Nicholl 2019

[Rantanplan]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Actually, here's the WGA's 101 Greatest Screenplays list for anyone who wants to skim it.

https://www.wga.org/writers-room/101...reenplays/list

You can learn a lot from that list. Most are character-driven, even the ones that have big sharks in them.

[Bono]

Re: Nicholl 2019

It's 2019 and there are too many things via for people's attention. News comes every second. So many ways to say "Look at me" "Look over here" "Read me"

I would just focus now on what you can control. Writing a great script. Trying to break in and get through all the noise is even harder than it ever was.

I'm just over all this nitpicking about contests. And not becuase I've reached some higher level. I think because time has passed these by and we don't need it. We used to need it to have access. But now we all have email and twitter.

Make your own contest. And give yourself the grand prize. Then go sell the hell outta that spec. Go do it. Now!

[Jai Brandon]

Re: Nicholl 2019

The year RUIN topped the Blacklist, considered the number one "most liked" spec script in town, it didn't make it out of the Nicholl semifinals... but at least it got that far.

[finalact4]

Re: Nicholl 2019

In addition, becoming an Academy Nicholl Fellow (and finalist) means that the writers and their screenplays garner considerable attention from members of the film industry. Typically, any new fellows and finalists who do not have representation will soon receive offers from agents and/or managers.

-- That was posted by Nicholl on their facebook page. It's a people business. Everyone wants to know the new Nicholl winners. People will be coming to you. And when you do reach out, your calling card is that you won the most prestigious screenwriting competition in the world. You won't have any trouble getting meetings and reps.

You're gucci. Feel me? Lol.

In the end, what matters is making deals and making money.

I would say that the Nicholl, out of any other contest, gets the most attention from the industry-- everyone respects and looks forward to reading the winning scripts, without a doubt.

I don't know if you've had a chance to check out Wenonah's journey last year, but she won Nicholl and Austin. It's a very inspiring journey. I think she even shared the video of herself, all I know is that it was so inspiring it made me cry.

Definitely worth reading.

[Vango]

Re: Nicholl 2019

In addition, becoming an Academy Nicholl Fellow (and finalist) means that the writers and their screenplays garner considerable attention from members of the film industry. Typically, any new fellows and finalists who do not have representation will soon receive offers from agents and/or managers.

-- That was posted by Nicholl on their facebook page. It's a people business. Everyone wants to know the new Nicholl winners. People will be coming to you. And when you do reach out, your calling card is that you won the most prestigious screenwriting competition in the world. You won't have any trouble getting meetings and reps.

You're gucci. Feel me? Lol.

In the end, what matters is making deals and making money.

[Vango]

Re: Nicholl 2019

I 100% agree with 99% of that. Ha!

I'm not "stressing" over this, I've gotten my shots by bypassing the Nicholl. I'm just "concerned" for other writers that could really use a Nicholl win to break through, but they don't (C'mon, not really) have much of a fighting chance in the most prestigious screenplay competition in the world. Based on genre.

I've said before, I fooled around with one of the judges and well... I think Greg means well, but let's just say I believe what I believe.

I am surprised to hear that they GUARANTEE you'll get repped. Interesting. I wonder if any winner has NOT gotten repped. I'm curious how they can guarantee this aspect. I honestly didn't know that was in their fine print.

Black Panther? - Same thought.

Moonlight? - I have to like it since my acquaintance won. LOL

Chris Nolan? - My ex tried to sign him off the Memento script. Nope. No internal support. Now that script is listed in WGA's 101 Best Screenplays of all times list. I wonder who would admit that they passed on him now? ;-) No one!

So, yes, my gripe is in the vein of that: How the fukk does Chris Nolan's name not even get brought up at the Oscars. But, everyone cheers for the dude who won for best short film about the moving story of him peeling a grape to feed it to a black guy (Made up movie. But, hey fukk it, let's shoot for real!)

I don't believe Interstellar would make it past the 1st round in Nicholl. That's precisely my point. Maybe their directive is getting SAME-Y and STALE and could use a facelift.

Yeah it's tough man. Nolan is a genius in my eyes, and I don't think Nicholl would recognize Interstellar or Inception as a clear winner, which it would be in my eyes. Nicholl winners write amazing scripts, but they're not Inception.

