Competition Entry Numbers?

Collapse

Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Competition Entry Numbers?

    Hello hello,

    As per the title - can anyone tell me what the number of entrants are in the popular, big-prize competitions?

    I've tried searching but can only find Nicholl's 2019 numbers (7000) but am interested in Big Break, Script Pipeline and any others with the larger purses* up for grabs. I appreciate it's lottery-style odds regardless if you're up against 1000 or 10,000, I'd just like to know what the score is before I consider entering.




    *Yes, the moolah incentivises me and yes, I know there's better career-kickstarting opportunities than cash, so no I'm not interested in hearing how money isn't your motivation when considering competitions.
    M.A.G.A.

  • #2
    Re: Competition numbers?

    Originally posted by SundownInRetreat View Post
    I've tried searching but can only find Nicholl's 2019 numbers (7000) but am interested in Big Break, Script Pipeline and any others with the larger purses* up for grabs. I appreciate it's lottery-style odds regardless if you're up against 1000 or 10,000, I'd just like to know what the score is before I consider entering.
    Nicholl only takes features (and only originals) and their numbers have bounced around 7,000 pretty steadily for a while now. My 11:30p entry to Austin FF this year at the deadline was 13,800-something. But they have many more categories -- features, pilots, specs, shorts, podcasts etc.

    Anyway, at least in my experience providing coverage for a festival and working at a company that gave paid notes to amateurs, 9 out of 10 entries aren't even in the ballpark so whatever you think the universe ultimately is, eliminate 9/10ths of that number.

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Competition numbers?

      Academy Nicholl Fellowship, record-setting 7,831 entries

      PAGE Awards, 8,295 overall entries

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

        ClintW is right, both were record-setting. In PAGE, the break down was around 2000 in each category. You compete for a prize in each category and then the grand prize is overall.

        Pipeline had over 10000 combined film / TV.

        I honestly wouldn't advise entering these for the prize money. It's usually the top 1 or 2, which is a completely subjective spot to get to. The costs are high and odds really bad to win the money. You're more likely to get a rep than prize money in these because I'm sure if your material is great it can get to top 500-1000. But #1 spot is just luck.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

          Don’t confuse numbers entered with scripts that are good. "We" argue a lot but I bet the same number of good to great scripts hasn’t changed just the amount of bad scripts has gone up.

          You’re in a competition with only one spec. Yours. You may win but probably lose. That fact is not changing based on these numbers.

          I looked at writing contests as way to judge how my writing was in terms of quality from random readers -- not as a money making vehicle. I suggest you all do the same. If you win -- well then you win. But you make more money BY NOT ENTERING contests. I win the lottery every week by not spending the dollar on it.
          Last edited by Bono; 06-23-2020, 09:38 PM.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

            Originally posted by Bono View Post
            "We" argue a lot but I bet the same number of good to great scripts hasn’t changed just the amount of bad scripts has gone up.
            I was thinking about this as well. My guess was that the ratio stayed the same. If there was 1 good script for every 10 before, then it remained like this regardless of the number of entries.

            Good writers would've had more alone time / time off work too.

            Of course, neither guess is perfect. It takes less time to write a bad script than a good one.

            I would argue there were more raced-first draft submissions in these than ever before.

            Still - cracking those difficult-to-break QF rounds are as hard as ever.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

              Originally posted by Merrick View Post
              Still - cracking those difficult-to-break QF rounds are as hard as ever.
              I think its a question of which set of readers you get.

              For the Nicholl the quarters are the top 5 percent. You can have a script get quarterfinalist one year and not the next -- that's got nothing to do with your script, that's who's reading it. And now because of the comments you can see one reader is singing your script's praises -- so you know they voted it high and wanted it to move ahead -- while the other two seem like they skimmed it and made such general comments they could apply to any script, so you know they tanked it.

              A lot of those uncontrollable factors go into advancing in a contest. So yeah, if you advance, great, but if you don't... eh, it doesn't really mean anything.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

                I agree with what JoeBanks said. 90% of those contest scripts are a mess. Polished first drafts that have no depth or structure. If you write a good script, it will advance. It will stand head and shoulders above the heaping pile of dog **** that most scripts are. Your horror flick may not win but it will advance.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

                  So getting back on topic, do we know what numbers Big Break, and other decent-paying comps, pay out?
                  M.A.G.A.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

                    https://www.moviebytes.com/ContestDe...ewsItems=99999


                    Final Draft has announced their Big Break Screenwriting Contest Quarterfinalists for 2014, representing the top 10% of almost 7,000 entries

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

                      I think it was way more than that lately. Their numbers have increased.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

                        If you're a good writer, you're not competing against the entire lot of applicants, you're competing against the top tier. Maybe 5% and lower.

                        I think there is probably an element of getting past early reader biases to reach the quarterfinals and above.

                        Now, if they're using AI learning algorithms, maybe it's more troublesome for some writers than others.
                        "Arguing that you don't care about the right to privacy b/c you have nothing to hide is no different than saying you don't care about free speech because you have nothing to say." -- Edward Snowden

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Competition Entry Numbers?

                          Maybe more writers, even the seasoned ones, are entering these contests more lately. The numbers seem higher.

                          Comment

                          Working...
                          X