Screenwriting Aspirations

There's a pretty good reason why I haven't been posting on here regularly and I'll let you know what it is...

I'm polishing up a script that I'm going to be entering into the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards.  I've been working on this script for a while and, a few weeks ago, I saw that the late deadline for the contest was Monday, April 2nd.  So, I made that my goal.  When I say I've been working on it a while, I mean I've been working on it for a while... like, 2 years.  I wrote my first draft fast, like a month and a bit.  Then, I rewrote it a couple times, I gave it out to a few people to get their advice and feedback, then I sat on it... for about a year.  Not sure what I was doing during that time, probably just drinking and contemplating the shittyness of aspiring to be a screenwriter.  Anyhow, I picked it back up a few months ago and, well, here we are.  So, every spare minute I get, I've got that fucking thing open and I'm tweaking words, phrases and sentences.  I'm cutting lines of description and I'm really working hard to polish this turd up.  At absolute worst, I want to be done with it so I can move on to my next script, for Christ's sake.  

There's only a handful of screenwriting competitions that are worth entering, let's start with that, and PAGE is one of them.  Slamdance's early deadline is in a couple weeks, that one is also worthwhile, especially as they have a horror specific category AND they've developed some of the screenplays.  I'll be entering it, as well.  Here's a link to the PAGE Awards site, as well as Slamdance, if you're interested.  I actually know a couple people that have been judges at PAGE and I've spoken with the festival director before.  I've also spoken with the festival director at Slamdance.  Long and short, I trust them.  For horror, there's also Screamfest and Shriekfest, but I don't know when their deadlines are.  I'm going to look into that.  

The cool thing is that, for an extra $50 or so, both PAGE and Slamdance will give you feedback on your script.  This is really what I'm looking forward to.  Truth is, not that many people have read my work.  Sure, a lot of my friends in the industry have, but they're going to be bias.  Sure, a few friends outside the industry have, but they don't know a good script for a piece of shit.  Sure, my film professors and some script supervisors have read my work, but I was paying them.  This will be industry folks that don't know me at all and have nothing to gain.  I want to know where I stand with them.  Quite frankly, so should you.  If you're an industry outsider and you're an aspiring screenwriter, what kind of options do you have of getting noticed?  Well, I'll tell you what... some sort of accolade from one of these competitions is a good start and if you get the big heave-ho right away, knowing why you suck is just as important.  

Anyhow, I'll let you all know how it goes, every step of the way.  

Stay tuned...      

Misconceptions About Hollywood - Getting An Agent

Well, I was planning on having an interview to share today, but... people are taking their time getting back to me. No worries, I've always got something on my mind to share. Today, I wouldn't mind talking about a misconception that most people have about Hollywood.

So, life isn't exactly black and white, but it's so much easier to explain when you break it down to one side versus the other, so I'm going to do just that. Let's look at Hollywood as those who are "IN" and those who are "OUT". People who are "IN" get work from studios, they have agents, managers and can get stuff done. They get meetings, they get paid and people know who they are. People who are "OUT" have day jobs that may or may not be related to what they want to do, but it certainly isn't where they want to be, they'd kill to have an agent or a manager work for them and they don't even care if they get paid for what they create, as long as it gets their name out there. Black and white, right? So, how do you go from the "OUT" to the "IN"? Really, that's what we all want, isn't it? First off, let me just say that the transformation won't happen over night. It can take years, decades, to slowly move from an "OUT" to an "IN". However, I figure once you're an "IN", it's yours to lose. When you're an "OUT", well... you're out. Not to tough to maintain that status. Now, there are lots of ways to get from an "OUT" to an "IN" and most people think the first move is getting an agent or manager to represent them.

Alright, so... I've just finished the first draft of my most recent screenplay. I've sent it off to a few trusted sources, then, after that, what do I do? Well, most screenwriters would write up a query letter to any and all agents that accept query letters and hope that someone gets back to them. Either that, or they'd submit their script to one of those online submission sites... spray and pray. Well, not only have a just finished my script, I'm also continuing to read "The Writer Got Screwed (but didn't have to)" and I just happened to come across an interesting chapter on how to get an agent or manager. In order, this is what they recommend: 1. get a recommendation from someone who knows you. 2. Submit to a screenwriting contest. 3. (and least recommended) submit a query letter to an agent.