As far as getting signed, I'd be highly surprised if a winner didn't get any offers. In fact I would be very curious if that's ever happened. I would bet against it. So yeah, it's virtually a guarantee, if that writer actually wants it (maybe they don't). This is how it's been relayed to me by a couple winners. And the meetings are also a guarantee. No, that's not written in the fine print, so don't go getting all technical on me. Winning the Nicholl is not like Austin or ScriptPipeline. People in the industry want to know these Nicholl winners, and for good reason. Feel free to talk to some winners. They will tell you the same things. Winning the Nicholl guarantees exposure, yes. You're literally accepting your award and giving a speech in front of tons of industry people who are all there for you. FinalAct sorry but you are mistaken. The fine print does not matter.

[finalact4]

Re: Nicholl 2019

I am surprised to hear that they GUARANTEE you'll get repped. Interesting. I wonder if any winner has NOT gotten repped. I'm curious how they can guarantee this aspect. I honestly didn't know that was in their fine print.

They do not guarantee you get repped. They do not guarantee exposure. They guarantee fellowships to the winners.

From their website:

PRIZES
Up to five $35,000 fellowships are awarded each year to promising new screenwriters. From the program's inception in 1986 through 2018, $4.405 million has been awarded to 171 writers.

FELLOWSHIP OBLIGATIONS
Up to five fellows in the Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition will be invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars in November.

Fellowship recipients will be expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during the fellowship year.

Fellowship payments will be made quarterly subject to satisfactory progress of the recipient's work, as judged by the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee.

The Academy reserves the right to grant no awards if, in the opinion of the Academy Nicholl Fellowships Committee, no entry is of sufficient merit.

I agree with you Gucci.
FA4

[Bono]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Indiana, let it go... https://youtu.be/6kZKHNHGzCg

[Friday]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Star Wars got beat out for best picture. Granted, Annie Hall is a good movie, maybe great, but Star Wars completely rocked the movie industry and changed the business. Back to the Future, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Psycho.... Groundbreaking films.



Sure, it's easy to say that well you can still be successful even if you don't get into Harvard or do not have the type of style that fits Nicholl, but I am sure people would still like those opportunities. It's not like there are so many doors open to new writers that they wouldn't want all of them available. If Nicholl only favors a particular niche, then that shuts out a huge percentage of writers that do not fit that niche. A lot of successful writers did not get past the first round of the Nicholl, but just because they succeeded anyway, doesn't mean they couldn't have used that boost. Sometimes, you lose years out of your life waiting for that big break.

[docgonzo]

Re: Nicholl 2019

To be fair, Hitchcock did lose to John Ford, Billy Wilder (twice), and Elia Kazan.

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Alfred Hitchcock *never* won an Oscar.


Martin Scorsese won *one* Oscar for directing. One. In 2007, after 35 years of filmmaking (and it wasn't for what many will say is his best).

Yup, ridiculous. Felt like a participation award. Hadda roll my eyes.

Hitchcock... plain absurdity. Now he's an ICON? But you can't give the guy a statue. C'mon...

Practically speaking, placing in the Nicholl is an amazing opportunity and honor. And as important as it is, it shouldn't be the be-all end-all, and the arbiter for your value as a writer or your script.


I mean, plenty of people don't get into Harvard. Lots of amazing people there. But plenty who didn't even get close have also gone on to do amazing things too.


I don't know much, but like most pursuits in life, you gotta outlast the gatekeepers.

YUP!

[GucciGhostXXX]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Gucci you make a lot of good points. The Nicholl is catering to something specific, it's very obvious that a lot of the scripts that advance deep would not do well (with an audience) if filmed. There have been some amazing novels written that not many people know about, but it's your Patterson novels that are flying off the shelves. There are some amazing hole in the wall restaurants, but it's your big restaurants/franchises that make all the money.

At the end of the day, the only thing the fellowship guarantees is the grant money, that you will get signed, and that you will go on a ton of meetings and you won't have to knock down any doors to try and get 10 pages read.

You've already accomplished more than most Nicholl winners, so I don't think it's something you should be stressing over. The Nicholl winners are amazing writers, to be honest, as I've gotten to read several of them. But I think you are a great writer as well.

It's no different than the Academy Awards. Can you please explain to me how Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture as a superhero flick and The Dark Knight, the greatest superhero movie ever, and in IMDB's top 5 movies ever rating wise, was not? That's a rhetorical question. We know why. Moonlight won best picture of the year. That's the best film of the year? Okay. We know why.

