to the group of ten finalists to whom we were sending the congratulations again e-mail. We can only apologize for the error and ask your forgiveness for the confusion.

All of the Nicholl finalists received phone calls yesterday alerting them of their status. If you only received an e-mail from us, that means that you did not advance to the Nicholl finals.

After the Nicholl finalist press release is distributed early next week, we’ll begin distributing the contact lists for Nicholl quarterfinalists and semifinalists. Those will be sent to agents, managers, producers and executives who request them. We hold off on distributing the finalist list for another week or so, which means that those folks only have your information and not that of the finalists during this period. Typically, a number of phone calls or e-mails will be received by the Nicholl semifinalists.

Best of luck with your writing. Again, we apologize heartily for the confusion engendered by the congratulatory e-mail.

Best wishes,

Greg Beal
Director
Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting

Nicholl: Another Apology for the False Congrats

Nicholl: The Email I Received In Error

Hi Ashley,

Congratulations again on reaching the Nicholl finals.

IAll of you have now been contacted, and regret letter e-mails have been sent to the semifinalists. Sorry that went a little slower than I had hoped.

So you are free to tell anyone and everyone about your Nicholl finalist status.

The Academy Press Release announcing the finalists will probably be distributed on Monday.

I’ll follow up later today with the informational e-mail concerning your letter to the committee, the Nicholl Awards Week schedule, travel (for those of you from out of town) and other incidentals.

When you receive this e-mail, could you please hit reply as soon as possible, just letting us know that it reached you.

If you have any immediate questions (beyond what will be in the next informational e-mail), you can e-mail me directly at [email protected] or you can call us at 310-247-3010.

Thanks.

Best,

Greg


I was confused, sent an email and when that didn’t get a speedy reply, I called the number. I was expecting the conversation to go something like “Hi, I’m Ashley Miller, I received an email saying I didn’t make it and one saying congratulations.” “Oh my God, we are so sorry. That was an accident, I know how horrible it is to have your hopes raised. Forgive us! Good luck next year, you did really well, you should be proud.” That’s not how it went.

“Hello, this is Ashley Miller.”
“Oh. You received that e-mail in error. Sorry to get your hopes up.”
*click*

I think the phone call was worse than the not getting it and the false hopes combined. I try not to judge because otherwise everyone has been super nice and professional, but that was quite the brutal dismissal.


Our apologies. A very unfortunate glitch in our database resulted in
the unintentional emailing of the second email to a larger group. You
original regret letter is the correct one, sorry that you are not a
Nicholl finalist.

We are recalling the congratulatory email.

-Nicholl Fellowships

I can pretend this meant it was really close.

Nicholl: The Email I Received In Error

Nicholl: Not a Finalist

Dear Ashley,

With the judging complete, sadly, I must report some bad news: Bible Con did not advance into the Final Round of the 2009 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition.

Having read a number of the semifinal scripts, I know that some outstanding work has not progressed. Throughout this industry, at studios, production companies and agencies, such judgments are subjective. The fact that Bible Con was one of 114 scripts selected from 6,380 entries may bode well for its future.

In January, we’ll send you a link to an application for the 2010 Nicholl competition, which will include a list of this year’s Fellowship winners. Within the next several months, we’ll post the lists of Quarterfinalists, Semifinalists, Finalists and Fellows on the Nicholl page — www.oscars.org/nicholl — at the Academy’s Web site.

For the contact list to be forwarded to agents, development executives, managers and producers who request it, we shall use the contact information you have given us. Check the information below to make certain that it is as you want it. If this information is incorrect, please change it as soon as possible via your online account, or let us know immediately via e-mail to [email protected] or fax to 310-247-3794. Over 200 copies of the contact lists were distributed last year. Lists will be distributed in early October.

If past experience means anything, several 2009 Nicholl Semifinalists will become professional screenwriters in the near future. Best of luck in all your future endeavors.

Sincerely,

Greg Beal
Director

Nicholl: Not a Finalist

Setting self up for Disappointment: Nicholl

When Finalists were announced:
October 13, 2008
October 6, 2006
October 21, 2005
October 15, 2004

They said early October, but most of those look mid-October. Eek. Can’t find any more dates than those 4.

Q: What are the prizes?

A: Up to five $30,000 fellowships are awarded to new screenwriters each year. From 1986 through 2008, 108 fellowships totaling $2,775,000 have been awarded.

Q: Some people say all competitions are a scam of one sort or another, considering all the money they take in from entry fees.

A: In recent years, the Nicholl Fellowships program has received between $150,000 and $170,000 in entry fees. In a typical fellowship year, it distributes $150,000 to the fellows. Considering administrative and other costs, it’s clear that the program is not remotely close to being a moneymaking operation.

Setting self up for Disappointment: Nicholl

Jack Finlay: Obituary, note from the Film School, and his sister

From the FSU Mailing list:

Am so sorry to have to share with you news about the death of Jack Finlay, who has acted in many, many student films, always ready to help out as an extra or in a major role. His contributions to our films and his happy smile will be missed.

Following is an email I received from his sister, Leslie, with a bit of information beyond the obituary which was run in the Tallahassee Democrat. As you will note in the obituary (url listed below), his family has recommended that memorial donations be made to the Film School. Addresses are also listed if you want to contact his family by mail or email, and there is a guest book on the obituary site.

Meryl

Subject: Death of Jack Finlay

Hi Meryl,
Scott Holstein has suggested that I send to you a copy of Jack’s obituary in case you think it appropriate to include something about his sudden death last Sunday Sep 20th in the film school newsletter.

The medical examiner has declared that Jack died of hypertensive cardiovascular disease. Apparently he had a heart attack, stroke or aneurysm. He had brought his good friend and our cousin, George Wurster, to the film school to audition when he was stricken. Campus police used the resuscitator paddles on him and brought him back. The emts and ambulance took him to the hospital, but Jack didn’t make it. He died at 4:13pm.

Here is the link to the obit in today’s Tallahassee Democrat.

The funeral is Saturday, Oct 3, 2009 at 11am, at Culleys Meadowwood Funeral Home on Riggins Road in Tallahassee.

Thank you!

Leslie Ruth Finlay

Jack Finlay: Obituary, note from the Film School, and his sister