Silver Screenwriting

Silver Screenwriting – feature film scripts.
Golden Age of Television – television scripts & teleplays.
Short Script Contest – short scripts of 20 pages or less.

By Jen Grisanti

To help you understand how to write log lines for your life, let’s dissect a log line from the movie, Pretty Woman: “A cutthroat businessman who wants to remain detached needs a date for some social engagements, and hires a beautiful prostitute he meets… only to fall in love.”

This log line sets up the dilemma while making us feel empathy for the central character with the words, “A cutthroat businessman who wants to remain detached needs a date for some social engagements….” Then, it gives us the action that he takes, “and hires a beautiful prostitute he meets….” The irony is the goal: “fall in love” is completely the opposite of what he set out to do.

One log line for my life is, “When a work obsessed corporate executive experiences a perceived fall from grace when she is told that her contract is not being renewed, she is forced to turn her plan B into her plan A and discovers that her plan B was her plan A all along.” The set up of the central character is, “When a work obsessed corporate executive….” The dilemma is, “experiences a perceived fall from grace when she is told that her contract is not being renewed….” This is becoming a life experience for millions. The dilemma is prevalent. What do we do when our “moment,” which we’ve worked for all of our life, ends? The action is represented with “She is forced to turn her plan B into her plan A.” Many of us can connect with the idea that life takes a turn and we are forced to design a new plan. After this happens, many of us discover that the universe nudged us because it was our time. The goal is “and discovers that her plan B was her plan A all along.” This is utilizing irony as well. This is very universal. We can go back to our core and figure out what made us happy about doing our jobs in the first place. Then, we can design a new plan.

By writing theses types of log lines, you can find your truth. By finding your truth, you can write story from an authentic place. This will help you to identify your voice.

Next, I believe that writing a strong log line for your script, creating a powerful dilemma and having it stem into a clear goal will make your story work in the best way possible.

“How can a writer write a memorable spec script that helps get them staffed? Why is it so hard to write a TV pilot script that could not only help to get you noticed, but could sell? Teaching the writer to write a standout TV spec script and pilot script is my goal.

It is harder now than ever to get your scripts to land at the top of the pile. I have always believed that strong writing will rise. I have helped launch countless writing careers. While doing so, I have noticed some commonalities in the writers who make it. The biggest thing I’ve noticed is belief in self and a burning desire to make it happen.

If the writer starts their career with purpose, puts the work into writing the strongest scripts possible, learns the craft of storytelling and envisions success, it will happen. Learning the craft is the part that takes time and dedication. A large part of what I teach is getting the writer to draw from their truth and fictionalize it into their writing. I wrote a book, Story Line: Finding The Gold In Your Life Story that heavily explores this philosophy. It comes out in March of 2011. Guiding writers to understand this concept and a breakthrough method for constructing strong story that I’ve discovered has garnered big results.”

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We’ll be bringing you Jen’s guide in daily chunks over the next couple of weeks. For those entering the Golden Age of Television competition, this will be invaluable, practical help.

Opportunity, access and acclaim.

Television is booming, with an insatiable appetite for new content. High salaries, creative control and a fast paced, exciting environment have made tv a mecca for new writers.

TV is in a new golden age, and our Golden Age of Television Writing Competition seeks the best scripts across both major formats:

There are two categories:

1. Spec scripts (for a show already in existence) of half-hour or one hour length, comedies or dramas (The Office, CSI, etc.)
2. Pilots and MOW (Movie Of The Week). Pilots for comedies or dramas may be up to one hour in length.

We’re looking to find the next generation of tv writers, get them a polished range of samples and get the repped. Our prizes are focused on professional development, and include close, personal help getting onto the first step of the ladder.

Grand Prize

! Like all our contests, we work tirelessly to improve the access, development and career prizes, so check back often for updates as we expand our prize pool and our production company focused advisory board.

For both Spec Scripts & Pilots/Movie of the Week:

• Winner of each category receives $1000.
• All winners and finalists may receive consideration by established production companies and agencies.
• Telephone consult and full script development with Just Effing’s Julie Gray.
• Career consulting and coaching, plus free coverage from The Script Department.

Runners Up

The three runners up in each category:

Advisory Board, Judges & Production Companies

Confirmed prodcos will be added in the next few weeks.

Deadlines & Entry Fees

Early Bird: August 15, 2010 ($30)
Regular Deadline: September 15, 2010 ($40)
Extended Deadline: October 15, 2010 ($45)
FINAL DEADLINE: November 15, 2010 ($55)

Annoucements

Quarter Finals – December 15^th
Semi Finals – December 28^th
Winner – January 15th

What We Are Looking For

Fresh, polished concepts, great writing and a good grasp of the medium. We will setup pitches, representation meetings and potential sales, both in the US and also for foreign markets. We are looking for the next generation of tv writers with solid script skills and saleable ideas.

Television is so broad and there are so many niches and subgenres that we don’t want to constrain anyone by selecting particular types of show we’d like to see. Let your imagination run riot, but remember, commercial viability is all part of the writing mix.

Television Writing Help & Resources

Television Scripts To Download

Television scripts, while similar to feature scripts, are formatted slightly differently. Pages are looser and faster and it pays to check out some professional examples before submitting your own.

Click here to read an episode of Lost.

Click here for a classic Simpsons program.

Click here and sample a Star Trek script.

For the Silver Screenwriting Competition, we’d like to set out our detailed judging criteria. We have evolved a very rigorous, quantifiable method for judging your scripts:

1^st Cut

As with most screenwriting competitions, such as Austin, Silver Screenwriting readers are required to read to a minimum of at least page 30.

Readers then fill out a brief score card for each script.  Score cards include 5 categories:

PREMISE

NARRATIVE

CHARACTER/DIALOGUE

STRUCTURE

EXECUTION (format, language usage, spelling).

Scores range from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent) in each category.

A minimum score of 19 is required to make it past the first cut.  Scores of 18 or below are eliminated from the competition.

This year we had roughly 200 scripts that made the 1^st cut with scores of 19 or more.

Quarterfinal Round

The scripts that have progressed past the 1^st round are then randomized and redistributed among the readers and they’re given a second score card with the same 5 categories.

The totals from the two score cards are added together, giving us a total score out of 50.  Any score with 41 points or better is published on the SSC website as a quarterfinalist, any with 40 points or less are eliminated from the competition.

This year we had 46 quarterfinalists with 4 that were moved into this round after a debate among the judges.

2^nd Round Judging (semi-finals)

Scores are reset and scripts are randomized and distributed to new readers.

Score cards include 6 categories:

ORIGINALITY OF PREMISE

GENRE EXECUTION

CHARACTER/DIALOGUE

THEME/SUBTEXT

VOICE

Score cards also include a brief summary of the strengths or weakness of the script.

The top scoring 20 scripts (any ties are automatically added to the list) qualify for the next level of judging.

All top 20 scripts and writers are cross checked to ensure eligibility per the Silver Screenwriting rules regarding ownership, earnings, options, etc.  (LINK TO RULES)

Third Round Judging (finalists)

The top 20 are now printed out in hard copy. Notes, comments and questions are made on the pages. Premise and summary notes are written on the title page or back cover.

Judges include Julie Gray and two top industry readers.

This qualifies the top 10 scripts for grand prize judging.

Grand prize winner, 2^nd, 3^rd place

The top 10 scripts are each read by a panel of judges including Julie Gray and two guest judges. For the 2010 competition, an executive from Fuse Entertainment and from The Bedford Falls Company will guest judge.

The grand prize winner, 2^nd and 3^rd place winners are chosen.