The Competition Competition

Good morning, wonderful Wavers. Two observations and a competition:

One, is it very odd living one block from CBS Television City because it means at odd intervals each day, I hear a studio audience whooping and cheering apropos of nothing.

Two, I know Rouge Wavers can do better - I received only a paltry few five word pitches.

Here's the Competition Competition:

Next week, The Script Department will be announcing, among a lot of other pretty cool things, a screenwriting competition unlike any other. Judging will be tough because the grand prize winner will receive not cash but an experience: A round trip ticket to Los Angeles, a stay at the Beverly Hilton and a day of meetings with three managers who will have read the winning script and will take a meeting with the winner to discuss the script, to hear another pitch and to discuss their career. I'm currently on the hunt for an A-list writer (or okay we might have to settle for B-list) to have lunch with the grand prizer winner at the Ivy.

2nd and 3rd prizes are being brainstormed as we speak but will similarly be beneficial experiences rather than just cash. The real purpose of a competition is to find great material and a promising writer who deserves a shot at a career and who needs help building connections and relationships. Cash can't do that. Dropping a press release to Variety guarantees absolutely nothing.

Since this is our first year, I imagine that in ensuing years the top prizes will get juicier and juicier - B list writer this year - A list next year, as one example. We really want to find and reward great writing. As I said, the judging will be tough. Without naming names, I read the top finalists at a large competition last year and I was aghast at the poor quality. I refuse to allow that to happen. I want good stuff. Every entrant, win or lose, will be able to use their entry fee toward a Script Department service down the line.

Anyway, we're working out the rules and all that - all of this will be announced next week but we can't think of a good name for this competition. The prizes are beneficial, relationship-building and experiential in nature. I like the vibe of Hollywood's golden era, which is the leit motif of the new website (sign up for our newsletter to get a first look), and would love a competition name which is memorable, which summons up the imagery of Hollywood's golden era and which somehow captures the spirit of this competition: a good writer will find him or herself taking meetings, having lunch and building connections - which is what this business is ALL about. Relationships.

Submit your suggestions here and if I find one that is a clear winner, the winner will receive a $50 gift certificate to the merchant of their choice, a cupcake and the undying love and devotion of the Wave-inatrix, which, let's face it, is good stuff.

If you enjoyed this post, follow me on Twitter or subscribe via RSS.