screenwriting contests

my plan this year has been to write tv scripts and submit them to the various fellowships around town. i feel that’s the best way for me to break in because the fellowships are designed to find and develop talent. ideally, the fellows would become staff writers. most of the fellowships are for tv writers, but if you wrote a feature, there is the nicholl fellowship and the sundance screenwriting lab.

as a back up, i did also apply to a couple contests: the scriptapalooza contest and AAA contest. if i place well, i’m hoping i can use that as leverage to get an agent or someone to read it.

but here’s an article about the Fade In contest not giving out the winners the prizes it promised. i applied years ago and had an issue with that contest (where i feel my script was never read or even entered into their system, yet my check my cashed) and will NEVER submit to them again.

unfortunately, contests like this exists, so buyer beware. you can find reviews of this and other contests at moviebyes.com.

not all contests are bad. i’ve had great experiences with the slamdance screenwriting competition and the dc shorts screenwriting contest.

i feel if you’re going to enter a contest, stick to the bigger ones and ones that give feedback on your script. at least that way, you know someone actually read it.