Coverage Ink's Writers on the Storm Screenplay Competition - Open for entries

Happy Friday all!  If you can’t tell by my recent short posts I’ve actually been kinda busy...just writing my stuff and not writing because I've been helping some awesome people I know with their webseries (more on that in a few weeks).  Oh, and there was also that last twenty four hours I spent awake to watch the Royal Wedding (kidding, but I must admit I did DVR it).

Anyway, saw this listing for a new writing contest I hadn’t heard of (you know I’m wild about contests) and thought I'd pass along:

Coverage Ink’s Writers on the Storm Screenplay Competition

Hooray for contests!

With so many contests out there, it’s hard to know what's a waste of time or money and what might actually be useful (especially since many contests, including this one, have crazy websites so full of ads for screenwriting stuff it's hard to see the links you need to read about the actual contest).

However, once I got past all that, a few things about this contest really appealed/jumped out at me and made it seem like a good thing to pass along:

1. High placing entries signed with agents/managers.

There's a whole interview with the runner up whose entry last year got him signed by UTA...not too shabby, and it seems like the contest gave him good guidance.

2. Major/reputable companies have agreed to read entries.

The contest has an impressive list of companies who have agreed to read top placing entries (including UTA, ICM, Gersh, Management 360, Gotham Group, and Untitled Ent.).  The contest seems to focus on getting the scripts read by managers more than agents, which is cool.  As they point out on their site, it’s managers who are looking for new talent to nurture and develop while agents…not as much…but you already knew that agents only really want to step in when it’s time to make money.

3. Every entry gets feedback

Yes, there is an entry fee for the contest ($40 if you enter from now till 6/1, $45 from 6/2-7/11, and $60 from 7/12-7/31) not unusual for most writing contests (readers gotta get paid…and frankly $40 is on the low end for many contests) but one cool thing is that every entry will get feedback (not like full in depth coverage, just a taste of it).  So, even if you don’t win/advance, you get SOMETHING back for your money (which is more than most contests promise).  The site also offers you the chance to pay for coverage services before the contest (so you can “get your script ready” and if you do that you can enter the contest for free).  Didn’t check the rates on that, but I imagine it’s quite a bit more…maybe not a bad idea if you feel like you don’t know anyone who can give you good feedback.

4. $10,000 top prize

Yeah, this is cool, but it's lower on the totem pole for me.  Most contests like to lead with this, and hey, who wouldn’t want to win $10,000 in a contest?  In the end, getting signed by an agent/manager is probably more important to most baby writers, but as someone who enjoys spending my time writing and not working a non-writing related job, money is always nice.

Interview with the 5-Year-Old Screenwriter of “Fast Five”

Ahahaha...this cracked me up and it gives a whole new meaning to the term “baby writer."

Today Now! Interviews The 5-Year-Old Screenwriter Of "Fast Five"

20th Century Fox announces “Emerging Writers” Program

On Monday, 20th Century Fox announced it will start an “Emerging Writers” program.  No word yet on all the nitty gritty details, so keep your eyes peeled for more info.  From the looks of the Deadline article, the program will be motion picture writing centric, focus on original ideas (not rewrites or existing franchises), and I imagine this will be one of those writing programs where you’ll need an agent/manager to submit you when the time comes for submitting...and they'll probably have their pick of black list writers.  In other words, it's probably one of those programs that's kinda useless to most unrepped baby writers or baby writers who are repped but only by smaller/boutique agencies or managers who don’t have as strong of a relationship with the major studios.  Buuuuut, I could be wrong…it might be open to everyone the way the big TV writing programs and the Nicholl are (speaking of which, if you’re submitting to the Nicholl this year, scripts are due this next Monday, May 2nd).  Maybe if you win, you can have your new CAA agent submit you to this program.

How do you edit a .pdf file?

Not all of writing is glamorous creative work.  Occasionally, a knowledge of the mundane or slightly computer technical is important.  One thing I have to do constantly for writing contests that require hard copy submissions/entry forms is edit .pdf files or make them editable (also, good to know if you ever have to prepare contracts for a production).

Sex:      Yes, please!      

Now, I guess you can always fill all those forms out by hand (ugh) or use Photoshop or Adobe Professional/whatever it’s called if you have it, but if you don’t, you’ll need a good free online .pdf editor.

My favorite one (i.e. the best one, duh) is PDFescape.  I like that you can go to the site and immediately use its services as an unregistered guest (so if you don’t want to sign up for anything you don’t have to) but I think I did sign up at one point because I wanted to store a form longer or something and I didn’t get any emails from the site or extra spam, so that’s good enough for me.

