Just submitted my script to Nicholl’s… Fingers Crossed!

I just submitted my newest screenplay (officially - for now - titled “Gray Market,” but lovingly referred to as “Organ Mob” to all those who have read it/edited/helped me along the way) to the Nicholl Fellowship Competition in screenwriting, run by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

This contest is very highly regarded in Hollywood, and it’s one of the few worth entering, not only because if you do win, the prize is awesome ($30,000 fellowship to write for a year) but because it gives you a lot of exposure and street cred. Two years ago, I placed just outside the quarterfinals, but because I was so close the contest manager wrote me a hand-written note telling me I was in the top 10%. Based on that alone I’ve been able to get almost any producer/agent I’ve approached to read my work. (Of course, I haven’t been pushing that whole thing as hard as I should, but that’s another story.)

For all you other writer’s out there, here’s a list of the screen and television contests that are actually worth entering:

May 1 - Nicholl Fellowships - 5 winners receive $30,000 Fellowship to spend a year writing a new screenplay. Quarter and semi finalists also tend to get lots of industry reads.

May 1 -˙Sundance Screenwriter’s lab - Screenplay workshoped at Sundance

June 1 - Final Draft’s Big Break - $15,000 prize for first place. Reads by agents/producers.

July 3 - Fox Diversity Fellowship - TV Writing. “Diversity” means you can be white and male as long as you write about characters who aren’t. Winners get 6-week mentorship at Fox.

July 25 - WB Writers’ Worshop - I dunno much about this one because it’s TV-oriented. Seems to include weekly workshops/mentorships/help getting a staff placement after the program is over.

Augest ? - ABC/Disney Writing Fellowship Program (Both film & TV divisions) - Fellows get a $50,000 paycheck for a year, and are mentored by someone at ABC/Disney. They are required to attend workshops, etc. I believe TV winners are placed on shows?