Screenplay competitions and/or contests. Which are the best?

Question

What screenplay competitions are the best?

(By best I mean which constests will help a new writer get their foot in the Hollywood door the best? I'm not extremely concerned with entry fees and or cash prizes. I want a contest that I can land an agent & maybe an option from if my script wins.)

Any ideas?

All answers & links greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Answer 1

There are a LOT of screenwriting contests, and most are pretty lame.

But there are some good ones.

The 20/20 contest is cheap to enter, offers good feedback (be sure to take their extended feedback option) and if you win you get an agent (not a marquee agent, but still.)

http://www.2020contest.com/

Script PIMP is a great site and runs a big contest that will open doors for you if you win.

www.scriptpimp.com

Script Shark is sort of like a poor man's Script PIMP. But they have their own contest and seem like a quality organization.

www.scriptshark.com

Might I also reccomend that you purchase Script Shark or Script PIMP's coverage service. For about $200 you get a very through, professional read of your script with lots of comments. Also, if they like your script enough to reccommend it (not an easy thing, they don't reccomend much) they will put it on a special website where it is much more likely to be noticed by someone in Hollywood.

Some people don't reccomend contests, but for new writers I think that they are critical because they force you to up your game in order to win. You're on the right track, looking for those with good feedback. Try 20/20 first.

If you've written the script of the year or something try to win the Nicholls Fellowship. If you can do it you'll get some pretty significant cash, and you can just about kick open those Hollywood doors. (note the web address.)

www.oscars.org/nicholl

Check out www.inktip.com too. If you're serious about screenwriting, you need to start getting plugged into the industry. Get Inktip's special newsletter, too. It's full of small independent studios looking for their next project.

Good luck!

Cai