Accept, read, rank, progress, and reward are the five fundamental processes that are usually covered in the screenplay writing competitions process, however not all of them work that way. Even while these processes might seem apparent at first, there are specifics about each step that I think are important to note in order to assist authors improve their scripts and increase their chances of moving on.
Step 1: Acknowledge
Scripts are sent to competitions via what is commonly referred to as the “entry,” “submission,” or “application” procedure. Generally speaking, you will need to send in the whole script, along with the genre, logline, and contact details.
While some competitions still accept paper scripts, the majority solely accept submissions online (either via their own websites or through third-party submission sources).
Many contests provide a written criticism, either by the competition judge or judges or by another reader, to go along with your participation. With a few exceptions, you will have to choose whether or not you want the criticism at the time of entry.
At the time of entry, funds (entry fees, critique fees, etc.) are often needed.
Step 2: Go through
After a screenplay is submitted, at least one competition judge—also known as a reader—reads it, either completely or in part.
Depending on the competition, judges must read different portions of the screenplay. While judges in some contests must read all of the scripts before evaluating them, judges in other events are just required to read a certain minimum number of pages. This is only one of the many reasons why a strong opening is so important for your script.
It is crucial to remember that the judge will often just know the script’s title (and maybe its main genre) before reading it. Although a logline is crucial, it is not certain that the judge will see it before reading your script, even if you provide one with your application.
Step 3: Assign a rank
The judge (or judges, if more than one judge’s rank is needed for each competition round) ranks the screenplay after it has been read. Ranks are utilized to decide whether or not a script moves further in the competition.
Competitions frequently give judges judging criteria, which are certain areas (such as character, story, structure, and pace) that the judge should use to assess the merits and faults of a script.
Some contests make their judging standards available online. To find out if the competition is a good fit for your script, I advise utilizing this criterion. (It may also provide fresh perspective on how to evaluate your screenplay; for example, how would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10 for each criterion, and why?)
It varies from competition to competition (and occasionally from round to round within a competition) how many judges are needed to score a script before it may be advanced (or eliminated). In one competition, progress may be determined just by the rank of one judge; in another, the ranks of many judges may be required.
Step Four: Make progress
Scripts that advance in rank advance to the following competition round.
Usually, an advanced script is given to a judge (or judges) who haven’t read it in a prior round.
To decide which advanced scripts move on to the next stage, advanced scripts are reviewed and ranked once more. These rankings can be utilized alone or in conjunction with the rankings from the previous round or rounds.
Until the competition’s final round is achieved, this process is repeated whatever many rounds are needed. The remaining scripts are then read and ranked once again. The competition’s winner or winners are determined by those rankings, either by itself or in combination with these scripts’ ranks from earlier rounds.
For each advancement tier (a publicly available list of scripts that progress to the appropriate level — e.g., quarterfinals, semifinals, finals, winners), a tournament may have many rounds of competition (a sequence of advancements/eliminations). Therefore, you may learn more about where your script ranked (and the ranks and qualifications of the judges it required to do so) by knowing how many rounds your script went through, as opposed to only knowing which progression levels the script achieved.
Step Five: Give a prize
Some contests have a single winner. Others give out prizes to several winners. Some contests have a single first-place winner in addition to second and third-place winners. Additionally, a number of contests select a winner for every format, genre, or area they evaluate.
Prizes are frequently given out for winning a competition (and occasionally placing highly). Although competition awards might vary greatly, they may include cash, writing software, gift cards, subscriptions to magazines or databases, memberships, the distribution of your screenplay or logline, consultations, mentorships, festival or conference tickets or passes, publicity for you or your script, and more.
Make sure you comprehend and are prepared to accept the honors and prizes given before entering any competition. Option agreements, first look provisions, guaranteed representation, screenplay distribution, and other rewards that may impact your script’s rights, ownership, and/or production (as well as your eligibility to apply for further fellowships or contests) are examples of awards and prizes. These rewards might help you start your screenwriting career, but it’s also crucial that you know what you’re getting into when you enter a competition and whether you’re okay taking home the prizes that could be given to you.