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Contest:
I don't get this guy. I entered in the summer-July/August and still haven't heard anything or gotten any feedback. He posts occassional updates. It's March. Results were supposed to be in by Dec 1.
And this guy works for Creative Screenwriting, which by the reaction of the editors, do not care one way or the other that he is scamming people.
I was at first very disappointed that I didn't even place in the contest. An email I sent to the organizers got a prompt reply with helpful feedback in reference to my scripts strengths and weaknesses. The lesson here - don't be scared to ask for clarification of results. The info provided was enough to keep me going and keep my spirits up for the next contest.
I was a finalist in this contest and they passed my name on to an important production company that I am still in contact with. I have made the cuts in other contests but without this result. Acclaim is one of the good contests out of the many mediocre and bad!
I found this contest to be very unprofessional. The deadlines changed twice and when they finally promised to release the winners they didn't. Not to mention they didn't contact anyone via email. Then again, they're in Florida, so how much could they have done for me?
Contest:
Keith, the guy who runs this fine competition, is objective and honest to himself. My second place showing was correctly judged behind the winner. My screenplay simply does not have the weight of the one about Michelangelo. So, congratulations to Laurelei Armstrong . I don't know Keith personally, but I'll bet that if you write in and genre, you'll receive a fair assessment from the man.
I have not entered this contest, but you might note that above and beyond the $50 that they charge for an entry fee, if you happen to sell your script after winning the contest, they receive 7% of it.
That seems exhorbitant to me.
Author: Gary Raad
Posted: 02/19/2004 02:22 PM
I go more than my money's worth from their analysis. Bonnie gave me practical advice about many of the things I needed to change. I was able to take her suggestions and apply them myself to the rest of the script. She can be brutally honest, but that is what I was looking for and what I needed.
For a contest that pushed it's deadline back twice, a contest that I understood to be one of professionalism and influence, it's not wanting me to talk it up if their own web site states that they will announce the winners and 5 days later we still don't know. I'm beginning to wonder if they do.
I never received any information at all regarding the outcome of the contest. When I emailed, I still did not receive any information.
Contest:
Unfortunately I wasn't a finalist in this contest, but I did make it to the semifinalist round which isn't too bad considering it was the first sitcom I ever wrote. The feedback was brief, but hey, it's more than I received in any other contest.I liked the fact they took the time to send a letter - nice touch. I'm not sure how significant the contest is, but it was very professional.
Contest:
Unfortunately I wasn't a finalist in this contest, but I did make it to the semifinalist round which isn't too bad considering it was the first sitcom I ever wrote. The feedback was brief, but hey, it's more than I received in any other contest.I liked the fact they took the time to send a letter - nice touch. I'm not sure how significant the contest is, but it was very professional.
scriptapalooza is one of the best contests i have had the pleasure of working with.
mark and genevieve were nothing short of professional and encouraging. they were even nice enough to work with my agent in the distribution of my script to the various production companies.
both mark and genevieve gave me and my script incredible personal attention, and my script got into more production company hands as a result of this contest than any other contest i entered.
i would highly recommend this contest to anybody serious about screenwriting.
Contest:
I read the rules but was not aware that ALL submissions had to be online, so I sent mine snail-mail. Not a word....no feedback...no acknowledgement. With the cost coming to over $100, I would have thought they owed us more courtesy.
Contest:
I take it back, they finally did send out an email, but it was a week or two after they had made an announcement here (I skimmed through the news articles after checking their website).
Contest:
I don't understand why Screenwriter's Forum would post a specific date on their website when the winners would be announced (since they don't notify them by email) if they have no plans to even try to come close to sticking with that date! For example, the finalists were supposed to be announced December 1st (and it says falsely on their website that they were,)but they weren't announced until December 15th. Then, they said the winners of the contest would be announced on January 2nd, and they weren't announced until January 21st! When I wrote to ask about the discrepancy, it took weeks before anyone got back to me. I think this was a very frustrating thing to do, and it would have been better to just say the winners would be posted "sometime in january." Basically, if you enter this contest, be prepared to wait.
Contest:
The contest failed to meet its deadline, which I've come to learn is typical of most contests. I was notified that I had reached the semi-final round, but never received notification of who the finalists were. I guess those people were the only ones who deserved notification. Dunno, but it would have been nice to receive an email.
Contest:
When I applied for this competition, they decided not to select a winner, because they didn't receive any scripts worthy of winning. So, it's just a scam, take your money and run. I know my script was presentable, because it's won a lot of other compeitions.
I was a finalist for this contest, but the minute I walked through the door for the "interview," I was told that I was too old. Apparently, the "interview" is just to make sure you are young, before they do the final selection. When I complained to the Writers Guild about this, they changed their website, and made WGA members ineligible to compete.
Contest:
I entered three scripts and felt the feedback and grading system were very good, and done by someone who obviously loved to read scripts, judging by the tone of the critiques.
Contest:
P.S. The reader seemed totally unversed in the romantic comedy genre and its formulaic structure. I felt like my screenplay was judged with a totally different yardstick, such as action thriller. Judging apples by oranges, not good.
Contest:
Please save your valuable money. The reader's input seemed like the first 5 negatives that popped into his head in time to fulfill the contest's announcement deadline. Pity, as thoughtful balanced consideration could help an aspiring screenwriter keep on keeping on.
