Screenwriting : Take a moment and tell us of your best (or nearly) Screenplay Contest experience by Tucker Teague

Congratulations on your script getting a Quarter Finalist placement, Tucker Teague! The first time submitting a script anywhere. That's really impressive! I haven't entered a lot of contests. I mainly entered them way back (a few years or so after becoming a screenwriter), and they didn't do well. One tip I want to share with other writers is don't enter your scripts into contests if they aren't ready.

Contests are for horses, not for artists. (Quote from Edgar Ortenberg, famous violinist.) In a horse race, it's not an opinion when the horse wins. In a writing contest, it's just opinion. Also, one little typo, one missing FADE OUT, etc.-sends it to the reject pile. And who read these submissions? I see ads for readers at ridiculously low pay rates. IMHOP, contests make money for the contest originator. And on stage 32, I know one member who has won some 30 or 40 contests. Still has no agent or work made into a film. I'm sure her work is AMAZING.

Now she says she is working on the sales game. Endless pitches, social media, fund raising, etc.

It's all about connections and sales. Writing, no so much. JMHOP.

Jon Shallit My screenplay BLOOD LEGACY was just today awarded BEST FEATURE SCRIPT by the NYIFA® • New York International Film Awards. I use entries into contests/festivals as a marketing tool for brand recognition; that is to say, me.

The screenplay I submitted has been fine tuned since submitting to this contest as there is always something that can be improved, or even corrected.

Grossly poor formatting will likely lead to a rejection. And rightly so. A screenplay is a communication tool representing the writer's vision and story to total strangers. It must stand alone. Formatting is important that reason. But minor errors are not a deal killer assuming the story is engaging.

I entered this competition because it is IMDB qulaified andI can use it on my IMDB profile.

Congratulations, Robert Franklin Godwin III!

After getting out of college for Liberal Arts aka Screenwriting. I couldn't make any sales. I needed a "real job" so, I got into I.T.

Fast forward two decades. I was online in a chatroom, and we were discussing how bad movies were at the time and what we would write if we got the chance. A bunch of ideas were thrown out there and a couple were good, but when I pitched my idea people kept asking me questions until I had a whole screenplay written in my head.

I spent the next couple of months putting the ideas on paper. I sent the whole thing into a screenwriting contest for the free feedback. I won third place. It was the first professional recognition and validation of my talent as a writer.

After that I've written dozens of screenplays and won several more contests, but you never forget your first.

Congratulations, Anthony Moore!

I think I'm most proud of Over and Out getting awarded a Platinum Remi from Worldfest Houston. But my favorite experience was this March when I was a finalist in the Minnesota Film Festival Pitch Competition. I was given the opportunity to pitch my short film in front of a small audience and a panel of judges who were all successful film people. I ended up being the runner-up in the short film category, and I was awarded a $500 prize towards the production of my short film! (We're planning to start filming next summer.)

Congratulations on all the success with your script and film, Callie Currence!

Maurice Vaughan Thanks! And I agree, only submit screenplays that are ready. I finished a second draft of one of my screenplays and wanted to get on to the next screenplay. So I convinced myself it was good enough and submitted it to a handful of contests, and... zip. I rewrote it, realizing it could be better. The better version won a couple contests.

Robert Franklin Godwin III I completely agree. I don't think contests in and of themselves will lead to bigger things, but placing well can be leveraged to help a screenplay get some attention as part of the overall marketing package. And congrats on the win!

You're welcome, Tucker Teague. Congratulations on the better version winning the contests! I plan on entering contests again.

Anthony Moore Congrats on your placing third! My situation is not dissimilar from yours. I was working in local television, commercial video, and photography and not making much at any of them and living without health insurance. So, when my first child was born I got a job with a large software company. After a couple years there I found I was often waiting for my customers to call me (I was in enterprise tech support with a handful of large accounts, on call 24x7). So I started to write a screenplay in the slow periods just to see if I could. I did and that's the one I mention in my post above. Years later is when I dusted it off, make a few updates and placed in a contest.

Callie Currence that's a great story! Congrats on getting runner up. I hope the filming is a success.

Some years ago I entered a feature screenplay I wrote in the Page International Screenwriting Awards. I didn't win anything but I received some fantastic feedback. The criticism was detailed and very constructive and encouraging. I was really impressed.

Dylan Walters I could guess that kind of feedback was even more valuable than a win would have been.

You're just asking for one side of contest winners experiences, so is there much benefit to that? I knew someone who won AFF first place, never got a call for any representation. Once the contest was over, that was it. Back to the grind. Its a dice roll. I think your question is too broad. You have to dial in to which specific contest or program to get any real useful feedback.

+1 to Dylan.

I did not place in PAGE but got some very thoughtful, actionable feedback from my submission.

Screenwriting contests serve multiple purposes beyond just winning. They provide validation, encouragement, and valuable feedback that can strengthen your craft.

But ultimately, the real goal is opportunity, and that's why our team works daily with industry executives to ensure that writers placing in Stage 32 contests get genuine exposure to decision-makers who can advance their careers.

While we can't guarantee success, we can guarantee access. Take our Sci-Fi/Fantasy contest, for example: the winner is guaranteed to meet with three EP-level mentors, including writers, non-writing producers, and a showrunner.

We've built this meaningful placement structure across all our contests because we believe recognition should translate into real industry connections.

When evaluating contests, look at track records, success stories, and what tangible benefits they offer beyond a certificate. A competition can celebrate great writing, but market timing is everything. Project needs and mandates are cyclical, so don't let one "no" discourage you from continuing to pursue opportunities that align with industry needs.

I think contests serve many purposes. Speaking personally, after I wrote my first script last year I had no objective way to tell if it was decent or not. I entered a number of contests and festivals and did surprisingly well. Will it change my life? No, but it validated my efforts and helped me realize that screenwriting is worth pursuing. And when you're just starting out, sometimes all you need is that first boost.

This morning my 2nd Tribeca First Place win and best screenwriter 025

Last week I won a Cannes Emmy for 4 1st Place Cannes wins. and a nomination to the DGW

Congratulations on the wins and nomination, Jamie Sutliff!

Thank you Maurice

You're welcome, Jamie Sutliff.

I enjoy genre festivals and have placed and won at hundreds of them. But going to a festival to accept an award, particularly when there's a good crowd, such as I had at Fort Worth Indie or Austin Short Comedy Fest, is always a rush.

Wow, Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal"! That's really impressive! Congratulations on the placements and wins!

Maurice: Thanks, and I hope you're doing well with your projects.

You're welcome, Phillip E. Hardy, "The Real Deal". Thanks. I'm getting closer to finishing a ghostwriting job and working on some spec scripts. Hope you're doing well with your projects!