I was halfway through my generic query letter to any and all agents when I read that. Then, I thought back... you know, I have had numerous agents and managers read my previous work, granted it was all to no avail, but I did get them to read it. How? Friends, friends of friends and networking. It really is the best way to get your shit read. I had even forgot about some of the people who read my stuff, I'm going to have to go back through some old emails and rediscover them. Really, if you ask anyone that you know who's in the industry, chances are you'll get lucky. "Hey, know any agents? I'd love to get my work in front of someone" Keep asking, it'll work, even if you're asking your Mom's friend, who's cousin works in catering for "The View". The second thing, the screenwriting competitions, is an interesting one. I didn't know it, but if you place in a contest, you'll probably be contacted by some young, aggressive agent. They're always looking for the next big thing and the competitions are a great place for them to search. I've never entered one of those competitions, but I may be with this most recent script.

Anyhow, there's some ideas for fellow members of the "OUT" crowd. Hopefully I'll have an interview ready for you on Friday. If not, I'm sure I can come up with something to blather on about.

Screenwriting Resources and My Public Announcement

I'm halfway through writing a screenplay. Well, maybe more like three quarters, I don't know. It's tough to say. The whole thing's written out (except for the second half of the third act, but I know where I'm going there) and I just keep going over it and over it and over it... I've been working on it for a while now, at least six months. Truth be told, if I could do nothing but write all day long, not only would I be done now, I would've been done months ago. Instead, I try to get, on average, an hour a day in. It's not a lot and sometimes that hour accomplishes nothing... and sometimes I don't even get that hour in. Balancing life and a full time job with a passion that I'd like monetize isn't exactly as easy as pie. Then again, I can't make pies. Regardless, the end is near. I started writing this script after I came up with the goal of writing at least one script per year until... something happens. Maybe until one of them sells, there's a big career change in my life or something to that effect. It sounded easy when I came up with it. My main problem is that, usually, I love working on multiple projects at once, but when it comes to writing... I can't do it. It's like trying to make a baby with nine women over one month, as opposed to making a baby with one woman over nine months. Sounds good on paper, but it's not going to work. So, when it comes to writing, I uni-task, no multi-tasking. When other ideas pop in my head, I write them down and put them in a folder on my desktop and forget about them. Then, when I'm done with this one, I'll go through them all, pick another idea and waste a year of my life on that. So, why am I telling you all this? Two reasons. One, I thought I'd share a couple of good resources that I've unearthed and, two, I read somewhere that when you announce your goals publicly, they have a better chance of coming true. There you go, a script a year... I said it.

My new favorite resource for screenwriting is Pilar Alessandra's "On The Page". Pilar is a teacher and lecturer, as well as a consultant. Her students and clients have sold to Disney, DreamWorks, Warner Bros and Sony and have won lots of prestigious awards. She worked her way up through being a script reader and later a Senior Story Analyst for various studios before getting into the whole teaching game. She started "On The Page" in 2001, started up a writers studio in 2004, created an instructional DVD and presents a weekly podcast. Now, you'd think that with a bio like that, she'd be about as entertaining as an insurance seminar, but she's great. She has guests on all the time and their banter makes you feel like you're in the scene and it makes the whole screenwriting process seem very doable. I highly recommend subscribing to her podcast. Go to her site, OnThePage.tv and read up on her.

The other resource that I recently picked up is a book by Brooke A. Wharton called "The Writer Got Screwed (but didn't have to)". I'm a film school grad, I've taken advanced screenwriting courses and I've read dozens of screenwriting books and countless scripts. However, I've never read a book about the actual business practices of writing for the entertainment industry and that's exactly what this book is. Most books are about HOW to write, this is about what to do AFTER you've written. If you're an aspiring writer, I highly recommend it. Here's a LINK to the books page on Amazon.

So, that's all I have for this week and I'm hoping to actually get a couple of hours of writing in today. I think I have the time. Anyone else out there currently working on a project? Throw something in the comments section. Remember, if you announce it publicly, it has a better chance of coming true. Have a great weekend!