Contest:
They were a little late announcing the results, but were very nice. I came in 2nd place in this contest and have placed as a semi-finalist in various national contests with the same script. Obviously it's just a regional contest, so it's not very significant. It would have been nice to accept my award in person, but the ceremony was helf on a Friday and I had to work. In the future, they should consider holding any award ceremonies on a Saturday or Sunday.
Contest:
Stay far, far away from this contest. A complete waste of time and money. Weeks overdue to find out the results and only after numerous emails. Don't waste your time.
Contest:
The contest was a joke and a complete waste of money. All they wanted to do was rip people off. Still waiting for my feedback. Should I hold my breath?
Contest:
Don't waste your time.
I was, in effect, disqualified because 70% of my script could not be shot in Nevada. My script was set in the 1849 Gold Rush period. The locales were identified in the script as Sawmill Flat, Columbia, etc., which were actual gold rush locations. Evidently the reviewer took this too literally. The sets were largely outdoor, relatively primitive, and easily constructed. They could have been shot on the east side of the Sierras (Nevada). My son, who is an experienced cinematographer (Masters degree in Film and sixty movies to his credit) assured me that an experienced producer would realize that the film did not have to be, literally, shot in California or (one scene) in Sonora, Mexico.
I have the distinct impression that the Nevada Screenwriters Competition submitted the scripts to the Film Department of the University of Nevada at Las Vegas (UNLV), and that department utilized senior and graduate students as script reviewers. I do not know this for a fact.
One reviewer comment was "Wrong format (this is more like a shooting script)." The script was, in fact, my attempt to create a master scene script. I would not presume to create a shooting script. I realize that the distinction between the two types of script is somewhat academic. My question is: if it were a shooting script, what difference would that make in an analysis of the story? The reviewer also graded my title: Murieta! That is the name of the central character, who is known throughout the Latin world as the gold-rush bandit. My grade of 3 of a possible 6 indicates to me that the reviewer had no idea of who Murieta was.
The Nevada Screenwriters Competition is an excellent organization, and I was favorably impressed by the contest. This is not "sour grapes." It is meant as constructive criticism. My script will be produced (maybe in Mexico),
Contest:
Coverage was promised on all submitted scripts and months later I still haven't received it. Notification of the winners was never sent out and it wasn't until I inquired about the results did I find out that I wasn't a winner. They didn't even have the courtesy to list the first, second & third place winners.
They didn't choose my sitcom, and that's ok, but I really didn't think the contest was run that well. I never received an announcement via email and when I checked their website I didn't see an announcement. It wasn't until I emailed them that they added a link to their website. I guess they only notified the winners. I think if they willing to take our money the very least they could do was notify everyone who submitted to their contest.
Still no word here, either. I'd like to think that decisions haven't been made yet!
I was notified via email that I did not make it to the final round. The email noted that the jury member who reviewed my screenplay marked it with an honorable mention, and there were a few lines of coverage. The feedback was useful and I found the experience very encouraging.
I'm so glad you posted that! I never heard either, nor did I hear from the CBS Hire Diversity Program.
Anyone hear back on 2003 contest?
Contest:
Regretfully, our screenplay director dropped the ball this year, and the delay in announcing a winner was in part due to a change in the final judging procedures. The final decision was to be made by Nick Searcy, the director chosen for next year’s project. I was unaware that the he was going to be out of the country when the judging was to be completed. He has since returned and we will announce the winner this week. I would like to express my deepest apologies to all the contestants, and I promise that we will make every effort to avoid delays in the future as well as increase the level of communication between our organization and all entrants.
Kathleen Gehron – Executive Director CFIFN
Contest:
WRITERS BEWARE! This would be one of those contests where you send your script and never hear anything back, not even the most basic results, not even an answer to your email. It spells S-C-A-M!
Contest:
According to the website, the award(s) were given out on November 14, but as of November 21st I've received no notification of any kind, and the names of the winner(s) haven't been posted on the website or anywhere else. I don't even know if there were any finalists. Better communication is needed.
Contest:
As a follow-up to my previous comment involving The Big Australian Competition, "today" was acutally 11/17/03--NOT 10/17/03 as I wrote. Additionally, Allan Hawley Jacobs, the Executive in Charge of Big Aussie, responded extremely quickly, and he helped me resolved the issue satisfactorily--with the utmost courtesy.
Contest:
I was looking forward to entering the Big Australian Competition again, but its moviebytes.com listing read, "Expired. Previous Deadline: 10/31/2002". So I assumed that the competition wasn't running this year. However, when I went to the Big Australian website today (10/17/2003), I was surprised and a bit disappointed to discover that the deadline was 10/31--and I missed it. I imagine that the contest administrator failed to notify moviebytes.com of this year's deadline. Anyway, there must've been some sort of communication breakdown. Since I think that a huge proportion of screenwriters depend solely upon moviebytes.com for the most up-to-date contest info, I wonder if the Big Australian had sufficient entry fees to cover their costs this year--including their rather generous prize money. If there's any possibility of an EXTENSION, please lemme know ASAP--'cause I'd really like to enter... Thanks!
