Spring Social 2025: Fellowship, Accolades & Pro-Tips!

Writers socializing... who knew?!?

Nearly 40 screenwriters, students, and film industry pros filled the NECAT Network studio in West Nashville for the Tennessee Screenwriting Association's 'Spring Social.'

The event kicked off with a "speed dating" type mixer where attendees had two minutes to introduce themselves and the project they're working on before moving on to the next person, creating dozens of new connections and relationships.

Mike Bentley won TSA's 2025 Short 'N Sweet script contest for "Tinfoil Hearts"

After the mixer, TSA president Mark Naccarato and contest manager Daniel Spear announced the finalists and winner of the TSA's Short 'N Sweet script contest. The contest was for short scripts under 14 pages which had a romantic theme and the word "Valentine" in the dialogue. The contest winner, Mike Bentley was presented with an award by screenwriter and author Bob Saenz, who said Mike's winning script Tinfoil Hearts was "one of the best short scripts I've read in a long time." This was Mike's second consecutive win in a TSA contest - he won the Short 'N Scary competition at Script-Com last November.

Sarah Smith talks about her film, "Life On Planet Earth"

Aside from Mike's great news, attendees at the Spring Social also celebrated writer/director Sarah Smith's recent visit to the Golden State Film Festival in Los Angeles, where her short film Life On Planet Earth screened for a festival audience and won an award for Best Science Fiction Film. Sarah is a long-time TSA Member and recently premiered her film to a packed house in Carthage, TN.

Melissa Sheridan recounts her good news from the Austin Revolution Film Festival

TSA Board member Melissa Sheridan also had great news to report. Melissa just attended the Austin Revolution Film Festival, where she and her writing partner Amy Traurig were named "Best Writer Duo." Melissa and Amy co-wrote four different scripts that placed in various categories of Austin Revolution's screenplay competition - quite an achievement!

Bob Saenz and Cat Stewart dish out pro-tips to our audience of writers, students, and filmmakers.

To wrap up the evening, TSA's Page 2 Screen crew fired up the studio lights and cameras to tape a session of "TSA Pro-Tips." Audience members got to ask our special guests Bob Saenz and Cat Stewart questions about screenwriting and the movie industry. The taped segments will air later in the spring on the NECAT Network and on TSA's YouTube channel.

Thanks to all who attended the TSA Spring Social - we hope folks made some new friends and are now properly motivated to "just keep writing!"

See more photos and reels from the Spring Social on TSA's Facebook page.