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creativescreenwriting May/June 2010
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BUZZ
T H E
BY
S E A N K E N N E L LY
The Script Contest Compendium
IN 1997,
Creative Screenwriting was cele-
brating four years of covering the writing
scene. The Internet was just starting to
take off. Of course, most folks only had
dial-up Web connections that crept along
at a frustratingly slow pace when com-
pared to the blazing broadband of today.
Yet as slow as the connections were, there
was one aspiring screenwriter who saw an
opportunity to help his fellow writers.
"At the time, there were only about 40
screenwriting contests that I was aware
of," recalls Frederick Mensch, founder of
MovieBytes.com, "and there wasn't any
real resource for getting information
about them in one central location."
Being a bit of an entrepreneur as well
as a computer programmer, Mensch as-
sembled a database of the contests he
knew of and put them online. Thus,
MovieBytes.com, the preeminent con-
test website, was born.
Since that time, MovieBytes has be-
come the Mecca for the unknown
screenwriter, with its extensive data-
base of more than 350 competitions
complete with contest deadlines and
information, links and even report
cards. "As things have evolved, it's be-
come more important for us to serve as
sort of a clearing house of information
about the contests," Mensch states. "So
we allow our readers to post report cards,
evaluating the experience they've had
with those contests."
This means newbie screenwriters no
longer need to worry about being fleeced
by an obscure screenwriting contest that
fails to deliver the goods. Just a few clicks
can get them the information that may
not only save them from entering less
worthwhile competitions, but also steer
them toward some previously unknown
ones that could match their genre or
writing needs better, something Mensch
is glad to be a part of. "Some people have
had a lot of success with the contests
they've found, and they wouldn't have
found them without MovieBytes."
Like many sites, MovieBytes also fea-
tures a message board for users to post
their opinions about a wide range of
screenwriting topics, with most posts
centering on the contests. Occasionally,
the comments turn negative, but Mensch
believes that a healthy discussion in-
cludes all points of view, even ones that
might be a little out there. "For the most
part I try not to censor people," Mensch
says. "Who am I to say whether what
they're saying is true or not? Some people
are clearly just off their nut, spewing
their paranoid fantasies out there, but the
nuts eventually go away."
Like the rest of the Web, MovieBytes
has evolved and expanded with subscrip-
tion-only services and sites. One such
site, WinningScripts.com, allows regis-
tered users of MovieBytes to submit in-
formation about their script in the hope
that producers, agents and managers will
scout the free public database of contest
winners in search of new clients and the
next big spec sale. "It's a way for writers
to extend the shelf life of scripts that
have won contests but haven't yet sold,"
Mensch explains. "They get a little flush
of publicity when they first win a con-
test, but when the script doesn't sell im-
mediately it sort of fades away."
But you don't have to be a winner to
submit your logline. Finalists, semifinal-
ists, quarterfinalists and even honorable
mentions are invited to submit a logline
and synopsis or script excerpt -- all free
of charge. However, if you don't mind
shelling out a few bucks to become a
WinningScriptsPRO member, you can
track the number of hits on your script
info and get an online mailbox for any
inquiries about your screenplays.
Another subscriber-based service is
Who's Buying What?, a searchable data-
base of script sales and people who buy
them. The site is accessible for a small
annual fee and is updated daily with the
latest sales and contact information for
agents, managers and producers. There
are also $5 and $10 coupons to help sub-
scribers with the entry fees of more than
40 contests.
And for writers who would rather
have their own website to publicize their
works, WriterBytes.com allows them to
build a site and maintain it for another
small annual fee. Much of the site re-
mains free to the public and writers who
want to keep posted on the latest contest
happenings can sign up for a free
e-newsletter, which boasts a circulation
of more than 23,000 subscribers, a num-
ber that Mensch never expected. "I could
never have imagined that when I first
started this. It blows my mind how many
people are out there looking for this in-
formation." And thanks to Mensch, the
search is over.