Short Script Competition!

My intuition tells me that you are not trying to run a scam, but you are seriously misguided.

You honestly think I'd even consider writing a 30-page script, and pay $30, for a 1-in-100 chance to win a thousand bucks? The amount of time needed to write a solid 30-page script could easily be spent earning $1,000 with just a regular job.

^^^ what he said.

joey1320 said:

^^^ what he said.

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If you actually spent time to look at the website, there is a minimum of 50 scripts required. This means there may only be 50 to 60 entries for the month. 100 is the max. That's one in 60 chances of winning $1,000. In most other cases, you are competiting with a few thousand other entries and paying $50 to $60

So neither of you are willing to write a 30 page short script for a one in 60 chance of taking $1,000? And you don't have to pay your entry fee until a minimum of 50 entries. You follow the contest guidelines, submit the material, then pay ONLY when there are enough scripts to run the contest. This is more than reasonable. It's for serious writers with great work who feel they have a better than average chance of winning easy money. Take it or leave it.

The only way it isn't reasonable is if the writer feels they aren't up to snuff. If you're worth your salt and believe your work is special, then you have a great chance of winning the cash prize. It's that simple.

What you have not said despite being asked is who is reading these
scripts.

I am a serious writer. I am serious enough to not just pay $30 for
a 1 in 50 or 1 in 60 or 1 in 100 chance of winning $1,000. I’m
serious enough to want to know who will be judging my script. It's
not about the money, it's about my script.

I love the challenge of writing a 30 page script within specific
guidelines. I’m not so much in love with entering a lottery with a
ticket price of $30.

http://www.indietalk.com/showthread.php?t=37513

You have been very open to my questions and then you shut down
completely when asked who will be reading and judging the scripts.

I truly apologize if I'm wrong and you have a legit business going on. I don't like submitting stuff and having to pay for it, and then having a "closed door" review of the work, to then pick a winner. To me it smell fishy and I don't trust it. If others are less paranoid than me and want to take part in it, good luck to them all.

Why 30 pages? It's kind of a weird length. It's not really a short. Too long to be a short. And it's not really a feature. It's kind of a crappy length if you actually want to make it and get it distributed or programmed anywhere.

So is 30 pages a hard and fast rule? What is the leeway on that?

Skreamings said:

Why 30 pages? It's kind of a weird length. It's not really a short. Too long to be a short. And it's not really a feature. It's kind of a crappy length if you actually want to make it and get it distributed or programmed anywhere.

So is 30 pages a hard and fast rule? What is the leeway on that?

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This forum is the first bit of actual feedback I've gotten on this new contest. These are legitimate concerns and, if addressed, could change the course of First Hundred to become a well received competition.

I felt like 30 pages was a reasonable length. You're suggesting that it be 15 pages or shorter, so that may be a better incentive in entering the contest. Good point. It would also make the challenge of writing the script less of a task and more attainable.

Maybe change it to "First Fifty" and shorten the script length.

And to answer a previous question...I judge the script. I've worked in the development departments of Jim Manos Productions, Radmin Company and Spear Productions as a staff writer and script analyst. I've also penned two feature films (Dark Games, The Utah Murder Project).

The entry fee is cheaper than most and the odds of actually winning are exponentially greater than any contest on the internet. If the length of the short script is too long, then I may change the script length on the home page and start this competition from another angle.

This is a pure cash prize contest where the winner walks away with $1,000. It's no different than any other script competition you might enter, besides the fact that it's cheaper and the chances of winning are greater.

firsthundred said:

The First Hundred Screenplay Competition

Each month, The First Hundred will be offering a whole new writing opportunity for the screenwriting community. We may supply the logline, a one page synopsis, or just the characters and locations.

But YOU write the script!

Only the first hundred submissions will be eligible to win the grand prize of $1,000. After 100 scripts have been submitted, the contest closes. Multiple submissions are allowed, and most importantly...

It is FREE to submit your work.

After we receive a minimum of 50 script submissions, we will post the names of the writers and their scripts on our home page. When the number of submissions reaches 50, you will then be required to pay an entry fee of $30 to be eligible for the $1,000 grand prize.

www.thefirsthundredscripts.moonfruit.com

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Who owns the script, you or the writer? This sounds like a work for hire contest.

Why are you evading
- who's reading and judging on
- what criteria and
- this person's/these peoples' qualifications?

How is this not a ponzi scheme?
You're being very forthright on the money we'd theoretically be paying (and I have no idea how many people you could be telling "HOORAY! You're winner 49!" It could be dozens. There's no oversight.)
But you're not being forthright about people and qualifications.

"Oh, yeah. Bob Jones in Rhubarb Mississippi won last month's contest. Really. And it was Eugenia Perkins in Skapoopkins Montana the month prior".


30 pages
x 10 screenplays
= 300 pages

30 pages
x 30 screenplays
= 900 pages

30 pages
x 50 screenplays
= 1,500 pages

30 pages
x 100 screenplays
= 3,000 pages

30 pages
x 200 screenplays
= 6,000 pages

Now, you're telling us you're willing able and ready to give anywhere from 900 to plenty O' thousand pages of screenplays formatted in God only knows what quality (likely cr@p) a cogent analysis after thoroughly reading each of them in their entirety.
All by yourself.
In a timely manner.
Wow.
That's impressive.


Lettuce see what we have here. THE UTAH MURDER PROJECT