Screenwriting : What do you want in a screenwriting contest? by Phil Dyer

Hi Phil, I am drawn to contests that offer free or reasonably priced coverage as part of the submission price. If you are truly going to read my script, just one page of legit feedback would make me a return customer. Hope that helps. Best, Ward

Mostly reads that might lead somewhere... like production. Cash prizes are great, but an event where there's an opportunity to build productive, evolving relationships... priceless.

feed back , 2 or 3 pages makes me think that some one real read the whole script .

Thanks for your feedback. I should have mentioned that the contest will be available to everyone, but we'd like to have one category for best Bay Area script. All other categories are open to the entire world. Any suggestions about that or anything else are greatly appreciated!

I appreciate the feedback and the possibility of the script be submitted to production companies.

So it sounds like getting feedback and making connections between writers and producers are the biggest things people want. Anything else we should offer?

Perhaps a after contest party and an award ceremony. With some names attending and naked women, after all these days eroticism is everywhere.

I was going to say that's great thinking outside the box, but I'm not sure that term applies here. :-)

So many contests around these days that I don't particularly know there's a need for another one... but here goes: 1. Definitely keep the entry fees as affordable as possible. Your demographic is already as broke as broke can be. And if I had to chose between giving my $40 bucks to some contest I'd never heard of or to Nicholl's... mean no disrespect, but I'm sure you can see where I'm going with this. 2. Coverage -- offering affordable coverage as part of the package is definitely an incentive. 3. Consider breaking scripts into genres (a la Page) rather than just choosing the best in show. Otherwise you're comparing apples to oranges. This will obviously depend on the volume of submissions for it to make sense. But in general, certain genres like comedy will simply not stand a fair chance unless competing with like material. 4. Readers/Judges -- be transparent about who will be evaluating the scripts. If not the first-round readers, then at least the judges. If you don't share that information I'll have to assume you've got reasons to hide it, and that they're likely not anyone worth their salt. 5. Prizes -- avoid ambiguity. If part of your prize package will be to promote scripts, give some indications of the connections you have. Hard cash is always nice. But by and large, I almost feel that, for a smaller contest perhaps coverage should be the focus. If cutting down on the big 3 prizes means you could offer standard coverage with every submission, you might be on to something. It'll be more of an affordable coverage service that also runs a contest as a bonus. If you think of it, only reason real for writers to enter a smaller contest is because they're statistically easier to place in. It's mostly about recognition and being able to slam that 'Award Winning' into their bios rather than the $1k-$2k cash prize. Not to say that money doesn't talk, but if you can pull the coverage off everyone's a winner. You're spreading the value between all entrants, and the chance to place in the contest and perhaps have the script promoted will be an added bonus. Anyhow, just a thought. Hope this helps!

Wow, Maty, thanks so much for taking the time to write that reply. It will be extremely helpful!

My pleasure :)