Guidelines for Entering Your Screenplay in a Contest

Winning 1st Place in a prominent screenplay competition may garner you enough attention to land an agent or possibly even a sale. In order to make sure your screenplay makes it through the first cut, you'll need a riveting story and terrific writing but you'll also need to keep in mind a few simple guidelines. Here is a list of things to remember when preparing and submitting your masterpiece:

How to select the best contest for your screenplay

There are dozens of screenplay contests, some better than others. Most competitions involve an entry fee, usually ranging from $20 to $75. For expense purposes, your best bet is to select only a few contests and test the waters.

Deciding which contests to enter may require a bit of research on your part. Don't base your decision on prize amounts alone. Some of the best contests offer prizes in the form of an option contract with a production company, which, in the long run, may be worth more than a cash prize. Many contests offer a variety of non-cash prizes such as software, script coverage or feedback, subscriptions to industry databases, and other goodies.

Select contests that offer the most exposure for you and your screenplay. As a new screenwriter, exposure is what you want, and winning a contest is one way to get your name out there. It won't guarantee a sale or even representation, but it might increase your odds.

When making your choice, look for contests with backing from well-known industry magazines or organizations and a list of contest judges or readers that includes prominent production companies or agencies. At the same time, keep in mind most popular competitions receive thousands of entries, which proportionately decreases your odds of winning. The more popular the contest, the more entries received. Seek a balance by entering your screenplay into one very popular contest and one slightly less popular contest.

Find out how long each contest has been around. Contests that have a history of five or more consecutive years are usually a safe bet.

Some contests worth checking out:

DOs and DON'Ts for submitting your screenplay

Follow these guidelines to ensure your screenplay is fully prepared and always gets the best read it possibly can:

DO make sure your script is properly formatted according to industry standard guidelines. If you are unfamiliar with the correct format, check out The Screenwriter's Bible: A Complete Guide to Writing, Formatting, and Selling Your Script by David Trottier.

DO make sure you use a standard cardstock cover in white, ivory or gray. Cardstock is available at most office supply stores. DON'T use a brightly colored cover. DON'T include illustrations on your cover.

DO make sure your script is three-hole punched and bound with two or three brass brads or script screws. DON'T bind your script with staples, paper clips, plastic or metal ties. DON'T send your script without binding it.

DON'T include a synopsis at the beginning of your script. The first page following the title page should begin with FADE IN.

DO make sure your pages are properly numbered and assembled in the proper page number order. DO make sure all pages are included. DON'T trust your local photocopy center to do this for you. If you use a photocopy center, verify the pages are assembled in the proper order.

DON'T include cast lists, resumes, music suggestions, illustrations, etc.

DON'T include camera directions (i.e., CLOSE UP, CUT TO, PAN LEFT, etc.). Leave the camera directions to the director. You should submit a spec script, not a shooting script.

DON'T use material, ideas, stories or characters copywritten by someone else.

DO proofread your script very carefully before submitting it. DO perform a thorough spell-check and grammar-check, and preferably have someone else perform the same checks for you before you submit your script. DON'T trust your word-processor's spellcheck function for this purpose.

DON'T send revisions or corrections once you've submitted your screenplay.

DON'T enter your horror screenplay into a comedy or romance screenplay contest, or vice versa. If the contest is genre specific, make sure your story falls within the genre in question.

DO remember to sign and date your Entry Form and your Release Form. (Some contests combine the Entry Form and Release Form into a single document.)

And most important of all, submit your best work. Make sure you've polished your script to perfection before entering it into a contest.

© Kris Cramer. All rights reserved.
Reprinted here with the author's permission.

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