SCRIPTAPALOOZA

[Optimus Maximus]

I decided this week to enter my script. It's a brainless comedy/rom-com, which generally don't do well in contests, but I figured I'd enter for the hell of it.

I don't really expect to advance. :rolleyes

Anybody else enter? What type of script?

[RKBentley]

Sent our script out yesterday. We entered an updated version of the script we sent into PGL. Horror/Thriller.

[noh1]

entered a horror script, for the heck of it.

[Salazkin]

Entered a drama script.

[Carson Parker]

I entered a long-winded drama, with tons of over exposition and action blocks 10 lines deep.

A shoe in.
------------------------------------------------------------

[PeekABooBang]

I entered a thriller three weeks ago.

They still haven't cashed my check.

[SebsWrtrDad]

I'd like to say it's because I am meticulously going over my horror script, fine tunign every aspect of it until it's so good that God him/herself sits back and says - "Damn, that boy's got talent!"

But it's really because I've been on the fence about the contest and also, I'm lazy. Script has been ready all week....:|

[Ivylilly]

They like dark off center comedies and indie-type material... I'd say 3-10 mil. range.

[Optimus Maximus]

Well, that's definately NOT the type of stuff I write.

Oh well.

[Jami]

Argh! I have a dark, off-center comedy and an indie, both low-budget... and I sent in my thriller instead...

Jami

[JoeNYC]

Comedies don't do well in Scriptapalooza's contest, so I stay away from this one, but if yours is more toward a Romantic Comedy than Broad, your chances are better for advancing, though not better than Dramas or Thrillers.

[Optimus Maximus]

I'm convinced comedies (broad, mainly) probably don't do well in any contest.

[JoeNYC]

Optimus, don't get yourself in a mind set where if your comedy fails to advance in a contest you're thinking it's probably because that contest was bias against comedies.

Before someone markets his or her script, it's important to know if it's ready, meaning sending out the strongest version possible.

Entering contests is one way to find out how strong your script is by measuring it up against your peers. The same non-pros that are struggling to break into the business right along with you.

The idea is to research the contests to enter the one's that are compatible with your needs.

For example, say you're a new writer with your first script completed. You don't want to enter it right away in a contest like the Nicholl that has 6,000 entries. Being your first script, the odds of advancing are not good and this news that you didn't advance may put you in a funk.

Better fit for a writer's first script is to choose small to medium size contests first, where the odds are better for advancing. If you do advance, it'll be a big confidence booster, and if you place high, this tells the writer it might have a shot competing in the Nicholl.

Yes, even though comedies outsell dramas in the marketplace, dramas outperform comedies in screenwriting competitions.

So, what I suggest a comedy writer to do is research for competitions that offer a Comedy Category and match it with your needs, such as: getting read by legitimate agents/producers, receiving quality feedback that'll help make the script stronger for the bigger competitions and/or marketplace, or for the cash award if that's the most important objective for the writer.

For me personally, I first enter contests that provide feedback and to find out how strong my script is by how far it advances against my peers.

If it advances, this tells me it's ready to compete in the big contests like the Nicholl. I'll do another rewrite from the feedback to make it stronger and enter it.

Even though comedies always under perform in the Nicholl, I won't skip this contest if I have a strong script. I'll still give it a shot and hope I get readers where this type of material will resonate with them, because the Nicholl is the mother of all contests. The industry stands up and takes notice if you advance.

[Optimus Maximus]

Joe,

Any suggestions on the smaller/medium contests where you feel that a broad Something-About-Mary-type comedy would not be shunned?

I know that Austin has a comedy category, but don't know much about other competitions that may be out there that would be a better fit for this type of script.

Thanks in advance.

[JoeNYC]

One of the medium size contests that have a separate comedy category, and where I always do well in is the Fade In competition (2,000-3,000 entries).

Other contests that have a separate comedy category are:

Austin:

A big an important competition with 4,000+ entries.

Slamdance:

A medium size competition that gives all entrants 2 pages worth of feedback.

Hollywood's Next Success Screenwriting contest:

A small contest. Deadline April 28.

Hollywood International Screenwriting Awards:

A new contest. Their deadline has been extended to May 1. The Grand Prize winner receives $10,000. The winner of each genre category wins $1,000.

They judge the scripts on a ten point scale for each of the following elements: Premise/Concept, Structure, Format, Plot/Story, Pacing, Characters, Dialogue, Theme, Style/Tone, Commercial Potential.