I entered Blue Cat because it seemed very economical and it offered feedback on ALL entries. IMHO any feedback is useful, even if you don't agree with it, that reaffirms what you think is right. When I received my feedback it specifically mentioned page numbers and events so I know it was read. However, the "fixes" suggested were a bit more vague than I hoped for. But I plan to reenter with a different script and see what happens with it. It is one of the cheapest contests, and this year's deadlines seem to have been met.
Contest:
<<<>>
That's exactly what options and purchase agreements do. We made an offer of $500 to option the script against a $1,500 purchase price. We were discussing letting the writer direct for another $1500. At the time, our proposed budget was about $30,000. 10% of the budget is more than a reasonable amount to pay a writer-director. We also were offering ten points defined as well as any one else's points.
It was not a scam. It is exactly what we said it was. The contest was free and we made an offer to option and then purchase a script for production of a micro-budgeted film.
Feel free to contact me at NVF Production@aol.com.
Jim Mercurio
Author: jan cosby
Posted: 11/12/2003 02:33 PM
Last year (2002), my husband and I entered the 9th annual Screenplay Competition (The Writer's Network) displayed on the Fadeinonline.com website, and we have serious concerns about several glaring discrepancies in the contest results.
1. NONE OF THE 4 FINAL WINNERS NAMES WERE ON THE ORIGINAL LIST OF QUARTERFINALISTS !
2. NONE OF THE SEMIFINALIST NAMES WERE ON THE QUARTERFINALIST LIST, BUT THE WINNERS CAME FROM THE SEMIFINALIST LIST.
3. The SemiFinalist list was LONGER than the QuarterFinalist list ?? How do you get more people/screenplays on the second cut than on the first cut?
4. The quarter-finalist names were written first name, then last name. Semi-finalist names were written last name, then first name, making correlation difficult.
4. Writers Network advertised a potential of 30 winning positions, and said that the contest was extremely competitive, and yet were only able to award 4 FINALIST WINNERS.
I can't see any logical reasons for all these situations to have happened inadvertently, so I will not be sending my money and entering this contest again as my husband and I have grave concerns about the ultimate purpose of this contest. P.S. I spoke with one of the people on 2003's list of judges and she said she was not a judge and did not know why her name was on the list!
Contest:
I went to Telluride IndieFest. $2,700.00 for two. This contest needs to be tied into the much bigger Telluride Film Festival which was going on concurrently. I got impression that most people in the bigger festival had little or no idea the IndieFest existed. Other than watch some of the films in the IndieFest, there was little organized for a screenwirter to do. I was a semi-finalist at Austin about a month later and there were tons of things to do related to screenwriting. There is also the problem of setting this on Labor Day weekend in a tiny resort town (rooms at $200.00 a day). The Ausstin tab came to about 50% of the Telluride cost.
ok, i'm feeling pretty stupid about my above comments, because i actually came in third in this contest.
the overall experience was incredibly professional, and the reception held on the lot by writemovies.com was a pleasure to attend.
alex and the gang went far out of their ways to help me and make me and the other winners feel at home, and gave of their time and knowledge graciously.
i'd highly recommend this contest to everyone.
Contest:
I had two scripts place - one took 6th and the other was an honorable mention in the 2003 competition.
I read somewhere that the top 100 scripts would be published in the booklet; I assume this is the list of "honorable mentions."
Wininng a little cash and a copy of Writers' Market was nice. No feedback or contacts yet, tho.
Larry Myles, who runs the show, is a pretty smart cookie. I'm flattered to have been chosen as a finalist. I don't mind all those email inquiries from production companies either.
James Ossi
All Went Swimmingly
Made semi-finalist (final five) in TV Drama. Was treated very well at the Festival. I would probably go again.
I haven't entered this contest for years, but I did this year. I submitted 2 screenplays and they didn't even bother to respond on one of them. I was v. disappointed and emailed them twice and had to call before i found out i didn't win. lame exchange for the entry fee. i wonder if i was even read.
Contest:
As a finalist in this contest, I received 8pp. of notes, free software, a phone consultation, and valuable suggestions for improving my script. Well worth the initial investment.
Contest:
I recently won 2nd place. Overall the contest was organized and professional. The award ceremony was fun, but I was disappointed that most of the judges (ie. Gale Anne Hurd, Greg Bear, Orson Scott Card) were a no-show. Also, since winning, I have yet to be contacted by a single producer, agent, manager, etc. Looking forward to attending the Slamdance film festival though-- a nice bonus.
Very pleased with the feedback provided by Slamdance. It was very detailed, clearly the reader had paid close attention, and all the suggestions were absolutely on the money. And I think they are sincere about wanting to see your work again next year, having improved from the feedback they gave you. I'd recommend it highly. This is about as cheap as you can high quality, insider coverage.
I was a semi-finalist in the competition 2 years ago and I was feeling pretty down because I didn't see my name in the list of 90 finalists posted on the website. However, the company posted a list of 300 semi-finalists a few days later both on their website and in an e-mail sent to everyone who entered. When I saw my name there, I at least knew my script wasn't bad -- it just needed improvement. Highly recommended because, with the massive number of entries each year, you know that you're really getting some of the best competition out there.
I have had very positive feedback through Scriptapalooza even though I wasn't a finalist. I've been contacted by one of the judges who was enthusiastic about my work. Also, Scriptapalooza has been very helpful in getting my script read by producers. This contest continues to grow and is a great benefit to promising writers.
