Trackinb Contest

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  • Re: Trackinb Contest

    Originally posted by SundownInRetreat View Post
    Then factor in Nicholl favours "artistic" scripts over commercial (Arlington Road being one of the exceptions to the rule) and that Hollywood, understandably, favours the commercial.
    Originally posted by ATB View Post
    I'm sure Greg Beal would tell you this is false. He's had to disprove that theory in every thread that's ever been focused on Nicholl.

    It's a myth. They look for the best writers... no matter what they've written.
    Thanks, ATB. To follow up, here's something I posted on the Nicholl Facebook page recently:

    Among the myths propagated about the Nicholl Fellowships is that only dramas do well in the competition. Like most myths, this one isn't true.



    The Nicholl competition seeks talented writers who create screenplays in any and every genre. Here's a brief demonstration:



    Genres of the 50 finalist and fellowship-winning scripts - 2007-2011

    

action drama - 1
    
action adventure fantasy - 1
    
action science fiction - 1

    comedy - 6
    
western comedy - 1
    
romantic comedy - 2

    dark comedy - 1
    
comedy drama - 6
    
romantic comedy fantasy - 1
    
drama - 7
    
family / coming of age drama - 3

    period drama - 4
    
drama thriller - 4
    
thriller - 3
    
supernatural thriller - 2
    
horror - 1
    
war drama - 6


    In 2011, 5.20% of all entries advanced to the quarterfinal round (and beyond). If all things were equal, then about 5.20% of each genre should have advanced.

    Here's the breakdown of the nine primary genres in 2011:
    


    Action - 5.35%

    Adventure - 4.63%

    Comedy - 3.75%

    Drama - 5.15%

    Horror - 5.63%

    Science Fiction - 5.71%

    Thriller - 5.70%
    
War - 9.60%
*
    Western - 5.44%


    
As we have noted for years, genres tend to advance about as expected with the exception of comedy, which always runs a little behind. 

Year to year, these numbers fluctuate for each genre. For instance, adventure typically is over 5% while horror and science fiction are sometimes slightly below. The one constant is comedy; our explanation is that comedy is hard, reactions to comedy styles vary greatly and, if a comedy doesn't make you laugh, it won't score well.

    *War has the fewest number of entries each year, which means that a few extra advancing scripts will skew its percentages higher.

    Comment


    • Re: Trackinb Contest

      Originally posted by nojustice View Post
      I've got no experience with it, but sure, why not. The more people you can find to talk to the better. It helps to put your work in perspective.

      I personally have ended up selling a script through querying a director, through their rep. Although I mentioned my rep in my query, and he's THE MAN.

      There are any number of ways to find people. Just make sure your writing is damned fine before you do.
      Why not? Maybe because pitchfests do everything you find so horrible in contests, i.e., they make money, they market themselves based on pulling out "testimonials" and "Success stories". Same thing. Try for consistency in your reasoning.

      Comment


      • Re: Trackinb Contest

        At least there's a level of active participation.

        Which is why the contests have become so popular. No input. Just hand over your money and sit back and wait. That's just irresistible. The temptation would have to be huge. The success stories on their home pages are powerful bait. And the sort of support they get here, pumping it up.

        But guys, they're not a golden ticket from any angle. Even for the few who get repped out of it, it isn't the end result. You still have to write your way there.

        False hope might seem like a good option because it's an easy option. But hard work, and collaboration is really the only option.

        Go find people.

        And stop asking me questions about it, I don't enjoy the insults and the aggression, and I'm only going to say the same thing.

        GO. FIND. PEOPLE.

        Comment


        • Re: Trackinb Contest

          This thread rivals the near never-ending Amazon Studio thread we had some time ago...

          i say join away, nothing to lose. everything to gain.
          " Don't really like writing. But I do like having written." Vince Gilligan, Breaking Bad.

          Comment


          • Re: Trackinb Contest

            Originally posted by nojustice View Post
            But guys, they're not a golden ticket from any angle.
            Neither is this method:

            Originally posted by nojustice View Post
            GO. FIND. PEOPLE.
            Every tactic for getting a rep or getting produced has a low return of success.

            But answer me this: How is a hard-working writer supposed to "go find people" from some bumfvck city in Middle America?

            Isn't entering contests a better option for that writer?

            Comment


            • Re: Trackinb Contest

              Guys, it's like arguing with a parrot. No matter what facts, points, or counter-arguments you post, he's just going to keep repeating the same catch-phrases.

              ""No golden ticket. *SQUAWK* Viral hype. *SQUAWK* Go find people. *SQUAWK* Polly want a cracker? *SQUAWK* Hype hype hype. *SQUAWK*"
              Patrick Sweeney

              Comment


              • Re: Trackinb Contest

                I don't know you, or your pages. I can't give you advice.

                But you can't be the only person in your bumfvck city in Middle America who wants to make movies.

                Have they got a camera shop where you live? Do they have a film festival? Is there a University with a film department? Can you save up and buy a ticket out of there? I don't know. You have to figure that out, not me.

                If contests are you plan A, then you're on shaky ground. Go figure out a Plan B, and then replace Plan A with Plan B.

                Comment


                • Re: Trackinb Contest

                  Originally posted by Patrick Sweeney View Post
                  Guys, it's like arguing with a parrot. No matter what facts, points, or counter-arguments you post, he's just going to keep repeating the same catch-phrases.

                  ""No golden ticket. *SQUAWK* Viral hype. *SQUAWK* Go find people. *SQUAWK* Polly want a cracker? *SQUAWK* Hype hype hype. *SQUAWK*"
                  True. Convinced everyone who enters isn't putting any work in and just sitting back waiting for the competition to do everything for them, convinced everyone who enters has been promised they're going to win and be a star. Convinced there's no weight with "Nicholl winner" added to a query and no weight to being hand delivered to the people who's saying you should go and find.

