Silver Screenwriting Deadline Extension

Well, hello, Wavers! How is everyone this fine day? Sorry to be a bit absent - judging scripts takes a lot of focused time and Yoohoo. Also cupcakes. Busy busy busy judging and might I say - I LOVE a good title - when you're looking at hundreds and hundreds of scripts and you see a crazy/great title you think Oooh! I gotta see THAT one!

Also, this just in - we've extended our deadline until Sunday, May 10th for those last writers who were so close and yet not quite ready. Well, you now have exactly five more days. Well, more like four and a half. But. It's still possible to submit. So please do so if you haven't had a chance. And make sure you have an eye-catching title!

Back to judging - more news from the trenches later. Now get back to work.

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Judging The First Round Scripts

...So the deadline for the Silver Screenwriting Competition is tonight at midnight. And the scripts are pouring in. True to form - and honestly, I respect it - writers have waited til the last second to submit. As well they should - why let typos or formatting be the death of your script? Why send in an okay script when spending a bit more time on it can improve it?

Wavers have the unique opportunity to really get the inside scoop on what administrating and judging this competition is like, since yours truly is the one in charge and yours truly is a sharer.

Questions that I find humorous:

You say in your FAQ that your page limit is 120. My scripts is 138. Is that okay? I got that question, I'm estimating, about 25 times. Answer: No, it is not okay. The limit is the limit. Why would the rules not apply to you, personally?

I turned my script in but then found errors, can I resubmit? I got that question at least 10 times. Answer: No, you cannot resubmit. Look, if your script is amazing, a few typos or errors will not stop a judge from enjoying it. Beyond that - this is not a dress rehearsal. Would you call and agent and say oh sorry, I found some errors, can I resubmit? No, you would not. Get it right the first time - act like a professional if you aspire to be one. It's not fair to the other writers who worked their behinds off, combing through that script and making corrections.

I have earned over the limit of what you can earn, can I still submit? Uh, no, you cannot. The earnings limit is there for a reason - to keep the playing field as even as possible.

I know your FAQ says no adaptations but I have an adaptation, is that okay? I don't understand the question. No adaptations. We want to see original work. Why? Because if you win, we are going to trot you out personally to meet some managers. And they're going to know what kind of chops you've got as a writer. Adaptation is a many splendored thing - but we want to see what you can create from nothing and spin into gold dust.

I see that this is a feature competition but can I send in my short/tv script/play? Maybe in the future, but no, we are a feature competition only at this point.

I'm sorry to sound cranky; I've fielded so many of the same questions over and over, I'm just a little amazed by the lack of information-gathering and the chutzpah, honestly, to see if we can make an exception just for that writer.

In order to be fair to all writers, we have to set standards and rules and stick with them. The vast majority of entrants did their cotton pickin' best to follow and adhere to all rules. Those are the writers to whom we owe absolute fairness.

We are taking a deep breath and preparing to judge the first round of scripts to find the quarter finalists. Rather than hiring readers we don't know and that we pay very little, we are judging these scripts ourselves - myself and my partners, Margaux and Andrew. How can we do it? Coffee, taking a deep breath, and giving ourselves plenty of time to give each script its due. We figure, you worked hard to write your script, the least we owe you is our undivided attention.

What happens in first round judging? Well, that's the round in which scripts are reviewed for basic formatting (you'd be surprised, you really would), an engaging first 30 pages with a clear premise, great dialogue and great character work. If a script in first round judging cannot manage to entertain, nail format and set up a clear premise in the first act, then that script cannot move on to a higher round of judging.

The higher a script moves up in the judging, the more scrutiny the script comes under. Think of this round of judging as the round that simulates real life the most closely. You send a script to an agent or manager and they can't get through the first act? Into the circular file it goes. We will be returning snapshot notes to all scripts that don't make it past this first round, so that writers can feel that rather than sending their script into the void and not knowing why they didn't move up, they can review their brief notes and know that from where we sit, the script didn't contain the engaging elements necessary to warrant further review. If we can't tell what your premise is in the first act...you're in a world of hurt. Or if we can and it's basically some other movie, redux and not done as well...not good. If you used Word and the formatting is off - off you go. This first round is a litmus test for screenwriters. It's the most fundamental sorting process of those writers who have "it" and those who just aren't ready yet.

Someone asked me recently,Well, isn't it possible that a script might have a weak first act but then it gets much better in the second act? Is that possible? No, not really. Because the first act is everything - it is the set-up, it establishes the world, it shows us whether you can write. If you can't pull that off in the first act, the second act is irrelevant. Again, this is quite like the real world. Imagine that I am an agent. A very busy, overloaded agent. And I take your script home and read the first act and find errors, don't get what your premise is, and am not in the least bit entertained. I'm done at that point. Why should I read 10 more pages or 20 more pages hoping the script will get better? I don't know who you are and I don't care. I have a job to do which is to find great scripts by writers who might make me the money I need to afford my kids' private school and my leased BMW.

Entertainment is a highly competitive industry. In fact, competition pretty much defines it. It doesn't matter how nice you are, or how cute, or how sincere. It only matters if your script is great.

First round judging is a little like speed dating. I sit down with your script, and you have about 15 minutes to blow my mind or I'm on to the next script. Judging gets much, much tricker when scripts are the semifinal level. The script has passed the good first act test. But now, does this script beautifully pay off the set-up? Can you tie it all together in a big bow of entertaining satisfaction? Look, this is tough stuff, make no mistake.

But secretly - I enjoy judging scripts. I so badly want every single writer to make it to the next level. I love opening script after script and wondering what world I will find. What characters will I meet? Where is my winner - the one writer who every judge agrees has got something special? It's a little bit like searching for Willy Wonka's golden ticket. Will I find the winning script? I found the second place script at the Blue Cat Competition several years ago and I remember clearly walking into Gordy's office, slapping the script on his desk and proudly saying - I found it! (I thought it should have placed first but there you go). So it is with that same excitement that we prepare to find the winner of the 2009 Silver Screenwriting Competition. Maybe you're reading this right now, Grand Prize winner! And if you are, I'm going to have such fun shopping for your cool prizes and driving you around LA to lunches and appointments. I can't wait to read your script and be amazed. I can't wait to meet you in person.

So - off we go. Now get back to work, Wavers. The clock is ticking.

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What's New With Josh Zetumer

Good morning, Wavers! And did everybody have a nice weekend? As the deadline approaches for the Silver Screenwriting Competition (May 1, mark it on your calendar!), Margaux Froley thought it would be a great time to get an update with Josh Zetumer. Josh will be dining with the Grand Prize winner this year, in case you forgot. So here's the latest:

***

It's been nearly a year since our last interview with Josh. He's been hard at work finishing DUNE and even had time to do rewrite work on Guy Ritchie's SHERLOCK HOLMES. Suffice it to say, Josh is still a "working screenwriter," and I might even venture to say he's one of those coveted Hollywood A-list writers. Despite his demanding schedule, Josh has agreed to have lunch with the Grand Prize winner of the Silver Screenwriting contest and answer a few questions for you Rouge Wavers.

Josh, last time we spoke you had just gotten the job for DUNE. At the time you mentioned your love of sandworms. After finishing a draft on that project, how do you feel about sandworms now?

Groan.

