Hi everyone,
I’m curious to hear from writers and producers who’ve navigated the industry without relying heavily on contests. With the current economy, entering multiple competitions every year just isn’t realistic for me, and I’m wondering how essential they truly are for breaking in.
Do writers still find success through cold queries, networking, and direct outreach, or have contests become the primary gateway? I’d appreciate any insight from those who’ve built momentum through alternative paths.
Thanks in advance for sharing your experience.
3 people like this
It's just the opposite Michael Pelkey , contests are usually meaningless when dealing with producers. If a screenwriter wants validation, they can be very uplifting, but if you want your movie made, they don't hold any water. And that's because what contest juries look for and what producers look for are two different things.
1 person likes this
It's a different market now than it used to be. I was a quarterfinalist in the Nicholl comp in 2023 and received a couple requests for my screenplay from management companies. Nothing came of them, but felt like a real chance to break in. Now, there isn't even a clear path to get into the Nicholl comp. I've pivoted to targeting labs (Sundance, Black List, Film Independent). The connections from those will likely get you way further than a comp. I always like Austin Film Festival as a comp though. Real people go to that one so I think it's worth the money. Definitely spend strategically. Lots of festivals ready to take your money.
1 person likes this
I appreciate the insights Michael David and Austen Lott. I'll just keep grinding away.
Shortly after I became a member here 2 years ago, I performed a small investigation. I checked the careers for the finalists in a screenwriting contest about one decade earlier. The result : 1/3 better after, an equal number the opposite, and for the remaing ones there was no change. So I see no point in participating in contests.
in addition it takes time and money. Which can instead be used to create no-budget films, in order to learn.
And how much success has there been for me, using this strategy? A production company in Australia tries to find funding for my latest TV movie script. Sweden's public service company likes my idea for a TV mini series. So I am optimistic.