I’m sure some people feel iffy about uploading their forms to a site, but most of the things I have to upload are generic forms (like the blank ones already online that I download from a contest).  And, as far as editing on the site, I don’t have to edit directly on the site, in fact what I usually do is add the empty fields so the file is editable, and then download it back to my desktop to fill it out (although if I did want to edit a form I uploaded while still on the site, I’ve never seen a way I personally would have access to someone else’s files, but I understand the site might keep that stuff and people want their privacy).

While I know the site doesn’t have all the fancy bells and whistles some Adobe program has, it has what I need, saves me time when filling out contest submissions, and is really easy to use.  Not bad.

Z's Pilot Preview: The best of the rest!

While I’d love to talk about every pilot on every major network in depth (or ANY of the comedy pilots) I don’t have THAT MUCH free time.  So, as we get one week closer to upfronts, a quick overview of the best of the rest, i.e. drama pilots that made a good first impression on me.  I think these all sound cool AND (maybe more importantly) are good fits for their respective networks.  To read the pilot loglines I'm going off of, check out Deadline's Pilot Panic.

Get ready for some shameless gushing and run on sentences...

ABC

Georgetown
This stars Lone Star’s super sexy James Wolk and Josh Schwartz doesn’t seem to do shows that get canned right away, so I’ll say this one will make it, though I feel it might be too young for ABC (2 words: Katie Cassidy)…I would have loved to have seen this on the CW (it’s being produced by WB so it’s not too late…go on and pass on it, ABC!).

Grace
I’m pretty psyched for this Glee effect musical show so it better make it AND be good!  I can’t see ABC passing up on a dancing show since DWTS is so popular.  Plus, Krista Vernoff is an awesome writer…and I dig Eric Roberts.  I really want this to be ABC's next breakout hit.

Damage Control
Yes, I was a die-hard Grey's Anatomy fan, so sue me if I'm excited for a new Shonda Rimes show.  Also, this has Desmond from Lost!

Once Upon A Time
While fantasyish shows like Witches of Eastwick have failed on ABC before, I think this could work.  Plus, a show about the goings-on of a mysterious town sounds a little Wisteria Lane/ABCish.  That, and the show’s concept sounds really cool and different, and there’s some cool cast members I like (like Big Love's Ginnifer Goodwin).

CBS

The Rememberer/Untitled Redlich Bellucci
This feels perfect for CBS…a crime procedural with a lead character who has a high concept talent (can remember everything) it actually reminds me a little of The Mentalist…and then there’s Poppy Montgomery as the lead who should be familiar to CBS viewers from her role on Without A Trace.  Looks good to me.

Rookies
A crime procedural with some heavy hitters working on it (Ken Sanzel, Richard Price, James Mangold, oh and De Niro).  I like the basic show concept and even if it’s not really the type of show I’d watch, I think it’s the type of show that will work on CBS…and I’m not the target audience anyway.

NBC

Smash
Of all the networks I feel like I understand what NBC wants the least, but I do see them trying to cash in on the Glee effect and pick this up...and hey, I like musicals too!  Also, this stars Debra Messing who was big for them in the past…seems like a fit.

Playboy
Sounds cool, sexy, glitzy and I mean, Las Vegas had a similar feel and that was a decent hit for the network a while back, so I can see this on NBC…Eddie Cibrian is even kinda Josh Duhamelish...plus, there’s the Mad Men effect as networks all seem to be looking for 1950s-60s period shows.

Prime Suspect
Has some big stars (Maria Bello, and Aidan Quinn) and sounds cool (hey, the original was good enough for Helen Mirren) plus it would be a good fit with any of the Law and Order-y shows NBC decides to keep on the air.  Oh, and the pilot is being directed by Peter Berg...not to shabby.

SILA
This has quite the pedigree (Oscar winner Stephen Gaghan) and it also fits with the Law and Order shows still on the network, so I can see it…though Boomtown, Southland and even Law and Order: LA didn't fair well on NBC and this feels…kinda similar...maybe this will break NBC's recent LA crime show curse.  Hey, NCIS: LA has done well...on CBS...

FOX

Alcatraz
Fox won’t pass up a chance at Lost meets Prison Break meets 24…plus, I like the actors and think this could be cool.  Overall, I’m intrigued and this sounds like an excellent fit for Fox.

The Finder
The Bones spinoff.  I have a little more to say about this since I watched the backdoor pilot ep (duh, it was on after Idol) and I thought it was pretty good...my only question is…who will be Walter’s big love interest?  Is it the Saffron Burrows bartender chick?   I think one big appeal of the “soft procedural” (i.e. character driven procedurals like The Mentalist, Bones, Castle, or House) is a “will they or won’t they” romantic story (Jane and Lisbon, Bones and Booth, Castle and Beckett, House and Cuddy).  The show implied that Walter's love life will come into play on the show...but I need to see that storyline!