But really, that sounded like a very tough project to crack. How did adapting DUNE compare to writing something of your own on spec?

For me, this project was infinitely harder than a spec. I get to a point on most projects where I want to quit/have a near-panic attack. I'm beginning to realize, as horrible as that is, it's all part of the creative process. It's like an acid trip; it's fun, but you know that for at least a couple hours you're going to be fearing for your life. On DUNE this was especially intense. The book is amazing, but parts read like physics homework. There's so much terminology, and so much is internal - characters second-guessing each other, trying to gauge situations. The key for me was to keep saying, "What can I do visually to express this idea?" I feel like this is a pretty important question you should be asking yourself on every screenplay. Show not tell.

As to the sandworms, yeah I still love them. What's not to love? I'm just hoping they look cool onscreen.

You mentioned that you did some rewrite work on SHERLOCK HOLMES. How much prior SHERLOCK knowledge did you have going into that? What did you to do prepare for something like that?

I'd been a fan of the stories, but I definitely needed a refresher course. The crazy thing about some of these production rewrites (jobs where you're rewriting the script just before or during filming) is that you usually have a matter of hours, not days, to decide if you're taking the job. Then suddenly you're on the clock, and that can be scary. On SHERLOCK I bought a book of short stories and was literally reading on the plane on the way to meet the producers. Doing research is normally one of my favorite parts of the process, but in this case there just wasn't time. The nice thing was that Robert Downey Jr. had such a clear view of the character, it was easy to dive right in.

Sorry, I have to ask. How was Robert Downey, Jr. to work with?

I know this is the stock answer to the "What was so-and-so like to work with," but in this case it's 100% true: He's incredible. Completely deserving of his celebrity. Hanging out with Robert is kind of like going to the carnival; you just follow him around, trying to write frantically while he drops one crazy/brilliant aphorism after another. The only thing is, he's so charismatic and witty that he kind of turns everyone else into a satellite. You become Downey-adjacent. I think if I hung out with him on a regular basis I would develop serious self-esteem issues. I am not now, nor will I ever be, as cool as Robert Downey, Jr.

You have been steadily getting assignments in Hollywood for a few years now...even with your established track record, how do you feel about getting the next job?

Um...cautiously optimistic? Two years ago I probably would have said "terrified." Like take-a-klonopin-and-go-to-sleep-shivering scared. I think generally my anxiety about work has become more manageable, but it still definitely lingers. You work so hard to get anywhere, and then the moment anything positive happens the first thing you tell yourself is, "This will not last. This is all going to be taken away." It doesn't help when you talk to older screenwriters and all they tell you is, "Enjoy it while you can, kid." Seriously, any writer who's spent more than 10 years in Hollywood turns into the grim f*cking reaper.

How important has your relationship with your representation (agent and manager) been in starting and then maintaining your career?

The most important thing in the world. If I could give only one piece of advice to first-time screenwriters it would be: Don't write a script to sell it, write it to land an agent. Agents and managers read 10 to 15 scripts a weekend, three of them on the treadmill. So write a script that's fun to read, that shows a distinct and confident voice, but don't try to second-guess the marketplace. You can kill yourself following trends and trying to predict what will sell. A lot of people also ask, "Why do you need both an agent and manager?" This may not be true for everyone, but in my experience, having both has been invaluable. A manager can produce, and that can be helpful landing gigs. My first studio job - writing a movie called THE INFILTRATOR for Leonardo Dicaprio - was something my manager was producing. Managers and agents also have incentive to set you up with their director clients, so that can be very helpful as well.

If I were an unrepresented screenwriter with a terrific spec, what do you think my best options would be for launching my career?

First move to Los Angeles. It's hard enough to get anyone to notice you in Hollywood. It's even harder if you're living in Maine. Some people do the query letter thing - sending unsolicited scripts to agents - but I don't know any instances of this actually working (that's not to say it can't happen, it just seems like a longshot). A big part of being a screenwriter is hustling, selling yourself. You need to be very proactive. Enter as many screenwriting contests as you can. Read blogs. Try to meet people who are connected to talent agencies. All it really takes to get the ball rolling is one person who believes in you. This can be an indie producer, a writer who has an agent, etc. In my case it was two guys: a writer named Chris McKenna who gave my spec to his agent, and an assistant named Mark Tuohy who gave the script to his boss, a packaging agent. I went to high school with Chris, and Mark I met through an old girlfriend, so you never know where these connections will come from. It's either that or get creative. Become a valet, find out where Steven Spielberg eats lunch, and leave your spec on the passenger seat. Actually, I'm sure he gets that all the time.

Thank you, Josh. Is - is that a sandworm??

Ha.

All righty, Wavers. Get back to work. And don't forget, May 1st looms, so get those scripts in and you just might be the person asking Josh about life in the fast lane.

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Catching Up With Hilary Graham

Good morning, Wavers! The other day, Margaux Froley interviewed Hilary Graham, last year's Silver Screenwriting Grand Prize winner, to find out what she's up to almost one year later. Sounds like she's been pretty busy. But don't take my word for it, let's hear from Hilary:

Hilary, it's been six months since your Grand Prize trip to Los Angeles. How has your approach to your career shifted since then?

Well, being a writer from New Hampshire, I think it’s critical to go to LA every few months and get an infusion of that energy. Plus, it gives me an excuse to wear lipstick. There’s a line from ALMOST FAMOUS that Kate Hudson and her friends keep repeating throughout the film: "It’s all happening..." I feel like that when I’m in LA, and it’s a great motivating factor. One thing I left LA with was that I should never miss an opportunity to pitch my "take" on a project. When I got home I had three novels given to me by producers, three magazine articles, and three "concepts." I pitched my take on all of them. Yes, it was a lot of hard work, but now two of those things are percolating...

What have you been working on since?

Since October I have written two treatments, four chapters of a novel, finished a first draft of my latest spec script and developed pitches for the aforementioned novels/articles/ideas. Some of these things were better than others. ;)

You recently sold your first project...tell us about that. From coming up with the idea to check in hand.

While I was in LA, I was a busy, busy lady. You - The Script Department - set me up with a bunch of meetings, and so did my manager - Seth Jaret of Jaret Entertainment. They were general meetings, but sometimes I did pitch a few of my new ideas (I had three "polished" pitches). At one of the meetings, I did my three pitches, and one of them led to a request to see a treatment. So, I went home and quickly wrote said treatment, and now that production company is paying me to write that spec.

It sounds like you have been incredibly productive. Is this normally how fast you write or has a taste of Hollywood gotten to you?

I am by nature a hard worker, and I know that you need to work hard to get ahead in this business because everyone is hungry. I write five days a week, 9:00 – 2:00, and often for a couple hours in the evening and on weekends.

Are there any lingering lessons you are still benefiting from since your LA trip and your meetings with other working screenwriters and producers?

My two biggest lessons are to not be too hard on myself and to try not to jump to conclusions. One of the worst meetings I had (which was actually a post-LA phone call with the agent of an A-list director) was bad. Embarrassingly bad. But the production company that set up the call is now paying me to write my spec, so it just goes to show you. Also, I pitched one producer a take that he didn’t really respond to back in November, and recently, out of the blue, he called up to tell me that he changed his mind and we’re working together on a treatment.


