Winning Really Isn't Everthing... In Screenplay Competitions

In the last post I talked about getting your formatted screenplay read by trusted friends and acquaintances who will provide honest and valuable feedback. I also stressed the importance of getting your script thoroughly proofread, revised and ready for a more critical audience...entering the screenplay competition landscape.

I've found that the competition is a good place to see how your script stands up against the great competition while many of these contests also offer valuable feedback in the form of critiques, coverage and suggestions for improvement. There are so many competitions out there it's often difficult to choose the one that is best for your material. Most contests require an entry fee, generally ranging from $30 to $50, though many offer early bird specials for early submission. So when you consider the cost, I think it wise to enter one reputable and recognized competition and see if your project can place as a finalist or semi- finalist. For me, the contest was not so much about winning the Grand Prize, but there's benefits for making the cut and placing in the finals.

Many contests offer such awards as cash prizes, scripting software, such as Final Draft, and many of these contests offer the opportunity to be read by high profile film producers and the chance to break into the ever-narrowing gateway to Hollywood. No doubt some of these claims are overblown in their promise of fame and fortune, but for me it was a means to get my script, Martin Eden, some exposure and to also help get my name associated with this work through the boost of internet search engines such as Google.

Of course your story and screenplay needs to be good enough to make the cut and beat out hundreds of other submissions. The very first contest I entered, The Inkwell Opportunity 2010, Martin Eden took 2nd Place and the consideration by a New York agency, Pipeline Entertainment, to represent me and help promote my work. It turned out that Pipeline would only consider representation if I updated my story from its early 1900 period setting to present day. I told them I would consider the idea, but I never called them back. I decided that Jack London's story, from which my script was so faithfully adapted, should not be compromised, at least not by me. Since I was awarded 2nd place in The Inkwell Opportunity competition, I've placed in 3 other competitions. I will detail the particulars of those contests in next week's post. But I can't tell you what a thrill it has been to see my name among the finalists as results get posted over the months and weeks during the span of contest result posting.

 The hard part is the waiting period. It's not uncommon to wait several months from the time of submission until the time when you are weighed and judged among thousands of entries. And I am still waiting for that option deal or sale. As with the contests, I have no doubt in the potential film production of this wonderful story, my talent as a writer and the re-emergence from the depths (so to speak) of Martin Eden. Like this whole journey of screenwriting... it's only a matter of time... Much the way it was for both Eden and London.