Question about TrackingB contest...

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  • #16
    Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

    Originally posted by CameronAlexander View Post
    Good luck Jakkal!
    Thanks!

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    • #17
      Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

      You could break the tension in this room........with a fart!

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      • #18
        Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

        "Please note that the contest is open to absolutely anyone who wishes to enter (This could include represented writers, sold or produced writers, ect.)"

        Isn't the point of trackingb's contest to land a manager? I don't understand why someone who has representation would enter, seeing how they already have the "prize".

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        • #19
          Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

          Originally posted by Kowalski View Post
          "Please note that the contest is open to absolutely anyone who wishes to enter (This could include represented writers, sold or produced writers, ect.)"

          Isn't the point of trackingb's contest to land a manager? I don't understand why someone who has representation would enter, seeing how they already have the "prize".
          Isn't the quote "breaking in isn't the hard part, staying in is" I think even writers with managers could always be looking for that extra nod or more "juice" behind their name. And hey if you make it in the finals of near it with writers who are already represented it just makes the contest more legit, who wouldn't want their material up there with a pro.

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          • #20
            Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

            Originally posted by Kowalski View Post
            "Please note that the contest is open to absolutely anyone who wishes to enter (This could include represented writers, sold or produced writers, ect.)"

            Isn't the point of trackingb's contest to land a manager? I don't understand why someone who has representation would enter, seeing how they already have the "prize".
            This was a pretty big bone of contention during last year's contest, largely because it wasn't something that was disclosed up-front by the contest rules until pretty recently.

            It mostly started after the winners were announced, and a larger-than-not percentage of them were discovered to be already-repped writers (and in some cases, even already-produced). That resulted in a pretty good-sized outcry around here. And that same question got asked a lot while it was going on - "Why would these writers enter if they already more or less have the 'prize'?"

            What it boiled down to was that a fair number of up-and-comers felt like they should have been told in advance that they'd be up against pros in the ultimate runoff. The lack of total disclosure on that meant they'd felt sorta taken for the cost of their submission (not helping matters was that TrackingB was already acknowledged to have the highest entry fee of any recognized, legitimate contest). So for many, it sort of felt like ponying up a good chunk of change at the midway to shoot hoops for a chance at a big teddybear, and then seeing LeBron James stroll up and win it.

            Foul was cried. Because, while allowing pros to enter didn't necessarily seem to violate the letter of the rules, it seemed on the surface to at least violate the spirit of them. TrackingB has always ostensibly been marketed as a chance for amateurs to potentially bypass the high bar of entry to the "Machine." So, there were some who made the argument that letting people already seen to be on the "inside of the wall" to even enter was bad enough...And giving them the prizes on top of it was REALLY beyond the pale.

            On the other side of the table, TrackingB's defenders were pretty adamant that this should be seen adding EXTRA legitimacy to the contest, since writers that had already been vetted via other means seemed to be doing pretty well. This, it was felt, was proof the system worked. Because regardless of any other mitigating factors, it should always be about what's actually on the page. And clearly, if someone was already repped/produced, that probably meant they had some significant skills. And anyway...If the main reason amateurs were complaining was that they got beaten by pros, then maybe that was a wake-up call that the amateurs simply needed to produce better work in order for it to better compete.

            Further complicating things was the murkiness of whether a given writer's name on a title page ran the risk of skewing the judges' decisions. Because a little bit of IMDB research seemed to indicate that at least a few of the winners had prior business relationships with some of the people involved with the judging process. This raised questions of possible conflicts of interest.

            Ultimately, the wailing and gnashing of teeth was loud enough that TrackingB amended their contest rules. Two major changes were made:

            First, language was added to make it clear that this wasn't strictly a runoff for amateurs, and that ANY writer at any level could enter. Repped, produced...even former winners/placers.

            Second, the organizers added the provision that henceforth, entered scripts must have writers' names stripped from title pages in order to avoid the possibility of bias being given to known quantities.

            So now, while there still may be potential entrants who see these facets of TrackingB as being "unfair," they at least have the information they need to make that decision ahead of time...And can decide whether their $75 is worth it given the level of competition they'll face.

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            • #21
              Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

              Originally posted by Kowalski View Post
              "Please note that the contest is open to absolutely anyone who wishes to enter (This could include represented writers, sold or produced writers, ect.)"

