Hey all,
I'm posting this here because I think it's a good read and something to keep in mind EVERYWHERE you are looking to submit your content. This community has been pretty good at calling out scammers and spammers.
When submitting to anything, I remember Richard "RB" Botto advising (years ago - I don't remember if it was a Film Courage video or an Indiefilm Hustle podcast but...) that one MUST vet the people involved in contests, festivals, script notes, whatever...
Ask yourself, "What are their credits? How will this event benefit you? Will it get you introductions? Money? Exposure in the RIGHT circles?" That stuck with me and drew me to looking up and joining Stage 32, because (frankly) I never heard of it and wasn't sure it was another scam. Lol.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/why-are-wannabe-screenwriters-getting-scammed-1130919
It’s hilarious the article endorses black list website in the final paragraph and there is a quote by BL owner, something like - “we ain’t forcing anyone to participate.”
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Wannabe screenwriters get scammed because they want success and will try anything to try and achieve their goal. Besides the ones mentioned here you also have wannabe producers taking advantage of them as well. I actually think that is worse than someone taking their money.
My 2 cents ... :)
https://amzn.to/2LsMGnB
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The industry is massively over saturated with writers, and desperation to break in forces so many of them to pay for what they deem may get them an advantage. I think it's okay if people want to pay to improve their writing (if free alternatives are not available) but I don't believe paying for contacts or paying for exposure will help anyone except the recipient.
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This article offers nothing new. Sorry, still hate the Blacklist and Virtual Pitchfest? No thank you, I'll just light my money on fire instead.
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My take as someone who has spent twenty years dealing with criminals is any criminal will scam people who are uninformed. So for script writing, it only makes sense that people would set up fake pages to take advantage of peoples need for some validation of their creative desires for cash. So my advice is this. Always be positive yet skeptical. No real person can promise you fame for several hundred dollars. Keep learning. Take the criticism of others with a grain of salt but be open to others ideas. Never give up keep rewriting until you get there. And never be afraid to reach out to those in the industry even if it means you get rejected allot. One day someone will say yep that is the script I have been searching for. As a friend once told me Hollywood is a catch 22 everyone wants new scripts and no one wants to get a new script.
My biggest issue with this page is that we are always being solicited to buy a read or a pitch, to be honest, I would pay a monthly fee for all that rather than have to pay several hundred dollars per for the chance to maybe get in front of an industry pro. That's why I have an IMDB pro account.
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Because they are happy to believe there are secrets and formulas etc. it is much harder to believe that it takes talent and you may not be talented.