Nicholl 2019

[finalact4]

Originally Posted by GucciGhostXXX

I am surprised to hear that they GUARANTEE you'll get repped. Interesting. I wonder if any winner has NOT gotten repped. I'm curious how they can guarantee this aspect. I honestly didn't know that was in their fine print.

They do not guarantee you get repped. They do not guarantee exposure. They guarantee fellowships to the winners.

From their website:

PRIZES
Up to five $35,000 fellowships are awarded each year to promising new screenwriters. From the program’s inception in 1986 through 2018, $4.405 million has been awarded to 171 writers.

FELLOWSHIP OBLIGATIONS
Up to five fellows in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition will be invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars in November.

Fellowship recipients will be expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during the fellowship year.

Fellowship payments will be made quarterly subject to satisfactory progress of the recipient’s work, as judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee.

The Academy reserves the right to grant no awards if, in the opinion of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, no entry is of sufficient merit.

I agree with you Gucci.
FA4

[Vango]

Originally Posted by GucciGhostXXX

I 100% agree with 99% of that. Ha!

I'm not "stressing" over this, I've gotten my shots by bypassing the Nicholl. I'm just "concerned" for other writers that could really use a Nicholl win to break through, but they don't (C'mon, not really) have much of a fighting chance in the most prestigious screenplay competition in the world. Based on genre.

I've said before, I fooled around with one of the judges and well... I think Greg means well, but let's just say I believe what I believe.

I am surprised to hear that they GUARANTEE you'll get repped. Interesting. I wonder if any winner has NOT gotten repped. I'm curious how they can guarantee this aspect. I honestly didn't know that was in their fine print.

Black Panther? - Same thought.

Moonlight? - I have to like it since my acquaintance won. LOL

Chris Nolan? - My ex tried to sign him off the Memento script. Nope. No internal support. Now that script is listed in WGA's 101 Best Screenplays of all times list. I wonder who would admit that they passed on him now? ;-) No one!

So, yes, my gripe is in the vein of that: How the fukk does Chris Nolan's name not even get brought up at the Oscars. But, everyone cheers for the dude who won for best short film about the moving story of him peeling a grape to feed it to a black guy (Made up movie. But, hey fukk it, let's shoot for real!)

I don't believe Interstellar would make it past the 1st round in Nicholl. That's precisely my point. Maybe their directive is getting SAME-Y and STALE and could use a facelift.

Yeah it's tough man. Nolan is a genius in my eyes, and I don't think Nicholl would recognize Interstellar or Inception as a clear winner, which it would be in my eyes. Nicholl winners write amazing scripts, but they're not Inception.

As far as getting signed, I'd be highly surprised if a winner didn't get any offers. In fact I would be very curious if that's ever happened. I would bet against it. So yeah, it's virtually a guarantee, if that writer actually wants it (maybe they don't). This is how it's been relayed to me by a couple winners. And the meetings are also a guarantee. No, that's not written in the fine print, so don't go getting all technical on me. Winning the Nicholl is not like Austin or ScriptPipeline. People in the industry want to know these Nicholl winners, and for good reason. Feel free to talk to some winners. They will tell you the same things. Winning the Nicholl guarantees exposure, yes. You're literally accepting your award and giving a speech in front of tons of industry people who are all there for you. FinalAct sorry but you are mistaken. The fine print does not matter.

[Vango]

In addition, becoming an Academy Nicholl Fellow (and finalist) means that the writers and their screenplays garner considerable attention from members of the film industry. Typically, any new fellows and finalists who do not have representation will soon receive offers from agents and/or managers.

-- That was posted by Nicholl on their facebook page. It's a people business. Everyone wants to know the new Nicholl winners. People will be coming to you. And when you do reach out, your calling card is that you won the most prestigious screenwriting competition in the world. You won't have any trouble getting meetings and reps.

You're gucci. Feel me? Lol.

In the end, what matters is making deals and making money.

[finalact4]

Originally Posted by Vango

In addition, becoming an Academy Nicholl Fellow (and finalist) means that the writers and their screenplays garner considerable attention from members of the film industry. Typically, any new fellows and finalists who do not have representation will soon receive offers from agents and/or managers.

-- That was posted by Nicholl on their facebook page. It's a people business. Everyone wants to know the new Nicholl winners. People will be coming to you. And when you do reach out, your calling card is that you won the most prestigious screenwriting competition in the world. You won't have any trouble getting meetings and reps.

You're gucci. Feel me? Lol.

In the end, what matters is making deals and making money.

I would say that the Nicholl, out of any other contest, gets the most attention from the industry-- everyone respects and looks forward to reading the winning scripts, without a doubt.

I don't know if you've had a chance to check out Wenonah's journey last year, but she won Nicholl and Austin. It's a very inspiring journey. I think she even shared the video of herself, all I know is that it was so inspiring it made me cry.

Definitely worth reading.

[Jai Brandon]

The year RUIN topped the Blacklist, considered the number one "most liked" spec script in town, it didn't make it out of the Nicholl semifinals... but at least it got that far.

[Bono]

It's 2019 and there are too many things via for people's attention. News comes every second. So many ways to say "Look at me" "Look over here" "Read me"

I would just focus now on what you can control. Writing a great script. Trying to break in and get through all the noise is even harder than it ever was.

I'm just over all this nitpicking about contests. And not becuase I've reached some higher level. I think because time has passed these by and we don't need it. We used to need it to have access. But now we all have email and twitter.

Make your own contest. And give yourself the grand prize. Then go sell the hell outta that spec. Go do it. Now!

[Rantanplan]

Originally Posted by GucciGhostXXX

Actually, here's the WGA's 101 Greatest Screenplays list for anyone who wants to skim it.

https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101...reenplays/list

You can learn a lot from that list. Most are character-driven, even the ones that have big sharks in them.