Like everyone else in the Scribosphere, I'm readying a script for the Nicholl Fellowship, and as I've noted here before, my work so far has been less An American Tragedy than An American Werewolf In London. I want to send in the best thing I've written so far and I'm gauging whether that is Brother's Keeper or Underground, both of them genre pieces. I've read a little bit about the past winners and a friend of a friend was a finalist some time back. This time of year for the past few years, every screenwriter I've web-encountered has been fixated on prepping for their Nicholl submission.
I guess what I'm asking all of you now is, What do you hope to get out of this? I'm not being cynical, I'm curious. I think it's been great for a good many writers based on the pedigree they've had thus far, but with four or five Fellows a year and a handful more finalists, that leaves about five thousand writers waiting for next year. Do you have to snag the brass ring for this to do you any good, or do the also-rans get some industry love too?
Let me hear it.
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4 comments:
Why don't you enter both scripts?
I was a quarter finalist in 2002 and received quite a few email inquiries. I ended up optioning the script, but not through the Nicholl.
The Nicholl is definitely one of the better competitions. If you make the quarters you're in the top 5%, which if nothing else, is a good incentive to keep plugging away.
what I hope to get is contacts, possible agency rep, discussion on optioning my script, let them know I am willing to relocate to LA for assignment work.. and that's just if I lose
My experience likely isn't typical, because I'm in the Midwest. But scripts of mine staggered into the QFs in 2004 and the semis last year, and I have gathered the following impressions (nothing very illuminating; sorry):
A. Agents don't request the script, but prodcos and managers do. (Well, one agent requested the 2005 script, but he still hasn't read it...)
B. Just because a firm got the list of Nicholl finishers doesn't mean they have credits, or credibility. You still have to qualify/research folks. (That said, the more reads, the better, right?)
C. Just because you sent them your darling script -- which they requested -- doesn't mean you will ever hear from them again, so you have to follow up a couple of times, until the continuing silence confirms what you suspected.
D. You still have to sign releases with many places, unless you're repped.
E. Don't bank on selling that script, maybe, but flog the credibility it gained you, in queries or however you've chosen to go about it. Buy an HCD and waste some postage/phone cards. Ignore the "no unsolicited whatsits" line; send it to whomsoever strikes a chord. If your stuff strikes a chord, firms will request it, big and small. And firms big and small will ignore you too. But three agents requested my stuff after I queried them, one at ICM. Promptly. So professionalism and courtesy do exist out there, and you note it.
F. EVERYONE WILL PASS. So what? You've got other stuff, and they should be so lucky to read it. Some folks will want to look at that other stuff. They'll pass on that too, but maybe eventually you'll click with someone. Or not. What fun.
G. (God, I'm running out of alphabet) Keep improving that half-baked script you sent in to the Nicholl, in case someone requests it after it places!
This was a loovely blog post
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