Scriptapalooza by far is the best contest I've entered...and I've entered all the top ones from the Nichol's to Austin to Chesterfield etc. They are very quick to post all the finalists on-line and even were nice enough to leave a congratulatory message on my answering machine for becoming a Runner Up. That was classy! The fact that my script has been sent out to so many production companies and management companies is really thrilling. This is the best contest by far.
Contest:
I’ve been participating in the TFI contest since 1999 (I made it to the finals or semi-finals twice and won 2nd Place this year... I guess third time’s a charm!). Simply put, it’s one of the best contests around. They take the writers very seriously; regardless of how you do in the competition they always make you feel that you’re important; and the feedback is incredible! I participate in many contests every year, but nowhere else have I seen a critique as thorough, well-thought out, and “educating” as TFI’s. Even when you win they have things to say that can help you improve your material!
i was lucky (and/or talented) enough to have my script place as an "honorable mention" finalist in scriptapalooza.
without a doubt this contest is one of the best contest experiences i have had, and i have entered many this year.
my agent wanted very much to keep tabs on what prodco's got my script, and mark and genevieve of scriptapalooza were nice enough and professional enough to work with me and respect my agent's wishes in sending out my script.
i can definately say my script got to more prodco's because of this contest than any other contest i entered.
i would highly recommend this contest to anybody.
Contest:
As a finalist, I think they should consider communicating a little more with us. It wouldn't take much time to send a group email, updating us on the contest, especially since the finalists do win something. I think having to check a website for information is rather impersonal. Right now, I'm wondering what happens next. When will we get our prizes? Will we be told if someone requests our scripts? I may be jumping the gun and maybe they are preparing to get in touch soon. At the very least, I am happy to have made the finals of the contest!
Contest:
This competition is totally LEGIT and up until this moment has been the only competition that has helped my career. I was the 2002 winner on the TV side and I got a number of legitimate Industry prize reads out of it. Two managers who read me expressed interest in working with me, so I went from zero representation to two people fighting over me. One of these managers then helped find me a respectable agent at Innovative Artists. Another person I know in the competition actually got PAID writing work on an ABC soap opera directly from one of the prize reads. I have won numerous competitions and can tell you that some of them (and even some of the better known ones) are a total waste of time even if you win. But Hollywood's Next Success is a very useful competition to win.
YOU NEVER HEAR FROM THESE PEOPLE AFTER THEY CASH YOUR CHECK.
WHAT THEY'RE REALLY LOOKING FOR ARE YOUR FUNDS TO PAY FOR WRITER'S DIGEST'S INSIDIOUS JUNK MAILINGS WHICH NEVER STOP.
NO LEGITIMACY HERE. DON'T BOTHER!
VERGES ON A FRENCH FARCE!
TOTAL JOKE, WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE PREPARED TO KISS THEIR INSIGNIFICANT ASSES!
I sent an email to OHIO INDEPENDANT whatever asking what the status of the competition was. there's nothing on their website that is relevant.
received an arrogant phone call from "bernadette" ranting about my "nasty" message. this wannabe in the middle of nowhere, whined about how little they had to keep a website posted timely, but then informed me that although my screenplay was highly rated she would go to the "board of directors" regarding my nasty email. i'm thinking, they're operatinng out of a phone booth and yet they have a "board of directors"????
totaly arrogant twits! unless you subscribe to the notion that screenwriters need to kiss rancid asses to get their screenplays HONESTLY JUDGED BY MERIT ALONE, don't bother.
if you embrace the notion that screenwriters should kiss asses, bernadette needs hers kissed! then perhaps she'll put in a good word to the OHIO "board of directors".
who gives a fuck about OHIO INDEPENDANT5 SCREENPLAY AWARDS if they can't judge honestly. one more scam!
JUSTINSWINGLE.com
I submitted three scripts, two of which made it to the "second round." My experience was similar to the earlier comment in that I actually received FIVE letters back from Austin. Letters #1, 2 and 3 said that scripts A, B and C hadn’t made it to the second round; letters #4 and #5 said that A and B had made it to the second round. Found out that A and B were legit second-rounders only when I got the invitations to the festival. Like many popular script contests, I suspect they’re understaffed for the number of entries they’re receiving.
My major criticism is that the script categories are ridiculously vague. Even after corresponding with the contest director I still didn’t understand the difference between Adult/Family and Comedy. My script that didn’t make it to the 2nd round was an R-rated political satire; which category is that? I ended up entering all three of my scripts in both categories which was a waste of $135.
I had heard Austin touted as a good place for “edgy”, non-commercial scripts. I happen to have read one of this year’s semi-finalists; while I think it’s a very good script it’s unquestionably commercial and “Hollywood”. Nothing wrong with that; it’s just unfortunate that there seem to be few if any remaining script contests for bona fide independent fare.
If I enter again, it will only be with a "commercial" script.
Contest:
one more thing, feedback on our script was supposed to be available to all entries after the finals were announced. i haven't heard a peep yet.