Any advice for aspiring screenwriters?

Write as much as you can. You get better as you go.

Also, any sense about what the market is like in Hollywood for new writers breaking in?

God, I don’t really know. But I try to remain naively optimistic. I always think there’s space for fresh new voices and original ideas.

How has your representation helped you manage your blossoming career?

My manager rocks. He has access to all of the gatekeepers in Hollywood and he has relationships with these people. Plus, he has an amazing critical eye for my work, which really helps me strengthen and improve my writing. And of course, he is one of my greatest cheerleaders.

Would you encourage other writers to enter the Silver Screenwriting Competition?

I encourage every aspiring screenwriter to enter the Silver Screenwriting Competition. You WANT to win this prize. The cash was nice, sure, but that was only part of the real prize. To me, the trip to LA was really what it’s all about. Not only did they set me up in a cool little trendy hotel, but the Script Department put so much energy into making sure I was living the life of a Hollywood screenwriter — from arranging meetings to taking me to lunch at the Paramount commissary to taking me for drinks at the chi-chi Château Marmont.

At night, the Script Department set me up with drinks and dinner with three different major screenwriters: Blake Snyder (author of the SAVE THE CAT screenwriting series), Steve Faber (WEDDING CRASHERS), and David Arata (CHILDREN OF MEN). The words of wisdom offered by these experienced and talented people was just invaluable. Nothing beats having a mini-mentorship with an Academy Award nominee over some Pinot Grigio. Blake, Steve, and David each were happy to share their unique perspectives on and experiences in the business of screenwriting, giving me sage advice, and most of all encouragement. Well, Steve Faber also gave me slight heart palpitations, but in a good way. The man is a force of nature.

By day, the Script Department arranged meetings with producers, making me more than just a name on a cover page, and providing me the beginnings of a working relationship with people from a slew of well-respected production companies. And we all know how essential relationships are to this business (especially for a writer who lives on the east coast).

Since my trip, the ongoing creative support from The Script Department has been amazing. Before I won the 2008 Silver Screenwriting Contest, I used to feel like I didn’t really have a writing community, that I had no one to bounce ideas off of. Now, I have The Script Department — a team of talented, insightful WRITERS who actually have a stake in helping me achieve success and are committed to shepherding me in every aspect of this business. Talk about priceless! Clearly, this is more than just your average screenwriting contest. Enter it. Hell, enter it twice.

What's next for you?

Taking a shower. It’s almost noon and I’m still in my PJs. After that — world domination.

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Competition Criteria

Dear Rouge Wave:

Love your blog, it's a raft of rationality, creativity, and intelligence amidst a sea of screenwriting blather...

But I'm not sure if the screenwriting contest is worth entering.

Because the finalists and winners in these contest are virtually never commercially viable.

I know there are (rare) exceptions, but the scripts that do well almost always seem to be "small" family dramas, period pieces about obscure historical figures, and quirky indie dramas.
None of which will have CAA or the major studios knocking at my door.

So, my question is...Will your contest be any different? More specifically, will marketplace viability be an important criterion?

-Skeptical in Saskatoon


Dear Skeptical:

Not sure if you read the interview just a couple of days ago with Brian Schornak of Back Lot Productions. SUNSHINE CLEANING - a very quirky indie - won a competition, was produced and had a wide release. So quirky indie scripts can do very well.

The criteria for judging scripts at the Silver Screenwriting Competition are simple: We are looking for talented writers with unique voices, entertaining and original scripts executed beautifully. Ergo, a potential career that lies ahead. That is why the prize, outside of some fun things like an iPhone and MacBook Air, is a trip to LA to meet with managers and an A-list writer.

Competition-winning scripts that meet those criteria will absolutely have CAA or ICM knocking on your door. Voice and talent are the holy grail, my friend. When you say commercially viable, I'm not sure what you really mean - over and over again we see funky scripts (JUNO, LARS AND THE REAL GIRL, LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE and SUNSHINE CLEANING, to name a few) that were totally commercially viable. If we got a big action thriller at the Silver Screenwriting Competition that met the criteria I mentioned a moment ago, it would climb up the ladder very quickly and yes, would be even more attractive than a quirky drama - to some buyers. But any script that has won a competition is something that attracts agents and managers because, as Brian said in his interview, this is an automatic sorting system. Of thousands of scripts submitted, this writer has proven that he or she is in the top 1% in originality, execution and voice - regardless of the genre or "commercial viability."

If there's one thing I know for sure about Hollywood, it's that agents, managers and producers are always looking for fresh, new writers. That I can say for a fact. New writers with new voices and unique stories are HOT. Everybody wants to say they discovered you.

But screenwriting is not a sprint, it is a marathon. If you enter a competition and win (or at least place in the top five), you have just been anointed, validated and confirmed with talent. You have a script that can get you the attention you need to get meetings and get noticed. If your criteria for entering a competition is that the script should then get you immediately repped and sold - well, you might be thinking in sprint mentality. The point is to build a fan base and to get out there and noticed as a promising writer. There is no silver bullet. You still have to have the goods - ongoing.

And there's so much at play. If you go through the list of writers who have won competitions for the past five years say, and researched each one and found out which one subsequently sold that script or subsequently sold a script or subsequently was repped without selling any script and is getting open assignment work, you'd probably see a relatively small number. Why? Because now we come into some variables: Did the writer make the good decisions necessary to leverage that win into meetings? Did that writer have a body of work to back up that win? Did or does the writer live in Los Angeles and get out there to meetings? Did the writer follow up the winning script with another, even better script?

There are a lot of variables; and, like a lunar eclipse, things have to line up just so for a win to really get the writer the traction they need to build a career.

Let me say it again: There is NO silver bullet, quick fix or easy way in. A competition win is hugely validating and energizing. But it now gives the writer a new set of challenges. Can you leverage the win? Can you write something that great again? And again? Can you get into meetings and be good in a room?

Winning a competition is a great way to get your foot in the door and then kick some serious ass. It elevates you from the teeming masses - and they are teeming - make no mistake. But you're the one who has to do the ass kicking. Is there more great writing where that came from?

Winning a competition means you have just arrived at a whole new base camp as you continue to climb this mountain. But nobody but you can affect those other variables of more good scripts to back up your win and potential career. Nobody but you can be good in a room. Nobody but you can have other great ideas on deck.

Saying that competition-winning scripts are quirky, small and not "commercially viable" is definitely an inaccurate generalization. Writers who look askance at competitions with that as their reasoning are, in my view, copping out. There's no free lunch. If you have the chops to win a competition, you have to be responsible to use that experience to move on up from there. Let me say this loud and clear: Good writing is good writing. And the cream always rises to the top.

At The Silver Screenwriting Competition our goal is to reward the winning screenwriter with an opportunity to do just that. Move on up. Come on out, meet some influential people, create relationships and pitch your heart out. In addition, we follow up with all of the winning writers - where's your rewrite? How are you spending your time? Have you sent thank you notes? What are you writing now? We don't give you your prizes and walk away - we are an integral part of paving a path for you. But you have to have the goods to walk that path. And by goods I mean chops, determination, good strategic decision making and more great ideas and scripts in your old kit bag.