THE CW

Hart of Dixie
I like this as a throwback to the small town CW shows I liked (Gilmore Girls and Everwood).  Plus, it’s Josh Schwartz again who seems to have the golden touch…and yeah, Rachel Bilson is cool and pretty and I really like Scott Porter.  So, Bilson isn’t a really convincing doctor, whatever, the show sounds cute.

Next week...The best of the rest of the rest...where I'll go over all the drama pilots I'm on the fence about.  And after that...the rest of the rest (my bold and potentially embarrassing declarations of what won't fly...only embarrassing if I'm waaaay wrong).  The upfronts are coming!  Stay tuned!

Pom Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Blog Post Ever Written

Happy Friday, all!

Okay, Pom Wonderful...where's MY check?

Ah, I kid I kid.  Let's see, what's new...outlining my new spec, but the mood struck and I actually wrote the first draft of the first act, so that’s good…just need to buckle down and focus on actually finishing the outline before I get too far along writing scenes or I know I’ll get stuck later.

In other news, I obviously saw the new Morgan Spurlock film, The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, and found it really funny and enjoyable.  That being said, I don’t think it said anything new or amazing that most people don’t already know/assume…yes, product placement happens…a lot...yes, it can be funny... yes, it can be necessary to make money/finance films and TV shows... yes, you should take advantage of that and take the money but try not to "sell out."

One of my favorite parts of the movie that was not entirely related to the overall point of the movie was a scene where Morgan had to identify his “brand.”  I actually mentioned this idea of "brand" last Friday and I’ve alluded to it before when I talked about streamlining the genres/types of pilots, specs, and screenplays you write.

So yeah, think about your “brand” so people will "get" who you are as a writer.  I know it’s hard for a baby writer and I struggle with it ALL THE TIME.   I want to be a special little snowflake and write all sorts of stuff in different genres, or I read a new book/see a new show/watch a cool movie and feel all inspired to try something like what I’ve seen.  I guess growing as a writer is about learning to balance that urge to stretch/try new things, and perfecting a specific style.

On a slightly related note, Idol did another “express yourself” themed show last night and the Idol wannabes got one of their best chances to show their “brand” as it was "Songs of the 21st Century Night."  I think some Idol winners have struggled with “brand” in the past. You win the show by essentially being an awesome karaoke singer and singing songs in a bunch of genres, some of which haven’t been Top 40 popular for 20, 30, even 40 years, and then you’re expected to be a current artist…it’s tough.

Speaking of expressing yourself what was with all the Lady Gaga drama this week?  If I’m all caught up, here’s where things stand: no, she did not rip off Madonna's Express Yourself when she wrote Born This Way, and no, she didn’t tell Weird Al not to parody her (by the way, I happen to enjoy Gaga AND Weird Al, and Perform This Way is fantastic...even if it does sound suspiciously like Madonna's Express Yourself).

Testing...testing...

If you can’t already tell from my various Pilot Previews, or my obsession with upfronts…I’m excited for the upcoming TV season.

Deadline just released an article yesterday on the early pilot buzz (what’s testing well and what’s not).

Testing is a funny thing though.  I heard Bill Lawrence (creator of Scrubs and now Cougar Town) speak once about how poorly Scrubs had initially tested.  While the show didn’t test poorly enough to get axed from the get go, he implied that the audience thought the show was strange (probably because it was a little strange).  The show was a single camera comedy before single cam became the norm for every network besides CBS and it had characters narrating, breaking the 4th wall, and having all sorts of unusual out of body fantasy like experiences.  People hadn’t really seen a show like this before, so they reacted…negatively.

On the other hand, he said one show that tested incredibly well around the same time for NBC was Emeril…you know, that sitcom about the chef Emeril Lagasse.  Emeril was a straightforward sitcom with a well known celebrity chef/star...it was what you might call "safe," and apparently when it tested, people really liked it.  But why?  Well, I guess when you're turning those little dial thingies that measure your positive to negative response, what is weird and unknown equals negative and what is comfortable and known equals positive.  Oh, and you might doubt Emeril actually tested well, but I did find some proof.

In the end, Emeril was highly promoted by NBC but it died a quick death.  Meanwhile, Scrubs got tossed around a lot, changed time slots and even networks, but it lasted 9 years and arguably made Zach Braff a star.

So, check out what’s testing well, but take it with a grain of salt.  Testing well might equal “has a good chance of getting picked up” but it doesn’t necessarily equal “the show will be good” or “successful.”