Contest:
i have an even worse comment about this contest.
which is very strange, because i met maya and chris at the beginning of the contest, and they seemed like genuine, nice, concerned hard working people.
however, their website was confusing as to the date the finalists were announced. on one page it said "july 29" and on the semi-finalist page it said "august 29" down at the bottom.
unfortunately i didn't read past my name and script on that semi-finalist page, so i didn't see the "august 29" date (my fault i admit.)
however, when july 29 came and went without any finalist postings, i emailed them and called them, and got no response.
luckily a friend pointed out the august 29 date to me.
however, august 29, i was out of town. i came back and could find no mention of the finalists.
again, i emailed and called them. the phone was disconnected, no longer in service! no response to my emails.
luckily someone else on another bulletin board emailed me the results that were announced here on moviebytes.
i must admit, my script didn't make the finals, so i dont' want to come off as bitter.
however i fully expected more professional responses from maya and chris. how hard is it to hit "reply" to the email? (which, may i add, they did do when i emailed them about the semi-finals).
"Due to the vast amount of screenplays received at contest deadline, reading time will be extended until September."
Final Draft extended the deadline, not those who entered on time.
What will be next year's true deadline?
Their correspondence to me was warm and pleasant. It didn't carry that temporary heat that's thin and short in Hollywood. It wasn't computer hollow cold. It was warm. Human. Friendly. Contemplative and understanding. Their correspondence to me was from the kind of people I want to read my screenplay. Their notes were sincere and aimed directly at me. Whatever your genre, I'll bet that when they type to you, it'll be accurate to you, too.
Concerning comments by Cynthia, $2750 in prize money and thousands more in product prizes were awarded to the three 2002 winners. The winning scripts were sent to 20 production companies, agents, management companies, and PR firms. The winners have all expressed great satisfaction with the contest, and all (including finalists), have been contacted by industry representatives interested in their scripts.
Contest rules allow combining contests in the event of insufficient entries. Prize money is provided by entry fees, so this is absolutely necessary. Cynthia agreed to these terms when she entered the contest. Contest finalists were announced in May via the contest website (per the rules and as promised), and winners were announced in July by US mail. Cynthia should read the contest rules next time, and refrain from offering disinformation based on her own oversight.
Comments from Barbara Gaillard, 2002 Finalist: “In addition to the e-mail forwarded from a management company asking to read my script, a production company also contacted me directly. I'm so impressed at the immediate reaction of quality contacts upon announcement of the results that I'd like to encourage others to enter your contest. This type of personal attention and follow-through is impressive. Usually, names just go up on a website or out through a press release, and that's it. Simply put: you deliver.”
Contest:
If you are not from NJ do not even consider writing in. I changed several parts of my script to make it sould like the Atlantic City area and nothing. Meanwhile I heard from other contests that read my screenplay either it was a winner or i had feedback. All this place did was take my Money with no further answer.
The feedback I received for my entry (in the 2003 competition) was immensely helpful.
may i just say, the script pimp contest is da bomb! it is by far, the best contest i have had dealings with, so far, in almost everyway.
to begin with, chadwick and the guys at scriptpimp were always available via email to answer questions, and responded very promptly whenever i emailed. this is very different than many other contests, where sometimes months would go by before i received an answer.
secondly, script pimp held a lottery before the finals were even announced, to award prizes based on random drawings.
they offered subscriptions to their site, to the inktip.com site, to a writing magazine (i don't remember which one, see their site for details) and software. this was an extra bonus, many people got these prizes (including me) just for entering the contest and getting their name picked.
i was one of the finalists. i did not however, make the top four money prizes. oh well. but, as a finalist, i received a five year subscript to the script pimp data base. i also received a 6 month subscription to ink tip.com for being in the finals.
this access to the scirpt pimp database makes me rate the contest very significant in terms of "ability to advance career." it will take more work on my part (welcome to hollywood), but i will be able to query many prodco's that i didn't have immediate info on.
to address the point in the comment above: yes, one writer did get three scripts in the finals, but if it makes you feel any better, none of his scripts won the money.
lastly, script pimp had a nice reception for all the finalists at the improv. while i am disappointed my script didn't win, i feel that this contest more than paid for itself.
i would highly recommend this contest in terms of value for the money, and professionalism.
Contest:
I cannot agree more with the foregoing comments. DO NOT ENTER THIS CONTEST. At the time I submitted several scripts they were accessible and pleasant. Despite their claim to have announced winners in March, they have not. Now they do not answer e-mails and their phone is no longer in service. a rip-off.
Phil Penningroth
I am trying to enter the contest but the e-mails are returned, they don't answer their phones and the website is down. Please help
Thanks
The contest was run very professionally, and I had an excellent experience with it. I received an acknowledgement of my submission, an update letter (I think), and finally a notification that I didn’t make the Quarterfinals. At the bottom, Greg Beal signed the letter and wrote “in the next 10%.” I’ve made my screenplay much stronger since that submission, and I’m looking forward to trying again. Maybe Quarterfinals next year?