Find the Funny Screenwriting Contest:

A new contest just for comedies and all the sub genres of comedy. Top three screenplays get presented to major studios, independent production companies and agents/managers.

20/20:

I wanted to mention this contest, even though it doesn't have a comedy category, because several respected script consultants such as Sandi Steinberg run it.

The entry fee is only $20 where you send in your first 20 pages and if you pass a certain criteria of 20 questions, that all entrants will receive back, you'd advance and be asked to send in your complete script for the next round.

Also Jeff Newman's contest "StoryNotes Screenwriting Competition" gives 1 and half pages of helpful and insight feedback for just $20, but the deadline past, and I'm not sure if he'll run this contest again since it took up a lot of his time. With Jeff doing all the feedback by himself, he's very, very late getting the final results out.

Anyway, Optimus, if you enter in 3-5 of these small to medium size contests and advance in the majority of them, then this is a good indication that your story, after another rewrite to make it even stronger, will be ready to compete in the big and important competitions, such as: Nicholl, Austin, Chesterfield, Disney, Sundance (If you have the type of story that Sundance looks for, character driven with heart.), and also an indication that it's getting closer to being strong enough to send out into the marketplace.

[Optimus Maximus]

Cool. Thanks Joe.

[peasblossom]

I entered my two thrillers and also a metaphysical fantasy. Am VERY curious about how the metaphysical fantasy will do.
-Sandy

[lebowski19]

Where do I find more information on this contest?

[Salazkin]

The deadline has passed for this year (April 15th), but here's the link:
www.scriptapalooza.com/ (http://www.scriptapalooza.com/)

Edited to add: I stand corrected. The feature film deadline has passed. But the TV deadline is May 14th.

[Enid Ann]

I entered an Action/Horror genre script. Though it seems Action/Horror may not be their usual fare, I'm still confident.

[SebsWrtrDad]

Has anyone gotten ANY notification of any kind? I haven't.....

[PeekABooBang]

No, but they finally cashed my check.

If I remember correctly, they said to send a SASE if you wanted notification of receipt.

I think the semi finalists will be announced in August.

[Rockridesva]

Late July they post quarter finalists.

[WestMeister]

I got an e-mail response with the following...

Quarter-finalists in late July. Semi-finalists on August 7th. Finalists on August 10th. And the winners August 15th.

Hope that helps.

[RKBentley]

"Quarterfinalists will be announced July 31."

[RachelSqueeze]

Be gentle with me.
When Scriptapalooza has posted their results in the past, there are the top 3 winners, then the finalists. The top 3 don't appear in the "finalist" list. The finalists don't appear in the "semifinalists" list, and the semifinalists don't appear in the "quarterfinalists" list.
I expect that this is because they don't see a need to repeat the names three or four times.
So when they announce the quarterfinalists and my name isn't on the list, could I still be a semifinalist? Or does that assume that they've decided on the semifinalists already? Theoretically, everybody who advances (including those lucky bastards who'll wind up in the top 3) should also be quarterfinalists, right?
I hope this made sense and I'm not coming off as a moron.
- RS

[Salazkin]

It makes sense. I just don't know how they do it. It's hard to imagine that you could make the first cut but not be listed because they're going to announce you at the following (semi-finalist) cut. It's possible they list all (those making quarters, semis, finals, winners) as quarterfinalists initially, then after they determine how it all shakes out, revise the lists to eliminate duplications... But I couldn't tell ya.

[Augie Kestrel]

RS,

You're not a moron. It IS an idiotic way to do it.

I don't have an answer for you. Only the folks at Scriptapalooza know what's going on.

FWIW, this was discussed here last year, too.

[Carson Parker]

I think I can safely state that if you are not on the quarters list next week, you are not moving forward in the competition.

I think you're talking about the final lists. Not the initial releases. When they compile the quarters,semis an finalists at the end, they may remove your name from the previous rounds for repetition reasons.

However, upon the initial release of quarters, I assure you, if you're not on it, you are not advancing. That's my take. I could be wrong... but I'm not. ;)

[Carson Parker]

Hey guys, I just wanted to kick this thread back in gear.

Tomorrow's the announcement for quarters. I was dinked at Nicholls and this is my last saving grace for this round of contests. Be sure to drop a line here when the results come up, if you find them before the rest of us.

Good luck folks. :)

[RKBentley]

Woke up this morning, went for a walk, came home, logged on and still the website hasn't been updated....c'mon, does July 31st mean 9am PST or 9pm PST? ;)

Doesn't help I'm on vacation so I have no idea what happened with our script in Nicholl...