Whether you choose to enter The Silver Screenwriting Competition or any other competition is up to you. Is it worth it a shot? Is it worth the possibility of setting up a whole new base camp, one much closer to the peak? To me the answer is self-evident.

The deadline for the Silver Screenwriting Competition is coming up fast, by the way. May 1. So if you'd like to have a shot at taking your nascent career and turning into a real one, polish up your draft and submit ASAP.

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Can Winning a Competition Make a Difference?

Today The Script Department's very own Margaux Froley interviews a development exec about competition winning scripts, the spec market and what you can expect from a meeting. Enjoy.

***

I'm always curious about the perspective of other industry friends, especially those who have come up the demanding ladder of the development world. I recently discussed the current state of the industry with Brian Schornak, VP of Production at Back Lot Pictures. I consider Brian's taste in scripts to be impeccable, meaning he understands a writer's voice and has a terrific ability to help shepherd classy, yet quirky, films. He was involved with the recent successful film, SUNSHINE CLEANING.

For those of you who don't know this fun fact, the script of SUNSHINE CLEANING was discovered in a script contest by the company Brian works for. Brian was also one of the producers who met with the winner of the 2008 Silver Screenwriting Contest, so he's no stranger to seeing screenwriters blossom from contests.


Q: You've seen writers get discovered by contests before, including meeting with last year's Silver Screenwriting Grand Prize winner, Hilary Graham.What common elements are you seeing in the scripts that get plucked from these contests?

Generally, the writer has an interesting, distinctive voice and tells a story that really grabs the reader's attention. Not necessarily the most commercial, sellable story - it's more about establishing the writer as someone to work with and to watch grow. The winning script might turn into a hit spec sale but that's not the be-all and end-all. Some of the specific writing mechanics, like structure, might be imperfect - but those things can always be fixed with development.

Q: So a script wins a contest. Great. Now what? When you meet with the winning writer, what are you expecting them to bring to the table?

I like writers who come equipped with a bunch of ideas - fleshed-out or not - that will give me a sense of the type of screenwriting career that they want to pursue. I also love to talk about movies and get a sense of their general taste. All of this helps me when I'm looking to develop original material or fill writing assignments. Honestly, personality goes a long way, since being "good in a room" is key to landing paying writing jobs. You don't have to be the nicest or funniest person I've ever met, but I take a lot of meetings, so a great conversationalist with intuitive people skills will stick out in my mind long after we've parted ways.

Q: Can a writer really launch a career from a contest?

Absolutely. As a first-hand example, Megan Holley wrote SUNSHINE CLEANING, which was a fantastic script, and submitted it to the Virginia Governor's Screenwriting Competition back in 2003. Our company happened to be involved in the judging process because my boss Glenn Williamson is an alumnus of UVA. She won the competition, we made the movie, and now she's much sought-after all over town. It's been a great experience.

Many other contests - Nicholl in particular, have turned out viable writers, and I think that producers and literary reps alike are looking more closely at contest winners these days. The town is very competitive in terms of finding the next hot writer and the competitions are a great sorting mechanism.

Q: Among the "industry" crowd, how quickly do prize-winning writers get noticed? More by managers than agents?

It depends on the size and reputability of the contest, but in some cases there's a mad dash to obtain and read the winning scripts. Managers might be more inclined to sign writers who have a lot of potential but need some development, whereas agents are more likely to come aboard once a sale seems possible. But that's not always true.

Q: How does building and maintaining a relationship with a production company help a new writer with his/her career?

Writers are always welcome to check in periodically with the execs they had good meetings with (sometimes you just don't feel much of a connection, and that's okay, there are plenty of places to do business). Execs are always putting together lists of projects for paid writing assignments and for internal development projects, so it's good to maintain visibility.

Q: What's the spec market like right now?

The spec market waxes and wanes. Right now it's waning, as for economic reasons studios are cutting back on their development and production slates, so there's less incentive to buy new projects. As a result, production companies are more likely to package scripts with a director or a star before going out to buyers. The movie business, although largely tied to corporate conglomerates, does seem to be fairly recession-proof thus far, so I imagine and hope there will be more activity in the near future.

Brian has also already volunteered to again meet with this year's Grand Prize winner of the Silver Screenwriting Competition. He could be discussing your script with you by October! Hmm...what to wear? Click here to SUBMIT. Deadline: May 1st.

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Top Three St. Patty's Short Scenes

All right, Wavers. Here we go, the top three. To put everything in perspective, I received 59 short scenes. When I judged the scenes, I looked, initially, for format and density (too much black). I didn't disqualify a short scene for having too much black or being in MS word, but nine out of ten times if there WAS too much black, the story was also not very compelling. Interesting pattern. The next step of sorting through the scripts was that I looked for originality: writers who surprised me. It's sobering how many scripts were actually quite alike this time, I mean, really sobering. Come on you guys. You gotta be more unique! Lastly, I looked for writers who managed to really, seriously, honestly tell a complete story.

I received a lot of odd, sort of "momenty" scenes. Sort of film student pastiches or moments that went nowhere. Ungood.

Beginning, middle, end. Compelling and unique conflict. This time, I've noted why I chose a particular scene. Look and learn, Wavers, look and learn. Unique, compelling, cinematic and - well - fun. That's what each of these short scenes has in common. If your script was not chosen, it may have been momenty or unoriginal - or it might have been great but just couldn't quite compete with the finalists I chose. I wish I could give each individual notes and feedback but unfortunately that is untenable so you'll have to do it the old-fashioned way - you'll have to compare and surmise by reading these finalists and then review your own entry.

For now, here at the top three:

SILVER NICKELS
by Emily Backus

Why I chose this short scene: Emily went totally, 100% outside of the box on this one. She used the keywords in the single most creative way, more than anybody else did in this competition. The scene is funny, it works and it made me laugh.

EXT. DESERTED STREET - DAY

A rickety car idles at a stoplight, puttering quietly in the
early dawn light. The light clicks from crimson to emerald
and the car peels through the damp intersection.

BUD
How you doin’ back there honey?

He glances to the back seat where his massively pregnant wife
is braced against the rear seat, contorted in pain.

CHARLENE
(huffing)
Oh, just grand.

She cracks an eye open and looks out the window.

CHARLENE
Turn here. Turn here!

Bud is barely able to veer right, to the tune of complaining
shrieks.

BUD
Yes honey, I believe I know where
the highway is!

They merge into a stately parade of rush hour traffic.

CHARLENE
We’re carpoolin’! Use the freaking
diamond lane!

Bud flicks on the blinker and waves genially at honking
motorists.

BUD
I am doing that just as fast as
humanly possible, dear. You just
concentrate on your breathing and,
well, Lucky of course.

CHARLENE
(breathing heavily)
Listen here, I do not care if this
baby was made over a bowl of
cereal. We are not naming him
after a fuckin’ leprechaun!

BUD
Well Christ, excuse me. Dwayne Leon
Nickels Jr.! Got no ring to it. Not
like Lucky Silver Nickels!

THE GREEN GET-AWAY
by Audrey McKenzie

Why I chose this short scene: It starts off as a very typical short scene in this competition: the waif, the parade, the leprechauns exactly as you would imagine - then goes in a totally different, PAPER MOON direction. The ending image made me laugh; this entry is cinematic and satisfying.

