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The Scriptwriters Network - High Concept Screenplay Competition
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High Concept Screenplay Competition

CONTACT:

Joe Kondash, Director / jkondash@scriptwritersnetwork.org

DESCRIPTION:

The High Concept Screenplay Competition welcomes all genres and aims to discover, honor and reward different approaches, eclectic points of view and unique voices in screenwriting. A high concept screenplay:

  • has a great premise – the idea is king (Big)
  • has a memorable title – it conveys what the movie is about (Wedding Crashers)
  • has a visual logline – you can see the movie (40 Year Old Virgin)
  • has universal appeal – all demographics “get it” (Star Trek)
  • has a simple throughline, clear conflicts, high stakes, a hook, a ticking clock and/ or a twist (The Godfather, Liar Liar)
  • can be summed up succinctly in 25 words or less (Seven, Home Alone)

 

BENEFITS:

First Place:              $3000
Second Place:           $1000
Third Place:              $ 500
 

The winners will also receive a one year free membership or renewal to the Scriptwriters Network (SWN).

ELIGIBILITY:

The competition is open to both Scriptwriters Network members and non members who are at least 18 years of age without feature credits. Screenplay entries (English only) are to be unproduced, unoptioned and wholly original works of the writer or writing team and 90-120 pages. It is the writers' responsibility to ensure entries are registered with the Writers Guild of America or the U.S copyright office. Submissions must conform to standard industry feature screenplay format. Interstate and international entries are allowed.

Organizers of the competition are ineligible to enter.

ENTRY FEES:

SWN Members - $45:  
(copy of membership card)
 Make Member Payment ($45)
Non-Members - $55:  
Non-Members Joining   
the Network - $120: ($15 savings) 

 Pay High Concept Screenplay Competition and membership fee ($120)

The High Concept Screenplay Competition Submission/Release Form must be included with every script submitted to the High Concept Screenplay Competition.  (You may download the Submission/Release Form in Microsoft Word format or PDF format.) 

There are NO REFUNDS.

Entries (the screenplays) are to be E-MAILED ONLY in PDF format to . There is no limit to the number of entries a writer or writing team may submit. In the case of multiple entries, each entry must be accompanied by a separate Submission/ Release form and a copy of the paypal receipt. No hard copies of scripts will be accepted.

The title page of each e-mailed screenplay submission must contain the title, genre and logline only. Do not include the writer(s)' name(s) or other identifying contact information anywhere in the script.

The Submission/Release form and a copy of your PayPal receipt must either be e-mailed to or mailed in hard copy to The Scriptwriters Network, Hollywood Production Center, 121 West Lexington Drive #368, Glendale, CA 91203 for each entry.  Again, no scripts may be mailed to the above address; only Submission/Release forms accompanied by PayPal receipts will be accepted via hard copy. 

Incomplete or late entries will be disqualified.

OCCURRENCE:

Deadline: November 30, 2010 (Midnight, Pacific Standard Time)

PROCESS:

Entries are evaluated in the areas of High Concept, Originality, Marketability, Story, Grammar, Clarity/ Consistency, Structure, Character, Dialogue and Script Format.

15 semi-finalists   announced and posted on website by January 31, 2011
10 finalists   announced and posted on website by February 28, 2011
3 winners   announced and posted on website by March 31, 2011
Prizes awarded   April 2011