Ask The Script Mentor, No. 6

Q: ?I want to thank you and The Script Mentor team for their help and guidance in finding my recent success at the Hollywood Pitch Fest. I received quite a few compliments on the pitch. A veteran writer I know looked at my script and commented on how much “white” there was on the page!

I had several fresh script requests at Pitch fest for both of my scripts. I was able to get one of them in the hands of Silver Productions (Matrix, V for Vendetta), and two other companies that did “300” and “Twilight” respectively. Morgan Creek also took both. Millennium’s VP was there and seemed enthused by the script, saying "this is exactly what we do." He was very happy to take the one sheet (which he complimented me on, thanks again for your guidance!)

?Again, I just wanted to thank you so much. I spread your name and company to a few writers at the event, so I hope they get in contact with you.

TSM:?? Wow, that's some great feedback- both on your pitches as well as our service in helping you to this point. ?I certainly hope your pals from the pitch fest follow up with your suggestion and contact us. I expect big things from you going forward, as I always thought having the Gods of mythology come alive in the present was something very unique and intriguing as a concept.

Continued good luck going forward!

Q: My name is Frank, I am a screenwriter, and I have been immersed in film and television since a young child as a hobby. I'm looking to place my work in some legitimate contest. If you have any ideas please send them my way. Thank you for your time, I look forward to speaking with you again. Enjoy the day.

TSM:?? I absolutely, one hundred percent, endorse entering contests. My own success through these competitions is directly linked to me recently landing several paid writing assignments. One client specifically sought out contest winners, of which I was one. In my opinion, it's the quickest way to get recognized, get compared to your writing peers, and to get your projects read by executives and producers, who often judge these contests at the higher levels. In return, should you do well in them, the contest organizers themselves promote you and your work. Who wouldn't want to lay claim that Frank's project got produced after having done well in their contest? That's their number one goal!

That being said, I would STRONGLY encourage some steps PRIOR to entering any contests that costs money to enter. Before you even enter ONE contest, though, you'll need professional feedback. Friends and family are nice, but they're never going to give you honest feedback, and it is doubtful they know anything about screenwriting. Contest writing (and reading and judging) is all about the numbers. With an average of 5,000 entries per any mid-level contests, how can it not be? Therefore, you can do certain things to ASSURE your advancement to the quarterfinals and the semifinals - and beyond. We believe so much in our system at The Script Mentor that we offer a 100% MONEY-BACK GUARANTEE on that very promise. If a member of TSM followed our philosophy, we guarantee you a high finish in any one of the 3500+ competitions going today. So, get you screenplay reviewed by at least three professionals beforehand. We can help you with that as well, if you need it.

I write a lot more about contest tips; here are but a few:

1.??? Determine what your budget is going to be for the year. In the past, I would set mine at $500 if I felt I had a strong entry.

2.??? Sign up for Moviebytes.com. As a paid member it is a very helpful and informative site and service. They list most major contests and offer ways to easily enter and track your entries.

3.??? Investigate each contest, including user reviews. User reviews are very enlightening, I assure you.

4.??? Determine what the prizes are and if that is what you are looking for. For me, money, recognition and exposure were my goals. I’m less concerned about table reads or free airfare to someone’s seminar in Cabazon, CA.

5.??? Calendar EARLY BIRD DEADLINES. You can save significantly if you enter early.

6.??? Spend any extra money on the occasional contest script feedback. It might double the entry fee, or more, but in most cases, it is well worth it. My very first feedback, years ago, was from Script Pipeline (Script P.I.M.P. as it was known then). The script was awful, but the reviews made it sound like it had - and I had - potential. This was extremely important to me, because, like many others, I was feeling vulnerable when submitting my life’s dream- my first completed screenplay- up for ridicule. The feedback was spot-on, extremely informative, but more importantly, highly positive in tone. This was a major reason for my delving into another script, and another, and so on.

7.??? Read, accept and learn from the feedback, but do not dwell on them. Take the review to heart, because if it’s factually correct, it comes from a good place. Make an effort to make the improvements/corrections as pointed out in the feedback. Also understand not everyone is going to like it, and not everyone is going to hate it. Chances are that the reader probably knows a bit more than you, especially in the bigger, more prestigious contests.

8.??? Check out “Withoutabox” and "Coverfly". These are helpful sites that everyone should be aware of. It makes sending scripts, tracking scripts, and paying for entry fees extremely easy and user-friendly. It’ll save you money as well.

9.??? ?Read all of the contest rules. Some REQUIRE cover pages with info; some others PROHIBIT them. DO NOT get caught with your contact info anywhere on the script (including title page) or you’ll be disqualified.

10.? Get confirmation on your entry and save it. Document your script entries. If you don’t use a contest entry program, create an Excel spreadsheet, and document script, contest name, date of submission, entry fee, costs for feedback, date of finals and any other pertinent information. By the way, contest entries with feedback are tax deductible as a business expense (refer to your tax professional for details).

Some of the more popular contests are as follows:

A.??? The Nicholl Fellowship (https://www.oscars.org/awards/nicholl/index.html) is widely accepted as the premier screenwriting contest in the contest, and how can it not be? It is owned and operated by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the same people who bring us the Oscars each year. This is a career “game-changer”. The downside is that it is an international contest and will receive close to 7,000 entries. The odds are long, so unless you’ve received several “recommends” from various coverage companies, I’d think twice about entering, at least in the early stages of your career. Previous winning entries include “Arlington Road”, “Finding Forrester”, and “Akeelah and the Bee”.

B.??? Scriptapalooza- another international contest with a solid reputation, but probably half as many entries. Past winning entries include “L.A. Confidential”, “Dark Woods” and “The Break-Up Artist”. They offer substantial prize money, and include several levels of winning, as well as several different genres winners.

C.??? Story Pros- Now in its fifteenth season, they boast of having the same contest “grade”, provided by Creative Screenwriting Magazine, as The PAGE, Scriptapalooza, Slamdance and Warner Bros. They offer $50K in prizes and have a unique system that gives you up to 16 chances to become a winner.

?D.??? Script Pipeline - another solid contest, which boasts 2010 winning entry “Snow White and The Huntsman”, released this year, as well as the 2008 winning script “Killing Season” which is to star Robert De Niro. Pipeline is entering their twentieth contest season.

You can review all of these and more at https://www.moviebytes.com.

WRITER'S BIO: Mr. Scala spent 24-plus years in the Hollywood community and was the Executive Director for the?72nd Annual Academy Awards,?as well as The Soul Train Awards,?The Grammys,?The Blockbuster Video Awards Show?and?The Saturn Award Show.

Geno has three produced feature films: "Assassin 33 A.D.",?"Black Easter"?and?"The Tombs". All are currently available on Amazon Prime and Tubi. While working on a project scheduled to be filmed in the spring - starring Liam Hemsworth and Samuel L. Jackson - he continues to mentor new writers and self-published authors.

TSM Writing and Publishing Services recently expanded, adding...

• A social media marketing division, including sizzle reels, video teasers, promo pages on most social media platforms, TV ad space, and our new electronic billboard promotions.
• Team of eight (9) professional writers; screenwriters and novelists.
• Creative, and effective, professional pitch-deck services.
• Complete full-service publishing house, publishing, editing, formatting and distribution.
• Complete Ghostwriting services, to include novels and screenplay adaptations.

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