EXT. CITY STREET - DAY

A MARCHING BAND leads a parade of St. Patrick's Day floats. LEPRECHAUNS of all sizes walk alongside a float and wave to the CROWD lining the sidewalk.

Behind the throng of people, KATIE (8), a waif in grubby Keds, leans against a wall beneath a window display of emerald jewelry, and stares with longing at the families enjoying the parade.

She turns as a WOMAN enters the jewelry store.

Sadness clouds Katie's face. She bursts into tears.

INT. JEWELRY STORE - MOMENTS LATER

A CLERK hands the woman a chunky emerald bracelet.

Katie runs into the store crying.

KATIE
Mommmeeee!

Crashes into the woman, stumbles.

Concerned, the woman leans over to help Katie up.

Katie jerks the bracelet out of the woman's hand, races for the door. The clerk lunges for her, misses.

CLERK
Stop, you little thief!

The woman gawks.

EXT. CITY STREET - SAME

Katie weaves between the parade-goers, breaks through and darts for an alley.

MOMENTS LATER

HONK! HONK! The parade-goers turn toward the sound. A child's pedal car speeds out of the alley. Behind the wheel is Katie, disguised as a leprechaun in a floppy green hat, rust-colored beard, and green shirt.

To the delight of the crowd, Katie pedals away, knobby knees pumping like pistons, headed for a group of SHRINERS in clown-cars.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY BLUES
by Iain Urquhart

Why I chose this short scene: Because the truncated, noir/detective writing was perfect. The patter between Dougan and Hannegan, as Dougan explains, in his jaded way, the dirty underbelly of "Lep" crime - I laughed aloud. Iain really nailed this scene.

INT. CHIEF DOUGAN'S OFFICE - DAY

DOUGAN, feet on desk. Big cop. Cheroot, pork pie hat. Unlit.
HANNEGAN, fresh-faced kid, throws an OLD SHOE onto the desk.

HANNEGAN
It's him. Forensics confirms it.

Dougan lifts up the shoe, with a pencil and a cop-bred sneer.

DOUGAN
You grow up in the Emerald Isle,
kid, you don't need no lab to
confirm it. You got a shoe in the
case, you got a leprechaun perp.

He drops the shoe, takes in Hannegan's puzzled admiration.

DOUGAN
Shoe's standard MO for a lep.
They got interests in cobbling.
Cobbling's legit. It ain't their
shoe. They was only mending it.
Lepped-up lawyer, they're back on
the street. Making mischief.

Hannegan fishes a note out of the shoe, reads it.

HANNEGAN
Mischief it is, Chief. He's gonna
hit the St. Patrick's parade. He
don't get a crock of gold at the
end of the rainbow, he's gonna
curdle the Guinness.

DOUGAN
It .. it'll be DRY out there!

HANNEGAN
If it ain't wet. He's gonna plant
laxative Baileys and heist all
the two-ply. Think of the women.

Dougan does, and the color drains from his face.

HANNEGAN
Leprechaun on our back, Mayor up
our ass. We need a plan, Chief.

DOUGAN
Irish shit storm, there's only
one plan. A rubber suit, with
another guy in it. Bring me the
Batphone.

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St. Paddy's Short Scene Competition

Okay guys - who feels like doing another short scene competition? Me! I do!

So you know the drill by now, or maybe you're new to TRW and you don't. Guidelines are below.

Keywords are:
Leprechaun
Emerald
Parade

Guidelines:
Write a one page short scene that includes the keywords above. Put the words in context, and make it creative and clever. The words should be key in the scenes, not just a passing inclusion. Don't just slot them in there somewhere. Genre doesn't matter, just keep it to one page.

Deadline:
Please turn your short scenes in by Thursday, March 12th by 11:59pm Pacific Time. I will select the top three and post them here for voting on Monday, March 16th.

Prizes:
A $25 gift certificate to the online vendor (Starbucks, Amazon, etc.) or charity of your choice.

Entry Fee:
Don't be silly.

Submit your scene HERE.

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Reminder Plus a Happy Dance

Good afternoon, Wavers - I have some exciting news. We landed a really neat writer to dine with our grand prize winner for the 2009 Silver Screenwriting Competition. The doors open for submission on Sunday March 1st, and the deadline is May 1st. The first two weeks of submissions are early bird discounted. The website has not yet been updated to reflect the reason I'm doing a big happy dance today so here's the upshot:

With cash and prizes totaling $10,000, The Silver Screenwriting Competition will award the Grand Prize winner a round trip ticket to Los Angeles, three nights at a four star hotel on the Sunset Strip, meetings with three managers and lunch at the Ivy with Josh Zetumer, currently adapting DUNE for director Peter Berg. (Josh also worked on SHERLOCK HOLMES and JAMES BOND: QUANTUM OF SOLACE). How’d you like to pick his brain over lunch?

And that’s not even including the MacBook Air, iPhone and $750 in cash. Go ahead. Give it a try. Then start packing your bags for Hollywood. Deadline, May 1st, 2009, 11:59pm Pacific Time.

Oh happy happy joy joy. I've actually met Josh on a number of occasions and let me tell you, he's one smart guy. He has twice appeared on the Black List (2008 and 2007) and in 2008 was named one of Variety's Top Ten Screenwriters to Watch. And now you can watch him have lunch and give you some choice advice and inspiration. Super neat. So mark your calendars and get those scripts ready - it's gonna be a fun competition!

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Bulletin Board Items

Item: Congratulations to Mike Perri for his winning logline, The Sailor. Mike will be donating his $25 winnings to a local animal shelter here in Los Angeles.

Item: Saw Coraline last evening (pronounced: cora-LINE) and forgot it's in 3-D. Wild, wacky, trippy and brain-melty. Plus it's very fun to turn around and see everybody in those goofy 3-D glasses. For that reason alone, you should go see it. Felt longer than it really was. Very Lewis Carroll, not for everybody.

Item: I reckon I get 50+ emails on a daily basis. Per the pinging blog post, no hard feelings if it takes a while to hear from me.

Item: The Silver Screenwriting Competition is getting ready to open its doors on March 1 so if you're thinking of entering this year, get ready to rock it. Final deadline is May 1st so you have some time but the early bird gets the discount if you submit by March 15th.

Check out the grand prize:

• MacBook Air*
• iPhone
• Round trip flight to Los Angeles
• 3 nights accommodations at the London Hotel on the Sunset Strip, home of chef Gordon Ramsay's newest restaurant
• A day of meetings with 3 managers
• Cocktails at the Chateau Marmont with The Script Department
• Lunch at the Ivy with a TBA A-list screenwriter
• $750 in cash

*or cash equivalent if you're an IBM aficionado.

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Top Three Sailor/Pirate Loglines

Okay Wavers, it's the moment you've been waiting for. I received TONS of loglines. Everything from the ridiculous to the sublime and back again. I received loglines that really, really don't work but that made me laugh very hard. I received loglines that were quite sober and dramatic but not particularly unique. So I came up with these three top nominees based on inventiveness, entertainment factor and well - I just liked these three the best. They stood out from the crowd. There were about three others besides these that I had to carefully consider but at the end of the day, this is what I chose:

Yellow Fever by Audrey McKenzie

When a notorious pirate seeks revenge on the Port of Savannah for the outbreak of yellow fever that decimated his crew, a sailor recuperating from the disease struggles to mount a defense and protect a young woman the frightened townspeople blame for the epidemic.