                  In fact, all his points have been answered. He just needs to read my posts in response to him over the past 5 pages or so. The ones he didn't respond to despite them being 100% correct.

                  Here's his logic:

                  1) Go find people. Network. Make connections.

                  2) But inore competitions that, if you final, deliver you to these very people.

                  3) Slog, slog, slog with query letters, hoping for attention.

                  4) But ignore competitions that, if you final, get you the attention you're seeking through countless query letters.

                  5) Write great scripts to get attention.

                  6) But ignore competitions that recognise your great script and get you that attention you seek.

                  7) Always slog it out in the trenches, being one of a horde of daily wannabes vying to catch the eye of a tired, busy agent faced with a sea of queries. Hope they see yours, hope they read your work, hope it's even what they're after, hope you stand out from your wannabe peers.

                  8) But ignore competitions that, if you final, do raise you above your peers as you desire, do catch the eyes of the tired and busy powers-that-be, do get you read, and will ask ask you for other work because you've already proved your quality.


                  Unrepped, unproduced writers are effectivdly cold call salesmen. Cold call salesmen spend their lives trying to get attention, a meeting, a connection. They know the importance of networking. Referrals are gold. And no salesman would scoff at the opportunity a competition placement brings. Because it's what they are working towards every other day of their working life: recognition, interest, a meeting with someone open to doing business.
                  M.A.G.A.

                  Comment


                  • Re: Trackinb Contest

                    It's like you all just want to punch me in the face until I'm wrong. Finite. That's it. There is nojustice in this world, and we want to get rid of it.

                    What's so horrible about finding people? That's when the fun starts. When you're all on the same page. They're skills you'll benefit from no matter what comes out of it. You learn from every crazy mistake.

                    Go make some crazy mistakes.

                    Comment


                    • Re: Trackinb Contest

                      Originally posted by nojustice View Post
                      It's like you all just want to punch me in the face until I'm wrong. Finite. That's it. There is nojustice in this world, and we want to get rid of it. What's so horrible about finding people? That's when the fun starts. When you're all on the same page. They're skills you'll benefit from no matter what comes out of it. You learn from every crazy mistake. Go make some crazy mistakes.
                      Dude, what are you even talking about?

                      Comment


                      • Re: Trackinb Contest

                        Originally posted by nojustice View Post
                        It's like you all just want to punch me in the face until I'm wrong.
                        From what I see we all just want you to see the truth, rather than throw out spurious claims and ignore replies that bust those claims conpletely.


                        What's so horrible about finding people?
                        Nothing! Which is our point. A competition win gets you to the people. They find you. They want to meet you. And this is all you've wanted ever since you started querying. That is why what you say is nonsensical. Why your 8 point plan contradicts itself.

                        You say to find people and generate interest yet you poo poo something that delivers exactly that. Like I said, you're a cold call salesman trying to get a bite and no salesman in the world would turn down such an opportunity. Not one would refuse being hand picked and delivered in favour of staying in the trenches, hoping to be found.
                        M.A.G.A.

                        Comment


                        • Re: Trackinb Contest

                          It gets a few reps for a few people. But not a lot of sales. Even winners usually end up having to go find people elsewhere anyway.

                          But we've done a circle again. I'm not coming back to this.

                          "not much promise, just a lot of false hope", I'm not the one who said it.

                          Comment


                          • Re: Trackinb Contest

                            Originally posted by nojustice View Post
                            It gets a few reps for a few people. But not a lot of sales. Even winners usually end up having to go find people elsewhere anyway.
                            You miss the point.
                            Because you want to.

                            You will only get anywhere if you make the right contacts and impress people. To get there you have to get attention, stand out from the crowd, and impress so people want to meet you. And yet you're balking at competitions when success in them guarantees all this.

                            You refuse to admit the truth that a win delivers the same end result that you hope to achieve by plugging away with your networking attempts.

                            You refuse to admit that trying to repped and sold, trying to catch the eye, is being a cold call salesman. And these guys would sell their soul to get a chance to meet with, and pitch to, an open minded decision maker.


                            "not much promise, just a lot of false hope", I'm not the one who said it.
                            And you took it out of context. Only an idiot would think they stand a great chance of winning when they are but one of thousands. Does the lottery offer false hope? Not to those who aren't morons and who understand there is no guarantee. But they understand you have to be in it to win it.

                            And if you want to quote pros, how come you're not quoting Jeff Lowell who agreed they can get you to the dinner table?

                            And seeing as you refuse to see the truth, it's a waste continuing this.
                            M.A.G.A.

                            Comment


                            • Re: Trackinb Contest

                              You guys do realize that 'nojustice' is Craig Mazin masquerading as Derek Haas masquerading as BDZ masquerading as Todd Karate?

                              And behind it all? That's right. Jeff Lowell.

                              HH

                              Comment


                              • Re: Trackinb Contest

                                Originally posted by nojustice View Post
                                It gets a few reps for a few people. But not a lot of sales. Even winners usually end up having to go find people elsewhere anyway.
                                There are thousands of people who are repped that haven't sold -- but at least they are one step ahead of the hundreds of thousands who don't have reps.

                                Yeah selling or getting a movie made is the end goal, that some will never make, but it's not like you can skip all the other rungs to get to the top. One of those rungs is getting solid representation that hopefully guides you into a sell or assignments.

                                Either way, I'm going to assume you are repped or have a movie in production and did not do it by entering a measly contest.
                                Last edited by ducky1288; 02-26-2012, 03:13 PM.
                                Quack.

                                Writer on a cable drama.

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