Are Screenplay Contests a Total F&$#in Ripoff?

In this edition of “Screenwriting Q&A” we tackle that most vexing and controversial of topics: are screenplay contests a great way to boost your career…or a total waste of frickin’ money.

Find out the surprising answer below. (And if you’ve got a question you want answered in the Screenwriting Q&A series, drop me a line at michael@scriptbully.com!)

Resource: 7 Screenwriting Competitions That Don’t Suck and Might Actually Make You Money

Key Takeaways (Or For Those With ADD)

Choose 3 lesser-known contests you’ll enter in next 6 months
Use prize money from smaller contests to set up staged readings
Implement changes based on staged readings
Enter revised script into bigger contests (Such as Nicholl)

Transcript of “Are Screenplay Contests a Total Rip-Off?”

Hey there screenwriter. In this edition of Screenwriting Q&A we’re gonna answer that most vexing and common concern which I get quite a bit…is a screenplay contest a total frickin’ rip-off?

Well, there are actually two questions there regarding the rip-off issue.

Are the contest organizers going to “rip off” your idea? Most likely not, but there have been occasions in which writers have seen scripts out there, even on that same contest site, that resembled scripts they wrote.

It’s not common, but it does happen. Most reputable contest organizers, especially those connected to production companies would rather just pay you the 25K or so for your script and be send you on your way. (But this is the film biz. So reputable is not always in the cards.)

My advice: only enter your contest in well-established, high-profile contests. That includes contests like Slamdance, Sundance, the Nicholl Fellowship, Austin Heart of Film and a few scant others. (Below this video you’ll find a link to some reputable ones I’ve gathered up.)

The other question: is entering your script in the contest (and paying the $45 or whatever it is entry fee) a rip-off?

The answer is No…as long as you have no realistic expectation that spending it will lead to ANYTHING.

Having been a judge for a few of these I can tell you that the selection criteria is…at least for the some of the lesser-known ones….highly subjective. And while some do offer nice prizes, such as free conference admission or software, generally the big prize you’re aiming for is to simply be named as a finalist in a prestigious contest. (That alone is something you can put in your email query.)

How to Not Get Ripped Off When Entering Screenplay Contests

So, here’s what I would do:

1) Make a list of the 3-5 high-profile contests you plan to enter over the next 12 months. (Try to make them at least 4-6 months from today.)

2) Take the money you would have spent on all those other random contests, like the South Eastern Idaho Screenwriting Collective, and use that money to set up a couple of table reads of your script with a local community college theatre troupe. Just email a professor and say you’d like to organize an evening for a table read. (Tell ’em you’ll pay for snacks and set up all the arrangements.)

3) Take copious notes on your 1 or 2 table reads and implement those notes into your rewrites.

4) Invite me to your “sold the script” party. (I’ll bring the veggie tray.)

Have you tried entering a couple of screenplay contests? Let me know how you did in the comments below!

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