![]() ![]() Yet submitting to competitions should be all about getting your screenplay in front of people who have some kind of industry experience. There is value in having anybody read your work and give feedback, from your fellow writers to your mother. But if a competition isn’t run by an established organization and doesn’t name the judges who’ll be reading your work at all, you’re better off submitting somewhere else. Not every competition is going to be able to get Academy Award winners to judge your work. ![]() Speaking of being forthcoming, the next thing to watch out for is… 2. ![]() If a competition isn’t being forthcoming about what they can do for you or who they are, don’t waste your time. Not only is this contest run by an excellent festival, in an excellent town for film lovers, they also offer free “reader comments” and semifinalists and finalists have the opportunity to meet agents, managers, and executives who participate in the festival’s script reading workshops every year.Īgain, it’s all about doing that simple little bit of research to figure out which contests are trustworthy and right for you. Look to an organization like the Austin Film Festival as a guide. But some random website which asks for an exorbitant fee to read your screenplay, while offering little information about what they offer in return, is a huge red flag. A contest that is backed by an organization with some standing in the industry or run by an established group of professionals is generally a good bet. Knowing who owns and is in charge of the competition you’re entering is also important because it lets you know what they can do for you. The less transparent an organization is, the more they’re probably trying to hide their true intentions. The first question you should ask yourself whenever you enter a screenwriting competition is “Who’s in charge here?” That’s not to say you need to research the administration behind every contest inside and out, but you should be familiar enough with the organization you’re submitting to, to know what they’re all about. No Transparency About Contest Administration or Ownership If you can’t find this information, chances are, the contest is a scam that’s simply out to take your money. Just search the name of the contest in Google to see if there is any news about the winners or any information about who actually owns and administers the contest. Do Some Googlingĭiscerning the good competitions from the bad doesn’t have to be hard work. And be sure you can find what track record the contest winners actually have had. New competitions are launched all the time, and while some of them have the best of intentions, the more opaque or minimal the details regarding who they are or what they offer, the bigger chance you’re getting ripped off.Īlso, don’t be fooled by screenplay contests that use the name of a famous city, such as Cannes, Toronto, or New York, as these can simply be guises to provide the appearance of legitimacy. ![]() Sadly, the reality is that there are a lot of lesser contests that are willing to take advantage of or outright exploit inexperienced writers for financial gain. While most require you to submit with some kind of entry fee to cover the cost of hiring professional screenplay readers, paying top dollar does not necessarily indicate that you’re entering a top quality competition. Not all screenwriting competitions are created equal, however. Many contest semi-finalists go on to find representation, especially from reputable contests, many of which you can find on our service Coverfly, the industry’s most popular platform for reputable screenwriting competitions, fellowships, labs and workshops. Winning is competitive, and even if you aren’t the Grand Prize winner, things could still work out for you. But don’t fall prey to many prevalent scams out there! And placing in a screenplay competition can actually advance your career, helping up-and-coming writers secure representation or option their screenplay to a producer. Yes, screenwriting contests can be a great way to gain industry exposure, give yourself a deadline, and potentially get great feedback on your work. Before you enter a screenplay contest, you should research it carefully. ![]()
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