Hello fellow writers! Here I am, sharing my story with you, hoping that it will help you not to make the sa me mistakes I made! So, in the last six months I wrote the pilot for a tv thriller which I really felt had legs. I polished it, sent it to two reputable screenplay consultants who helped me fix a few mistakes and inconsistencies and then started sending it to competitions. I started sending it to a lot of competitions, regardless of their reputation and then, realizing that it was a useless and very expensive behaviour, I wised-up and started doing some research. Like, really paying attention to the important stuff, if you know what I mean. And I thought it was enough. But it actually wasn't. Why? Because scammers are smarter than I thought. As you probably know, there are a few (very few) film festivals with a reputable script contest attached to it. I thought I had found the above film festivals websites and submitted to said contests and got a placement in both, yay! Problem is, those weren't the contests I meant to submit to. Those were contests WITH AN ALMOST IDENTICAL NAME AND AN ALMOST IDENTICAL WEBSITE, LEADING PEOPLE TO THINK THAT THEY ARE SUBMITTING TO SOMEONE ELSE. I've recently found out, to my dismay. One was so shady, that its whole website just got removed from the internet! I found them through Movie bites, I suggest you use coverfly to browse competitions, they make a minimum selection there (you don't need to actually join coverfly to browse, just to be clear). I'm writing this just to warn you all, don't mean to depress anyone. Stay healthy and keep writing!
Screenwriting : I've got scammed. Twice by Louisa Klein
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That is so terrible. Thanks for warning the community.
Louisa Klein I believe golden rule from the beginning of time says: you find my story interesting - pay me!
Any "will" "to teach you how" "listen to me" etc. is just close or worse than you've stated above. Don't loose your faith still. There are a bunch of free opportunities out there for novices/freelancers, be it submitting your script for review, festival, pitch or optioning...never pay for each of those...n e v e r, unless you've already earned a sale and let's say want to invest your money into further development of you or your project. But then again, only after doing some solid research of your source.
CJ Walley Movie Bites isn’t aware of any of this, it just lists them both. The shadier of the two got its website taken down with all its social media. i’ve checked and it was very new (yeah, I’m stupid): less than 2 years old! The other one is also new, although a little bit older, and, according to a lawyer friend I’ve consulted, it’s very similar to the other festival, but NOT SO SIMILAR that they can sue... does that make any sense?
Thanks everyone for your support, anyway! I feel a little less stupid!
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Yeah I think that might have happened to me, too.
Rebecca D Robinson I’m in good company then! Well, as I like to say, sometimes I win, sometimes I learn. This time I’ve definitely learnt something, it was money well- spent in the end, anyway.
I got an email from a women's festival/screenwriting competition. Send them a lot of money!!! They promised coverage to every entry!! I have heard nothing and can't track them down.
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Dan MaxXx this is EXACTLY my situation! So, these things happen all the time, eh? Again, glad I’m not alone. And again, happy to have learnt a lesson and treasure it for the future. Also happy I didn’t query managers bragging about a placement in a fake award!
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Thanks to mention it. So much BS on the internet these days. There should be some way to identify legit contests.
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It sucks that people prey on creatives. I researched competitions before I submitted because my past life included daily reminders that there are tons of unscrupulous people in every nook and cranny no matter where you exist.
Louisa - I'm truly saddened to hear that you've fallen for some scam. On the other hand, think of it as part of your education - learn from it.
It's true that there are only a few reputable and worthy film festivals/script competitions about; but take heart in there are at least a few. Due diligence is necessary. Successful scammers are often quite clever in their evil ways - I'm sure that they often lay awake at night just trying how to cheat the unsuspecting.
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Sorry you fleeced. A lot of scams out there.
I wish I was as smart as you!
Name names!
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You have to research everything.
There are only a handful of screenwriting contests that matter. I did a post elsewhere called What's In It For Me? about looking at the potential results of anything that costs you money. If you enter this contest and win, what will you get out of it that will actually further your career?
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William Martell in this very case it’s not that I hadn’t researched. I knew that the Xyzcontest was reputable, so I submitted my pilot. Only, I submitted to a contest that had an almost identical name and almost identical website which has now been taken down (along with all its social media), which makes me think that the original contest threatened to sue or something. Differences were almost non-existant both in the name and in the website which was even listed on Movie Bites.
I am a regular at my local French restaurant. I will spend a few hundred on dinner happily.
That is how I view competitions. They are a bit of fun. Like a good meal. They are not for function. Don’t expect anything more than that - fun.
My favourite misleading statement. “Winners have gone on too sell scripts and write for Hollywood production companies” (versions of this). That is not because of the competition. It was because they are good writers.
If our default is:
* Everything is a rip off
* There are no shortcuts
* If they ask for money they are a business working for profit.
We will not be offended when we find we are just a product not the customer.
This may seem cynical, but is a needed defence strategy. There is an entire industry set up to feed on amateur writers. They fuel the writer’s despair and desire and then make hollow promises.
Please spend your time and money helping others and they will help you in return. It is a long and hard process. But cheaper financial and emotional.
For anyone visiting Sydney’s Hills District.
https://www.quoidining.com/
Craig D Griffiths that’s excellent advice and I’m definitely going to follow it, thanks!