John August new post. LET US DISCUSS !!!! Re Screenplay Contests

[WRITERRIVERS]

Screenplay contests are okay.
But not on my priority list.
Just have a list of things to do to make it. And include some script contests.
But it's not the most important part.
Because. Writing and filmmaking starts from the trenches. Grow. Write. Network with people who phycially make movies and finacially hustle in the business.
Does this John August post have a point.
Let us discusss.
https://johnaugust.com/2021/screenwr...orth-the-money

[finalact4]

The title itself says it all, to me.

What a great story about how a smart writer took the time to evaluate reality while saving enough money to invest in herself with a successful ending, or beginning. A good read for all writers, I think.

Breaking in can be easy-peasy for some lucky lots. For most of us, it's the single biggest challenge we face. And the reality is that even really good writers never get their break. Or they do, but then their attention wanes for one reason or another. Some make it happen against the odds.

[Bono]

The lead got buried here. This talented person https://www.paigefeldman.com/ made this https://www.buzzsprout.com/1510291instead of entering script contest to showcase her talent.

[WRITERRIVERS]

I think contests are okay. Just don't make it big priority. Just a tertiary option.

[asteven50]

A contest helped launch my career by introducing me to my first legitimate manager. I've spent $35 on screenplay contests in my life. So, disagree.

[Bono]

A contest helped launch my career by introducing me to my first legitimate manager. I've spent $35 on screenplay contests in my life. So, disagree.

Do you want to share which contest? You are in the minority. I am glad it worked out for you.

But I'm going to guess most writers spent $3500 on contests without success than $35 with landing a rep. And I 100% believe you would have found a rep with that same spec eventually...

[lostfootage]

I got my one and only manager from a contest. I was a finalist for the comedy category at Austin Film Fest. One of the finalist judges was a producer at Escape Artists and hooked me up with the manager, so it can happen. The manager got me an agent at Kaplan Stahler. I spent two years doing meetings in LA -- I had two features in play and a TV pilot -- and had many close calls. A director was attached to one of the features and the TV pilot. It's through his team that we got the TV meetings, because he was primarily a TV guy.

Here is the bad news: Getting a manager and agent is like the easiest part. There is another big jump from making it that far, to closing a deal that actually ends up in production. That's the place I did not successfully navigate. The last time I talked to my former manager (six months ago), he said he'd still read anything new I had for him. So the door is still open a crack. But it's a really small crack.

Moral of the story: I know a number of people who have gotten reps through Austin. This may change if the conference does not return. The conference was a great place to meet people in person. I'm sure people get interest from some of the other contests. I personally wasn't interested in the others. When I did contests, the only places I submitted were Austin, Nicholl (semi-finalist) and Sundance Lab (second rounder twice). The second round at Sundance is when you make the cut where you send in the whole script, but before the interview round.

But I will agree with Bono -- if I had taken the two specs I had and queried the right sort of production companies, etc. I probably would have found another path to a rep. But I was really focused on Austin because I wanted to a reason to go to Austin so I could hang out there for four days and eat Tex-Mex. :-)