[Vigorish9]

we advanced.

vig

[RKBentley]

And the winners are.... (http://www.geocities.com/bigscriptapalooza/1999_winners.htm)

1 for 3.

Anyone else make it? Congrats if you did.

[RachelSqueeze]

But so are about six thousand other people.
It would seem a daunting task to whittle this massive list down to semi-finalist status. My chances don't seem all that good!
I wonder how many scripts they started with.
- RS

[Vigorish9]

it's about four hundred names or so. only seventy more htan nicholls

vig

[Eccentric Brit]

Once again, my epic, futuristic, sci-fi action script dies in the opening round. Sixth contest in a row. Somehow, I get the feeling I need to rework it.

Scriptalooza, you have attempted to spoil my week but have failed miserably. I couldn't care less. At all. Two of my four Nicholl entry scripts advanced to the quarterfinals, and the one you weren't so overjoyed with finished in the Nicholl top 10%. I'm still reeling in shock.

What's truly bizarre is that the perennial dinker may even have received a higher numerical placing in the Nicholl. Over 450 Scriptalooza QFs!!!??? How many entries? Surely not more than the Nicholl's 6050 or so?

Eccentric Brit

[Eccentric Brit]

Okay, so it should be Scriptapalooza. But I still don't care!

E.B.

[kullervo]

Made it, but it'll be this far and no further. It always is with Scriptapalooza for me. At least they're planning to make the next cut quickly. I hate the marathon waits for dinks.

kullervo

[Signal 30]

According to the e-mail I received, 4158.

Mine didn't make it, but after I submitted it I realized it needed a lot more work. Oh, well...maybe next time...

[CharlesScalfani]

My writing partner and I advanced along with 424 others.

What's amazing is that they will whittle this list down to the semi-finalists in only a week.

[newieboy]

Made it to the quarters list too, but you guys are right - it IS a huge list. The next cut will be the one that sorts the sheep from the goats I guess. Or the goats from the sheep. Or something...

[RachelSqueeze]

Hey, all.
I did the math.
If your postings are correct about the number of overall entries, then only 10.22 percent of the scripts made the Quarterfinals.
How many do you suppose will "survive" to the semis? Half of 'em? Still seems like too many to judge.
Are they all going to be read again, do y'think? Or are they all scored and it's just a matter of tabulating to figure out which ones rise above the rest?
Don't get me wrong; I don't mind waiting a week to find out that I'm not in the running...

- RS

[diehardatthegetty]

signal,
what e-mail was that - you're qf confirmation? haven't seen any tallies of total subs.
-dh

[Signal 30]

2004 Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition Results

THIS IS A RESULTS LETTER DO NOT RESPOND TO THIS EMAIL send queries to info@scriptapalooza.com

Thank you for entering the 6th Annual Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition. This year we received 4158 scripts. The judges which are a combination of production companies and literary representatives have completed the first round of judging. There are 425 Quarter Finalists, from this group Semi Finalists will be chosen. Semi Finalists will be announced on August 7th.

Quarter Finalists results have been posted on our website and the writers have already been emailed of their Quarter Finalist status. If you did not receive an email notifying you of a quarter finalist status that means your script did not move forward in the competition.

Once again, thank you for participating in the 6th Annual Scriptapalooza Screenwriting Competition and we wish you the best of luck with all your writing endeavors.

Sincerely,
Mark Andrushko
President
scriptapalooza.

[LIMAMA]

I happened to be looking at the posted writers and this one jumped right at me:

Yard Sale by Pamela Des Barres and Iva L. Turner

Pamela Des Barres? What a blast from the past! According to IMDB, she was a member of the rock band the GTOs and was a legendary rock and roll groupie in the 1970's. She had affairs with such rock stars as Mick Jagger and Jimmy Page (her ex-husband was Michael Des Barres, remember him?). I believe she wrote a book about her exploits and has starred (maybe that's not the right word) in several films.

[cappyskippy]

Are there others out there who did not receive any email notification of any kind?

[Augie Kestrel]

I didn't.

[Gillyflower Cooms]

I think Meg Ryan played Pamela in THE DOORS movie.

[AvenueD]

Wrong Pamela.

[LIMAMA]

You think? How may Pamela Des Barres are out there?

[AvenueD]

I was replying to Gillyflower's post.

[BetterThanNormal]

Opt

Try this one. It's new so I can't tell you anything about it but it looks okay. But looks can be deceiving.

www.comedyscreenplaycompetition.com


BTN

[LIMAMA]

LOL!

