SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS- WHAT'S THE INSIDE SCOOP?

You've seen the ads for all the different contests out there. Some promise fame for the winners, others promise fortune. But how do you know which ones are right for you? This month we decided to go right to the source, and interviewed the organizers of Scriptapalooza, one of the new up and coming screenwriting competitons (article taken from the August Screenplay Scoop newsletter). (We actually liked them so much that we'll be working with them for their 3rd Annual Competition starting in October! More details to come...)

Why are there so many competitions out there and are they worth entering?

There are many competitions for a myriad of reasons and each affects whether they're worth entering. First, there are the top level competitions that truly facilitate the screenwriter's career with prestige, prizes and respect garnered from winning. Second, there are ones that are a tool for a production company to find new material. Third, there are those that see the large number of screenwriters out there and say, "hey, we can make some money off of these people." The latter, you obviously want to avoid. The scams tend to be fairly obvious with higher entry fees, less reputable people involved, or they're making promises that they cannot keep.

What should writers look for when selecting a competition?

One of the most important things is if it fits the goals you want to achieve with your material. What do you want from the competition? Do you want a big cash prize? Do you want your material read by the people behind the competition? Do you want to be considered by the particular production company associated with the competition? Does it offer anything to the runners-up? Does it offer "everything under the sun" with a high price tag to match?

Does it continue to work for the winners once they are announced? Or do they announce winners, give the winning scripts to production companies and not do anything? The most important thing when selecting a competition is to do your homework. Don't be afraid to check out every aspect, from confirming its validity to seeing where past winners have gone. Keep in mind with the internet growing rapidly, many competitions will state things and list companies that are supposedly associated with their competition. They know that there is no "scam police" and that nobody will be the wiser.

What advice do you have for an aspiring writer who wants to enter a competition?

Make sure your script is ready. We say this over and over. A "first draft," which is usually first words on paper draft and not really a true first draft, should not be submitted. Finishing a screenplay is a great accomplishment and very exciting. The first thing a writer usually wants is to send their masterpiece out. Get feedback from peers, teachers and associates on your script. Get notes and start looking for repeat issues, i.e., lost me in Act II, or Joe just doesn't seem sympathetic enough, etc. You won't necessarily take what everyone has to say and make those changes, but you'll see patterns. Rewrite your script. After you have rewritten some more, this will be your first draft. Only then, I would suggest you submitting it to a screenwriting competition. Bottom line: competition is fierce and you must put your best work out there.

What is Scriptapalooza? What makes it different from the others?

Scriptapalooza is a unique entity. Started in 1998, it has proven to be one of the best new entries on the competition scene. Scriptapalooza's main objective is to reach the untapped well of genuine screenwriting talent that hasn't been able to get their "foot in the door." Whether it is due to lack of contacts or not being related to the "right people," and help them move to the next level: Being paid to be a writer! Talent is the seed to success, but it's only the beginning. The barriers around the Industry are fierce and breaking them takes more than talent.

This is where Scriptapalooza is different. We don't just stop with some cash and a pat on the back. Scriptapalooza takes its latest crop of outstanding writers, totaling 13 a year, and treats them like beauty queens as Scriptapalooza's winners for the entire year. Their work is read by some of the top Industry professionals, both production companies and literary representatives. They are hooked up with potential readings, talent, etc. The most valuable and often unattainable goal for an undiscovered writer is getting the script into the hands of someone who can do something with it.

Please describe the exposure your past winners have received.

The first set of 13 winners were initially exposed to our 18 core group of production companies and literary reps. Some of the writers had meetings and phone calls. In the first few months, we began getting many requests from top production companies and studios to read the winners' scripts. The 1999 1st Place Winner, Sean McElhiney, "Soul to Keep", is now working on a rewrite for UTA, United Talent Agency. The 1999 2nd Place Winner, Andrea Bailey, "Falling Over Venus", has been signed by Berg-Saccani Management and is meeting with Mary Stuart Masterson to direct. Andrea's script was chosen by Drama Garage for an "industry only" reading of her script. The evening resulted in a packed house. She is also currently working with Marc Platt Productions (American Pie, Josie and the Pussycats).

Runner Up, "Schwinn Varsity" by Richard Eschenroeder and Andrew G. Smith have been signed by Bender-Spink Management and is having meetings with potential directors and has garnered interest from Dreamworks to possibly option the script. These are only the highlights. You can see the progress of all the winners and runners-up by visiting http://www.scriptapalooza.com and checking out the "recent headlines". There we list which script was requested and where it was sent. The 2000 winners will be announced on August 15 and will be going out to 28 production companies/literary reps as well as receiving cash awards, software and prizes.

How did Scriptapalooza get started?

The genesis for Scriptapalooza was fairly simple. Two of the partners are writers, Genevieve Cibor and Kelli Bennett, and several years ago, we became disheartened with the state of competitions available. The third partner, Mark Andrushko, was a producer at the time and realized how thirsty his company/literary contacts were for great material. Together, we changed the way competitions were ran and Scriptapalooza was born.

When does your next competition start?

The next competition will open October 1, 2000 and will close April 16, 2001. Winners will be announced August 15, 2001.