it can be the start of a productive year, a
chance to dust off the script that needs a
little polishing or boldly write that mas-
terpiece you've been dying to pen. If you
have a screenplay ready -- or almost ready
-- to go, there are a number of screenwrit-
ing contests accepting submissions this
time of year.
even crack. "Send your best material," sug-
gests Mark Andrushko, President of Scrip-
tapalooza. "We had 4,500 entries last
year." With so many budding screenwrit-
ers competing for prizes and recognition,
it's important to know what these contests
offer and how to approach them.
representation and networking opportu-
nities, and encourage production compa-
nies to promote winning scripts to
studios. Andrew Colville, who won the
Scriptapalooza TV contest, won a Writers
Guild Award for his script of an episode on
the AMC smash hit Mad Men. Winning a
contest, whether it's one that involves big
cash prizes, can also lead to fellowships or
connections that can be parlayed into op-
portunities for pitching or selling
scripts. For instance, both ABC and Warner
Bros. offer fellowships in which winners
actually work for the studios.
$15,000. Many contests offer other prizes
as well, such as expensive software, mem-
berships, free script consultation, free sub-
scriptions and even travel expenses to film
festivals.
competitions offer free script coverage
and others will offer that service for an
extra fee. Honest opinions from profes-
sionals who have read hundreds or thou-
sands of scripts can be helpful if you keep
an open mind.
Awards, suggests not thinking of the read-
ers as "faceless enemies." "They want to
see you succeed," Berg says. "They want to
discover the next great talent." Besides re-
ceiving professional feedback, Berg recom-
mends reading professional scripts to see
what successful screenplays look like
(scripts are easily available online for free
at either www.script-o-rama.com or
www.simplyscripts.com). Pay attention to
the technical skills. Although technical
flaws might not disqualify you, it could
hinder your script's overall appearance.
mind what the odds are for every con-
test. The higher amount of submissions in
a given contest means that your chances
of winning are lower. On the other hand,
the awards are much higher in a contest
like PAGE or the Nicholl Fellowships
where the volume of submissions is high.
"Our readers pay attention to concept,
plot, dialogue and commercial potential,"
Berg points out. "But, first and foremost,
is strong writing." A strong story for both
small and big competitions is the common
theme. "A phenomenal story grabs the
reader by page 15, and don't worry about
writing three pages of description," An-
drushko says. "Dialogue is more impor-
tant." Best of luck to those who enter!
The following contests are ordered by
earliest deadline. Note that not every
contest has multiple deadlines. Please
ALWAYS check contest websites for
updates and last-minute changes.
THE GOLDEN BRAD AWARDS
mote new writing talent, offering prizes
and trophies in three different categories:
Drama, Comedy and Thriller/Horror/Sci-
Fi. The contest is open to all writers.
AWARDS: Cash prizes, trophies and ex-
posure for first, second and third place.
THE ODDS: Not available at press time.
DEADLINE: January 20, 2010 (early),
March 20, 2010 (regular), May 20, 2010
(late) and July 20, 2010 (final)
ENTRY FEE: $39 (early), $49 (regular),
$55 (late) and $65 (final)
NOTIFICATION: September 30
NOTES AND FEEBACK: Inexpensive
feedback offered
APPLICATIONS:
www.moviescriptcontest.com
international screenwriting contest that is
known for having writers' interests at
heart when it comes to development and
industry promotion.
AWARDS: Grand prize winner receives
$5,000 in cash and prizes. Four addi-
tional winners receive $500 cash and
four 1st runners-up will get $250.
THE ODDS: Not available at press time.
DEADLINE: February 28, 2010 (early),
April 15, 2010 (regular), May 31, 2010
(late) and June 30, 2010 (final)
ENTRY FEE: $45 (early), $50 (regular),
$55 (late), $60 (late) and $65 (final)
NOTIFICATION: October 15
NOTES AND FEEBACK: For a fee
APPLICATIONS:
www.creativeworldawards.com
SREENWRITING COMPETITION
P.I.M.P. (Pipeline Into Motion Picture)