THE CHICAGO FEMALE-FOCUSED FILM MEETUP & FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES
REEL WOMEN SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
*CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS:
****DEADLINE EXTENDED****
SHORT SCREENPLAY SUBMISSIONS ONLY (10 PAGES OR LESS)
REGULAR DEADLINE: DECEMBER 15, 2012
LATE DEADLINE: DECEMBER 31, 2012
MISSION & OBJECTIVE
The primary mission of the Reel Women Screenplay Competition is to discover and promote screenplays with strong roles for women, particularly women 35 and older, that break from the accepted Hollywood norms of age constraints, body-types, and stereotypical women's roles in order to equalize female and male opportunities in film, as well as to more accurately and inclusively represent real women in film.
PRIZES
Depending upon the number of submissions, there will be 3 - 7 finalists chosen. The finalists will each receive a staged reading of their screenplays. The date and location of the screenplay readings will be emailed to the finalists. Of the 3 - 7 finalists, three winners will be chosen who will receive a cash prize. First place will receive $100.00, second place will receive $50.00, and third place will receive $25.00. The winners will be announced at the staged reading.
SCREENPLAY REQUIREMENTS
1. All submissions must be 10 pages or less (not including title page).
2. Minimum of one female lead.
3. Minimum of one female character lead must be age 35 or older (must be in character description).
4. Minimum of one female character lead must be described as average (i.e. average real American female, not average Hollywood female) to plus-size (full-figured) body type and not in a derogatory fashion.
5. If an ensemble piece (no true leads) must be 50% female.
6. Requirements 2, 3 & 4 can be encompassed in one character or in separate characters.
7. Must have strong, interesting, complex female character(s).
8. Must be written in English.
9. We are unable to accept screenplays from the following genres: experimental, documentary, foreign, or horror.
Screenplays that do not meet the above requirements will not be read and will be ineligible for the competition prizes.
SUBMISSION RULES
1. Send 2 files: 1 file with Title page only, including name, email, and contact information (no script) and 1 file with Title page and script but no name or contact information on Title page or elsewhere in the script. Submissions with multiple writers, indicate one writer as the contact person on your title page only file.
2. Script files must be saved as Title of Film only.
3. Script files must be in .pdf format.
4. Submissions must be received between the dates of August 29, 2012 and December 15, 2012 for regular submission period. Submissions must be received between the dates of December 16, 2012 and December 31, 2012 for late submission period. Deadline for submission is 11:59PM on December 15, 2012 and December 31, 2012.
5. Submissions that do not meet the page limit requirements, are not in industry standard format, do not meet the genre requirements, or do not adhere to any other submission rules or guidelines will not be considered for the Screenplay Contest.
6. Submissions must be sent to [email protected].
7. Screenplays submitted during the late submission period must pay a $10.00 late submission fee. Fees must be paid on our website at CFFFMF Website by the late submission period deadline.
8. When screenplay and/or payment have been received, writers will receive confirmation within seven to ten days. Confirmation will be emailed to the email address supplied on the title page. Screenplays with multiple authors must indicate one contact person for the submission on the title page.
9. Finalists will be announced on CFFFMF Website in February 2013. Please check website for updates.
Submissions that do not meet all of the above requirements will not be read and will be ineligible for the competition prizes.
To assist with writing, there is an excellent free program called Celtx which formats your screenplay into industry standard formatting. If you are having issues with formatting, try using this program to write your screenplay.
TERMS & CONDITIONS
· All writers must be 18 or older.
· Contestants must be legally eligible to work in the United States in order to apply.
· Screenplays written by up to four people may be entered in the contest. All writers must authorize submission of the entry. By submitting online to the Reel Women Screenplay Competition, all writers authorize the submission. If a screenplay is written by multiple authors, all prizes will be divided at the writers' discretion.
· Writers are permitted to submit 2 screenplays per competition. This number includes screenplays which are written in collaboration with other authors. Each screenplay must be submitted individually to the competition.
· The work or submitted material must not have been previously produced.
· If a submitted screenplay becomes optioned or purchased between the time of submission and the end of the judging period, that screenplay will no longer be eligible.
· Contestants may submit their screenplay to any other person, contest, producer, agent, publisher, and/or organization.
· Adaptations of other works are permissible provided the writer has written permission to adapt the work.
· Adaptations of works in the public domain are permissible.
· Writer(s) understands and accepts without reservation that he/she is an independent contractor and that Contest Administrators are not responsible for withholding any taxes or payments to any government agency, at any level, be it state, local or federal.
· Writer(s) understands that it is his/her sole responsibility, if desired, to register material with the U.S. Copyright Office and/or with the Writers Guild of America or the appropriate agency in his/her country.
· Entrants to the Reel Women Screenplay Competition retain all rights to their screenplays.
· By submitting to the Reel Women Screenplay Competition, you represent that your entry is your original work, you are authorized to submit to the Contest, and your entry does not infringe on the copyright or other rights of any individuals.
· Entries received during the regular submission period will be submitted free of charge; entries submitted during the late submission period will incur a $10.00 late fee.
· Entries will not be returned. Be sure to retain a copy of all material submitted.
· Once a script has been entered into competition, we will not accept substitutions or revised drafts.
· All entries must be received by Final Deadline. Reel Women Screenplay Competition reserves the right to extend the posted contest deadline.
· Reel Women Screenplay Competition is not responsible for late or lost submissions.
· The Reel Women Screenplay Competition will not share your screenplay with anyone except the official judges and administrators of the competition.
· Writers understand that all screenplays will be reviewed by our administrators and/or panel of judges for evaluation. Writers also understand that any one of these administrators or judges may have been or may be exploring similar ideas and writers hereby waive any claim that Reel Women Screenplay Competition, its administrators or judges may have misappropriated any ideas or portions of writers’ submitted scripts.
· Contest applicants must accept without reservation the decisions rendered by the judges.
· By entering this contest and in the event you are declared a finalist, you understand and accept that we will be free to use your name and likeness for advertising or promotional purposes without additional consideration in perpetuity throughout the universe. In addition, by entering this contest, you grant CFFFMF permission to perform staged readings of your screenplay over the course of CFFFMF's Reel Women Screenplay Competition event(s) without additional consideration within 365 days from the date of the announcement of Competition’s finalists.
· No agreement of compensation has been implied.
· Reel Women Screenplay Competition and CFFFMF have no intention of distributing submitted screenplays for their benefit.
· By submitting your screenplay you agree to all rules and regulations.