Interview with Award Winning Screenwriter, Jeff Palmer

Most of the guys I hang out with in the indie-horror scene, and by that I mean the guys I went to film school with, who I would still be having beers with regardless if we were all selling encyclopedia's, see directing or actually shooting a film as the end goal. Now, I love being on set and I love directing, however there's something about the screenwriting process that I truly, truly love. In fact, if I could cut it as a screenwriter, I'd be a pretty happy camper. You see, there's something about starting with just you, a pen, a blank piece of paper and some sort of cocktail, then ending with a 120 page, polished screenplay. You're truly crafting something out of nothing. Also, it's free, it doesn't require depending on anyone else and you can do it drunk. Not to mention that none of my finished films ever won shit, but I won a Kodak grant for my short film "The Town that Dreaded Some Clown" because of the script, but I digress...

I know I'm not alone, either. There's lots of quirky drunks out there who would rather be huddled over their PC with a cocktail in hand than stressing out on some set. Jeff Palmer's one of those guys. Well, maybe not... but he likes screenwriting. Anyhow, he recently won the top prize for screenwriting at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival for his script, "The Sleeping Deep" and isn't stopping there. Palmer's obviously a really talented guy and not only does his award winning script sound awesome, I really hope to see it on the big screen soon. We had a chance to discuss it all with him and if you're an aspiring screenwriter, you'll want to check this interview out.

First off, tell us a bit about yourself. What got you into horror?

Well, thanks for the interview. It's funny. Horror is the last genre I ever considered trying out. As a huge fan of the early Sam Raimi classics "Evil Dead" and Peter Jackson's splatter-fest "Dead Alive", I don't know if I would ever find myself making that sort of film. That said, my script "The Sleeping Deep" does contain a lot of gory bits and many horror conventions, so I suppose it all depends on what type of story you want to tell. I'm also a fan of Dario Argento films, spooky tales like "The House on Haunted Hill" as well as contemporary masters such as John Carpenter and Clive Barker. If the story is captivating and it makes your skin crawl, I'm all for it, so giving horror a whirl was only a matter of time I suppose. My first feature "On the Fringe" (available on DVD) was a dramatic character ensemble which was a perfect low-budget script for the time I was shooting it in 1999, but I couldn't bear repeating myself. It was time to branch out and the story behind "The Sleeping Deep" pulled me in and didn't let go.

What got you into screenwriting and is that your goal or are you using screenwriting as a means to an end?

It's all about telling stories, whether it be in music, art, film, writing... it's communicating ideas to a greater audience. Getting that message, that idea out of your head and into the world. I'm finding that the written word is, and has been, one of the best ways of doing that. Plus, it's free. You can go anywhere on the page with a cast of thousands and it doesn't cost a dime. Think it up in your head and blast it out onto paper. That was one of the rules I had when approaching "The Sleeping Deep" - write with no limits in both imagination and budget. This helped immensely and freed myself from stopping short and thinking, Oh, I couldn't afford to do that. As filmmakers and artists our job is to create paradigms for folks to participate in. If we don't break the rules and scribble outside the lines and off the page, who will?

I've directed features before and if I got the chance to direct "The Sleeping Deep" that would be wonderful, but it's not a deal breaker for me. What's important is getting the movie made and on screen and out there for an audience to enjoy. If a capable director with a vision digs the script and there's a budget behind the project I'd be thrilled to see it all come together as the screenwriter. Again, it's about spreading the story around in some form to a wider audience.

You recently won top prize at this years H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival for Screenwriting for your script, “The Sleeping Deep”. Tell us a bit about your screenplay.

This is always a difficult question to answer. Anyone who's read the script quickly realizes that it's not a typical horror film. There are elements of fantasy, suspense, mystery, historical fiction as well as bloody, squirmy things. Basically, two strangers, Charlotte Foster and Kevin Tiggs, are connected by the same nightmare. When Kevin goes into a catatonic state, his psych nurse Janice Harrington decides to figure out what caused him to snap. This leads her to find Charlotte at the grave of Kevin's dead fiancee in a rural cemetery somewhere in Maine. The two women, plus an assortment of other tagalongs, must join forces to destroy the creatures of an ancient underworld before its gruesome demons gain passage to the waking world of humans.

If I had to water it down using the Hollywood script algorithm it's kind of like "Rosemary's Baby" meets "Alien" and "Underworld" wrapped inside a Lovecraftian "Nightmare on Elm Street". Lots of demons, sex, sex with demons, bloody wombs squirming with writhing tendrils, gunfights, swordplay... that sort of stuff. Fun!

