Black List question - Nicholl placement

[nguyensquared]

Re: Black List question - Nicholl placement

Added to that, there's no hard correlation between big budget blockbuster and artistic films with something greater to say. A film can be a high concept blockbuster and have great characters/story. The fact that so many don't is more a product of other forces and not necessarily by design.

Well, I wasn't sure how to finesse my agreement with you so checked out the Nicholl FB page for the wording I was looking for: "...Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, awarded annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences". That is, I was trying to describe the contest's affiliation with the Oscars.

So, obviously, they may not come right out and discriminate against big budget action superhero stories that make a gazillion euros/pounds/dollars, but they seem stuck on that old-fashioned view that movies are art and should also have something to say.

And yes, I agree with you that it's great to see.

[nguyensquared]

Re: Black List question - Nicholl placement

From what I've heard, quite a few careers have been launched from the QF and SF placements. Bear in mind that most contests aren't perfectly sorted. In other words, winning scripts aren't necessarily better than scripts that go out in the quarters/semis.

I'm reading all of this year's Black List scripts (the actual list, not the website) and I've come across two Nicholl SFs that I rate higher than the only winner I've read so far. As far as I know, that winning script has no real traction whereas one of the semifinalists has some big talent circling.

There is bound to be a lot of subjectivity in any contests and judges may be looking for different things than execs/agents. That's why I don't think the idea that there are only 5-6 worthwhile scripts in a huge contest like the Nicholl is totally accurate.

Supposedly, Vince Gilligan only made it to the semi-finals in the Nicholl as well.

[Friday]

Re: Black List question - Nicholl placement

Supposedly, Vince Gilligan only made it to the semi-finals in the Nicholl as well.

Dam...I would love to see what his Nicholl script looks like....must be gold.