Now that I'm a 2004 Nicholl Semifinalist

[y2ktim]

Now that I'm a 2004 Nicholl Semifinalist, should I be approaching agents and managers. If so, what is the best way to go about it?

Thanks
Tim

[Hamboogul]

Good news, bad news.

Good news: congrats on advancing.
Bad news: most legitimate agents (from the big places to boutiques) couldn't care less about the placement unless you are a finalist or a winner.

But you know what? If you have a query letter that effectively communicates the script, then adding the contest placement can't hurt. It probably won't help that much but it can't hurt.

[KidCharlemagne108]

Hit the phones and get emailing now. I'm sure you will get script requests. It might not guarantee you getting an agent/manager but I'm sure people will at least be curious to read the script. I avoid competitions like the plague but if I'm not mistaken the Nicholl is one of the biggest so there will be some kudos attached to this. Even if you're a semi-finalist it is a hook that seperates you from the pack. I would capitalize on this. Carpe diem and all that jazz....

Congrats!

BTW - I'd like to read the script. Can you post it to k_charlemagne@hotmail.com?

KC

[LauriD]

I'm delighted to announce that my script "Herod" has also reached the semi-finals of the Nicholl - top 132 scripts out of 6,073 entries.

"Herod" was a Nicholl quarterfinalst the past two years. It's nice to make the jump to the next level...

LauriD
(Waiting patiently for agents to start beating down my door...) ;)

[OkeyDokey]

Congrats, Lauri, that's awesome!

And congrats to everyone who advanced!

:)

[Winter in New York]

Bad news: most legitimate agents (from the big places to boutiques) couldn't care less about the placement unless you are a finalist or a winner.

So, so true.

Bit of advice to those who reached the QF and those who reached the SF. Firstly, WELL DONE. Secondly. Nobody calls. Maybe one or two lower-end producers. But that's it. Really. One, maybe two calls. So if you're waiting for the Holy Grail to come to your door because of QF or SF in Nicholl. It ain't gonna happen.

So, please, please, please, get pro-active NOW. Get your query letters ready. Write a cracker one page synopsis of your script. Get that 'second script' ready in case an agent reads the first and says, 'okay, what else have you got?'.

And the moment you find out you've dinked. Hit the phones. Fire off the emails. To anyone and everyone you can think off. Hundreds of them. Play the numbers game, and STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT.

Because it's hot for less than a month. If that.

Winter in New York

[refriedwhiskey]

What does "dinked" mean?

[AvenueD]

My experience as a Semifinalist differs from that of Winter in NY.

I received around a dozen requests for my script. Two or three could be described as "lower-end" producers, but the others were legitimate, active, prodcos, agents and managers.

[LauriD]

I got maybe 3 or 4 script requests, mostly from managers, as a Nicholl quarterfinalist in '02 and '03. Waiting to see what semifinalist status yields...

Also, finally heard today that the two sripts I submitted to Austin both made the second round (top 12%). Does anyone know if they distribute contact lists? If so, what have the results been for people who reached this level?

LauriD

[Winter in New York]

Getting a half dozen calls at QF (?) or SF stage wanting to see your script is great. Unexpected, but great!

However, 2-6 calls from what are probably lower end execs (at legitimate companies mind you) is nothing compared to the 100 - 150 calls you'll get if you reach the final and the Academy publish the contact list.

I guess all I'm saying is that don't expect your life to turn on a dime, just because you hit the QF or SF stage. Because as wonderful as that is (and it is) it really doesn't amount to a hill of beans.

(Though it looks good on your resume, and helps with your confidence!)

At QF and SF stage (and if truth be known, even if you're a Finalist / Fellow) YOU have to be pro-active as all hell to get the best out of the experience.

Just ask all those Fellows / Finalists who get the week in the Merv Griffin Beverly Hilton...get the week of meetings'n madness...but then shuffle off back home afterwords WITHOUT so much as an agent to their name...

Maybe 1 in 2 or 1 in 3 Fellows / Finalists go home empty handed (notwithstanding the wonderful experience they've had). And if you don't find that statistic scary, then read it again. Because it's real sobering.

And if those are the odds (and they are) of getting nowhere even after getting to the final / getting your name published in the trades by the Academy...then don't you think that's all the more reason to be as pro-active as you can, at QF and SF stage?

We have to make it happen ourselves. At the end of the day, our own sweat (and a bit of faith in the guy upstairs) is all we ever have.

Winter in New York

[rtiocvlkw]

Hey,

LauraD congrats on advancing. I got to QF in Nicholl this year. Did you just do several rewrites to advance or just kept re-submitting?

[LauriD]

There were relatively minor differences in the three versions I submitted. Got some good feedback on Zoetrope before this year's redraft.

I think it's mostly luck of the draw (i.e., which judge you get for which script) that determines whether you top out at QF, SF, etc.

LauriD