Re: NICHOLL'S 2012 Semi-finalists? Sound off!
I come across this old post from CreativeExec and it applies to this thread and contest. It's about contests in general.
EJ
I come across this old post from CreativeExec and it applies to this thread and contest. It's about contests in general.
Some contests serve a good purpose.
Nicholl, Chesterfield, Disney, WB, and
PGL (which produces the winning script)
are the handful of contests that translate
well in the business.
Winning one of these contests is great -
mostly because they all entail a healthy
cash prize, have earned some industry
respect and provide exposure.
But in the grand scope of things, winning a
contest means that your script was (deemed)
the best of all the other amateur scripts
submitted.
But can it compare with scripts by Scott Frank,
Steve Zaillian or John Logan? Because in
the real world - out of the contest womb -
it will have to.
Since many execs have failed to see greatness
coming out of contests (most of the contest
material I read sucks), they wait until the
winners are announced and then pounce. (It's
less dreck they have to siphon through.)
However, winning a contest does not ensure
representation. Many Nicholl winners are not
repped and have had no professional success
beyond their cash prize and pats on the back.
On the other hand, there are semi-finalists who
have very healthy careers.
There are some agents and managers and
producers that will prowl semi-finalists in a
contest like Nicholl.
Smart reps looking for talent and material
will do it during the semi-finalist stage when
competition among reps isn't as great.
But agents have scores of ways to find
new writers and material. Contests are simply
one way. And not necessarily the most
effective/efficient way.
I'm no big fan of the contest circuit.
For the most part, it's a sleazy, cannibalistic
fringe industry that does the contest more
good than the writer.
Although winning a contest like Nicholl may
not help your career, it won't hurt it. (And
it does put 30K in your pocket - which is
more than most writers will EVER make in this
biz.)
A good rule of thumb with contests is: the
bigger the cash prize, the more worthy the
contest. Any contest that offers enigmatic
industry exposure only, or a few hundred
bucks, or "Final Draft" is hardly worth it.
(This encompasses 99% of all contests.)
There are too many writers making contests
their full-time pursuit. Since only the ones
mentioned above have any real clout, a
writer needs to pursue other avenues for
points of entry.
You should not be waiting for agents to
contact you, you need to be pursuing
them.
Nicholl, Chesterfield, Disney, WB, and
PGL (which produces the winning script)
are the handful of contests that translate
well in the business.
Winning one of these contests is great -
mostly because they all entail a healthy
cash prize, have earned some industry
respect and provide exposure.
But in the grand scope of things, winning a
contest means that your script was (deemed)
the best of all the other amateur scripts
submitted.
But can it compare with scripts by Scott Frank,
Steve Zaillian or John Logan? Because in
the real world - out of the contest womb -
it will have to.
Since many execs have failed to see greatness
coming out of contests (most of the contest
material I read sucks), they wait until the
winners are announced and then pounce. (It's
less dreck they have to siphon through.)
However, winning a contest does not ensure
representation. Many Nicholl winners are not
repped and have had no professional success
beyond their cash prize and pats on the back.
On the other hand, there are semi-finalists who
have very healthy careers.
There are some agents and managers and
producers that will prowl semi-finalists in a
contest like Nicholl.
Smart reps looking for talent and material
will do it during the semi-finalist stage when
competition among reps isn't as great.
But agents have scores of ways to find
new writers and material. Contests are simply
one way. And not necessarily the most
effective/efficient way.
I'm no big fan of the contest circuit.
For the most part, it's a sleazy, cannibalistic
fringe industry that does the contest more
good than the writer.
Although winning a contest like Nicholl may
not help your career, it won't hurt it. (And
it does put 30K in your pocket - which is
more than most writers will EVER make in this
biz.)
A good rule of thumb with contests is: the
bigger the cash prize, the more worthy the
contest. Any contest that offers enigmatic
industry exposure only, or a few hundred
bucks, or "Final Draft" is hardly worth it.
(This encompasses 99% of all contests.)
There are too many writers making contests
their full-time pursuit. Since only the ones
mentioned above have any real clout, a
writer needs to pursue other avenues for
points of entry.
You should not be waiting for agents to
contact you, you need to be pursuing
them.
EJ
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