Is H.P. Lovecraft a big influence for you? If so, talk about Lovecraft as an influence.

I didn't grow up reading Lovecraft, but I've had his "Lurking Fear" collection of short stories for a long while and have always enjoyed the dark, haunting settings that he conjures in his writing. His style is very flowery and descriptive, which isn't for everyone, but there are gems hidden amongst the passages that are truly macabre and disturbing. His story "The Dream-quest of Unknown Kaddath" definitely inspired me to write "The Sleeping Deep" but it's not based on any of his stories.

Did you write the script with intent to submit it to this specific festival?

I used the Lovecraft Film Festival submission deadline as an impetus to get a first draft done, but had intentions on submitting to other festivals. Still, the content of the script was perfect for that festival so it made sense to buckle down and get it done. I put ass to chair for several weeks and followed through. I'm glad I did. Deadlines are essential.

Talk about winning the award.

A good film friend Matt Johnson had an extra ticket to see Henry Rollins in Berkeley and he invited me to join him. It was also an excuse to meet up and talk about the script since he had read the first draft and wanted to give me some feedback on it. We talked about it and I asked a lot of questions, what worked, what didn't. He had some great input and it all had my head spinning with ideas for the next draft. When I got home that night I checked email and found this telegram (visit thesleepingdeep.com to see) from the H.P. Lovecraft Festival. I had to read it nearly five times before it sank in. At first I thought it was a joke, but I emailed to make sure and the telegraph was legit. I was thrilled. The only part that sucked was that it was like 1:30 in the morning and no one was up to celebrate and my wife was traveling so it was a long restless night. I think I was most surprised that my first draft script at 154 pages made it all the way to the top. The festival didn't have a page limit, so that was one reason I was able to submit to them.

My wife and I had plans to attend the festival in Portland, Oregon even before winning the award, so it made the trip that much sweeter. The three day event was a lot of fun. I saw a lot of cool flicks and met some great people. I'd love nothing more than to return with the filmed version of "The Sleeping Deep" in tow down the road.

Has winning the award opened any doors for you? Basically, is there any difference between “pre-award winning Jeff” and “post-award winning Jeff”?

It's nice to have another feather in my cap, but not too much has changed. I'm pretty excitable so I was really stoked at first (who wouldn't be?) and then after a few weeks it turns into "Ok. What now?" I got a flurry of emails from folks in the biz wanting to give it a read which, at the least, could turn into decent connections. I think the award, if anything, helped to validate my efforts and it made me realize that all the time and research I invested in the process was worth it.

What’s happened with “The Sleeping Deep” now that it’s an award winning screenplay?

Since winning the award I've had to whittle the 154 pages down to a reasonable 119, which wasn't easy. But it was necessary if I wanted to submit to other festivals and contests. I incorporated a lot of feedback from folks who read the first draft and tried my best to keep all the parts that made it shine. It's so important to listen to what your readers have to say about the story: when they felt confused, when they were sucked in, what they thought was different or cliche, which characters they cared about or didn't. As much as we'd like to just write what we want, the goal is to entertain an audience, right? And if we don't heed some of the caution signs we're liable to go astray with the finished product. Why not make the changes when it's just on paper instead of in the middle of a million dollar production?

It's also opened my eyes to this idea of franchise filmmaking. Not to downplay content or story, but any producer will want to know what the return is going to be on their investment. With that in mind, I want to have the sequel script ready to go or close to it when the first part hits the screens. The ending opens up a whole can of worms (literally) and leaves me with a great jumping off point for Part 2. The first film is intimate and personal, the second film will cast a wider net bringing more characters into view. I suppose there could even be a third part although I haven't even thought about that yet. Of course this is only if I can find the right producer or production company to get behind it, but I don't think it's impossible. It's a very marketable screenplay and would be perfect for the Asian, horror, and comic book/graphic novel audience.

