Finding your way into this industry can be daunting. However, there are tools available to screenwriters to help them navigate the complex and competitive waters of the industry, one of which is script competitions.
I know, these races are still very competitive, but Crosby Selander proves that it’s not all about getting placed or winning big. Selander is a screenwriter working on a sci-fi romance film take me back He teamed up with Legendary Pictures after the script was a top ten finalist in the 2020 Screenplay Pipeline competition.
Luckily, Selander sat down with ScreenCraft’s Lee Jessup to share how he made competitions like Script Pipeline work for him and launch his professional screenwriting career.
Find responsibility through competition
One of the biggest challenges for many creatives is the dreaded procrastination. We all do it and often blame our nature for why we don’t complete the feature we are developing. But Selander says there are steps we can take to address the problem.
Selander knew that to get further in his career, he needed to sit down and write as much as possible to improve his craft. He did this by actively seeking out competitions he could enter and writing deadlines for his writing projects. This gave him an accountability mechanism to ensure he was writing as much as possible and developing his writing skills.
“It’s always nice to circle a day on your calendar and say, ‘I need to get it done by then.’ It’s a way to keep producing even if you don’t know what your manager or agent is asking.” accountability mechanisms or deadlines,” Selander said. “I think setting a competition deadline is one way to do that.”
But don’t only enter contests with deadlines that appeal to you and your schedule. Selander strongly recommends that writers research famous competitions where their scripts could perform well. This means examining scripts from previous years and determining who will read the script if it makes it to the finals.
Selander, who specializes in science fiction stories, knows that some competitions aren’t worth the time and money it takes to produce a great script. Finally, setting realistic expectations and deadlines can help motivate writers to create great scripts that have a chance to enter competitions.
Make the most of your placements
A screenwriting competition can only produce one grand prize winner. Not everyone can be a big winner, but they can make the most of their spot in any screenwriting competition.
When Selander learned that his screenplay had made it into the top ten in the Screenplay Pipeline competition, he immediately got to work. “It was a huge wave of validation, but it was also like a rallying cry to get me out into the network that I had gotten to know during my time in L.A. … letting them know where I was and letting them know the playbook to try to get it out there,” Selander said. But reaching out to his network was just the beginning.
“At the same time, I also sent a lot of cold emails [and] Inquiry Letters. I’m very specific about this. I researched who I was reaching out to, what clients they represented, and why I thought they would be particularly interested in reading my script,” Selander said. “I got a pretty good response rate. I mean, the response rate to the reading was probably about 20 percent, which is pretty high.
Instead of waiting to see if he could win the big prize, Selander took full advantage of the chance to finish in the top 10 once he found out. What if he doesn’t win and is waiting to lend a hand? If they knew a script could only go so far in a competition, what would the response rate look like? Selander was eager to find out, and volunteered that his script was worth the time to read, despite the heat behind it.
Read more: Trying to build your network? ScreenCraft Writers Summit is here to help
Another tool in your tool belt
In a screenwriter’s tool belt, contests are a great way to reach people outside of the screenwriter’s network. While Selander uses competitions to help him stay accountable for how much he writes, he stresses that writers should find a way to add competitions to their tool belt.
“It’s another tool in the tool belt. It shouldn’t be the only thing you’re doing. It’s too passive,” Selander emphasized. “This business is very competitive. You need to give it your all and do your best. Competitions should be included in that.
There are many great ways to use contests. From giving back to providing writers with the opportunity to send query letters, there are countless opportunities to use contests as a tool to help launch a screenwriting career. It does take time, money, and a lot of preservatives, but getting past the first round (or even winning the entire competition) can have a big impact on a screenwriter’s career.
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No one said becoming a screenwriter is easy, but there are some great ways to make the process less daunting. Start by finding a contest that matches the style of the genre you’re writing in, and research the judges and winning scripts from past contests. Then, circle the deadline and start writing. Eventually, you’ll start to develop the skills you need to start ranking. How you leverage this position in your career is in your hands!
Read more: How to Win a Screenwriting Contest, Competition or Scholarship