I'm glad Mr. Cho feels like he "won" at his small claims hearing. We too feel it was a win, considering he was suing many incorrect parties and trying to get $5,000. I truly feel bad that Mr. Cho cannot move on with his life and ultimately see that it was his actions and non-actions, not mine or anyone else at Fade In's, that created this whole scenario. It is difficult to assist anyone with their career when they choose to a) interfere with your process by calling your sponsors & industry professionals repeatedly, b) refuse to pick up their prize even after you have gone so far as to have an attorney write them a letter advising them to do so, c) demand a different prize other than the one that was advertised, d) alienate the William Morris agent, A-list producers and executives that
had attempted to help him/her, e) attempt to discredit the competition and its associates from whom the winner is expecting assistance by stating that he never received his prizes, f) demand meetings to take place the week after 9/11 in an email, g) demand $3,000 on top of his/her prizes (in another email) in exchange for his/her signature on a standard release form that every contestant signs and has signed, h) accost FI's 21-year old female assistant when she attempts to deliver a prize INSTEAD of Fed Ex-ing, so the prize would not get damaged,
i) refuse to sign for his/her computer and therefore refuse to take possession of said prize, j) continue name-calling and threats of more lawsuits after a judge already ruled that he/she has to accept the prize already and move on. (To call me a liar in that this is not what transpired in Mr. Cho's case is delusional. If Mr. Cho had not wanted all of the facts regarding his participation in the Awards to be disclosed, then he should not have made this a public fight. Additionally, I am not stating anything false and, unfortunately, have the complaint letters from the
prominent agents, producers and execs regarding Mr. Cho to prove it.)
Fade In and its Board of Advisors, which includes Frank Darabont, Scott Frank, Nicholas Kazan, Robin Swicord, Ed Solomon, James Gray, Scott Rosenberg, Eric Roth, Steven de Souza and David O. Russell, have the highest respect for all writers. It has always been our goal to jumpstart careers with the Awards. But Mr. Cho chose to take steps that were not in his best interest and, ultimately, led to our not being able to assist him further.
One would hope that next time the same opportunity comes around for Mr. Cho that he puts as much effort into the work and the story notes and guidance given to him by A-list agents, writers and producers instead of the amount of energy he put into alienating the very industry reps who had spent a year working on his/her behalf. With that said, I believe the best way to resolve anyone's doubts regarding the credibility of the Fade In
Awards (and myself for that matter, since Mr. Cho has made this a very personal vicious attack) is to look at the competition's track record: each and every one of our Grand Prize winners (read their testimonials at www.fadeinonline.com) in the last seven years have gone on to become a professional screenwriter writer/director. Mr. Cho is the only Grand Prize winner in seven years that has not become a working writer as a result of winning the competition – that has stated anything other than praise for Fade In's process and assistance.
Interesting...sad...but this fact alone says it all.
Contest:
i can't agree with the above writers. i don't remember any promise of feedback. my script was a semi-finalist, and that is its own reward.
i knew going in there were no prizes beyond top placement, so i got what i expected out of it.
if i have any complaint, it was that the announcement of the winners for the film categories was about a month late. however this contest sent an email to me on the original announcing date saying the announcment would be late, because of the large number of entries.
so at least they were professional enough to contact us.
all in all, an average contest.
my script did not make the quarter finals, so i am naturally disappointed, but this contest at least was professional from the get-go.
at least the rejection letter was nicely written.
Contest:
These people are either grossly incompetent screw-ups or crooks, no middle ground here. They answered one of my emails with a lie about publishing the contest results. Subsequent emails have gone unanswered.
We've been robbed, fellow writers, we've been robbed.
I won the Grand Prize in the most recent (2002) Fade In Screenwriting Awards, announced last March 31. Since then, Audrey Kelly and the rest of the folks at Fade In have amazed me with the amount of time they have dedicated to me, the level of feedback they've provided, and the access to A-level industry contacts they've made possible for me.
I notice in the various posts here that most people seem focused on the computer and the cash. This point of view is short-sighted. Sure, the computer and expense paid trip are great. But by far, the most important thing this contest provides is access. Not just some small never-heard-of-them prodcos. I'm talking about A-list agents and managers - Audrey's industry contacts are at the highest level, and in my experience, they are genuinely interested to read your script and work with you. Try getting that somewhere else. After beating my head against the wall for what seems like forever, I am now getting my shot. It would never have happened without Fade In.
I can't comment on anyone else's experience with Fade In. When you have 1,800 entries, not everybody is going to be thrilled with the result. that's inevitable in any contest. All I can tell you is that in my case they have delivered everything that I had hoped for, and more. Would I recommend Fade In to somebody whose script is good enough to have a chance to win? Absolutely.
Contest:
I entered this contest and was dropped after the first round. I didn't order any analysis, but I see I should have. I wasn't notified that semi-finalists had been posted until I went to their site. Perhaps if I'd ordered the analysis I'd have been notified; guess I'll never know.
Contest:
I thought this a worthwhile contest, because it gives you a chance to work on your opening "hook", and the results are posted within a month after deadline, so you're not waiting forever.
Although I didn't win, when I was notified of the results I was invited to enter their upcoming annual full-script contest, but told that if I didn't feel up to that, they would still like to see my script, which indicated their interest. I felt the contest on the whole was professionally run.
They seem to have read and come up with the 20 finalists in record time. Commendable.
My only negative comment about the contest is that they never acknowledged that I had entered it. It is always nice to receive a letter or at least an email, thanking you for your entry and your effort when you pay money to enter a contest.
