Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

[Hilander]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

if possible - you should have a native English speaker proofread and/or edit your script. it shouldn't effect your entry if the story is really good, but multiple grammar and spelling mistakes is something that cannot escape the mind of most readers.

NikeeGoddess sorry for any confusion. The ESL wasn't a/my question, it was a Nicholl FAQ. I listed it since there was only a link to the category "Miscellaneous" not to the actual question, and I wanted people to find the source I used. It was in answering that FAQ that they gave the information about aspects I quoted.

I concur that anyone with weak English writing skills ought to have someone proof it.

For clarity here is the question and answer in its entirety.

Q. If English is not my first language, will that affect my entry in any way?

A. Not if you write in English as well as a native speaker. Telling an interesting story well and clearly is certainly a main component of an entry's evaluation. English language writing skills less than those of a native speaker usually hampers the telling in English of any story. As writing ability is considered in the overall evaluation of each entry, poor or mediocre English writing skills will diminish the chances of success in the competition.

The goal of the Nicholl Fellowships is to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters. In looking at the entry scripts, we consider all aspects of a screenplay including story, storytelling, dialogue, characterization, structure, craft and writing.

[versed]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Submitted yesterday! Took gregbeal's advice and tried to beat the rush.

This is my first contest, so I'm hoping to at least find out if I a) suck, or b) have potential.

[NikeeGoddess]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

There is no mention of Marketability, Cast-Ability, Commerciality, Or Market Potential (Salability).

*FAQ Category Miscellaneous
Question (Follows # of entries answer)
Q. If English is not my first language, will that affect my entry in any way?

this is a good thing b/c those factors can often get in the way of good storytelling.

if possible - you should have a native English speaker proofread and/or edit your script. it shouldn't effect your entry if the story is really good, but multiple grammar and spelling mistakes is something that cannot escape the mind of most readers.

[Hilander]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

This is under their FAQ *

In regards to "categories," I believe focusing on these seven aspects (bold-face is mine) would be an excellent starting place. Next look at the reader's comments to see how they react to these aspects.

The goal of the Nicholl Fellowships is to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters. In looking at the entry scripts, we consider all aspects of a screenplay including story, storytelling, dialogue, characterization, structure, craft and writing.

There is no mention of Marketability, Cast-Ability, Commerciality, Or Market Potential (Salability).

*FAQ Category Miscellaneous
Question (Follows # of entries answer)
Q. If English is not my first language, will that affect my entry in any way?

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

I apologize if this has been asked, but do you recommend we register our scripts with the WGA before submitting?

Per the rules, including an LoC and/or WGA registration number on the title page is allowed but is not required.

[versed]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

I apologize if this has been asked, but do you recommend we register our scripts with the WGA before submitting?

[iggy]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

We've been second and third (and fourth through tenth) reading scripts for years. Several thousand second reads each year. Reading all the entries twice isn't going to alter the fact that evaluating screenplays is always going to be a subjective enterprise.

While I haven't done any analysis, I suspect there may be more first and second read agreement between readers this year than in prior years (in part because the seriously mediocre and worse are obvious to most readers).

Thanks.

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Greg,

Now that you've got 2 readers grading every first round script, do you find the whole process is as subjective as everyone says?

Are you getting similar scores (total and across the categories) from both readers or are they wildly divergent?

Thanks!

We've been second and third (and fourth through tenth) reading scripts for years. Several thousand second reads each year. Reading all the entries twice isn't going to alter the fact that evaluating screenplays is always going to be a subjective enterprise.

While I haven't done any analysis, I suspect there may be more first and second read agreement between readers this year than in prior years (in part because the seriously mediocre and worse are obvious to most readers).

[iggy]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Greg,

Now that you've got 2 readers grading every first round script, do you find the whole process is as subjective as everyone says?

Are you getting similar scores (total and across the categories) from both readers or are they wildly divergent?

Thanks!

[iggy]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Yes.

No.

Thank

You.

[Twofingeredtypist]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Was hoping to make the deadline for this, but it doesn't seem likely I will now.

Best of luck to those of you who enter (and not just 'cos I haven't made it)

[JeffLowell]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. Made me curious about 2 things: Do you ever get scripts at that stage which you think are only so so?

When you say "That's great. It's moving on." Do you think in terms of contest scripts and judge less harshly than you'd judge a script by a professional screenwriter?

Thanks!

Yes.

No.

[MrZero]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

But you're really judged on how many spaces are after each period.

[malfernan]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Nice post, NG, thanks.

[iggy]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Iggy, I've read the final round of a big contest for the last couple of years. And I'll offer you this perspective: the numbers and categories never play into what I advance. I read a script and think "that was great. It's moving on." Then I make sure the numbers reflect that.

I never read a script that's so so, fill in the numbers, and think "huh, turns out that script was great. I didn't really like it, but the numbers don't lie."

I also will go back at the end and adjust the numbers so they reflect my order. There's no mathematical precision to it - what's the formula that differentiates an 8 from a 9 in dialogue?

Write a compelling script, and it will advance.

Thanks. That makes perfect sense. Made me curious about 2 things: Do you ever get scripts at that stage which you think are only so so?

When you say "That's great. It's moving on." Do you think in terms of contest scripts and judge less harshly than you'd judge a script by a professional screenwriter?

Thanks!