First of all, every little town in the USA these days either has a screenplay contest or a film festival. But, they all seem (including the BIG BOY contests) to have the same characteristics. As follows:
1) They all charge a placement fee - $25 to $95 (even higher with late fees)
2) They all take an average of 6 months to 1 year evaluation time. Guess
your script gets in line with 5,000 to 15,000 worldwide screenplays. Ends up looking like a subjective beauty contest to me.
3) All the contests claim you script will be read by industry professionals (meaning - professional, perpetually staffed college interns).
4) Most all the contests now offer script coverage from industry professionals at anywhere between $95 to $950 fees. Add on extra fees for a phone call with the college intern writing your coverage report. Script coverage report reads like this: "I liked this part, these other parts suck!"
5) After 6 months to 1 year the day arrives to hand the screenplay contest awards. IF your script is still available then, the awards read like this: 5,000 quarterfinalists; 500 semifinalist (each receives a ticket to Lego Land); 50 finalist (each receives a used copy of Final Draft) and the overall single winner (a one on one phone call with an industry professional - the receptionist at Weinstein).
6) Despite the promotion by pro screenwriters, script consultants, screenwriting professors for screenwriters to enter contests to get your script out there in front of industry professionals (college interns), from here on out I'm gonna say, "No thanks."
~Authy
1) They all charge a placement fee - $25 to $95 (even higher with late fees)
2) They all take an average of 6 months to 1 year evaluation time. Guess
your script gets in line with 5,000 to 15,000 worldwide screenplays. Ends up looking like a subjective beauty contest to me.
3) All the contests claim you script will be read by industry professionals (meaning - professional, perpetually staffed college interns).
4) Most all the contests now offer script coverage from industry professionals at anywhere between $95 to $950 fees. Add on extra fees for a phone call with the college intern writing your coverage report. Script coverage report reads like this: "I liked this part, these other parts suck!"
5) After 6 months to 1 year the day arrives to hand the screenplay contest awards. IF your script is still available then, the awards read like this: 5,000 quarterfinalists; 500 semifinalist (each receives a ticket to Lego Land); 50 finalist (each receives a used copy of Final Draft) and the overall single winner (a one on one phone call with an industry professional - the receptionist at Weinstein).
6) Despite the promotion by pro screenwriters, script consultants, screenwriting professors for screenwriters to enter contests to get your script out there in front of industry professionals (college interns), from here on out I'm gonna say, "No thanks."
~Authy
Comment