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Enter a Script

The 2010 DC Shorts Screenwriting Competition

October, 2010

DC Shorts is proud to present a different kind of screenwriting competition. A panel of judges consisting of filmmakers, screenwriters, and critics will review and provide condensed coverage (feedback) for scripts of 15 pages or less. A set of finalists (5–7) will be selected to be featured during ScriptDC — a weekend of screenwriting events and classes for DC regional writers and filmmakers.

Finalists are invited to attend ScriptDC (all registration fees are waived) and, with the assistance of local directors and agents, cast a live table reading of the script from a bank of actors. Finalists will have ample time to rehearse their table reading with optional guidance from a theater director. The readings will be performed in front of an audience, who will vote on their favorites. These votes, along with the scores of the judges, will determine a competition winner.

Summary

• We consider screenplays in every genre and subject matter. However, because the finalists are read in front of a live audience, the judging committee looks for appropriate material.
• Scripts must be under 15 pages. If you wish to discuss a special case, please contact the Festival Director.
• Scripts must not be in production. The purpose of the competition and award money is to foster the creation and successful completion of an independent short film. All film/video shooting must take place after the award presentation.
• DC Shorts has been named by MovieMaker Magazine two times in a row as one of 25 festivals worth the entry fee for our unique feedback system in which EVERY writer is able to review their scores and receive judges’ comments.

Award

One script will receive $1,000 up front, plus a $1,000 upon completion of the final film. The final film is also guaranteed entry into DC Shorts 2011.

Registration Deadline and Entry Fees

Fees include an analysis of the script, follow-up phone call, and discounted registration to the regional ScriptDC screenwriting conference in October 2010.

(*Discounted fees are for Withoutabox.com (WAB) premier members.)

All scripts must be submitted and paid for through Withoutabox.com We cannot accept unregistered screenplays or paper applications.

The final deadline is May 31, 2010. All registrations and materials must be received by this date, or the entry will be disqualified with refund of fees. PDFs must be uploaded to your online application. We cannot accept hard copies.

Materials Deadline

All materials must be received in our office by 12:00pm (EST) on Monday, May 31, 2010. Materials received after this date will be discarded without notice. Incomplete applications, failure to include payment, or submitting materials we are unable to read will disqualify your entry. For complete details and requirements, check out the Rules and Licenses page before submitting your entry.

Notification Date

June 30, 2009.

All filmmakers will receive notice of acceptance or rejection VIA EMAIL, as well as a complete report with judges’ scores and comments. If you do not receive this email by the notification date, please contact the office.

Waivers

At this time, DC Shorts does not offer a waiver program for the Screenplay Competition. DC Shorts believes that the feedback you receive far exceeds the value of the entry fee. This is one of the reasons Moviemaker Magazine has named DC Shorts as “one of 25 festivals worth the entry fee” – two years in a row!

How Screenplays Are Judged

Want to know how to win the DC Shorts Screenplay Competition? Click here to get tips about plot, formatting and dialogue as a screenplay judge tells all.

DC Shorts is proud to be one of a small number of festivals to provide feedback to ALL entrants. In addition, we pride ourselves on our open judging process — we explain how it works before you enter, provide feedback after decisions have been made, and allow you the opportunity to call us for additional feedback and comments.

For the 2010 competition, we expect to review more than 200 screenplays.

Scripts, submitted as PDFs, are stripped of their cover pages, and sent with 10-12 others to a local screenwriter or film director. Each script is read in its entirety. Scripts are scored by each judge for strength of plot, originality, writing proficiency, ability to be produced on a budget of less than $10K, ability to be successfully read, performed, and understood by a live audience, and other values. In addition, judges are encouraged to leave a substantial comment (but not complete script coverage.) The top 3 scripts from each judge are reviewed by an additional judge and the festival director who may opt to make programming notes (but not additional scores.) At the end of the second round, a final lineup is chosen based on scores and comments. We will try to include at least one script from a local writer.

We encourage writers to become an active part of the process. If you have questions, comments or need more clarification on the judging process, please feel free to contact the office at judge@dcshorts.com.

Want to read the thoughts from a previous judge? Here it is in the Washington City Paper. The account is not overly flattering, but we are proud of our system — and the fact that you know as much about it as we do. No secrecy, no bullshit.

The Rules & Screening License Agreement

Please read this agreement carefully before you submit your screenplay. By submitting your screenplay, you expressly acknowledge and agree that you shall be bound by the terms of this agreement.

DC SHORTS SCREENWRITING COMPETITION

GUIDELINES FOR ALL SCRIPTS. (a) Screenplays must have been completed after January 1, 2008. (b) Scripts must not exceed 15 pages in length, excluding cover page. (c) All non-English language screenplays must be translated and submitted in English. (d) A separate entry form and additional entry fee must be submitted for each script.