Can someone explain how Chris Nolan, by far the most innovative director in Hollywood today, does not have an oscar? The fact that he did not get a best director nomination for the Dark Knight or Instersteller (I believe) is outrageous. And quite frankly, the fact he didn't win best original screenplay for Inception is even worse. Which is easily the best mind-bending big hit commercial film of the 21st century.

Nowadays, these kind of prestigious awards usually favor culturally diverse material that brings socially relevant taboos and global issues to the forefront.

I 100% agree with 99% of that. Ha!

I'm not "stressing" over this, I've gotten my shots by bypassing the Nicholl. I'm just "concerned" for other writers that could really use a Nicholl win to break through, but they don't (C'mon, not really) have much of a fighting chance in the most prestigious screenplay competition in the world. Based on genre.

I've said before, I fooled around with one of the judges and well... I think Greg means well, but let's just say I believe what I believe.

I am surprised to hear that they GUARANTEE you'll get repped. Interesting. I wonder if any winner has NOT gotten repped. I'm curious how they can guarantee this aspect. I honestly didn't know that was in their fine print.

Black Panther? - Same thought.

Moonlight? - I have to like it since my acquaintance won. LOL

Chris Nolan? - My ex tried to sign him off the Memento script. Nope. No internal support. Now that script is listed in WGA's 101 Best Screenplays of all times list. I wonder who would admit that they passed on him now? ;-) No one!

So, yes, my gripe is in the vein of that: How the fukk does Chris Nolan's name not even get brought up at the Oscars. But, everyone cheers for the dude who won for best short film about the moving story of him peeling a grape to feed it to a black guy (Made up movie. But, hey fukk it, let's shoot for real!)

I don't believe Interstellar would make it past the 1st round in Nicholl. That's precisely my point. Maybe their directive is getting SAME-Y and STALE and could use a facelift.

[Vango]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Alfred Hitchcock *never* won an Oscar.


Martin Scorsese won *one* Oscar for directing. One. In 2007, after 35 years of filmmaking (and it wasn't for what many will say is his best).

Unacceptable! Both have made some of the most legendary movies of all time! It's just mind boggling to me, but at the same time, it is expected from the Academy! LOL!

[redturtle]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Alfred Hitchcock *never* won an Oscar.


Martin Scorsese won *one* Oscar for directing. One. In 2007, after 35 years of filmmaking (and it wasn't for what many will say is his best).


Practically speaking, placing in the Nicholl is an amazing opportunity and honor. And as important as it is, it shouldn't be the be-all end-all, and the arbiter for your value as a writer or your script.


I mean, plenty of people don't get into Harvard. Lots of amazing people there. But plenty who didn't even get close have also gone on to do amazing things too.


I don't know much, but like most pursuits in life, you gotta outlast the gatekeepers.

[Vango]

Re: Nicholl 2019

Gucci you make a lot of good points. The Nicholl is catering to something specific, it's very obvious that a lot of the scripts that advance deep would not do well (with an audience) if filmed. There have been some amazing novels written that not many people know about, but it's your Patterson novels that are flying off the shelves. There are some amazing hole in the wall restaurants, but it's your big restaurants/franchises that make all the money.

At the end of the day, the only thing the fellowship guarantees is the grant money, that you will get signed, and that you will go on a ton of meetings and you won't have to knock down any doors to try and get 10 pages read.

You've already accomplished more than most Nicholl winners, so I don't think it's something you should be stressing over. The Nicholl winners are amazing writers, to be honest, as I've gotten to read several of them. But I think you are a great writer as well.

It's no different than the Academy Awards. Can you please explain to me how Black Panther was nominated for Best Picture as a superhero flick and The Dark Knight, the greatest superhero movie ever, and in IMDB's top 5 movies ever rating wise, was not? That's a rhetorical question. We know why. Moonlight won best picture of the year. That's the best film of the year? Okay. We know why.

Can someone explain how Chris Nolan, by far the most innovative director in Hollywood today, does not have an oscar? The fact that he did not get a best director nomination for the Dark Knight or Instersteller (I believe) is outrageous. And quite frankly, the fact he didn't win best original screenplay for Inception is even worse. Which is easily the best mind-bending big hit commercial film of the 21st century.

Nowadays, these kind of prestigious awards usually favor culturally diverse material that brings socially relevant taboos and global issues to the forefront.