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The American Screenwriters Association and Writer’s Digest magazine have teamed up to present the 2001 International Screenplay Competition, with more than $10,000 in prizes, including a trip to Hollywood and $5,000 in cash for the Grand Prize Winner!

The Grand Prize Winner will also receive the Joseph “Mick” Caswell Award for Screenplay Excellence, to be awarded during the 2002 Selling to Hollywood Screenwriters Conference, as well as free conference registration, and four days and three nights at the Sheraton Universal Hotel in Los Angeles. At the conference, the winner will have a chance to meet Hollywood’s elite and talk with agents, producers, and industry representatives.

The prize for First Place is $2,500 cash; Second Place, $1,000; Third Place, $500; Fourth Place, $250; and Fifth Place, $100. The names and log lines of all six winners will be announced to the media and posted at http://www.asascreenwriters.com/ and http://www.writersdigest.com./ Plus, all winners will get a free one-year membership in the American Screenwriters Association, and a free one-year subscription to Writer’s Digest magazine.

The competition is open to original screenplays of any genre, written in English, and there is no limit to the number of scripts a writer can submit. The Entry Fee is $40 per script for ASA members, $50 per script for non-ASA members. Screenplays will be judged by a panel of industry experts. For more information or for an Official Entry Form, point your browser to http://www.asascreenwriters.com/ or http://www.writersdigest.com,/ or call Terri Boes at 513-531-2690 ext. 328. Entry Deadline is October 31, 2001.

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So far, it's been a really cool learning experience. Whether I go anywhere with this doesn't matter, I'm just having fun learning a new writing artform. More to come...

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m31@andromedatvfans.com http://www.andromedatvfans.com/

[This message has been edited by M31 (edited March 31, 2001).]

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m31@andromedatvfans.com http://www.andromedatvfans.com/

[This message has been edited by M31 (edited April 03, 2001).]

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General 1 Hour TV Series Format:

1 hour series consists of 4 acts.
Each act is about 14 pages.
Act I is the setup.
Setup is completed by 3rd or 4th scene.
Act II & III are confrontation acts.
Act IV resolves story.
Script runs 55 to 60 pages, single spaced.
Each act is a separate entity with a crisis and climax of its own.
Acts are, of course, separated by commercial breaks.

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One of the most important reasons for following correct screenplay formatting is to help correctly gauge the length of the script. It is generally accepted that one full page of correctly formatted screenplay text is the rough equivalent to one full minute of screen time. Therefore, a correctly formatted 90 page screenplay will run about 90 minutes. If screenplay formatting has not been done correctly, it can be harder to tell the true length of a film when it is being developed. Knowing the correct page-to-minute ratio can also assist in helping to make sure the plot points are where they ought to be.

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P.S. Ethlie is great at answering questions about script writing on her board.

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Originally posted by Vina:
P.S. Ethlie is great at answering questions about script writing on her board.

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Cool, thanks. I have to remember to go there more often. As for the 5 acts, yeah, I've noticed that. It's called a "Teaser" right?

As for pitching and writing for Andromeda, I don't think I really want to. Based on everything I've learned so far, it seems really tough, and a lot of work for all parties involved. Not just for Andromeda, but any TV show, simply because as a freelancer, you're not really on the same wavelength as the writing staff.

The freelancer has no idea what went on in the previous writing staff meetings, what's in the show bible, where the series might be headed, and just all the history stuff that'll allow him to write for the show, or at least comes up with ideas that the staff writers can work with. First they gotta teach you, then they gotta correct you, it's just doubles the work for them.

Now, if I could sit in on some of their meetings, listen to the writers talk about the show, the characters, etc.--all the stuff we as viewers don't have access to--then the chances of me coming up with something they can use would probably be greater.

Of course, we know that's not going to happen anytime soon unless you're pals with one of the writers.

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m31@andromedatvfans.com
www.andromedatvfans.com

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As for pitching to the folks at Andromeda, I guess the goal is then to write a script good enough to get an agent. But if I was good enough to get an agent with the script I wrote, there's no compelling reason for me to pitch story ideas to the folks at Andromeda other than me wanting to work for them (not that there's anything wrong with that).

It just makes more sense to me that if I want to make a go at screenwriting as a career, then I should write original material. I really don't know if that's the wrong path to take, but as a fiction writer, everything I write has to be original. I don't see why the same general rule of thumb shouldn't apply in screenwriting as well.

Too bad the writers don't read this section, perhaps they might have some insight for those of us who is dreaming of making a go at screenwriting.

Getting OT...

So, Vina, have you written any screenplays yet? Are you in any screenwriting groups?

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m31@andromedatvfans.com http://www.andromedatvfans.com/

[This message has been edited by M31 (edited April 16, 2001).]

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