All screenplay contests are SCAM?

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  • #76
    Re: All screenplay contests are SCAM?

    Originally posted by Bono View Post
    As someone that doesn't drink, I think anything is better than spending money on booze. However, at least a $5 drink does what it was supposed to do for you and is the same in Arizona or Mars. Script advice various a lot, including price. Both can make you sick if you have too much.

    I wish you good luck in your alcoholism and writing career.
    Contests CAN put money in your pockets or bring you contacts and maybe future work. Script advice CAN make your writing better. Booze just makes other people LOOK better. (Until you sober up)

    I don't drink. Anymore.

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    • #77
      Re: All screenplay contests are SCAM?

      Originally posted by omjs View Post
      Now this I have doubts about. What effect does Mars's atmosphere have on carbonated drinks? If in a space station, what is the effect of 100% recirculated air on the scent and flavor of wine? Is there a different threshold to be considered a night of "heavy" drinking, due to the difference in gravity?

      And that's without even getting into exchange rates.
      I like the way you think.

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      • #78
        Re: All screenplay contests are SCAM?

        Originally posted by wildswan View Post
        "All screenplay contests are SCAM (sic)?" Seriously?

        -- 90% true ( ---Quote -- I was shocked to read an online ad looking for "script readers- to help with a major screenwriting contest. I thought only industry professionals were diligently sorting through these scripts to find the best ones.---)) Source: https://scriptcat.wordpress.com/2011...rth-the-money/

        All blondes are dumb. -not true
        All Jews are rich. - not true
        All poor people are lazy. - not true
        All cops are corrupt. - not true
        All salesmen are liars. - not true
        ad infinitum...

        Jesus...
        - TRUE

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        • #79
          Re: All screenplay contests are SCAM?

          Originally posted by MrZero View Post
          Please do not be fooled by the pros among us who confidently proclaim that they can infallibly detect true screenwriting talent just from reading the first page of a script.
          Very well said

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          • #80
            Re: All screenplay contests are SCAM?

            The major contests certainly aren't a scam. I entered a horror script into the Screamcraft, PAGE and Nicholl comps for the first time last year and got quarter-finalist in Screamcraft out of it, nothing else. Did I scream that I was wronged? Nope. I was disappointed but obviously it was nowhere near good enough and I needed to try harder next time. I've got a comedy that I've really worked on and tried to polish as much as I possibly can in between my full time job and my family that I know is much better than my horror effort last year. Will I scream to the heavens in a rage if I don't win or at least place. Nope. I'll be disappointed if I don't improve on last years performance but I'll re-evaluate and try again next year. Competitions are a stepping stone to getting me noticed and read by people in the industry that may be able to do something with my script or at least recommend it to someone who can do something with it.

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            • #81
              Re: All screenplay contests are SCAM?

              Some are good, most are probably bad. Most are also incredibly tacky just from their contest names, let alone reputations. You wouldn't buy a new car without doing research. So, research the contests. Obviously Nicholl, Page and Austin are worlds apart from others which shall remain nameless in this post. I've entered some when I was down on funds and won, and that $10,000 comes in mighty handy when you're piecing together a freelancing career and writing spec scripts.

              So my advice is set aside a certain amount of money, $150 or whatever, per contest season and pick the best contests, send your stuff off and forget about it. Go on to writing your next script and if you hear back great, if not, no big deal. Don't take it personally. Contests are great at motivating writers to actually finish a script, great motivation to continue writing if you place, even just past the first round and occasionally they can really give you a career boost. Just another tool, but choose wisely, both in terms of contest reputation and personal funds. It's not rocket science -- take the emotion out of it and just get the writing done and see what happens.

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