Contest Ranking

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  • Contest Ranking

    I posted this earlier today in another thread, in response to a question about which I considered to be the top screenplay contests. I'd meant to make just a basic list, but after it grew more elaborate, I thought maybe it would be a good idea to put it in its own thread. Apologies if you saw it before. As I wrote in my original post, my opinion might not be worth more than anybody else's, so take this with a grain of salt. I'm kind of beyond the contest phase now (I hope!) but I took them very seriously for the last couple of years and I did a ton of research before selecting the ones I wanted to enter, ranking them for my own purposes. If I did a ranking today, it probably would look like this:

    1. Nicholl - class by itself.
    ------------------------------

    2. PAGE - solid No. 2, but not in Nicholl's league; relentless marketing and sketchy collateral enterprises like "eMeetings" are a bit annoying, but good people in charge honestly trying to help new writers; genre setup creates many opportunities for high placement, although also has a diluting effect.

    3. Austin - great reputation in writer community; most value if you go to the Festival; won't generate many inquiries but definitely helps in queries.

    4. TrackingB - rising star; lack of QF/SF tiers is a negative if you're looking for credentials, but if you're selected as an Honorable Mention or Finalist you have a very good chance to gain represenation; my managers know "The Insider" and told me that he's totally legit, so no worries there.

    5. Scriptapalooza - big plus for the way they very actively promote their Semifinalists and above (Top 100), which no other contest does; if you reach that level, you definitely will get reads.

    6. Script Pipeline - only acknowledging Top 20 is a neagtive, but they do have some impressive success stories and it's probably worth a shot.

    7. American Zoetrope - could be ranked higher because they have a very good reputation, but I think you need the right kind of script to have a good chance of doing well here.

    8. Slamdance - falling stock, in my opinion; had major administrative problems a couple of years ago and ripped some people off on coverage; now under new management, I believe, and trying to regain their footing, but still not particularly well run in terms of announcements and deadlines, etc.; WAB submission is a minus, if they're still doing that.

    9. BlueCat - has its diehard supporters who would rank it much higher, but I'm not a big fan of Gordy and his operation; undue preference for oddball, non-commercial scripts; as discussed elsewhere, feedback is hit-and-miss, but mostly miss.

    10. Creative World Awards - very well-run and good people running it; always makes scheduled announcement dates and one of the best contest websites around; would rank higher if it were more established.

    11. Final Draft - just checked the website out again and it looks improved since the last time I visted a couple years ago; dispensing with WAB and going back to website submission is a plus; still get the feeling that its main purpose is to serve as a marketing vehicle for the software, but overall looks a little better than I'd remembered.

    12. StoryPros - smaller contest without much reputation, but well-run and can help you get attention if you win or place; really nice guys running it.

    13. Fresh Voices - new and still getting its legs, but early signs are promising and many DD'ers have had positive experiences; good website.

    I've advanced in most of these contests, so I have some experience beyond simply entering. But, again, there are many opinions about contests and I don't claim any special authority.

    I hope this is helpful.

  • #2
    Re: Contest Ranking

    Okay, maybe this can be a useful thread.


    What are the elements in a good competition that will inspire confidence? I'll offer one:


    Transparency:


    Do they tell you how many times the screenplay is read? And by whom? What is the rubric they use to score screenplays?


    Or:


    Is their entire process secret? Do you even know if your screenplay was read? Or how much of your screenplay do they read? Some competitions, believe it or not, don't read the entire screenplay.


    I am not completely confident in ANY competition, but some competitions inspire more confidence than others.


    Anyone else want to chip in as to elements in a good competition that inspire confidence? Have any examples?

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Contest Ranking

      I think there's only one meaningful metric to judge contests by: how much success have they had in opening doors for their winners? This is the only thing that matters.

      Transparency is very nice. I love how open Greg Beal is about the entire Nicholl process. TrackingB, on the other hand, doesn't give the slightest clue regarding its process. However, both contests have great track records in terms of opening doors for their winners.

      PAGE also has a great track record, as do some of the other contests on Aspirant's list (good list by the way, though I would've ordered it differently).

