Are Script Expos, Coverage Services and Picthfests Scams? (Pt 1)

David Know of Deadline.com has just posted part one of what promises to be a really juicy series. As we all know, the answer to the headline (also the name of the article) is: sometimes, yeah. And let the buyer beware!

Yes, the business of screenwriting will always attract shysters willing to prey on people with a dollar and a dream. Yes, there are many people who talk a similar rhetoric about ‘paradigms’ and ‘character arcs’ so it all feels like a con or cult built around scripting for showbiz. But some people must find it all useful, right?

Check out part one, which addresses the pros and cons of pitch fests, among other things, and features quotes from yours truly as well as a nice assortment of people who know what they're talking about. There are some really smart, worth-it folks out there offering valuable help; and there are indeed a few people out there who really don't know what the hell they're talking about and really shouldn't be offering their services as script readers or consultants in any way, shape or form. Looking forward to the next installment. Bring it, David!

Writers on the Storm FINAL DEADLINE 2-10-13!

Over $25,000 Cash & Prizes
$10K Grand Prize (features) $2,500 (TV)
Two Winners Signed to UTA the Past Two Years
We’re going for the three-peat. Are you IN?

Egads, time is running short! As of midnight Sunday 2/10/13 (which is really 12:01 AM Monday,) our Without a Box contest extension is over and we close the door on Writers on the Storm VI. We know there are still a couple of you guys out there polishing, and we're psyched about that. We all need deadlines to really light a fire under our butts from time to time! As we've seen time and again in the CS and Cyberspace Open, sometimes we do our best work when there's a gun to our heads.

Tick tick tick tick....

So once more for the record: Writers on the Storm VI closes for good Sunday night at midnight. You can enter the contest right here. And yes, it's expensive ($75 for features, $70 for a TV pilot.) This is the super-LATE entry period. The entry fee was dirt cheap in the early and regular entry periods. Now we are down to the wire. But discounts are still available via Without a Box if you sign up with them on their site.

And now, we proudly present our final list of early quarterfinalists. these are folks who entered the contest via script submission to Coverage Ink (that deal has now expired.) In coverage, after the several pages of detailed analysis, there is a grid showing how you did in key areas, followed by a recommendation for both script and writer: pass, consider with reservations, consider, strong consider or recommend. Those who received a consider with reservations or better for SCRIPT (roughly top 10%) became automatic quarterfinalists, and their scripts move to the next round where they will be read again.

At least, that's the way it's supposed to go. But this year I think maybe our readers may have been a collection of stone hard-asses, because the percentage is more like top 4% instead of top 10%. So, nice work to the quarterfinalists so far! Naturally, we will be announcing the full list of quarterfinalists about 6 weeks after the final deadline (approximately March 20.)

WRITERS ON THE STORM QUARTERFINALISTS SO FAR

1) Theory of Everything by Tim McSmythurs
2) My Asshole Neighbor by Andrew Currie + Robert Chomiak
3) The Galaxy's Littlest Prince by Joe Borriello
4) On the Edge by Patrick Hunt
5) Wormweed by John + Jessica Walker
6) Russian Roulette by Karl Schiffman
7) Stay (aka Layered) by Jocelyn Osier
8) Messiah Project (TV) by David Baugnon
9) Dead Dolores by Michael Yagnow
10) American Supervillains by Andrew Watt
11) Carn Evil by Jason Siner
12) An Atom of Freedom by Yehuda Yaakov
13) Creeped by Robert Chomiak
14) Damascus Cover by Daniel Berk + Samantha Newton
15) Live from the Milky Way by Joe Borriello
16) The Thief and the Prophecies (TV) by Barry Leach
17) Second Earth (aka Divergence) by Victor Agrippi)
18) Konspirasi (TV) by W. Palmer
19) Nerdgasm by Sara Williams

LAST CHANCE - ENTER NOW! 

For full details please visit the contest website at http://writerstorm.com.