accolades + awards

john varkados = writer + filmmaker

Below includes placements in fellowships, writing competitions, and official selections for projects I have either written, produced, or edited...

Writing relAted

Quarterfinalist / 2025 Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest AUG 2025, Burbank, California

Quarterfinalist / 2025-26 Writers Guild Foundation’s Veterans Writing Project MAY 2025, Los Angeles, California

TOP 20 / Coverfly’s The Red List - Top Rated Comedy Television (One-Hour) projects DEC 2024 & JAN 2025 (list updated monthly), Los Angeles, California

Semifinalist / Filmmatic’s TV Pilot Awards Season 9 NOV 2024, Atlanta, Georgia

Semifinalist / Stage 32’s Fourth Annual TV Drama Screenwriting Contest AUG 2024, Atlanta, Georgia

Quarterfinalist / 2024 Golden Script Competition JUL 2024, Atlanta, Georgia

Quarterfinalist / 2024 Filmmatic Drama Screenplay (Season 9) JUL 2024, Atlanta, Georgia

Quarterfinalist / 2024 Screencraft Screenwriting Fellowship APR 2024, Atlanta, Georgia

Winner / January 2024 Los Angeles Film Awards for First Time Screenwriter (feature screenplay) JAN 2024, Los Angeles, California

Film Related

Winner / 2024 Webby Awards for Student Video MAY 2023, New York City, New York

Gold Winner / Season 44 Telly Awards for Student Video (non-broadcast) JAN 2023, Los Angeles, California

Best Editing in a Short Film / 2023 Cobb International Film Festival JUL 2023, Atlanta, Georgia

Official Selection for Feature Film / 2021 Cobb International Film Festival JUL 2021, Atlanta, Georgia

Audience Choice Award Winner / 2021 Lift-Off Global Network for Best Feature Film + premiered at Pinewood Studios, U.K. JUN 2021, Austin, Texas

Winner / April 2021 New York International Film Awards for Best Feature Film, Best Cinematography, and Best Art Director, APR 2021, New York City, New York

Finalist / April 2021 Sweden Film Awards, APR 2021, Sweden

Best Indie Feature Winner / APR 2021 Los Angeles Film Awards

Merit-based Scholarship / Boston University, AUG 2018, Boston, Massachusetts

Nominee / Just A Minute Festival - Media Tribe Inc. FEB 2019, Boston, Massachusetts

MUSIC RELATED

Official Selection / Hollywood Songwriting Contest, JUN 2018, Los Angeles, California

Berklee Achievement Scholarship / Berklee College of Music, JAN 2017, Boston, Massachusetts

Berklee Achievement Scholarship / Berklee College of Music, MAY 2016, Boston, Massachusetts

Spotify Scholarship / Music Business Association, APR 2015, Marlton, New Jersey

Military Related

Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal / United States Marine Corps, JUL 2014, Presidio of Monterey, California

ACTING RELATED

Acting Division III Winner / NE Agency Showcase, MAY 2015, Boston, Massachusetts