      Aside from looking at the contest's success stories, it's worthwhile to consider what sort of a contest it is before entering. I don't believe TrackingB is worth entering without a very high concept idea, for example.

      My website:www.marjorykaptanoglu.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Contest Ranking

        Certainly I think having confidence in a competition plays a role.

        When you are entering one screenplay in five compeitions, it's not that big a deal. When you're entering five screenplays in five competitions, it starts to become a big deal. That starts to add up as far as out of pocket expenses, and you need to be confident that they will at least read your screenplay.

        I've been around too long, and seen too much to just throw my money away on competitions who decide how good your screenplay is based solely on how the cover is formatted (not that I don't do this properly) or whether you live in LA or not (which at the moment I do not). Which believe or not, happens.

        That primarily is why I think transparancy is so important. Certainly they don't have to tell you everything, but there are too many ripoffs, and too many predators lurking around to just "trust" a competition will do the right thing.

        .

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Contest Ranking

          That's why you research. If contest winners have been signed, or their scripts sold, then it's a good contest. No studio or agent is going to run with a script that was judged on the basis of a cover page.
          Chicks Who Script podcast

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Contest Ranking

            Ken: I believe that all of the contests listed above are legitimate and do read every screenplay submitted. Transparency is important, of course, and you'll almost always find the information you've mentioned in the contest rules or FAQs. But unless you're standing over the shoulder of the reader who's assigned your script, you'll never have the certainty you seem to seek. So I think your quest for "confidence" is somewhat misplaced. Take the top five contests on my list -- they've all been around for many years (with the exception of TrackingB, which is relatively new) and they all have very good reputations. To my mind, that's really all you can ask for, in terms of confidence. I don't think anyone could go wrong submitting to any of these contests, and if you're a new writer looking for ways to gain credentials and get noticed, it's probably worth entering all of them. But I wouldn't get too deep in the weeds on the contests' internal reading and scoring procedures, because however they go about it, they're doing it the same way for everyone, so you won't be advantaged or disadvantaged one way or the other. Some people seem to think, for example, that the more reads they get, the better their chances are, which is baseless. All you want is a fair shot, and, to best knowledge, the contests listed here will give you that.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Contest Ranking

              Originally posted by Aspirant View Post
              Ken: I believe that all of the contests listed above are legitimate and do read every screenplay submitted. Transparency is important, of course, and you'll almost always find the information you've mentioned in the contest rules or FAQs. But unless you're standing over the shoulder of the reader who's assigned your script, you'll never have the certainty you seem to seek. So I think your quest for "confidence" is somewhat misplaced. Take the top five contests on my list -- they've all been around for many years (with the exception of TrackingB, which is relatively new) and they all have very good reputations. To my mind, that's really all you can ask for, in terms of confidence. I don't think anyone could go wrong submitting to any of these contests, and if you're a new writer looking for ways to gain credentials and get noticed, it's probably worth entering all of them. But I wouldn't get too deep in the weeds on the contests' internal reading and scoring procedures, because however they go about it, they're doing it the same way for everyone, so you won't be advantaged or disadvantaged one way or the other. Some people seem to think, for example, that the more reads they get, the better their chances are, which is baseless. All you want is a fair shot, and, to best knowledge, the contests listed here will give you that.


              Actually, I have experience with nine of the above screenplay competitions, and have entered competitions since about 2004. So, I am speaking more for newbies who may be considering entering competitions, than for myself. I have a list of four competitions I generally enter:

              Nicholl
              Austin
              Scriptapalooza
              Page

              And each year I may enter one or more additional competitions, but don't fret, I'm not asking these questions for myself.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Contest Ranking

                I guess it's all down to what you're looking for in a contest. If it's a sense of validation and a personal gage of how your writing holds up against others in a similar situation, then the more prestigious contests that offer quarters, semi's and final placements outside of the winning scripts are where you might consider starting. I was fortunate enough to go the full distance in the PAGE Awards but it was the quarter final announcement in that particular competition that brought me the biggest smile. Granted these things are all about opinions but those who felt my script warranted a place at that stage of the contest, instilled an added sense of belief in me with what I was doing...

