BURBANK, CA – VOTE NOW!  SOAPnet has posted SoapU's top 10 semi-finalists' submissions from January 15-26 at SOAPnet.com.  During this time, fans, students and alums can view the best student created soaps and vote online at SOAPnet.com for the top submissions they think deserve to move to the next round of competition. The top five vote getters will become finalists and earn the chance to win a budget of $20,000 to produce original content for SOAPnet's broadband programming as well as a trip to Los Angeles for an opportunity to attend a pitch meeting with SOAPnet and SOAPNETIC, a gated broadband service dedicated to the world of soaps, to present original programming and broadband content concepts. 

The top 10 semi-finalists and their submissions are:

NYU                                                      Gladys Silvera and         "All The Bold and the Beautiful Days
                                                              Emma Mankey Hidem        of Our One Life to Live"

NYU                                                      Tiffany Jackman             "Love Pentagons"

University of Southern Maine            Stacy Ann Strang          "Criehaven"
Loyola Marymount                              William Hyler                 "Cutthroate Hospital"

Pace University                                    Amy Boutet                   "Lucky In Love"

University of Michigan Ann Arbor     Eric Kahn Gale              "Night Call"

Academy of Art San Francisco          PD Thomas                   "Secrets"

NC School of the Arts                         Shaun Lockhart*             "The Bridge"

Columbia                                              Davide Barillari              "The Gates"

Southern Methodist University          Jay Mandyam                "The Rich and the Pretentious"

The five finalists selected from this group will be given a soap scenario from which they will need to create a five-minute soap episode or vignette and a 20-second promo.  Additionally, each finalist will be visited by SOAPnet crews to document the behind the scenes action. The grand prize winner will be announced in April 2007.

This is the culmination of the SoapU initiative that SOAPnet launched this fall when they set out to find new content from students with aspirations to become the next generation of producers, stars and directors.

SOAPnet, the new way to watch soaps, offers same-day episodes of popular daytime dramas including "All My Children," "Days of our Lives," "One Life To Live," "General Hospital" and "The Young and the Restless" at night for convenient viewing. In addition, the network provides inside access to stars and storylines with original programs, including the biography show "Soapography," "1 Day With..." and the reality series "I Wanna Be A Soap Star."  Wrapped in a 24-hour environment, SOAPnet also offers primetime classics including "Melrose Place," "Beverly Hills 90210" and "Dallas"  as well as former daytime series "Port Charles," "Ryan's Hope," and "Another World."  SOAPnet is part of Disney ABC Cable Networks Group, and is managed by Disney-ABC Television Group, a division of The Walt Disney Company.

 * Lockhart, from Durham, N.C., is a second-year college student in the NCSA School of Filmmaking.  

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