ENTRY FORM AND PREVIEW MATERIALS FOR ALL SCRIPTS. All screenplays must be submitted and paid for through withoutabox.com. Illegible or incomplete entry forms will not be accepted. Entry forms that do not include full payment of entry fees by May 31, 2010 will not be accepted. Screenplays must be formatted in standard screenwriting style (Here is a good online resource) and exported as an Adobe Acrobat .PDF file. Files must be named in the following format: “WAB entry number”_“Last name of writer”.PDF (Sample: 75000_SMITH.pdf). Files must be uploaded to your online application. All materials must be received in our office by 12:00pm (EST) on Monday, May 31, 2010. Materials received after this date will be discarded without notice. Incomplete applications, failure to include payment, or submitting materials we are unable to read will disqualify your entry. Submissions may not be withdrawn from the Festival once they have been entered, except at the sole discretion of the Festival directors. There are no refunds for entries with incomplete entry forms, or incorrectly formatted scripts.

REVIEW AND SELECTION PROCESS. DC Shorts will review scripts in their entirety. Scripts will be read and judged by members of the Selection Committee, a volunteer group of DC-area filmmakers, film enthusiasts and critics. Scripts are numerically scored, and in addition, each script will receive a short critique. After the final submission deadline, the Selection Committee will review the total scores of all the scripts in competition, and select final scripts from a group of the top scorers.

AWARD INFORMATION. Five to seven screenplays will be featured during the festival weekend in which the screenwriters are invited to attend, and cast a live reading of the script from a bank of actors and directors. The live readings will be performed in front of an audience who will vote on their favorite, and, along with the scores of the judges, will determine a competition winner. DC Shorts will present $1,000 to the winning screenwriter (awarded immediately at the reading), plus $1,000 if the film is completed and delivered to the DC Shorts offices by May 1, 2011. The film is also guaranteed to screen at the DC Shorts Film Festival 2011. The winning film must contain the final single card, on-screen credit “Produced in association with the DC Shorts Film Festival, dcshorts.com” The purpose of the competition and award money is to foster the creation and successful completion of an independent short film. All film/video shooting must take place after the award presentation. If it is discovered that principal photography was begun before this date, the screenplay will be disqualified from the competition. Restitution for associated expenses will be sought from the screenplay submitter. All prizes are subject to change, and updates to the prize package will be posted online at www.dcshorts.com.

PRODUCER RIGHTS. DC Shorts retains the rights as a producer to act as a legal representative of the film to assist the filmmaker develop distribution and marketing deals with other film festivals. In addition, DC Shorts reserves the right to screen the film at DC Shorts or DC Film Alliance sponsored events.

NOTIFICATION OF ADMISSION. Letters of Inclusion or non-inclusion, with a link to a breakdown of their scores and judges’ comments, will be sent to the email address provided on the entry form. DC Shorts does not send physical mail — please ensure that your email address is accurate in your application.

COMMUNICATIONS. DC Shorts does not send physical mail — please make sure the email address in your entry form is accurate. Changes of email address can be sent to info@dcshorts.com. DC Shorts staff can be reached by email at info@dcshorts.com, or by mailing DC Shorts, 1317 F Street, NW, Suite 920, Washington, DC 20004 USA. The office phone number is 202-393-4266.

PUBLICITY AND MARKETING. All selected films and scripts may be excerpted for publicity purposes. DC Shorts reserves the right to promote any film or script to print, broadcast or internet media as required to market the Festival or our parent organization, the DC Film Alliance.

INTERNET BROADCAST. DC Shorts may make films scripts performed at DC Shorts available for commercial internet broadcast and download. Filmmakers participating in this venture will receive 50% of the profits (total revenues collected minus total expenses to produce and distribute the content) from the licensing for internet broadcast and download. Filmmakers will have the ability to opt out of this program upon acceptance into the festival. This is an optional program in which the filmmaker has the ability to opt-in on acceptance of the Participation Agreement, sent on inclusion into the festival.

CONTROLLING LAW, VENUE AND SEVERABILITY. This License shall be governed by the laws of the United States and the District of Columbia without consideration of conflicts of laws provisions and principles.. All claims between the parties, regardless of legal theory and whenever brought, shall be resolved in the state or federal courts of the District of Columbia, USA, and you stipulate that you expressly submit to the personal jurisdiction of such state and federal courts, and you further agree that any judgment may be entered in any court having jurisdiction thereof. If for any reason a court of competent jurisdiction finds any provision, or portion thereof, of this Agreement to be unenforceable, the remainder of this License shall continue in full force and effect.

COMPLETE AGREEMENT. This License constitutes the entire agreement between the parties with respect to the use of films and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous understandings regarding such subject matter. No amendment to or modification of this License will be binding unless in writing and signed by an authorized representative of the DC Shorts Film Festival. Nothing in this Agreement constitutes a waiver of DC Shorts’ rights under the United States of America patent and copyright laws or any other Federal or State law, nor of any of DC Shorts’ rights under the rules or laws of any country, territory, republic, and/or province.

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