I'm excited about this part of the process because the die has yet to be cast. I learned my lesson with trying to find distribution for my feature "On the Fringe". When you're shopping around a film, it's a done deal. There's not much you can change about it so it's a take-it-or-leave-it situation. With a script, it's more flexible, more malleable. If a producer or production company has some ideas and they are within the realm of the story, changes can be made to make it a better film. Then there's the whole process of casting and production. When you're in the script stage, the sky's the limit. Nothing is set in stone so there's a lot of room to maneuver. If a producer sees potential with one story line versus another, this can be discussed in pre-pro, but when you're shopping a movie around, especially one with no name talent on a shoestring budget (which is where I was at with my first feature) you don't have that option. This isn't the case with a screenplay. The right development team could ratchet up a project by taking what's on the page and fleshing it out into pre-visualizations, concept art or storyboards.

Would you suggest that other up-and-coming screenwriters submit their scripts to festivals and contests like this?

Festivals and contests cost money and it seems the prices to submit are creeping up there. If you do choose to submit, make sure it's the right kind of contest and do some homework beforehand. There are tons of contests that boast all sorts of prizes and great honors and accolades, but in the end it's just an online banner award or something like that. There are some great contests that I'd love to win, but not every script fits into every submission criteria. You could have an amazing screenplay that people love, but if it's 5 pages too long don't bother sending it. So some of the rules are kinda lame. Still, it doesn't hurt to poke around Withoutabox.com and find a few that are appropriate for your story. You never know. I sure didn't. Sometimes you just gotta put it out there and see what happens. I submitted "The Sleeping Deep" to a few more contests just to see if it holds up. If it comes back with another award then I must have done something right. If not, well, that's okay. Nothing ventured nothing gained. As a friend once said, this business is all about being the turtle. Slow and steady.

Here’s a two part question on screenwriting.

What do you think makes a good script/story?

Far be it from me to decide what makes a good or bad screenplay. I'm certainly no expert. So much comes down to personal choice and a lot of what I've mentioned in my answers are only my opinions. But I believe that a good script/story should have an amazing beginning and an amazing ending. As a reader you need to be sucked into the world within the first 5-6 pages. There needs to be something that hooks you and won't let go. The same goes for the ending, whether it be a bang or a twist or both. That's the flavor you're leaving on the reader's mind. That last page or few pages have to really put the icing on the cake. Of course, the mid-section needs to be solid and meaty, but the opening and ending are the two slices holding the sandwich together. If you have those I think you're in a good place. Also, keep the characters interesting, the dialog true, and as I've mentioned before, don't dismiss feedback. This doesn't mean you need to incorporate what everyone says, but if 9 out of 10 readers find the ending confusing, maybe it's time to go back to the drawing board and do some tweaking.

What do you think makes a good horror script/story?

Show more restraint when it comes to the gore. Less is more and that can be said for good horror. Of course, I love over-the-top blood and guts, but it's hard to believe that an intelligent audience wants to watch 90 minutes of people getting torn to shreds without some story that brings it all together. Or maybe they do? That's not for me to decide. With "The Sleeping Deep" I wanted to infuse a supernatural thriller with moments of horror and the macabre with a nod to Lovecraft. Whether that is of interest to the average horror fan is up for debate.

Talk about the state of horror right now… Where do you think it’s at and where do you see it going?

First off I need to say that I'm definitely not a fan of torture porn. When people were raving about "Saw" I was yawning. I just didn't see the appeal. Then we started to see more and more of it in the theaters and on DVD. I just didn't find it to be inventive. Gory? Yes. Interesting? No, at least not to me. And I do feel that it's important for horror to be interesting, whether it's the characters or the story. There's got to be more than trapping people, tying them up and killing them. However, I have seen a few decent new horror movies in the past several years. "The Strangers" that recently came out on DVD was actually very suspenseful and the opening sequence had you really involved with the character's lives. This made you care about their struggle. Same goes for "The Descent". That was another great collection of characters thrown into a really shitty situation. Their struggle became very personal. "The Ruins" wasn't bad either. That had some moments where I was squirming in my seat.

I guess I'd like to see more Wes Craven and Clive Barker style films and less torture porn and cookie-cutter slasher flicks. But a well-made zombie film can be fun. "30 Days of Night" was pretty cool. In fact, for sheer graphic in-your-face violence and bloodletting, "Doomsday" was chock full of horror moments that were couched inside a sci-fi film and setting. Talk about gruesome, a mass of people roasted a man alive, ripped the burnt flesh off his bones and ate him. That's horrific, but there was a lot more to the story than just that. Straight up horror certainly has its place and fan base, but a great story sprinkled with some gory bits can go a long way, too.

