"Spruce Up the Holidays" official selection, HollyShorts Screenplay contest

I'm happy to learn that my short animated screenplay "Spruce Up the Holidays" has made the quarterfinalist selections in the 2020 HollyShorts Film Festival .

The story originated years ago, designed as an animated holiday TV special similar to RUDOLPH THE RED-NOSED REINDEER. A friend of mine at a VFX/animation company told me they were looking for ideas for a cartoon Christmas-themed project. I made a few pitches, and he and his company liked SPRUCE UP THE HOLIDAYS the most -- so I wrote the script in a little under 2 weeks, including multiple drafts based on the company's feedback. Unfortunately, their animation development plans were eventually scrapped, but I kept the idea in the back of my mind.