Strategy for Script Competition

While everyone strives for those elusive development commissions and the approval to move a screenplay into production, we frequently discuss with our authors the potential for alternative avenues for their work to be viewed, produced, or approved.

Film script competition are an important component of every writer’s career plan, but they are especially beneficial for aspiring authors. They may help you build a portfolio, solidify your reputation, and attract the attention of commissioners and agents.

Competition organizers are frequently commissioners and production firms who are sincerely searching for fresh talent or new initiatives, especially in the UK. They are the type of people that have to maintain their reputation. Because they must persuade professional authors, producers, or agents to judge or sponsor each year, they must select the finest entry.

Or, to put it another way, contests are every bit as professional as the commercial market. Therefore, don’t assume that contests are of lower quality.

Here are some pointers and strategies I’ve picked up over the years from my experience competing and judging.

Observe the guidelines

Don’t go above word counts. Avoid the temptation to use smaller fonts, lower margins, or less line spacing if there is a page restriction; this will only make you appear unprofessional.

Don’t assume; if you have any queries regarding what is needed, send an email to the organizers.

Read the guidelines carefully. For example, some people believe that there should just be a title page with the title of your novel and another page with your personal information. Give them what they desire. Don’t give them a reason to be disqualified.

In order to demonstrate that they are at blame and not you, it is not a bad idea to add a full checklist of what you are included when you submit.

Send in your finest work.

You should always be creating fresh writing as a writer in order to expand your portfolio. Prepare your materials. Don’t put anything together in a hurry while a competition is approaching.

If a project is still “work in progress,” do not submit it. Scripts for competitions are consistently submitted that were clearly written the day before; they are of poor quality, and some have not even been proofread!

Keep in mind that submitting to a competition is the same as submitting to an agency or commissioner. Because they are professionals, the judges may remember you!

My best advice is to enter as soon as possible.

The inside scoop on competition judging is as follows: Early entries are read more favorably. Readers of the competition can sift through hundreds of entries, some of which are excellent and many of which are not. They’re entitled to their cynicism! They are at ease, enthusiastic, and open at the beginning. Stress and sadness from reading hundreds of terrible entries are combined with the pressure to read and evaluate everything as the final deadline draws near. Give them every opportunity to react favorably to your article.

Early on in the reading process, a reader may come across an exceptional entry that truly piques their interest, leading them to conclude that “this is the one.” After then, any entry receives a low rating. Be the first to enter.

In order to distribute the workload, there are early deadlines. Set the standard and get in before the early deadline.

Avoid attempting to forecast the result.

Many authors attempt to estimate what would win a contest; they may even strive to create something “appropriate.” In screenwriting, appropriate simply refers to a well-written and well-conceived script.

Both general themes that appeal to a broad audience and controversial ones presented in an impactful manner are characteristics of winning proposals.

Nevertheless, it is a reality that character-led stories win the majority of contests. Therefore, be sure to feature a captivating main character that captivates the reader’s attention.

A few closing remarks

Although it might be a component of your career development strategy, winning a competition should never be your primary approach for launching your writing career. In order to have more material to show agents or commissioners if you are successful, make sure you also develop a body of work.

Be your own publicist if you win or make the final shortlist. Compose a news release and distribute it to trade publications. Get it online. Speak with anybody who previously rejected your project.