Welcome back! Its Friday! If you’re new here, we love Friday’s. Today I’m going to be talking about entering your script into competitions. You’ve completed the script, you’ve edited your heart out and now what do you do? Now you’ll enter some competitions. This is where you’ll submit a finished draft of a screenplay to expert judges, who will read, appraise and possibly rank your writing. The first time you submit your writing will probably be terrifying but the more you do it the more confident you’ll become in your work. Plus, the more feedback you get the better your writing your writing will become.
For many screenwriting competitions feedback isn’t always given, and you may not know anything unless your work comes out on top. If feedback is what you’re looking for when entering these competitions make sure you finding ones that guarantee feedback, or you can find other ways to get feedback on your work. You can reach out to a screenplay consultant or you can even reach out to an old (or current) professor to have them look over your work. Do your research on these competitions. Read through the submission guidelines and look at past winners so you’ll get an idea of what the competition is looking for. Like everything in life (unfortunately) there is a cost to entering a screenwriting contest. Though the price is usually around $40-$100, you still may not get any feedback or hear back unless you won so make sure you’re getting the most out of the contest you enter. Compare prices of various contests and factor them into your budget.
These competitions get thousands of submissions every year so you want to make sure you stand out. It’s like going on a date you always want to make sure you make a good impression. But try not to get discouraged if you don’t hear back this is your first time. If you don’t receive feedback this just means you have more time to perfect your craft. One of your goals through this should be to perfect your craft, the other should be making connections. Many screenwriting contests have helped people get representation and see their screenplays through to production. Even if you don’t walk away winning the contest, you may walk away with someone who has the knowledge to help you win the next one. Networking is key.
If you do win the prizes can really propel your career, or get you noticed by some very important people. Many contests allow you to create a feature film if you win, there is usually a cash prize, and there are even award ceremonies you could participate in. These contests could open a plethora of doors for you if you have the courage to put yourself out there. I understand what it’s like to be afraid to put your work out there but you’ll never know the opportunities waiting for you if you don’t just try. Take it from me, chances are you’re more talented than you give yourself credit for.
If you found this post helpful please leave a comment below, and don’t forget to share the encouragement with your fellow screenwriters!
See you next time!