1. Avoid participating in small or local film festivals.
Alright, if you want some praise. That’s perfectly OK. However, participating in tiny and local film festivals won’t help you further your screenplay profession.
Unless you’ve won one of the best screenwriting competitions, fellowships, or contests, it doesn’t really matter if you say that your work is an award-winning screenplay or that you are an award-winning screenwriter.
2. Slow Burn Screenplays Should Not Be Submitted
More of an insider scoop than anything else. Screenplays that take their time introducing their characters, setting their histories, and arriving at the main idea and genre proof are known as slow burn screenplays.
There are many great independent films that work well as slow-burning tales, but in screenplay competitions, you have to grab the reader’s attention right away.
Over the course of a contest, readers are required to read dozens, or even hundreds, of scripts. The harsh and unjust reality is that you’ve lost them if you can’t grab their interest in the first ten pages or so.
They are disengaged rather than interested if they are unaware of the genre, the primary character, and the key idea or conflict within the first few pages of your script.
Don’t worry, however. Even with character-driven drama, you may still make adjustments to your opening pages to entice readers in. Be imaginative and figure out how to present those components early, introduce people rapidly, and successfully present the main idea or conflict in the first five to ten pages.
3. Avoid sending in scripts that have cliffhanger endings.
Unbelievably, this occurs frequently.
According to some screenwriters, creating a finale that leaves the audience with unresolved plot and character arcs is the key to keeping them wanting more.
Presenting a script with franchise potential is acceptable and even advised in occasions. But you don’t want to create the script assuming that it’s a continuation of an existing property, which will undoubtedly have a sequel.
We are not left wanting more by cliffhanger endings. We have unresolved questions because they are deterrents.
4. Avoid Writing Intellectual Property Adaptations You’re Not the Owner
You’re probably violating the guidelines of 99.9% of screenplay contests, competitions, and fellowships, even if you create the script to the highest standard and submit an amazing adaptation.
Additionally, by altering content without the original author’s or rights holder’s consent, you’re destroying your one chance to offer high-quality work. The industry insiders are unable to change that script. The film rights are probably owned by the book business. If not, anyone who wants to use your script must go through the formalities of purchasing the IP rights.
Pay attention to unique stories.
5. Avoid putting all your eggs in one basket by participating in a contest, competition, or friendship.
Don’t count down the days till the anticipated announcement date when you submit your script. Don’t “sit by the phone” in a figurative sense as you wait for the results. Heck, don’t even consider the outcomes.
Simply carry on with your life. Let yourself forget that you went inside at all.
Rather, submit your work to many fellowships, competitions, and screenwriting contests. And then also forget them.
Next, begin writing your next script. Continue writing. The remainder will be decided by fate.