We did receive feedback on our script, but it was clear that the reader either skimmed or didn't finish the piece. The suggestions were second guesses, which you can do for any film, and some of the points raised indicated a poor read: basic plot elements were described inaccurately. Based on the tenor of the other comments, it seems the contest is a one-man show. Scripts Mr. Hoffman likes get a lot of attention and those he doesn't care for get short shrift. Deadlines were met; this was our first entry so no previous experience. I think it's a great idea to offer feedback but not if it's going to be shoddy.
Contest:
I entered this contest last year. I got an email back from them telling me that a certain script had placed 7th, then another telling me something different. When I asked them about it, I got the impression that they used a database that inserted script titles and it had had a glitch. I'm curious if anyone else got a notification that they had placed in this contest at all.
BTW --- I just looked up all of the "winners" from last years contest (I got one of their emails too) and I can't find any of their names or mentions of their scripts anywhere else on the internet. This doesn't mean that these people don't exist, only that the SAF isn't necessarily the track to success. I'm avoiding this one this time out.
Contest:
They cheerfully answered e-mails about the contest prior to taking my money. Now -- no winners posted on their site, no notification of any type, no answer to e-mail or phone. This is a scam. Do not waste your money. They should be ashamed.
HAPPY HAPPY CUSTOMER! Evidently Bluecat has really taken some of the feedback from past years to heart. Got my e-mailed feedback today (7/1/03) -- ON TIME. I did not make the finals but the commentary I got was the most insightful and helpful I have gotten at any price. Keep up the good work Gordy. I would recommend Bluecat to anyone!!!!
Contest:
Well, I've tried to reach this fellow as invited, and months later, still no response. Is the invitation real or not?
Wow. Remember guys, a man's character is his fate. If you want to state a rebuttal, at leats make it honest. Your smear campaign is being taken very seriously at the magazine's corporate level, so I hope you realize that there can be consequences to your plight. Anyway, Craig Clyde should be chiming in soon, as he received and cashed his check in March of 2002, not May of 2002 nor did he file any complaints against us. Fortunately, I just returned from the Beverly Hills courthouse where the honorable judge DISMISSED for the SECOND time - Mr. Cho's claim against me. The judge also forced Mr. Cho to accept the iMac computer that he has been refusing to sign for for the past year and a half. The judge also advised Cho that you cannot place a price on meetings, but if he was Cho he would have adhered to the agents and producers notes if he wanted to move forward. He also stated we should have just asked execs and agents to meet with him anyway even though they wouldn't have been real meetings. We don't believe in engaging in that kind of deception. As for Mr. Cho's plight to get $5,000 from me and/or Fade In, TWN, Inc. was instructed to pay $450.00 to Mr. Cho to cover his court costs. And that is the end of the story. Although it would appear that Mr. Cho and friends will continue their plight in trying to discredit Fade In and me personally. We think it is extremely unfortunate that Mr. Cho chose this route. We could have done for him what we have done and will continue to do for our grand prize winners - get them represented and get them working. Thank you again for the opportunity to speak.
Contest:
Entered a script in Feb 2003, never heard another word. Checked their web site in June 2003 and saw a list of semi-finalists. I wasn't on it, fine, but most contests send at least an email when results are available.
Contest:
I haven't entered this contest, but I noticed that the URL link to the web site is broken, as is the Google search link. Not a good sign ...
I was a Finalist in 2002 and Acclaim referred an important producer to me, of whom I now have a continuing relationship.
I've advanced in larger, better known contests and often haven't received a call.
A follow-up on my involvement with Fade In... as mentioned above, in April 2001 I was informed that I had won first prize in the action category. In August 2001 I received my copy of the Movie Magic screenwriting software. By October 2001, after numerous phone calls, I had given up on trying to receive the other prizes ($750, one-year subscription, and Waterman pen).
In March 2002, a friend of mine who happened to be friends with Johnny Cho put us in contact with one another. We sought out other previous winners of the contest, and we found two other winners from our year who had yet to receive their prizes. We filed complaints with various government agencies. In May 2002, the other two received their prize money. Ms. Kelly called me, and we spoke on May 22, 2002. I accepted her apologies, and she sent me a check for $750. During that telephone conversation, Ms. Kelly made several disparaging comments regarding Johnny. When I informed her that Johnny was a friend of mine, the conversation quickly ended. (Johnny and I actually met in person for the first time on May 25th, 2002.)
In her responses to the complaints I filed against Fade In, Ms. Kelly alleged (1) I had never tried to contact Fade In regarding my prize, but I've got cell phone records that prove otherwise. (2) The original checks had been mailed around the time of the anthrax scare, and that might have accounted for their loss. The anthrax crisis occurred in October 2001, more than six months after I had been informed I had won. Furthermore, I'm not aware of any disruptions in mail between Fade In's address of record in Beverly Hills (which I believe is a Mail Boxes Etc. or similar business) and my home in Hollywood. (3) I filed complaints against Fade In after I received my prize money. I filed my complaints in April 2002, one year after being announced as a winner, and received my check in May 2002.
Even though I have not received my Watermen pen or one-year magazine subscription, I consider my dealings with Fade In concluded. I continue to support Johnny Cho, who I am proud to consider a friend.
I won but heard "nothing" further.
I entered this contest nearly a year ago. So far I have recieved a letter telling me they are combining two contests due to too few entries (after 6 months) and they promised to announce winners this May...which is almost over and I still have heard nothing. Don't waste your time on this one! It's an obvious money making scam, if it's even a contest at all. Always look at Moviebytes report cards for contests before you shell out your $$.