Where can people find out more about “The Sleeping Deep” and follow what’s going on?

My main website is FlickerPictures.com and information about the script can be found at TheSleepingDeep.com. People are welcome to contact me with any questions or inquiries.

What’s next for you?

The big goal right now is to get "The Sleeping Deep" into the hands of a producer or production company who will get behind the story and shepherd it through the process of funding, casting, production, etc. Some folks have mentioned Lionsgate or Dimension Films, but that's a high hill to climb. Maybe I can tuck the script in a Trojan horse and send it through the gates? I've seen that Riptide, a division of Shoreline Entertainment, is producing a remake of H.P. Lovecraft's "From Beyond" so they might be a company worth approaching. But it's all about being realistic, staying the course and being open to possibilities. I'm in the early stages of outlining the sequel "Return of Mazimus" as well as novelizing the first part. While I enjoy scriptwriting, the art of writing short stories or longer works is still important to me. Great novels, books and short stories are always being adapted into films, so it's important to get the message out in some form for people to digest. I've been talking with a good friend and cinematographer John Tulin out of San Jose about shooting a few scenes for promotional purposes, but before that can happen I'd need to get my act in gear and scout some locations. Producing isn't one of my strong suits. Anyhow, these things take time. There's no need to rush into a bad deal or the wrong production dynamic. I am willing to keep working on the script in order to find the right combination. Timing is everything.

Horror Screenplay Competition Updates - write your horror script, submit to one of these, get famous.

I took a look through our screenwriting competitions page and it was brutally out of date... so, here's a few updates. I'll get around to fixing up the actual page soon.

Shriekfest is one of THE horror festivals of the year AND I owe them big because they just sent out a big email blast on our behalf. Regardless, 2008 call for entries is officially open and, check this out... this year they're partnered with the biggest agency in town, C.A.A., and their horror division. Rumor around the campfire says they're looking for directors and screenwriters for representation AND they're a finalist judge on all screenplays and films. It can't be a lie, it says so right on the Shriekfest website.

The AAA Screenplay Contest, sponsored by creativescreenwriting, not only looks like it's always accepting submissions, it looks like they just randomly give away prizes whenever they feel like it. They had winners from June '05, December '05, June '06, January '07 and February '08. They're currently looking for submissions for their 'Spring - Summer 2008 Contest'. It says they're sponsored by 'creativescreenwriting' (all one word) and I have no idea what the hell that is, but they have prize money and prize money is nice. Remember, "AAA" stands for Access, Acclaim, Achievement... but, I'm thinking it stands for "get me at the top of every listings page". Not this one, buddy! Around here, you're number 2.

The International Horror and Sci Fi Film Festival and Screenplay Competition is not accepting submissions now, but they will be some time in May. Screenplay winners not only win cash prizes, but they also get the opportunity to have their screenplays reviewed by major entertainment companies. Well, one major entertainment company, Lionsgate. The other two, Jaret Entertainment and Energy Entertainment are a slight step down.

Screamfest is another one of the big horror film festivals of the year. They were formed a few years back by film producers Rachel Belofsky and Ross Martin to give emerging filmmakers in horror and sci-fi a venue to showcase their work to people in the industry. They have a bunch of success stores and they're currently accepting submission, deadline is August 15, 2008.

Eerie Horror Film Festival Screenplay Competition is part of the Eerie Horror Fest and they're now accepting, final deadline is August 1, 2008. These guys are also one of the more respected names in this category... and what's really cool is that they also incorporate video games. So, you can submit your film, screenplay and video game all at the same time.

Project Screamlight still has a website up, but I think they're done. I checked out all their links, their last log in on their myspace page was in 2007 and there's nothing that mentions new dates or anything on their webpage. So, done... and I'm glad I could pass that information on to you.

Screenplay Festival is open to all genres, specifically: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family and Thriller/Horror and they give awards and stuff, but I'm not going to go into to much depth, as it's not really about horror, although you can enter your horror script. I'm just thinking that what they think is good horror, may not be what I think is good horror. Either way, they're now accepting submissions, final deadline is October 1, 2008

I guess I missed the boat on the 41st annual WorldFest-Houston Independent International Film Festival. It was April 11-20. However, it's one of those festivals that is open to EVERY category, like... there's an award for best Public Affairs program in Television and Cable Production, as well as best Horror/Thriller/Mystery Screenpaly. So, excuse me if I haven't been keeping a close eye on this one. I'll be sure to keep you posted NEXT year, though.

