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What's New, BlueCat? The Official Newsletter of the
Bluecat Screenplay Competition
June 12th, 2012
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Money, Money, Money
For as fun and rewarding as writing a great screenplay can be, the sad fact of life is that you can't feed your family or put a down payment on a house with creativity and an expertly crafted second act. Sooner or later, the time will come to quit tinkering with your script and set it loose into the wild in hopes that it will make some money for you.
This is an understandably daunting task - the film industry, after all, is known for being pretty exclusive, and with so many scripts being written it's impossible for more than a small percentage of them to get bought (optioned, in industry lingo). Out of those few that do get optioned, even fewer get made into actual movies.
So what's the secret? How do you sell your script and go from Hollywood outsider to mover and shaker overnight? Well, as with most elements of the screenplay game, there's no one right way to do it. We've got a few tips from the masters on how to squeeze some money out of your script, but remember: Even if you've done everything right, your fate is ultimately in the hands of script readers, assistants, and executives who may or may not be having a good day when they read your script. But don't take that as discouraging news - take that as an incentive to write more screenplays and increase your odds!
-The BlueCat Team
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2013 BLUECAT SCREENPLAY COMPETITION CALL FOR ENTRIES
For nearly fifteen years, the BlueCat Screenplay Competition's recognition and development of undiscovered screenwriters from around the world has paved the way for these writers to be signed by major agencies like UTA, CAA and WME, to sell their work to studios like Warner Bros., Paramount and Universal, and most importantly, to see their work produced into motion pictures.
PrizesWritten Feedback on All Submissions by Two Readers Every entrant will be read and reviewed by two readers and provided two analyses of their screenplay. The winner of the BlueCat Screenplay Competition will receive $10,000 in cash. Four finalists receive $2,000 each. The best screenplay from the UK will be awarded the Cordelia Award and will receive $1,000. The best screenplay from outside the USA, Canada and the UK will be awarded the Joplin Award and will receive $1,000. Every entrant who submits by August 1st is eligible for our Title contest, where the three top titles will be awarded $250, as voted on by current BlueCat entrants. EARLY BIRD DEADLINE SCHEDULEJUNE 15TH Opening Day Scripts submitted by June 15th, 2012 will receive their written analyses by June 25th, 2012 and will be automatically entered in the Title Contest. Special Opening Day $55 entry fee.
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BLUECAT ALUMNI ANNOUNCEMENT!
Hey, remember 2012 BlueCat Finalist Zeke Farrow, AKA 'Zekeness'? He took home $2000 for his script 'Untitled Sarah Palin Sex Doll Project', but since then he hasn't been resting on his laurels.
Zekeness executive produced the film 'Gayby', which will be premiering at the LA Film Festival this Saturday, June 16th! Zekeness himself will be in attendance - buy some tickets, why don't you?
If you're in New York, you can catch 'Gayby' at BAM on Friday, June 22nd, or Saturday the 23rd at Rooftop Films!
If you're not in either of these two cities, at the very least be on the lookout for 'Gayby' in theaters this fall! BlueCat is a big family, after all - we've got to support each other!
SynopsisNeither Jenn and Matt, best friends forever, are finding much luck in the boyfriend department, so when Jenn's biological clock begins to tick, she decides to revisit a youthful promise they made to each other - to have a baby together. The only catch is she wants to get pregnant the old-fashioned way. As the seriousness of what they are trying to do creeps in, Jenn and Matt attempt to get their careers and romantic lives back on track in time to welcome their gayby.
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How To Sell A Script In Six Months Make The Most Of Your Time
This article, courtesy of ScriptShadow.com, is a crash course on how to both write and sell a screenplay in six months. If you've already got a script, good for you! You're ahead of the curve and can skip to the second half of the article, where you'll find all the really juicy information about how to get your script into the right hands.
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Tools Of The Trade Know How To Use Them
There are just as many intricacies to selling a screenplay as there are to writing one, so naturally there's just as many books, classes, and gurus talking about it. The folks over at the PAGE International Screenwriting Awards have put together a handy list of the best books, workshops, and trade publications for a writer looking to get his script optioned. |
Selected Script: Get Shorty The Business End Of Filmmaking
In Get Shorty, mob enforcer with a heart of gold Chili Palmer heads to Hollywood to collect on a debt, only to get wrapped up in the ugly, bureaucratic, and vain world of film production. Give it a read - if your script gets optioned, you'll probably find yourself dealing with a similar cast of characters (but hopefully fewer gangsters.)
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Free Entry To BlueCat 2013! Details Below!
