There’s no denying the simple romanticism of a hotel room. You’ve escaped your normal life for the turn-key reality of a temporary space where you don’t have to clean up after yourself, and there’s a mint waiting on your pillow when you return from the pool. These magic places have been the epicenter of creation (ask Ernest Hemingway or Barton Fink) and they’ve been the subject of storytelling (from the blissful views at the Overlook Hotel to Lost in Translation‘s palatial oasis in Tokyo). Why are they so inspirational? Because they’re fictional living spaces where the story hasn’t been written yet. With each new swipe of a key, the slate is wiped clean, ready for new words and ideas.
And most of them have wi-fi, so you can write those words and ideas down.
With that in mind, W Hotels and Intel are partnering with Roman Coppola and The Directors Bureau to launch a short film competition called Four Stories.
Entering is simple. They’re accepting scripts for ten-minute short films set in a W Hotel, feature an Ultrabook as a key character in the script. Coppola and a jury panel will choose three scripts to produce, and the films will get a red carpet premiere at worldwide W Hotels (think Maldives, Barcelona, Mexico City, Washington D.C., or Doha) as well as online distribution.
Plus, guests at Starwood hotels will be able to see the films via SPG TV (which is probably something Ryan Bingham would love).
Here’s some more information directly from the contest:
- Your script will be filmed at one of five extraordinary W Hotels destinations: Doha, The Maldives, Mexico City, Barcelona, or Washington D.C., so make sure that the story you tell takes advantage of the chic interiors and stunning designs of these specific W Hotels. Your script might be filmed at any of those five locations, so familiarize yourself with all of them!
- Your script must feature an Intel-inspired Ultrabook as a central component to the story. These ultra-sleek, ultra-responsive devices don’t compromise performance for mobility. How you incorporate the Ultrabook into your script is up to you, but remember that at the heart of Four Stories is the power of human relationships, and the ability to connect and create wherever and whenever inspiration strikes you.
- Your script should not exceed ten minutes in length.
- Full competition rules can be found here.
The promoters are promising a bunch of video content, profiles of the judges and winning screenwriters as well as behind-the-scenes videos for when production gets under way. Beyond that, this represents an excellent opportunity to win some money and recognition while getting a screenplay produced by an up-and-coming filmmaker. To all of you entering, good luck.
Submit your script here.