Nicholl 2021

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  • #91
    Good luck. I hope we meet in the QF!

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    • #92
      They just announced they have 8,191 entries this year, a new record. Umm...needle in a haystack odds, right there.

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      • #93
        That's mad. Three of them are mine, so I'm guaranteed at least 8,189th place.

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        • #94
          Not really a needle in a haystack. only 10% of the scripts are gonna be any good because we all know how hard it is to move people with the written word and we also know how easily people become disinterested in scripts.

          To win, I think you need to write a socially conscious script. Something about inequality or LGBTQ rights or maybe surviving quarantine after losing your job. If you write a pure genre piece that doesn't hit a socially conscious button than you won't win but you can advance to QF, SF, and Finals. You gotta beat 95% of your peers and you'll be able to get read by someone in the pipeline. If your goal is to get read than it is very achievable, at least that's what I think. I didn't write a socially conscious script, I wrote a noirish det thriller. I know I can't win, but I believe strongly that the script will advance.

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          • #95
            Originally posted by Cyfress View Post
            Not really a needle in a haystack. only 10% of the scripts are gonna be any good because we all know how hard it is to move people with the written word and we also know how easily people become disinterested in scripts.

            To win, I think you need to write a socially conscious script. Something about inequality or LGBTQ rights or maybe surviving quarantine after losing your job. If you write a pure genre piece that doesn't hit a socially conscious button than you won't win but you can advance to QF, SF, and Finals. You gotta beat 95% of your peers and you'll be able to get read by someone in the pipeline. If your goal is to get read than it is very achievable, at least that's what I think. I didn't write a socially conscious script, I wrote a noirish det thriller. I know I can't win, but I believe strongly that the script will advance.
            I would totally agree with everything you wrote for Sundance or Imagine Impact, or those programs that have social justice as one of their big goals. However, once you get to latter rounds of the Nicholl, my understanding is that the scripts are read by older members of the academy. Not youngsters. So, Gen Xers and Baby Boomers. I think you have a shot with a script that is more an entertainment piece in the Nicholl than other contests. But who knows.

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            • #96
              Originally posted by Cyfress View Post
              Not really a needle in a haystack. only 10% of the scripts are gonna be any good because we all know how hard it is to move people with the written word and we also know how easily people become disinterested in scripts.

              To win, I think you need to write a socially conscious script. Something about inequality or LGBTQ rights or maybe surviving quarantine after losing your job. If you write a pure genre piece that doesn't hit a socially conscious button than you won't win but you can advance to QF, SF, and Finals. You gotta beat 95% of your peers and you'll be able to get read by someone in the pipeline. If your goal is to get read than it is very achievable, at least that's what I think. I didn't write a socially conscious script, I wrote a noirish det thriller. I know I can't win, but I believe strongly that the script will advance.
              That sounds about right. I made the top 10% last year with a popcorn sword and sandal script and I'm grateful it got that far, but It meant jack **** in the end. I think you have to make the QF at least to get requests. With that said, I believe Vango mentioned somewhere that Season of the Witch won a few years back, so I suppose it's possible for a genre piece to win. I agree that it's much less likely now though. It doesn't matter if it's boomers calling the shots.

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              • #97
                Top 5% I think is QF so if that had 8,100 entries that's 405 scripts that they must pass to the next round. There probably is not 200 good scripts in the entire contest.

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                • #98
                  Season of the Witch was a while back. 10+ years ago I think. Nicholl seems more message-oriented now than back then. I'm sure a great genre script can still go far though.

                  I've always looked at the contest as a good opportunity to get your stuff read and get some validation. I know of people who have parlayed QF-SF placements into something more. It can get you a look in, and that's all you can really hope for. This year may be tricky though. As Cyfress pointed out, the high number of entries means there will be probably 400+ scripts in the quarters, and I don't see many people sifting through 400 scripts to solicit material. You may need a semi-final or better placement this year to turn heads. As always, concept will play a role.

                  In the time between when I submitted my entries and now, one of them has gotten the elusive Black List 8 and has been getting some traction off that, so the Nicholl results feel a little less urgent to me. I'd still like to unlock the QF merit badge for personal satisfaction. Crossing my fingers. It's approximately six more weeks until the annual "Thanks, but you suck" e-mails land in my inbox.

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                  • #99
                    Congrats on your *8* DaltWisney.

                    Originally posted by Cyfress View Post
                    Not really a needle in a haystack. only 10% of the scripts are gonna be any good because we all know how hard it is to move people with the written word and we also know how easily people become disinterested in scripts.
                    It's needle in a haystack as far as getting the right readers for your script. That's why one script can make the quarterfinals one year and not even get one "positive" read the next. Readers. At 8,191 entries reader fatigue's gotta factor in even more than in past years.


                    Originally posted by Cyfress View Post
                    You gotta beat 95% of your peers and you'll be able to get read by someone in the pipeline. If your goal is to get read than it is very achievable, at least that's what I think.
                    This used to be true -- but not anymore. If you get in the QF for sure query everyone yourself, but they don't come to you asking. Not at the QF stage.

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                    • Sucks to hear that cause that's the way it used to be but dems the breaks I guess.

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                      • This isn't the bump you wanted to see, but for anyone sweating this, they announced on their insta today that they won't be naming the quarter-finalists until August.

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                        • Good Luck, DW and to all anticipating making the list.

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                          • Good luck everyone. Every year will be a new record. Last year was a record. This year a record. Next year will be a record. Don't let that bother you.

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                            • Anybody confident abut the QF? I'll be disappointed if I don't make it.

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                              • I entered three things.

                                At risk of tempting fate, I'd put their odds of advancing at like 15/15/70% respectively. One of them has done very well on Black List and is the clear favorite of my entries. The others would probably need to get lucky with the reader distribution to have any chance. They're not as strong as my best piece, but still good enough to land with specific people.

                                Slightly concerned about the Nicholl this year, as they're now nearly a week behind their latest announcement ever. Their posts on their socials seem like they are scrambling to buy time. I would rather them take an extra week or two and get the process right than rush and make mistakes, but it's a little troubling that it's dragging on so late. I guess it's just the combination of record entry numbers and what seems like a crunch for script readers in general. CoverFly and Black List have both raised prices recently. Black List has been swamped with orders all through late spring-summer. They've been very slow.

                                Seems that there's just a huge demand for reads and readers right now, which could be undercutting some of the contests.

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