Now, I wonder if Something Scary was a scam, they appeared to be accepting entries up until last month. Now, their site's not there and I can't find information on them anywhere. Hmmm....

On top of not updating the above contests, I came across a whole bunch that I didn't have on there before. I'll look into them further, but for now, here's links to the screenplay contests that are new to Dead Harvey...

Terror Film Festival - deadline is May 1, 2008.

I covered these guys in the film festival section, but I wasn't aware that the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival accepts screenplays, as well. So, there you go. You learn something new every day.

2008 Great Lakes Independent Film Festival, which they boast as being one of the top 100 most popular film festivals in the world, has various horror screenplay categories. Final deadline is August 30, 2008.

Rhode Island International Film Festival is another festival that's covered in our film festivals section, but not in our screenplay competitions. A lot of these guys have screenplay competitions, who knew? They're final deadline is July 15, 2008.

The Movie Deal! Screenplay Contest: Respected Industry Judges, Potential Review for Representation by a Hollywood Lit. Agency and A chance to Have your movie made. Final deadline is September 30, 2008.

Got a finished script? Lucky for you, the 2008 PAGE Awards extended their deadline!

I've already discussed The 2008 PAGE International Screenwriting Awards competition a little while back (here's the link), but I just got a note from them and I thought I'd pass it on to you because if anyone's got a finished script laying around that they don't know what to do with, it's you. Also, since I wrote my last post, I had a chance to speak with Jennifer Berg, the Administrative Director and she did tell me that horror scripts tend to do alright and there's definitely a demand for them. So, dust off that finished script that you've got laying around and throw it in the mail, what have you got to lose? Also, I'm thinking that if you wrote a script, then went out and shot it yourself and you're either self-distributing it or you have a very limited DVD release, there's no reason you can't enter the script. I don't know if there's a rule against entering scripts that have been produced and, to be honest, I didn't really read the fine print on there, but... are the guys who read these really the type of guys who would go out and rent low-budget, shot of DV horror? I kinda doubt it... so, chances are they'd have no idea that it's actually been shot already.

Anyhow, here's the note they sent me...

Just in case you haven’t already entered this year’s contest, I wanted to remind you that the Late Entry Deadline for the 2008 PAGE International Screenwriting Awards competition is just a few days away -- Tuesday, April 15th. Don’t miss it! This year our judges will once again be presenting a total of 31 awards in ten different genre categories. The winning screenwriters will receive over $30,000 in cash and prizes, including a $10,000 Grand Prize, along with Gold, Silver and Bronze Prizes in all ten categories.

Over the past four years the PAGE Awards competition has become one of the most important sources for new screenwriting talent within the Hollywood community and worldwide. Since receiving their Awards, many of our past winners have gone on to land script assignments, secure representation, and sign option agreements on their work, and several now have movies in various stages of production and release. You can read the latest news from our winners on our website: www.internationalscreenwritingawards.com/news.shtml

Due to the success of our winning screenwriters, the PAGE Awards competition has become extremely popular, and we receive many entries each year. However, the way the PAGE Awards is structured, it actually operates as ten small, highly-focused contests, so in the First Round of competition your screenplay is only competing with a few hundred others in the exact same genre category. And because we want to give full consideration to as many scripts as possible, each year the judges advance the top 25% of all entries to the Quarter-Final Round, where your screenplay will be given a second read by another judge. Next we announce the top 25 Semi-Finalists in each category. Then the top ten Finalists in each category. Then this September all of our Finalists in all ten categories will be competing for the Grand Prize. It's all designed to give your script the maximum possible attention and the best possible shot at an Award.

But now let me tell you the real reason to enter the PAGE Awards contest. It’s not just about the winners. Ultimately, this is a wonderful opportunity for everyone who participates.

First and foremost, at each level of competition your work is reviewed by industry professionals – people who have the connections and the ability to represent, promote and/or produce your script. So, win or lose, just by getting your material into the hands of these Hollywood insiders you have the chance to launch your career. In fact, several of our past Finalists and Semi-Finalists have gained representation or sold options to the judges who read their scripts during the contest. And our judges and staff have been instrumental in promoting many of our contestants’ screenplays to other industry contacts, as well.

