A screenwriting contest from an Arizona production company proudly proclaims on its website that the winner will receive $500,000 PLUS the production of the winning script. The entry fee is $250, plus a $35 processing fee. $500,000 plus production for the winning script is quite the catch, eh? Speaking of catches, though...when I read through the terms and conditions, the stated amount changes to "...UP TO $500,000". And the winner of course signs over all rights to the script to the production company. In a perfect world, the production company will call you and say "You won! We have great news and even greater news! We're producing your script, and here's your check for $500,000!" In a not-so-perfect world, the production company will call you and say "You won! We have great news! We're producing your script, and here's your check for $145!" Guess which world my feet are firmly planted in? Not that I'm a believer in bigger government, but I think there needs to be some type of government department that regulates, audits and maybe even administers some of these screenwriting contests. The contest link is here. Ignore the typos on their website - they're not writers like us. http://filmscriptz.com/epages/3487aa8a-8510-412b-b8d2-98710810ac4e.sf/en...
Screenwriting : WINNING SCREENPLAY GETS $500,000...(maybe) by Bill Costantini
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Never heard of them, and odd that they've just extended the entry date from end of April to end of June - looks shady to me.
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Hmmm. Yeah, seems suspicious. Unfortunately, it's up to each of us to do our own due diligence when considering a contest or any business for that matter. Nonetheless, wouldn't fraud be something to report to the Better Business Bureau, yes? ...The question of who should regulate perhaps would be better answered by a lawyer. :)
This is a fairly high entry fee!? The best sign for good contest is to offer direct contact with industry professional for $30 - $60 or no entry fee.
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The simple fact that there are typos on their site rings very loud warning bells and who the hell charges a processing fee on top of an entry fee? What's the $250 for? Even if they paid out the full 500k to the winner, they only need 1755 entries to cover that. The sad thing is that I believe plenty of hopefulls will blow their money on this comp just as they do on the lesser comps only this one will hurt them more.
Keep your hand on your wallet or Apple watch with this outfit. But when you look at the number of pay-to-play screenplay competitions out there -- FilmFreeway lists 429 at the moment -- this is a cottage industry built at lest in part on the willingness of early-career screenwriters to part with cash. The same seems true of film festivals (FF lists something north of 2,000 of those), a surprising number of them operating only online, meaning no actual audience screenings.
@Pierre - the processing fee is as much as some other competitions entry fee. @Richard - yep plenty of comps out there but I've never seen one that charges anywhere close to this!
Hopefully no one will fall for it, the rubbish website and extortionate entry fee will hopefully stop them...
Wow! These folks have some major nads between their seemingly dubious legs. I did about five minutes of research to determine if “FilmScriptz” has any manner of track record for making even one short film. The only thing these folks have produced is a crappy website. I also looked up Colossal Films Studios in Arizona on IMDb Pro and their record is less than colossal. Apparently, they’re associated with another company called Victory Angel Films that produced a movie called .357. But judge for yourselves the merit of the prize offer: The Filmscriptz contest website states: "THE WINNER WILL RECEVE PRODUCTION OF THEIR SUBMITTED SCRIPT BY COLOSSAL AND ITS PARTNERS A VALUE OF $500,000.00 U.S. DOLLARS Certain Limitations Apply" What limitations are those? That if they don't collect enough three hundred dollar entry tabs they won't be able to pay the fee to host their websites? Furthermore, though the Fimscriptz folks state their contest deadline is in late June, they don't ever mention when they’re going to pick a winner, if ever, for this "contest". What else are they offering for that astronomical entry fee? Any coverage for your script? And who are their judges and do they have any real weight in the industry. I frequently enter film festivals and screenplay competitions and have paid as little as two dollars to enter some of them. There are also several free competitions out there. These clowns asking for nearly three hundred dollars to enter their maiden voyage screenplay contest. And, offering a mythical five hundred grand prize with certain limitations. Why don’t I just take a hammer to my own big toe and spend that money going to the emergency room instead? Caution: Buyer beware of competitions like this. You would do better to enter established competitions like Austin Film Festival, Page and Nichols and many other more legitimate contests listed at Moviebytes.com. There, you can read reviews from past contestants. But if the Filmscriptz folks are legit, why not come online here at Stage 32 and offer some evidence of a real track record and how they aim to finance their five hundred thousand dollar movie using the winning script from their contest. And a real time frame with accountability for the sizable investment they're asking people to fork over for their so called competition. I'm sure it will be during the next blizzard in Phoenix. I believe that's the place where Filmscriptz dreams are made; out there where rodents crawl in the desert.
If I have to pay then I don't play.
Typos are always a bad omen...
Dan: My opinion is the same. If you haven't looked at the the Filmscriptz websites, they're good for a chuckle. I've seen a lot more of these guys popping up recently. I always advise people to check them out and IMDb Pro is worth the price of admission.
Now that I've re-read the prize description with fresh eyes this morning, I think I realize that the winning writer may not even receive one cent. The prize description reads: THE WINNER WILL RECEVE PRODUCTION OF THEIR SUBMITTED SCRIPT BY COLOSSAL AND ITS PARTNERS A VALUE OF $500,000.00 U.S. DOLLARS. My interpretation of that statement makes me believe that Colossal and its partners is going to produce the winning script for $500,000 - or, according to the terms and conditions, "up to $500,000." There is no indication or firm language stating the winner will receive any additional cash prize or any other type of monetary compensation. More than anything else, this competition concept sounds more like a crowdfunding strategy designed to get aspiring contest winners to pay for the production of a movie, and to get a low-budget film in the can for Colossal (and it's partners). That's pretty slick, isn't it?
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Yea wow what a scam. And to me it looks like prize is not 500k. Its having your film produced by them, a prize "valued st 500k" - which means you actually get Nothing!! this is really an unbelievable scam.
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Danny: I'm waiting for Professor Harold Hill to show up and tip is straw hat.
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The suspicious-minded writer might even think "what if the contest is even rigged, so that the winner is an associate of those running the contest?" Kinda reminds me of when I used to attend fundraiser golf outings for a certain elected official who had a few daughters. When you attended his golf outings, part of the steep ticket cost made you eligible to win prizes, like most political fundraiser golf outings tend to have. And every year, out of a thousand or so entries, one of the boyfriends of one of his daughters always won the grand prize. Every year. Who woulda thunk it?