:rollin

[cappyskippy]

Got the email today telling me I did not advance. I was feeling better with the fantasy that somehow my script got lost and never got read.

[RachelSqueeze]

Hi, all.

The semis are up on the Scriptapalooza site, even though they didn't send me the official e-mail saying "You suck!"

Anyway, I hope some of you advanced. Good luck!

- RS

[kullervo]

Dinked, as predicted. Scriptapalooza and the Nicholl, my personal windmills.

kullervo

[newieboy]

I'm through to the semi-finalists by the looks of it - much to my shock. Anyone else go through?

[Vigorish9]

we did not advance and i'm here to say the system is flawed. there is something wrong. re-tabulate the votes. i impeach the judges. i demand a recount in florida. i want to know why there was east side bias.

call in the forensic people. congrats newibie.

vig

[Ampersand]

Okay, I don't know if this will make anyone feel any better, but, after getting my dink letter from Nicholl, I actually made the finals of Sriptapalooza.

And the thing is I didn't even make the top 15% of Nicholl, no hand written note from Greg- nothing. This script also made the quarters of the International Screenwriting Awards, but didn't even make the top 100 of PGL (If anyone's been reading the PGL threads, now you know why I couldn't get my head around why the top 3 were chosen).

I'm starting to believe there is a fair amount of luck involved in the process (duh). Your script may really resonate with one reader, while another doesn't even make it past page 20 (this may be especially true if your script's a comedy). My theory is the early rounds really determine your fate.

I sat in on a seminar with SCRIPT mag's Stanton Rabin, and she said the great scripts literally leap out from the contest pack. I really want to believe that, but my rookie experience on the contest circuit is making me wonder.

I suppose the moral of the story is- there's always hope. We just have to keep on writing and hope the right person reads it. Now I really hope I didn't just jinx myself from getting further in the competition...

[Augie Kestrel]

Way to go! Good luck at Scriptapalooza, Ampersand! :)

[kullervo]

Go, Ampersand, go!

kullervo

[Salazkin]

Knock 'em dead &.

[Ampersand]

Thanks for the support, guys. Who knows... like I said, it's wacky out there.

[newieboy]

Good to see your faith's been restored Ampersand. I'm through to the finals as well. And like you, it's caught me a little by surprise.

[RKBentley]

Congrats.

Got Dinked on the three contests we entered.

Time to frame my Nicholl Rejection Letter. ;)

[Ampersand]

Good luck Newieboy. Now could the wait be any more excruciating...

[Augie Kestrel]

Congrats and good luck to you, too, Newieboy! :)

[newieboy]

Thanks guys! Best of luck to you too Ampersand - and you're right, this week seems to be draaaaagging along!

[Ampersand]

From Moviebytes.com:

"Contest Winner Scores Script Sale
Through Scriptapalooza

First-time writer Robert Gelber has scored a low- against mid-six figure script sale for his comedy How to Win Back Your High School Sweetheart. The script was discovered by manager Colin O'Reilly through the Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition, where it was scored a third place finish under the title Redumption. Edward Milstein and Bill Todman Jr. will produce through their production company Level 1 Entertainment."

Wow. Not bad for third place. And talk about fast- did this all go down since the winners were announced Monday? Anybody know this guy's story? Amazing.

Newieboy how'd you do? Or shall I call you Robert? I can safely say I'm happy I got as far as I did with this draft. Which leads me to this question:

Has anybody faired well in a contest, then resubmitted a better draft the following year? Did you do better? Did you do worse? Is it a waste of money? And this doesn't have to apply to Scriptapalooza...

[RachelSqueeze]

Whoa!
That WAS fast! My only guess is that during the reading process, somebody snatched the script up. A definite success story!
I wish we were all that lucky!
- RS

[newieboy]

Nah, not me folks! Didn't make it through to the winner's circle I'm afraid. Still, I was VERY happy and surprised to get as far as I did. I kinda thought my script still needed a bit of work. Had been contemplating a major rewrite in fact. Maybe it's not as bad as I thought! Been contemplating the same thing as you Ampersand on whether it's worth another shot with the same script next year, should I go ahead with that rewrite. But I'd probably have something fresh by then anyhow. It could only be a good look to advance two years running with different scripts I'd imagine.
That's amazing for Robert! Very fast work. Should give the Scriptapalooza folks something to trumpet. Sounds like a very deserving winner.

[wendydarling11]

LIMAMA,

Pamela Des Barres has written 5 books and articles for various magazines, according to a mutual friend. I took note of her name on the quarterfinalist list also.