Also, when you enter the contest, you will have the opportunity to request Feedback from your First Round judge. If you order Feedback, your judge will write you 3-5 pages of notes specifically designed to help you develop your screenplay: explaining how he/she scored your script, describing your script's strengths and weaknesses, and offering any suggestions for improvement. It's a great way to see how an industry professional evaluates your script.

You want know the best part of my job? It’s getting all the wonderful emails from past contestants who, whether they won a prize or not, are making huge progress in their careers. Here’s a sample of one message I received a few weeks ago. (And as I’m sure you can imagine, this one really made my day!)

“I was a Quarter-Finalist last year with my script CLYDE THE GLIDE, THE BOY WHO TRIED, a family comedy. That was nice, but what was great was the input I got from my judge. He gave me pages of help on formatting (most of which I did not know) and lots of encouragement about the good points of the screenplay. How if it was cleaned up format-wise and otherwise fine-tuned it would be marketable and memorable. It was well worth the little bit of money I paid to get some advice and pats on the back from a savvy industry veteran.

“I did all that he advised, and also did some reading about screenplays in recommended books, and then started sending inquiry letters to various independent film companies in L.A., to which I got no response. Not even an acknowledgment that they had received my inquiry and they weren’t interested thank you very much. Finally I started going out of Hollywood with my inquiries, and a production company in Canada agreed to look at the script (it was the first one that did). They loved it. We have exchanged letters of intent and plan to produce it in spring/summer 2009. Funding looks good and we are already looking for a director, a star, etc. So there you go.

“Your contest is the classiest, best organized, and deserves the great rep it has. You all have been a tremendous help to me and I will forever be grateful for that.”
Bret Kofford
Imperial, California

All of us here at PAGE H.Q. are very proud that so many of our past contestants are now realizing their dreams, and we’re very happy that we’ve been able to encourage and assist in their success. And of course, we’re very excited about this year’s fifth anniversary competition. I hope you plan to participate!

If you’ve already submitted your script, thank you very much! And if you haven’t yet entered this year’s contest, please make sure to get your entry postmarked or submitted online by midnight on April 15th.

For more information and access to our easy new online entry forms, please visit us at:
http://www.internationalscreenwritingawards.com/

We look forward to reading your script!

Best regards,
Jennifer Berg
Administrative Director
The 2008 PAGE International
Screenwriting Awards

From toll booth worker to Hollywood screenwriter... almost overnight

Well, if you're looking for an inspirational story to get you off your ass and start writing that script, this could be it...

Michael Martin totalled his car and ended up in physical therapy. He couldn't work his regular job as a toll booth worker with the Transit Authority in Staten Island and, well, he had no car. What to do? How about write a screenplay and enter it in a contest? Martin ended up writing a "Crash" meets "Training Day" ensemble police thriller called "Brooklyn's Finest", entered it in a screenplay competition and... he came in second. However, it managed to end up on the desk of a Warner Bros. exec, generate a bunch of interest and, now it's going into production with Antoine Fuqua set to direct and Richard Gere, Don Cheadle and Ethen Hawke signed on to star. Check out the full Hollywood Report here - link.

To play devil's advocate, keep in mind that he studied film (or some film, it didn't really expand) and he did a brief stint as a staff writer on Showtime's "Sleeper Cell", so he's not exactly a complete novice. However, how many indie filmmakers have zero experience? Not many. So, really, your skills are probably on par with his. Not only that, all he did was enter a screenwriting competition, it's not like he used any connections, he was just trying to win enough money to buy himself a car. All said and done, everything he did, you could do. Personally, I've never actually put much thought into screenwriting competitions, but we do have a section on the site here that has links to all the competitions that accept horror scripts. So, you know what? Give it some thought, I think I might. Apparently it can work out.

There is one question, though... What's the story of how his script went from 'second place in a film competition' to 'the doorstep of Warner Bros. based Thunder Road exec Mary Viola'? It seems like something happened there that they're not really expanding on. I guess the long and short is, it really doesn't matter... because if he never entered at all, it would have gone nowhere, guaranteed. So, basically, if you want to win, you gotta play. Now get off your ass and write that script.