‘Wheat Field’ of gold for Balis

‘Wheat Field’ of gold for Balis

Writer places first in annual Diane Thomas Awards

By Michael Horowitz

Daily Bruin Senior Staff

The UCLA Extension Writer’s Program recognized its brightest
emerging talents on Tuesday at the Westwood Marquis, announcing the
winners of the ninth annual Diane Thomas Awards.

"Writers write," said producer Kathleen Kennedy ("E.T.: The
Extraterrestrial," "Jurassic Park," "Schindler’s List"), who hosted
the afternoon ceremony. "It’s not something they talk about. It’s
something they do."

From 83 scripts entered into the competition, the field was
narrowed down to eight finalists who were paired with an industry
mentor to take their entry scripts to final draft. First place went
to Chrysanthy Balis for "The Wheat Field," her story of an Oklahoma
frontierwoman and her interaction with a young girl raised by
wolves. Balis was surprised that her extensively researched story
made it into the finalist phase, but she was even more surprised to
win the competition.

"It’s not a big commercial thing," she says. "It could be, I
guess, but it’s not. I wasn’t expecting a wide response."

Balis credited her industry mentor, Lynn Siefert ("Cool
Runnings"), for giving her "amazing notes" and help when she needed
it over a writing process that took two years. Now that the contest
will probably land her an agent and perhaps even more success,
she’s back to work. "I guess I better get cracking on another
script," said Balis, "so I have something to show somebody
else."

Howard Skora took second place for his dark comedy "The
Trainer." "It’s about an overweight, foul-mouthed talk-show hostess
and she’s got to lose 40 pounds for a movie," he says. "As she
starts to lose the weight, she starts to become more positive and
change the structure of the show."

Tying for third place were Kate Robbins with her thriller
"Insatiable" and Katherine Torpey with her mystery "Literary
Bondage." Al Austin, James Furgele, Jennifer Hadley and Earl Waits
all received honorable mentions.

The awards, judged by Michael Douglas, Steven Speilberg,
Kennedy, Cathleen Summers and others, are named after screenwriter
Diane Thomas ("Romancing the Stone") who was tragically killed in
an automobile accident. The competition has run for nine years and
given many Extension students a chance to find a foothold in the
difficult writing arena.

Agent Norman Kurland, who was Diane Thomas’ agent and has served
as a judge for the competition for each year, was happy to show
winner Balis his personal scorecard, ranking "The Wheat Field" as
his favorite script. "Of all the scripts I read, hers was the one
where I found myself thinking ‘I wonder how this scene’s going to
end,’" he said. "That’s really inventive writing."

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