                IMHO though, Nicholl and Trackingb set the bar in regards to writers securing representation...

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Contest Ranking

                  Originally posted by Aspirant View Post
                  All you want is a fair shot, and, to best knowledge, the contests listed here will give you that.
                  What about Writers on the Storm contest? Any experience or opinion?
                  "Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again." -[/SIZE] James R. Cook

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Contest Ranking

                    The best contests are those that offer A) the largest cash prizes and B) have proven track records.


                    A) By cash prizes, real cash. Not some software valued at $500 or an hour of lunch with a script consultant valued at $1000. CASH.

                    B) Ones that have consistent records in getting writers access to agents, managers, and production companies.

                    And those are:

                    Nicholl, Sundance, the various workshop/labs affiliated with studios, FIND labs.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Contest Ranking

                      I think before you enter a competition you should ask "what will I get out of this?" rather than just "what will the winner get out of this?" OK we all hope to win, but the reality is almost all of us won't.

                      Which is why the only contests I regularly enter are Nicholl and Bluecat.

                      Bluecat gives feedback on every script submitted. I've now had six feedback reports and all of them have said something to help me improve my scripts. Sure, it's only a pageful, but given the cost of feedback reports elsewhere, it's good value. Moreover, there's a bottom line - either you make the QF/SF etc or you don't. With the new timetable, Bluecat is also a good way of testing/improving a script before entering Nicholl.

                      Nicholl is cheap, thorough, and produces read requests even for quarterfinalists. Failing to make the top 20% tells you your script probably isn't as good as you thought it was as it will have failed to impress two different people who both gave it a full read. Making the QF/SF tells you you're getting there. And all ten finalists get a prize worth more than most competitions will offer - let alone the Fellows.

                      TrackingB I don't get at all. It's expensive to enter and offers nothing at all to anyone except the very top placers - and even they only get the chance of representation, something you'd get from entering Nicholl if the script is good enough.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Contest Ranking

                        Originally posted by Mintclub View Post
                        I guess it's all down to what you're looking for in a contest. If it's a sense of validation and a personal gage of how your writing holds up against others in a similar situation, then the more prestigious contests that offer quarters, semi's and final placements outside of the winning scripts are where you might consider starting. I was fortunate enough to go the full distance in the PAGE Awards but it was the quarter final announcement in that particular competition that brought me the biggest smile. Granted these things are all about opinions but those who felt my script warranted a place at that stage of the contest, instilled an added sense of belief in me with what I was doing...

                        IMHO though, Nicholl and Trackingb set the bar in regards to writers securing representation...
                        Congratulations re PAGE -- that's a good result.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Contest Ranking

                          Originally posted by JoJo View Post
                          What about Writers on the Storm contest? Any experience or opinion?
                          I actually don't have any experience with this contest, but I know some DD'ers have entered in the past, and I can't recall ever hearing anything bad about it.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Contest Ranking

                            Originally posted by Hamboogul View Post
                            The best contests are those that offer A) the largest cash prizes and B) have proven track records.

                            A) By cash prizes, real cash. Not some software valued at $500 or an hour of lunch with a script consultant valued at $1000. CASH.

                            B) Ones that have consistent records in getting writers access to agents, managers, and production companies.

                            And those are:

                            Nicholl, Sundance, the various workshop/labs affiliated with studios, FIND labs.
                            I agree with (B), but not with (A). Unless you're flat broke, I don't think the money matters at all. Of course, getting 30 grand or whatever from Nicholl would be great, but in my opinion, cash shouldn't be your motivation for entering any contest.

                            I should clarify that I did not include competitions for workshops, labs, or fellowships (except Nicholl) on my contest list, but of course there are some very good ones out there that can definitely help your career.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Contest Ranking

                              Originally posted by Aspirant View Post
                              I actually don't have any experience with this contest, but I know some DD'ers have entered in the past, and I can't recall ever hearing anything bad about it.

                              Thanks, Aspirant... one thing is clear from this thread - people have different motivations/needs re: contests.... and this certainly affects their opinion.
                              "Do just once what others say you can't do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again." -[/SIZE] James R. Cook

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