Contest:
I was a finalist in the 2002 competition (which actually reported in 2003). Supposedly, I won a subscription to a magazine, and a subscription to an online database. However, I have not received any such prizes, and my emails to the administrator have been ignored.
If this situation changes, I'll update.
all right, please ignore my whining above.
the contest i entered is running on schedule, and in fact i have made the semi's, so, i'm kind of a jerk.
but in my defense, the web site did not differentiate between the two different contests being run practically simultaneously, and when the new contest info (deadlines, etc.) was put up, there was literally no info about the current contest to be found on the site, thus my confusion.
to date, this contest has been professional and a good experience for me.
It's important to understand that it is very easy for any competition to run late. For one, the notification date may not be enough time to actually read all of the entries. It is impossible to determine how many entries a certain year's contest will receive. If it is more than usual then it is entirely possible that it will take more time to judge. So you have to ask yourself: Would I rather enter a contest that is late because it's actually reading all of the entires, or would I like to enter a contest that is on time with their notification even though they received twice as many entries as the previous year?
Hi all
I think it's time to respond to the accusations made here by Johnny Cho, his best friend David Martin, and by those that recently appeared in Creative Screenwriting magazine on this matter.
Johnny Cho was 2000's Grand prize-winner in the Fade In Awards. He has not received his iMac computer as yet because he, quite simply, refuses to sign the material receipt (and subsequent general release) for the prize after we attempted to have it delivered to his workplace (it's interesting to note that Mr. Cho did not want the iMac but a laptop, which we spent months trying to get for him instead of the promised iMac - Apple would not oblige), He additionally demanded $3,000.00 (in addition to the $1,000.00 cash prize he received and cashed) in leui of meetings with executives and agents - or else!
We, of course, turned the matter over to our lawyers (who informed him that he would not receive the computer without a signed general release and material receipt and that he had ten days to pick it up; and that we would not be meeting his extortion demands...). What has followed since has been a smear campaign by Mr. Cho, along with his good friend, David Martin.
It is an unfortunate situation, but Mr. Cho continues his plight to extort monies from Fade In - he sued me personally, along with the magazine back in January for $5,000.00. The case was dismissed.
As for Creative Screenwriting's coverage of Mr. Cho's plight in the "Writer Beware" column, we believe that Eric Bauer (a competitive publisher) printing such a warped view of the situation is in direct retaliation for our asking him not to use our trademarked name ("Pitchfest") when referencing his Expo last year (you will notice on his site he was forced to put a disclaimer on the Expo site in regards to this). When I personally called Mr. Bauer to ask for his fax number so I could send him actual documents relating to and disproving Mr. Cho's accusations, he laughed at me, then ignored the faxed documents entirely - obvious by what he chose not to print (our side of the story). This is considered a cheap shot, btw.
As for Mr. Cho's computer, it has been sitting in our storage space for over a year now. It appears he would rather speak ill of our competition than sign a standard document that every Grand Prize finalist signs (and has signed) upon receiving all of their prize winnings.
Thanks for the opportunity to talk about this matter.
Audrey Kelly
Editor in Chief
FADE IN MAGAZINE
P.S. Mr. Blaine, I have a copy of our e-mail correspondence and if you're going to post my e-mail to you, you should do it in its entirety and not as a cut and paste job to make me look like some kind of tyrant. I'm sure you would appreciate the same courtesy if I were to post your e-mail to us. Thank you.
I dissagree with the first writer's comments. If this is a writing competition, then why should it matter if a show is running or not. The play's the thing! My only beef is my entry only made quarter-finalist. It was a spec scrpt for ER. An ER crew member read it and thought it was as good as anything they have ever done. A month later this same screenplay wins Platinum at Worldfest- Houston. I'd like to read the Buffy's and Six Feet Unders that were better. An east coast producer contacted me about series possibilities of the script outside of ER.
I think this "contest" is afirmative action for female writers. I don't think female writers need an edge to compete. I entered a script that has good coverage and has been optioned 3 times. It didn't even make it past the first round. I don't believe they had thirty-forty better screenplays. I won't enter again. Too much like a handicap golf tournament.
2003. Won platinum award for best Teleplay/short screenplay. This was an ER spect script. (never read by ER) Have had one contact from an east coast producer for possible series based on the story.
Author: ed duncan
Posted: 05/08/2003 07:49 PM
Larry's comments were quite helpful. Only after he pointed out one particular flaw did I see how obvious it was. I'm sure I've improved my script by making the changes he suggested.
i've got to say i'm confused and disappointed at this time. i entered this contest back in february of this year, and got a confirmation of receipt of my script.
when i entered, the tentative dates for this contest were may 15 announcing semi-finalists, june 15 announcing finalits, and winners announced july 1.
now suddenly the deadlines for submissions are june 15! and the winners will not be announced until november.
worse still, now suddenly there are option moneys attached to the winnings, which were not there in the first place. and i believe, i am unable to enter nicholl (which i already have) if i have entered contests with options attached.
i'm a little fuzzy on that last part, it may not be a problem. however, it seems to me that the rules and deadlines have changed in the middle of the entry procedure.
i have sent them an email asking what's going on, and i have yet to hear from them.
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