Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

[JoJo]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

It's true you can't check the uploaded file after uploading, but you can upload your script as many times as you want prior to paying the entry fee.

Greg, will we be notified if our script was uploaded ok? Or if it wasn't?

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Just a word of warning (Greg may wish to correct me on this): as far as I could tell, you can't review your attached script after uploading (or check the filename), so make sure you pick the right attachment/draft!

It's true you can't check the uploaded file after uploading, but you can upload your script as many times as you want prior to paying the entry fee.

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Greg

How much of that list would apply to finalists/winners from countries other than the US? Would you pay airfares from abroad to attend the first week in LA?

Also, how much of it is compulsory/expected? I'm guessing the items on the second list are entirely optional and at the fellow's own expense - monthly dinners in LA could become tiresome for a fellow living in the highlands of Scotland or Cape Town!

Yes, we fly fellows and finalists in from wherever they live.

Nothing is compulsory for finalists or fellows - except writing a script during the fellowship year for fellows.

[Rhodi]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Very exciting! Uploaded two scripts today (and desperately trying to get a third finished before the deadline).

Just a word of warning (Greg may wish to correct me on this): as far as I could tell, you can't review your attached script after uploading (or check the filename), so make sure you pick the right attachment/draft!

[justin]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Greg

How much of that list would apply to finalists/winners from countries other than the US? Would you pay airfares from abroad to attend the first week in LA?

Also, how much of it is compulsory/expected? I'm guessing the items on the second list are entirely optional and at the fellow's own expense - monthly dinners in LA could become tiresome for a fellow living in the highlands of Scotland or Cape Town!

[Presto]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Stunning... Thanks Greg.

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

greg -- what does the fellowship include beside financial support? mentorship? or anything like that?

For fellows and finalists:

Trip to Los Angeles for those not in LA.
Hotel and per diem for seven days for those not in LA.
Seminars with industry folks.
Lunch seminar with several past Nicholl fellows.
Lunch with Nicholl Committee.
Awards Dinner.

For fellows during fellowship year:

Alumni Dinner with past fellows.
Informal mentorship with Nicholl committee member.
Monthly fellows lunches in Los Angeles.
Nomination screening pass if in Los Angeles.
Membership screening pass if in Los Angeles.
Invitation to following year Awards Dinner.
Staff reading of fellowship year script(s) (and notes, if desired).
Invitation to annual Alumni Dinners.

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

As distinct from contests that offer more than $5000 (such as Page, etc.) but which are NOT production companies.

. . . and don't "include a 'first look' clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer's work."

Contest entities that attach themselves to a winning writer's script would also cause a writer to become ineligible.

[LauriD]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

OK, I should have said "special case along with other contests run by production companies..."

As distinct from contests that offer more than $5000 (such as Page, etc.) but which are NOT production companies.

[gregbeal]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Nikee - not so. Other contest wins of more than $5000 would not render one ineligible. Amazon is considered a special case.

Nope, not true. Amazon Studios is not considered a special case. Here's the pertinent rule, which did not change from last year to this year:

1. An entrant's total earnings for motion picture and television writing may not exceed US$5,000 before the end of the competition. This limit applies to compensation for motion picture and television writing services as well as for the sale of (or sale of an option on) screenplays, teleplays, stage plays, books, treatments, stories, premises and any other source material.

Entrants may not have received screenwriting fellowships or prizes totaling more than US$5,000 that include a "first look" clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer's work.


We're treating the Amazon Studios screenwriting prizes just as we did those from Disney, Chesterfield and Nickelodeon, as well as other lesser known competitions.

Here's the interpretation of the rule as it applies in this case: when a production company (or any entity whose goal is to produce movies) awards a writer more than $5,000, we consider that money to be professional earnings.

We added a question and answer to the FAQs specifically about Amazon Studios since some people seemed unable to understand the existing Nicholl rule.

[LauriD]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

My life was hardly "ruined" by the $10,000 they gave me. And it also probably won't be ruined when they release the test movie they're making of my script.

And this was Greg's decision -- not something to blame Amazon for.

Which ruined lives are you referring to?

[winter dreams]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Yet another example of how Amazon continues to brazenly RUIN PEOPLE'S LIVES!

[LauriD]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

Nikee - not so. Other contest wins of more than $5000 would not render one ineligible. Amazon is considered a special case.

[NikeeGoddess]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

greg -- what does the fellowship include beside financial support? mentorship? or anything like that?

[NikeeGoddess]

Re: Nicholl Fellowship 2012 open for submissions

not really a big change. people who rec'd $5000 anywhere for their writing are not eligible.