©
2005 DEG International •
All Rights Reserved •
Screenwriting
Contests.
Virtually every day a splash of bright green
ink in Variety celebrates a screenwriter's
million-dollar deal.
You've
toiled at the keyboard long enough, it's time to take
part in Screenwriting Contests and get some of the green
yourself!
Whether you live in Studio City, California or
Billings, Montana, one of the best ways to race up the ladder
of screenwriting success is via contests sponsored
by states,
corporations, and organizations.
As
the author of the book Script Magic:
Subconscious Techniques to Conquer Writer's Block and
a
former Hollywood executive, I've judged many
screenwriting contests over the years, including the
New York Film Office and the Kodak sponsored Focus
Awards, where I
co-judged with Syd Field and Linda Seger.
The first secret of success is understanding
how a screenwriting competition works.
Typically, scripts are distributed to people
known as "pre-screeners." Their job is to
identify the best screenplays in a pre-
determined ranking system.
Who are the pre-screeners? It varies from contest to
contest but typically they work in the film industry, are
familiar with proper screenplay format, but lack the
"big names"
that draw corporate sponsors or can
open doors in terms of getting the winners meetings
with top studio executives.
Typically, pre-screening judges rank their submissions and
the best of the crop go on to the celebrity judges.
Hence the first challenge: what if fate puts your script
in a batch of top-notch
submissions?
You'll have some tough competition and may not make it
to the final rounds.
So, what's the secret of winning a
screenwriting contest?
What should be your focus?
Character
is King
All elements are important. But when the pre-
screener picks up your script from the pile,
it's up to you to turn the jaded yawn into a
yelp of delighted interest.
How?
Master the secret of creating characters that grab the pre-screening
judge by the neck and force them to pay attention will jump
your script
to the top-ranked every
time.
Why?
Characters entertain!
By "entertain" I don't mean characters perform stand-up
comedy,
