David Krissman (Production – M.F.A. ’11) was a semifinalist in the 2013 Academy Nicholl Fellowship screenwriting competition for his screenplay Black Site 5. The Nicholl Fellowship, which helps identify and encourage talented new screenwriters, received a record 7,251 entries from across the world this year.
For the first time, judges’ comments were provided to those who advanced to the semifinal and quarterfinal rounds. “This writer is extremely talented and not afraid to take chances,” wrote one judge of Krissman’s work while another said, “He has a terrific visual eye, a strong sense of pacing and a really good knack for quickly getting to the heart of a character.”
Black Site 5 takes place after the 2005 London bombings and centers on an innocent Pakistani Brit, and an aspiring journalist, who is detained by the CIA. The story paints a dramatic, but historically accurate picture of the history and aftermath of the 2005 London Bombings, and the facts and arguments that surround the CIA’s Rendition Program.
Krissman won Best Produced Screenplay at Film Outside the Frame 2011 for his film The New Brit and was also a finalist in the Scriptapalooza International TV writing contest. He is currently working with fellow alumni Alex Kubak and Ellie Salama on the short, The Confession. In addition, he is almost finished writing another feature screenplay — a medical drama, inspired by real event. Krissman may be reached at dkrissman@gmail.com.