The Sailor by Michael Perri

After an extraterrestrial war forces a impotent human race to seek refuge in space, a rag tag ship and its crew attempts to evade a Pirate overlord bent on recapturing a stow away simply known as the “Sailor” with the ability to regenerate the human race.

The Entertainer by Elizabeth Ditty

When a Somali pirate with a secret fantasy of becoming an entertainer is sent onto a cruise ship disguised as a sailor, hijinks ensue on the high seas as he attempts to serve two masters: his duty and his dream.

Cast your votes by end of day, Monday February 9th.

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Logline Competition

Okay Wavers - this is gonna be a whole lotta fun. Lotta, lotta fun. We're going to try something really different. Let's see who can write the most compelling, original, pithy logline that you could actually pitch in a room. A logline with a clear genre indicated, with conflict, cinematic potential and a unique main character . All in 50 words or less. Sounds impossible, right? Well, no it's not. So let's give it a shot!


Guidelines:
Any genre
50 words max (strictly enforced)
Must include the following: A sailor and a pirate. Doesn't matter which is the antagonist or protagonist. Just use a sailor and a pirate.

Deadline:
Wednesday, February 4th, 11:59pm Pacific Time
Submit HERE

Prize:
$25 gift certificate to the online vendor of your choice.

Fees:
Heh. That would be hilarious.

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Short Scene WINNER

Good morning, Wavers. Here is the winning Christmas Short Scene. Joshua James will be receiving a fifty dollar gift certificate to the business of his choice.

I tried to find a special guest judge but due to the holidays, many people are either out of town or too busy with other commitments. I was frustrated by that but then I thought, wait, I'm a pretty special judge, so we'll go with me. In the past, when I have chosen the top three short scenes, I know immediately who the winner should be (ballot stuffing aside, which is why we're using a new model - not popular vote but professional vote).

Of the 50+ short scenes that were submitted, only a tiny fraction were anywhere near what I had hoped for. Now, given, writing a compelling scene that tells an entire story in and of itself is quite a challenge. But it's a challenge that a screenwriter should be able to meet. This is why these competitions are a great exercise.

Many short scenes were too clever for their own good. I didn't get it, in other words. Things weren't set up and came out of the blue. Storylines were unclear. Keywords were repeated, on the nose or inserted a bit randomly.

Joshua's short scene was head and shoulders above any other submission I received. Head and shoulders. So what did Joshua do right?

His short scene used the keywords organically. The scene has a beginning, a middle and an end. It has a key moment that sets up a mystery and the pay off is satisfying and sweet. It sets up world, it is logical and it has universal resonance. Congratulations, Josh, you did a great job.

Nog
by Joshua James

EXT. SNOW-FILLED STREET - DAY
Wind and snow howl. BARB (29) wades through the knee-deep
snow in the middle of the street. She carries a large
thermos. Wades up to a house. Shivering, Barb takes out her
keys. Notices a-

MAILMAN - struggling through the snow, three doors up.

BARB - checks the mailbox by the door. A letter.

INT. FOYER - DAY
Barb stomps snow off her boots, unwraps herself from the
scarves and jackets.

She opens the letter. Picks up the thermos. Walks into the hall. Stops midway as she reads:

“Dear Barb, enclosed is an all expenses paid trip for
two to MAUI for the Christmas holiday. You’ve put in so many
extra hours that the partners and I agreed to do something
special for you. It’s Maui, Barb, Maui! Best, Tracy.”

EMMA (O.S.)
Barb? Is that you?

INT. KITCHEN - CONTINUOUS
Barb steps on the pedal of a kitchen trash can. Lid goes up.
Barb drops the letter, tickets and voucher into the trash.

EMMA
I can’t believe you went out in a
raging blizzard just for that.

EMMA (60) appears, in a wheelchair. Barb grabs two cups.

BARB
It’s your favorite. Cinnamon
flavored egg nog from Cuddy’s.

Barb pours egg nog from the thermos. Hands a cup to her.

EMMA
I bet you wish you were somewhere
warm and sunny right about now.

Barb smiles. Sips her egg nog.

BARB
Not at all, Mom. It’s Christmas.

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Christmas Short Scene Competition

All right. Christmas is just around the corner so let's do this thing. The short scene must be Christmas themed and include the keywords below:



Keywords:
Maui
Blizzard
Egg nog

Guidelines:
Write a one page short scene which includes the keywords, above. Put the words in context, and make it creative and clever. The words should be key in the scenes, not just a passing inclusion. Don't just slot them in there somewhere. Genre doesn't matter, just keep it to one page.

Deadline:
Please turn your short scenes in by Friday, December 12th by 11:59pm Pacific Time. I will select the top three and post them here for voting on Monday, December 15th.***

Prizes:
Because it's Christmas and I'm feeling generous, how about a $50 gift certificate to a vendor of your choice: Starbucks, Amazon, etc.

Entry Fee:
Don't be silly.

Submit your scene HERE.

***Shall we vote in the usual way or should I find a super cool guest judge to decide the winner this time? Leave your comments either way.

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Top Three Finalists

Good Monday, Wavers! The Expo has wrapped up for another year, Los Angeles is slouching toward Thanksgiving with smoke-filled air and today we have the top three short scenes in the Thanksgiving, Chihuahua, Election competition.

Voting Guidelines: As always, NO ballot-stuffing. Finalists, please refrain from asking your parents, co-workers and groupies to vote for you just because you're so wonderful. We haven't had a serious ballot stuffing problem in some months but I think we all remember that with distaste. Vote for the short scene that you most enjoyed - simple as that.

Animal House
by Jeff Undsman

INT. ANIMAL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - DAY
A whole host of animals sit in a huge semi-circle. On the platform, a massive turkey paces back and forth. This is SENATOR RED NECK.

Behind the podium stands SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA. He strikes the podium with a wooden hammer.

SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA
Ladies and gentlemen, it's Thanksgiving day and it’s getting late. Everyone wants to get home.

REPRESENTATIVES
(all together)
Gobble-gobble-gobble. Woof-woof-woof. Meow-meow-meow.

SENATOR RED NECK
I have to be at the table today, no matter what.

SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA
The election has been postponed way too long. We must finalize the candidate. Senator Red Neck has been the most popular candidate but as you all know...

The room fills with jeers, cheers, and an assortment of ANIMAL SOUNDS.

SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA
It is against this country's laws for a president to be foreign born.

DISTANT VOICE
You can't prove anything!

SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA
Senator Red Neck is ineligible to be elected and I have proof. He is not the typical turkey you were all led to believe in.

Silence falls upon the room. Speaker Chihuahua scans the room. All eyes are upon him.

SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA
It pains even me to break the news to you all, but Senator Red Neck was not born in the United States of Animals. He was born in...

Senator Red Neck waves his wings as if trying to stop Speaker Chihuahua from continuing.

SPEAKER CHIHUAHUA
(screaming)
Turkey!

***

Birds of a Feather
by Cathy Krasnianski

FADE IN:

INT. BARN – DAY
The turkeys are assembled in the center of the room.

CROOKED BEAK
So, you all know Thanksgiving’s tomorrow, right?