The 2013 BlueCat Screenplay Competition is getting closer and closer, and to celebrate we're going to be giving away free submissions to a few lucky contest winners over the next three weeks! Keep an eye on our Facebook page and Twitter feed, where we'll be announcing the contests and giving you a shot at entering BlueCat, getting two pieces of feedback on your script, and a shot at a $10,000 prize all for free!
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Sell Your Screenplay (In A Nutshell) Brush Up On Your Social NetworkingSellingyourscreenplay.com is, unsurprisingly, a great repository of information on how to sell your screenplay. This article is an exhaustive list of tips on how to properly promote yourself to the right people and get them to read what you've written - even if they've never met you before!
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NEW Ask BlueCat: Concept Scripts High Concept Sells - Don't Sell Out
While William Goldman insists that 'nobody knows anything', one thing everyone does know is that high concept scripts are always hot sellers. Look at movies like Avatar and Inception - high concept films make high concept money. In this new video, BlueCat founder Gordy Hoffman talks to us about resisting the allure of the high concept script.
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Quote
"You sell a screenplay like you sell a car - if someone drives it off a cliff, that's it." Rita Mae Brown
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BlueCat Interviews
Miss an interview? Don't sweat it! All of our interviews with 2012's winners - along with some other interviews from BlueCat's past - are available on our website. It's a great opportunity to tap into the psyches of our winners and figure out what makes them tick - and, more importantly, what makes them write good screenplays!
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We write screenplays for people.
The relationship between the story on the screen in the theatre and the people sitting in the seats makes or breaks the artistic and commercial success of the movie.
What does a screenplay do to authentically engage an audience? What compels a reader to keep turning the pages? Why do specific elements elicit stronger emotional reactions to our stories? How does a writer write this into their screenplay? Where does this come from within the writer?
An award-winning screenwriter, Gordy Hoffman founded the BlueCat Screenplay Competition in 1998, having since presided over the evaluation and adjudication of over 10,000 screenplays. This unique combination of writer and reader of screenplays has allowed Gordy to develop and evolve a keen eye and feel for how a screenplay works successfully, and the intuitive, personal ways to address the problems of a screenplay through a writer's approach.
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 Writers)
Participants read seven screenplays in advance of the workshop. Screenplays can be first drafts or rewrites, with first time writers and veterans all welcome. During the workshop, Gordy provides direct and in-depth feedback on each screenplay, with everyone encouraged to contribute his or her own thoughts and concerns. Gordy provides brief written notes to each writer after the workshop. Audit option available.
What if I don't have a script ready, but I'd like to attend?
Do you want to participate, but do not have a script to submit at this time? You can audit the workshop, which allows you to attend without submitting written material, read the scripts in advance and still participate in the discussion.
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)Saturday, June 16th, 9:00AM-6:00PM Full Registration $225 (ONE SPOT LEFT)
Los Angeles
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)
Saturday, June 23rd, 9:00AM-6:00 PM
Full Registration $175 (SOLD OUT)
Audit $45 Register Now
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)
Saturday, June 30th, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Full Registration $225 (FOUR SPOTS OPEN!) Audit $45 Register Now
New York City Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)
Sunday, July 1st, 9:00 AM-6:00 PM Full Registration $245
Workshop Returnee $215 Audit $45 Register Now
Full Script Workshop
Saturday, August 25th, 9:00 AM-6:00PM Full Registration $395 USD Audit $75 USD
First Ten Pages Workshop (Limit 12 writers)Sunday, August 26th, 9:00AM-6:00PM Full Registration $150 USD
Audit $75 USDRegister Now
September Online Workshop
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers) SCRIPTS DUE: September 6, midnight PST COMMENTS RELEASED: September 23rd, 6:00 PM PST FOLLOWUP QUESTIONS DUE: September 30th, 6:00 PM PST FOLLOWUP ANSWERS RELEASED: October 3rd, 6:00 PM PST Full Registration: $195 Audit: $40 Register NowPhoenix
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)Saturday, September 15th, 9:00AM-6:00PM Full Registration $225
Wichita
First Ten Pages Workshop (Limit 10 writers)Sunday October 21st, 8:00AM-5:00PM Full Registration $115 TFA Member $85
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)Saturday, September 29th, 9:00AM-6:00PM Full Registration $225
Audit $45Register Now
New Orleans
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)Sunday, September 30th, 9:00AM-6:00PM Full Registration $225
Register Now
Kansas City
Full Script Workshop (Limit 7 writers)Sunday, November 18th, 9:00AM-6:00PM Full Registration $195
Register Now
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