The Screenwriting Committee of the Monterey County Film Commission is comprised of members of the film industry, as well as marketing, journalism, business and advertising executives. The committee is devoted to professional management of the annual competition, and to fair, high-quality judging of each screenplay submitted.

Submissions go through a rigorous three-round reading process. Winners are chosen from the final round exclusively by the Screenwriting Committee. All decisions by competition judges are final.

Board members, committee members, volunteers and staff of the Monterey County Film Commission are not eligible to compete in this competition

Committee Biographies

Wendy A. Goldman, Co-Chair and member of the Film Commission Board grew up in Providence, RI and attended Boston University School of the Arts, where she majored in acting. After moving to Los Angeles, she transitioned into television and film development and production, serving as Development Associate, Story Editor, VP of Development and Production Associate at companies such as The Knight Company, Magnusfilms and The Polone Company at Hearst Entertainment. She was involved in the development and production of network and cable movies and mini-series starring Ann-Margret, Tobey Maguire, Peter Coyote, Cicely Tyson, Patrick Dempsey, and Claire Forlani, as well as assisting EMMY-nominated SOPRANOS director John Patterson. Ms. Goldman continues to serve as a screenplay analyst, literary consultant, and book packager. She is on the staff of NorthernPros.com, which offers editing and screenplay analysis services, and CadillacCicatrix, an emerging literary magazine.

Benjamin Spencer, Co-Chair is the founding editor of NorthernPros.com and CadillacCicatrix.com, for which he specializes in developing and editing fiction, poetry, and screenplay. He has been a member of the University of Iowa Writer's Workshop, the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics, and The Unpublished Underground Gallery in New York. His creative writing and/or photography have appeared in, or are forthcoming from Trouble, The Carry On Journal, Signatures, [Melancholy Breakfast], Barfly, and The Press newspapers in Chicago.

Rebecca J. Barrymore is a television and animation writer and producer. Trained in the AFI's Writer's Workshop Program, she has a production history including tenures at MCA/ Universal Studios, Goldwyn Studios, CBS-TV, NBC-TV, MTM Studios, MGM Studios, Culver City Studios, Warner Bros, and the original Charlie Chaplin Studios in Hollywood. Her screen credits include the highest-rated years for FALCON CREST and DALLAS. While at Warner Bros., she was a producer and contributing writer of the first international co-production for network television, "Dark Justice" for CBS-TV, and TV3 of Barcelona, Spain, with over 44 episodes for international simulcast in two languages. She is currently writing a historical screenplay based in Carmel, California, and painting furiously for the Carmel Art Association's spring 2004 "Plein Air" competition.

Gary R. Smith is a lifelong resident of California. Professionally, Gary has been a real estate loan officer for 6 years. He is also the president of O.P.P.A., Inc. and co-owner of Monterey Live. He is an ambassador with the Pacific Grove Chamber of Commerce and a member, Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce (MPCC). Gary has been heavily involved in the community. He currently serves as the First Vice-President of the Forest Grove Elementary School P.T.A. and is a committee member for both Save our Shores (specializing in fundraising) and the Monterey Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee. Gary has been a member of the Sons of Italy in America for over 17 years. He also volunteers with the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 126. Gary is a happily married father of three, and an aspiring screenwriter.

Brook Holston began her career in film production after graduating from the University of Georgia in 1988 with a BA in Journalism.  Beginning as a production assistant in Atlanta, she gained experience working for production companies that specialized in commercials and industrial films.  In the nineties Brook stayed very busy working as a freelance production coordinator and production manager on a variety of projects including feature films, movies-of-the-week, music videos, commercials and independent films. She especially enjoyed working for Atlanta-based companies such as Coca-Cola and Turner, as well as, Hollywood types such as Warner Bros. and MGM. One of her most treasured projects in Atlanta was serving as the Video Producer for the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games.  In 1998 Brook moved to Monterey, CA with her husband and has worked as an associate producer and production manager on documentary television for National Geographic and PBS.  Recent projects include a two hour film about our nation’s marine sanctuaries for Jean-Michel Cousteau that aired on PBS in the fall of 2006 and a series titled “UnderCover History” currently airing on the National Geographic Channel.  She is currently working on a two hour film titled “Strange Days Oceans” for Sea Studios, a production company based in Monterey.  Brook lives in Monterey with her husband, Phillip, who is a cameraman and her two cats, Miss Kitty and Ginger. Brook is on the Board of Directors of the Monterey County Film Commission.

Eddy Bennett and his wife Roberta, both formerly from the San Francisco Bay area, settled on the South Coast in 2000.  Both currently work with Sotheby's International Realty in Carmel. Eddy is a graduate of the School of Journalism from the University of Kansas. Prior to joining Sotheby's, Eddy had a 40 year career in the advertising industry, owning and managing agencies in San Francisco. Eddy is on the Board of Directors of the Monterey County Film Commission.

Lisa Ann Thornton brings her considerable skills and experience as an executive in the arena of Business Development and Special Events, as well as her background in the arts and in television as a producer, director and on-air talent, to the Monterey Screenplay Competition. A member of the Board of Directors of the Monterey County Film Commission, Lisa Ann served as Producer and choreographer of the Monterey Peninsula Chamber of Commerce Holiday Season Kickoff Fashion Show, “A Passion for Fashion," for the past three years. An avid reader and film buff, Lisa Ann has also performed in commercials, been a runway and print model, and has taught acting.