The birds exchange nervous looks.

SCRAWNY NECK
He wouldn’t pick me, would he? I’m too young to die!

He lets out a squawk.

BRUISER
Hey, none of us wants to end up like poor Henrietta.

They cringe, remembering.

BRUISER (CONT’D)
...and this year, if we’re smart, we won’t. C’mere.

The birds huddle.

PELE, the farm’s overly cheerful Chihuahua bursts in.

PELE
Hi guys! What’s shakin’, ’sides me?

The birds regard him.

BRUISER
We were just talking ‘bout you, kid. Congratulations, you won the election for mascot. Scrawny will help you into your costume.

PELE
This is so cool! I didn’t even know I was nominated.

Scrawny leads Pele away. Just then, FARMER BOB Enters.

FARMER BOB
So, who’s it to be this year, boys?

The birds part, revealing Pele covered in feathers.

ALL THE BIRDS
Him!

FADE OUT

***

Chewie is Dead
by Richard Sheehy

EXT. TRAIN STATION - DAY

ROBBIE COLE (18) stands alone. An old, beat up Chevy pulls
up. In the front seat, his parents, RITA and LEO COLE (50s),
wave spastically. A Chihuahua yips away in Rita's lap.

Robbie shuffles over - dead man walking - climbs in.

INT. THE COLE'S CAR

RITA
Oh, my god! You lost weight. Leo,
he's a skeleton. Have you been
eating? You need my Thanksgiving
dinner to fatten you up again.

LEO
Rita, please. Give the kid a
break. He just got off a train.
You look bigger. Been workin' out?

Robbie just stares ahead, dumbfounded.

RITA
So... how'd the election go?
Should we be calling you Mr.
Student Body President?

ROBBIE
I got eleven votes.

Leo and Rita exchange a hopeful look.

ROBBIE
Out of a thousand.

They grimace. Robbie points to the dog. It still yips away.

ROBBIE
Ummm, what the hell is that?

RITA
Surprise! I know how hard it was
on you when the police shot Chewie.

ROBBIE
You got a Chihuahua to replace my
Rottweiler?

LEO
Good to have you home, son.

ROBBIE
I hate my life.

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Short Scene Competition

All right Wavers, I think it's time for another Rouge Wave Short Scene Competition. Here are the keywords:

Thanksgiving
Chihuahua
Election


Guidelines:
Write a one page short scene which includes the keywords, above. Put the words in context, and make it creative and clever. The words should be key in the scenes, not just a passing inclusion. Don't just slot them in there somewhere. Genre doesn't matter, just keep it to one page.

Deadline:
Please turn your short scenes in by Friday, November 14th at 12am Pacific Time. I will select the top three and post them here for voting on Monday, November 17th.

Prizes:
As always, a $25 gift certificate to a vendor of your choice: Starbucks, Amazon, etc.

Entry Fee:
Don't be silly. But someday, in order to offer bigger, better prizes, we may all kick in ten bucks or something. That's just a tba thought.

Submit your scene HERE.

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Short Scene Finalists

Okay here we go, Wavers. You know how this works. Vote for your favorite and bear in mind our Rouge Wave Voting Rules & Guidelines: Each short scene had to include the key words: September, President and Orange. Vote for the short scene that was clever and that effing entertained you and of course no ballot stuffing. This is not about how your friend or your brother, uncle or co-worker is so nice, this is about recognizing clever writing.

Edited to add: Yes! The Wave-inatrix's virus has apparently resulted in some sort of brain aneurysm which resulted in my thinking that the deadline was LAST night at midnight. So this is early. Apologies to those who might have still been working on a short scene. Go with it for this time and again, sorry about that.

Naked Comes the President
by Curious George

INT. DARK OFFICE -- NIGHT
A WOMAN, half naked, paces back and forth. She sips from a
tall glass of orange juice and stares at the computer on her
desk. She mutters under her breath,"C'mon, you bastard."

A QUIET KNOCK at the door.

It opens and BRIAN COWDEN, 31, walks in. He looks sharp in Marine dress blues.

BRIAN
Madam President?

Brian, curious, walks over to the President's desk and peers
at the computer. He's stunned at what he sees...

PRESIDENT
Shhhhhhh! I got this SOB right where
I want him.

BRIAN
Madam President? Marilyn? You need
to quit for the night. You're meeting
with the Joint Chiefs in a few hours.
The September Project--

Brian looks at the screen again.

PRESIDENT
Hush! If I don't win this hand I
gotta give up Hawaii.

BRIAN
(gasps)
Jesus, Marilyn. How much have you've
lost?

PRESIDENT
I've already had to give up Guam and
American Samoa.

BRIAN
What?!

Brian shakes his head, reaches over and shuts down the
computer.

BRIAN
Let's go. That's enough poker for
tonight. Back to bed Madam President.

He grasps her by the arm and gently guides her to the door. They exit and walk softly down the hall.

Oranged
by Gerry Hayes

INT. OVAL OFFICE - MORNING
Gathered around the PRESIDENT, a group of smartly-suited,
high-ranking staff. Chief of Staff, STEVE PANELL speaks.

STEVE
Don't worry about a thing, Mr.
President, it's all been oranged.

The president frowns and tilts his head slightly.

PRESIDENT
Steve? Did you say 'oranged'?

STEVE
Erm. No sir. I said 'arranged'.

PRESIDENT
You did. Why would you say 'oranged'?

Steve looks flustered. His colleagues on either side are
looking at the floor. Most are smirking.

STEVE
I... it's... I.

Steve cracks. It all comes blurting out.

STEVE
I'm sorry sir. It's a game. Each
day, we try to work a particular
word into the meeting. Whoever has
the highest score at the end of
September gets a prize.

The president folds his arms.

PRESIDENT
So last week when Mike told me that
Chancellor Nerdlinger was waiting in
reception?

Steve nods. MIKE is no longer smirking.

PRESIDENT
I waited there for two hours, Mike.

MIKE
I'm sorry sir. I hope you can over look this.
Perhaps we can let cylons be bygones?

STEVE
Yes sir. I'm cherry flurry too.

The President hangs his head and sighs.

Todd Explains
by Seth Fortin

EXT. STREET - DAY
Todd and Barnes sit in an old beater watching the driveway
across the street. Todd presses the can of frozen orange
juice against his bruised and swollen face.

TODD
The meaning is simple. He doesn't
want to be the President, because
the President is beholden to the
Congress or whatever. "The President
can't get nothing passed." But the
Pope has a universal power. He's
got authority over everybody, and
he's got the word straight from God.
He's not trapped by the political
process.

BARNES
What about the line, "He might have
better luck if he was drummin' with
his dick"?

TODD
It's a metaphor.

BARNES
Does Jesus know that you listen to
songs with dirty lyrics?

TODD
Jesus and I don't talk morality.

BARNES
All right.

They pass a few moments in silence.

BARNES
So when did Jesus start telling you
to fuck with drug dealers?

TODD
I don't know... middle of September.

BARNES
And this is His plan, huh?

TODD
(sheepishly)
Yeah.

BARNES
Why did He want me along?

(beat)

BARNES
I mean, why am I on the inside and
Burger's on the outside?

TODD
I don't know, man. I don't ask those
kinds of questions.