              Isn't the point of trackingb's contest to land a manager? I don't understand why someone who has representation would enter, seeing how they already have the "prize".
              There's a really lengthy thread in which this was all beaten into the ground last tie around, every possible permutation of the discussion is there.

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              • #22
                Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                Originally posted by UglyShirts View Post
                So for many, it sort of felt like ponying up a good chunk of change at the midway to shoot hoops for a chance at a big teddybear, and then seeing LeBron James stroll up and win it.
                That's a good way of putting it, lol. This is the first year I entered, so I missed out on the controversial stuff you mentioned. Honestly, I don't mind that repped writers can enter because it says right there in the disclaimer now. The only thing that irks me is the expensive entry fee just to compete with professional writers.

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                • #23
                  Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                  Originally posted by Kowalski View Post
                  The only thing that irks me is the expensive entry fee just to compete with professional writers.
                  Who do you think your competition is in the industry?

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                  • #24
                    Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                    Originally posted by JoeBanks View Post
                    Who do you think your competition is in the industry?
                    Well, sure. We're all doing that anyway...At least on some level. But there is the persistent argument that when it comes to contests (which are ostensibly intended to help you break in), that we oughta expect the playing field should be more level than all that. That we should have the expectation that we're going up against people in same boat as us...Not folks who are already enjoying a measurable head-start in the regatta.

                    And that was the thrust of the original gripe against TrackingB. At least, before they heard the complaints. And then subsequently amended the rules in order to make it clear that A.) Pros were still eligible, and that B.) Writers' names would be redacted from the covers in order to avoid potential conflicts-of-interest.

                    But, as Geoff has already pointed out, this is a dead horse that was already beaten into bloody hamburger in a thread last year.

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                    • #25
                      Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                      I just want to win the same contest as Cary Elwis, so I can sit next to him at the awards luncheon.
                      www.JustinSloanAuthor.com

                      http://www.CreativeWritingCareer.com
                      http://www.MilitaryVeteransinCreativeCareers.com

                      Twitter: @JustinMSloan

                      Want a free book?

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                      • #26
                        Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                        Originally posted by UglyShirts View Post
                        Writers' names would be redacted from the covers in order to avoid potential conflicts-of-interest.
                        Good on them for making that change, I definitely support it

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                        • #27
                          Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                          Personally I think it's unfair for a contest whose big, loudly touted prize is **access** to be open to people who already have...wait for it... *** access***.

                          But I think honestly, the most sobering aspect of this is: you might have reps, you might even be produced, and yet you're still desperate enough to enter contests.
                          Last edited by Rantanplan; 08-02-2013, 10:10 PM.

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                          • #28
                            Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                            I think the amount of already repped writers entering TrackingB is pretty low. The only people who enter are people who are unrepped or have been having difficulty getting any tracking with their current reps. We hear horror stories all the time about writers who get signed and then completely neglected. They might as well still be unrepped.

                            Is it okay to fire your rep and seek out a new one? Yes? Then why is it not okay to enter a contest to seek a new one? You're not competing with Aaron Sorkin here. You're competing with writers who see this contest as a way to get their careers started. When you look at past winners, the vast majority have been unrepped writers, and those who were repped weren't exactly swimming in job offers.

                            I doubt there's a contest that prohibits repped writers from entering, nor should there be. Even the Nicholl allows produced writers, so long as their work doesn't go over a certain income limit.

                            Now that changes have been made to accommodate everyone's concerns, I don't see why anyone is still fussing.

                            You know what the prize is. You know what the risk is. Is it worth it or not? that's your personal decision.
                            Chicks Who Script podcast

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                            • #29
                              Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                              So, Micky Fisher, a previously unknown writer who was discovered through TrackingB Television competition just sold his pilot, Extant, with a straight to series 13 episode order, to CBS.

                              Which is pretty freaking rare.

                              Congrats to Mickey and Brooklyn, and congrats to The Insider.

                              Comment


                              • #30
                                Re: Question about TrackingB contest...

                                Originally posted by Geoff Alexander View Post
                                So, Micky Fisher, a previously unknown writer who was discovered through TrackingB Television competition just sold his pilot, Extant, with a straight to series 13 episode order, to CBS.

                                Which is pretty freaking rare.

                                Congrats to Mickey and Brooklyn, and congrats to The Insider.

                                Hear hear...

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