“The Washington State Screenplay Competition 2000, sponsored by Clear Blue Sky Productions in association with the Washington State Film Office has released the names of its 12 semifinalists.Eight Washington writers and four from out-of-state will move up to the second tier of the Competition 2000, said Suzy Kellett, director of the Washington State Film Office.The 12 semifinalists include:- Royce Scott Buckingham, Bellingham, for Ditto- Robert Morgan Fisher, Santa Monica, California, for Set the Poem Free- Thomas Zmiarovich, Bonney Lake, for Galileo’s Shadow- Kyle Michel Sullivan, Santa Monica, California, for Bugzters- Monte Kenniaston, Kenmore, for Cry for Help- Dr. Thomas Field Ballard, Seattle, for Echo Agent Man- Craig Clyde, Salt Lake City, for Second Coming- Robert M. Hill, Olympia, for Conflict of Interest- George R. Wolfe, Seattle, for Running from Darwin- George Wing, Seattle, for The Ten- Milton Riess and M.J. McGalliard, Santa Barbara, California, for Craters of the Moon- Megan Breen and Michael Donohue, Veradale, for The Last BanditCompetition 2000 attracted over 130 screenplays.It is clear that this competition is building a reputation among writers as well as judges, Kellett said. My goal is to make the Washington State Screenplay Competition one of the competitions to watch for new writing talent.Royce Scott Buckingham of Bellingham has been named as the winner of the First Annual Short Script Division of Competition 2000. Buckingham’s short, Milk is the wry, comic misadventure of one man’s attempt to survive a check-out line at his local supermarket.Milk is now in pre-production and will screen as part of the Competition 2000 awards ceremony on June 26. This is the first time a winning short script has been awarded full production as an award.It is also a pleasure that a runner-up of last year’s screenplay competition has won this year’s Shorts Competition, Kellett said. A compliment in any arena is when people come back again and again.The film office has announced the dates for the Fourth Annual Washington State Screenplay Competition 2001. The competition will begin September 15 with a submission deadline of December 11, 2000.For more information about the competition and deadlines, visit www.wafilm.wa.gov/Misc/News.htm or call 206-728-8530 for recorded information.”