They fall silent again. Suddenly Todd sees something across
the street.

TODD
Shit. There he is.

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Short Scene Competition

All right, Wavers - time for another short scene competition! Here are the key words:

Orange
President
September

Guidelines:
Write a one page short scene which includes the keywords, above. Put the words in context, and make it creative and clever. This time, the words should be key in the scenes, not just a passing inclusion. You can have a "School Board President" or a "Corn Huskers Union President", as one example. And you can have an "orange trans am" or an "orange orchard". You get it. But make the words key, don't just slot them in there somewhere. Genre doesn't matter, just keep it to one page.

Deadline:
Please turn your short scenes in by Wednesday, September 24th at 12am Pacific Time. I will select the top three and post them here for voting on Friday September 26th.

Prizes:
As always, a $25 gift certificate to a vendor of your choice: Starbucks, Amazon, etc.

Entry Fee:
Don't be silly.

Submit your scene HERE.

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Thanks For Asking

There have been a flurry of outraged emails directed at myself and at the Silver Screenwriting Competition from, as far as I can tell, about two people, who have questioned the legitimacy of the Grand Prize winner, Hilary Graham due to her past experience and bio. The Outraged Emailers have asked that the Script Department Advisory Board chime in on our decision to award Hilary the Grand Prize. They have accused me of bias, of not vetting our top finalists carefully enough and of leaving my Sunday paper on the lawn for three and a half days last week until the sprinkler turned it to mulch. Mea culpa!

I am here to admit, red-faced that we have been caught out. There was bias in our decision-making. You got us. We admit all. We chose the best script.

Let me put this to bed with finality:

All submissions were read blind. Meaning we had no idea who the writers were and it didn't matter. We made our decisions based on the strength of the scripts only. Gender, location, juggling ability or pet preferences were not taken into consideration.

As part of the judging process when we got to the very top, top scripts, we of course used the same Google technology that the Outraged Emailers apparently have access to as well. And we were aware that Hilary has a pretty accomplished bio when it comes to producing and directing. So we had a decision to make.

FREEBIRD was, by far, unanimously recognized by our judges as the best script and yet Hilary has had more experience and accomplishments in producing and directing than others in the same consideration pile. We scoured the rules. We discussed it. We talked to a couple of our Advisory Board members. And we collectively decided that Hilary should not be disqualified or discriminated against because she's produced and directed in the past. The letter of the law states that she cannot have earned $8,000 for her writing. We have verified that she has not.

Our objective this year and in ensuing years is to find great scripts and reward the writer(s) with experiences and connections that can help take their writing to the next level. If we discriminate against anyone who has made a short film, produced or directed anything ever, we would then set in motion that this competition is ONLY for people at the very early stages of their writing careers.

There are always writers more connected, more experienced and more talented than you. What are you going to do about that? Be outraged and claim unfairness? Or take that as your cue to motivate and kick some serious behind on your way to success? We leave that up to you. But we do not discriminate at the Silver Screenwriting Competition, based on where you are on the curve. Don't get me wrong - we are biased. Biased toward good scripts.

End transmission.

Now get back to work.

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The Aftermath

It has been fun sharing the experience, good and bad, of running the Silver Screenwriting competition with Rouge Wavers. I hope it has also been informative and interesting to read about.

I'm so happy it's over. It has taken hours and weeks out of my life for the past several months. And it's not quite over. Now I need to get the prizes to every one, and in particular, arrange for Hilary Graham's fabulous trip to LA. There are a lot of individuals whose schedules I have to now coordinate. And all of this is in addition to all the other stuff I do; table reads, reader classes, private consulting, administrating my readers, paying my readers, making all of our clients happy. And posting on the Rouge Wave daily. Calgon, take me away.

I am interviewing two assistants this week and glory hallelujah, not a moment too soon. And these are former studio assistants so wow, I will be the nicest boss ever by comparison. I will be a cupcake walk.

But I digress. The competition. It was like giving birth - right now I am so drained, I feel like I WILL NEVER DO IT AGAIN. But I know that come next spring, I will forget the tough parts and remember the cool parts and do it again with the same enthusiasm.

The best part: calling the semi-finalists and then calling the winners. To hear their joy and excitement made me smile all over. What a great feeling.

The worst part: getting a handful of emails from disgruntled entrants asking WHY THE HELL they didn't place and accusing me of a variety of sins ranging from stupidity to unfairness to not taking risks.

What I did not expect: how tough it was to learn to administrate the electronic script submission system we used which was prone to glitches and hiccups.

Gut instinct that proved true: when we finally just had all the scripts printed on paper so we could stack them up, flip through them one by one and sort of feel the weight of them in our hands. We wanted to be a totally paperless competition, and initially we were, but in the end game, I really liked having the physical scripts in front of me.

Weird Fact: I still have dozens and dozens of the scripts stacked up in my house. It's like Grey Gardens over here. I kind of like it. I feel like a librarian.

Genre Breakdown Fact Sheet:

Freebird (teen coming-of-age comedy)
De-Haunters (comedy/horror)
Orchard (horror)
Blood Snow (drama)
Influence (horror)
Snilderholden’s Jungle (family)
Sleeping with the Lutefisk (black comedy)
Unsigned: The Feature (comedy)

The myth: That we or any competition rewarded certain genres more than others. If message board regulars want to run statistics and create some kind of mystique around the genres selected, they can, I guess.

The truth: Only bottom-line for the winning scripts: effing entertaining, chock full o' voice and in the case of the top 3 winners - a lot of commercial potential. Meaning, quite competitive on the market as is, right now.

Number of fun, funny, companionable discussions we had about scripts: A LOT. Very fun to discuss a script's merits in a round-table setting. And very cool to see the points upon which we agreed.

Number of discussions that got a little intense because we disagreed about a particular script: More than I would have imagined. But ultimately, majority rules. None of us were ego-invested and we learned that at a certain point, subjectivity comes into it. There was one script in particular that I really loved that did not make the top round. My peers did not feel the same way I did about the script. Oh. Well.

What we ate when we judged together: Stella Artois and home cooked food. No candy, no Red Bull, no take-out. I like to cook, what can I say. And it was a good and fun excuse to do so.

How satisfying it is to toss a script into a cardboard box (good or bad) with finality: VERY.

What I am very proud of: That with the exception of the qf announcement, we met our announcement deadlines more than on time - we were early. I keep my ear to the rail of what writers are talking about and I noticed several other competitions that pushed their announcement dates again and again. I put myself and my judges and readers through the WRINGER so that didn't happen to us. I figure that you paid to be in the competition and we owe you our best. Maybe I am naive, maybe when we get thousands of scripts I'll see that it's not so easy. But I like to imagine the best possible outcome in everything I do.

What I would do differently next year: We still haven't done our post mortem but I would rather have fewer deadline dates. I'm not sure if I liked the initial paperless thing. I have to weigh the pleasure I take in the actual, physical weight of a script against environmental concerns. I would like to announce a little earlier in the year so that our winner comes out to LA smack dab in the middle of spec season. This time of year is fine but a little earlier is better.

If any Wavers have any suggestions or a wish list for the perfect competition, please email me HERE. This is a competition BY readers FOR writers and while we can't take every suggestion, I'd be interested in knowing how we can serve you better.

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