Let me state this: I have nothing against screenplay contests and festivals, and I’ve done hundreds of them. I still do a select few, but strictly for amusement, and I like competing. So, I hope anyone who reads this post does not get their metaphorical undergarments in a bunch when I say I netted exactly jack and diddly from doing them. That doesn’t mean I haven’t used my over 300 contest placements and wins as leverage in query letters and pitch decks because I frequently do. The laurel leaves look good on my promotional material. Therefore, I was surprised when I received a survey from a long-established, well-known script competition featured on Coverfly. Speaking of the Fly, they do a respectable job curating the more prominent screenplay/teleplay competitions.
I was a finalist in the contest that sent me the survey, and they asked me how I liked my prize and whether any options had transpired due to my placement in their competition. The option of I didn’t receive a prize was not on the survey, so I skipped that question. And as far as options or right-to-shop agreements? I think the odds of seeing an option or, God forbid, a film made because of a finalist placement are overwhelmingly poor. Again, use placements and wins for bragging rights, but IMHO, you have a much better chance of doing business by going after available writing gigs and pitching the crap out of your work. Also, looking to meet a need is a better strategy for making deals. Best of luck with your screenwriting adventures!
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Well said. I wish people would take notice of this.
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I'm in the same boat. I've won several contests. A few of which, I've actually got a cash prize but it didn't help my career one bit. My accolades look good on a resume, but haven't help me advance in the industry. I'm still looking for representation and for a major studio to buy one of my scripts.
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CJ: Thanks, and me too.
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I invite anyone reading this post who doubts its veracity to peruse The Black List from the last 10 years and take note of how many (few) of these scripts ever made it to the screen.
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Anthony: I know you've been at it for a while and how incredibly difficult it is to find the right representation. Unfortunately, unless an agent/manager wants you because you've somehow created a buzz, it's unlikely that one of the big three agencies will call. It's much easier to sign with a boutique agency but the downside is they generally have limited contacts. I know good writers with feature films with known actors who still don't have agents. And I know writers signed with UTA and CAA that aren't doing much. In the current marketplace, unless you have a product that someone already wants, nobody is that interested. Though I've been blessed to have work presented to Warner Brothers (twice), Paramount (twice), Tyler Perry Studios (three times), Millennium, Amazon, Shondaland, Blumhouse, and many others, it's netted me zero. And I like to say seeking a deal with a big studio or streamer is like being a salmon swimming up Niagara Falls. Since 2022, I've had better success seeking independent filmmakers and will continue on that path. You may want to set your sights on films being made for less than a million bucks. Just a suggestion.
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It is the same long odds as directors attending $300,000+ film schools, actors spending years & thousand$ for acting classes, and now the lastest hustle- writer retreats.
Everyone is looking for an edge. Or just plain desperate.
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Dan: Haha! Writer retreats! I'd rather light my money on fire. At least I'd have the satisfaction of watching it burn.
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Dan: Good to hear from you, too. You're a wise man.
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Hey Phillip: I'm currently working on something that may have the "Buzz" I need. I found out a cousin of mine is an author. She's written several romance novels and has a following. She tried to turn one of her novels into a screenplay, but couldn't do the transition. She says she already has a producer, she just needs a script. I stepped up and adapted her book for her. Just waiting for feedback after she reads it.
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Anthony: That sounds promising.
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I haven't entered a feature screenwriting contest in a long time, Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal". I'm thinking about entering some, but they'll have to be contests that get me meetings with industry pros, like Stage 32 contests, or contests that have large cash prizes.
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Anthony Moore hope you drafted a Signed contract before you turned in script. GL!
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Phillip, I'm very much with you about contests...although I haven't entered as many as you have.
Gotten more traction from going after writing gigs. Some scripts of mine that I submitted through another platform have gotten "considers" instead of "recommends." (Still, I'll take a "consider" over a "pass" any day.)
Always great to hear from you!
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Dan MaxXx We have a verbal agreement between us. She gets a script that she can turn in to her producer, I get writer's credit and points on the film. We'll sign a formal agreement with the producer before she turns it over to him. Thanks.
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Phillip hits the nail perfectly. I've known several writers whom won writing contests, and .... crickets.
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Winning a screenwriting contest is no different than winning a city-wide vocalist talent show or winning a local acting showcase. It's what you do AFTER that makes all the difference. Unfortunately, sitting isolated and waiting for someone to sign you to a magical million-dollar movie contract that will be made asap is a fantasy! Just like a talented vocalist, outsinging everyone on a street corner or talent show will not get a lucrative recording deal. But singing, acting, and screenwriting in front of the RIGHT people can get you noticed and enhance your chances of success! In New Orleans, many of the homeless people here can outsing top recording artists!!
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I don't think that's a fair comparison. With most screenwriting competitions, you're competing globally with a massive number of entries (thousands). The main issue is that screenwriting competition judges and industry members have wildly different values, many of which are entirely subjective.
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Well said, CJ. I have read many winners of these contests and most of the time all I can say is, "Wow. That would make a really bad film."
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Michael David There's a reason why a lot of contest winning scripts, and those that get on lists, wind up never being made or looking vastly different if they do.
There's two sets of standards when it comes to contests vs. production.
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It is difficult to find someone to read a full screenplay. I've had several friends do table reads on Zoom but they are friends, so their comments are almost always positive. Contests provide an outlet for someone whom you don't know to read the full script. Then, even if the script doesn't win, a placement of any kind tells me that the script has moved from the "who knows if it is any good" into the "it is worth pursuing" universe. Particularly if the script receives a placement in more than one contest. Then the really had work of rewrites and pitching begins -- but with more than just a glimmer of hope.
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You never know what it's going to yield, and that's what makes people submit to them. As a writer/filmmaker, I've entered screenplay contests, submitted short films and features to festivals, etc. Some of them yielded results (great new contacts or being put up for a writing assignment, that type of exposure, or the shorts or features being acquired and so on), but also alot of them didn't yield much. In terms of being on the other side of the conversation, I've met with several contest winners over the years, and I'm still in touch with all of them, always seeing if there's something do potentially work on together. Might not seem like much but it's something!