SPEC SCRIPTACULAR

WIN CASH - CONTACTS - CREDIBILITY!

What's Happening in the
SPEC SCRIPTACULAR COMPETITION?

November 1, 2011

18th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR OPENS WITH EARLY BIRD DISCOUNT

Yes, it's true. The SPEC SCRIPTACULAR is now open. The regular price for each SPEC SCRIPTACULAR entry is $40. But if you enter early and help make our judging - and our lives - a little easier, we're happy to knock that down by 25%, to $30.

The Early Bird Discount applies from November 1, 2011 through December 31, 2011. As they used to say about voting in Chicago, enter early and often RIGHT HERE.

October 17, 2011

17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR WINNERS

Nothing to say but we love these guys:

Winners in the
SPEC SCRIPTACULAR COMPETITION

17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR WINNERS
For contest ending July 1, 2011

GRAND PRIZE

MODERN FAMILY: OUR SACRIFICE by Garron Ma

SITCOM

1st Place: MODERN FAMILY: OUR SACRIFICE by Garron Ma

2nd Place: THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE CONVENTION CONUNDRUM by Christopher J. Valin

3rd Place: THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE HOLMESIAN DEDUCTION by Penney Alldredge

ACTION/DRAMA/DRAMEDY

1st Place: THE GLADES: A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Ryan Harris

2nd Place: THE WALKING DEAD: REVELATIONS by Zach Calig

3rd Place: JUSTIFIED: DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN by Ryan Harris

MOW/SPECIAL

1st Place: THE ASTRONAUT by Simmi Goyle

2nd Place: KEEPER OF THE NAVAJO WIND by Jacki Farrell

3rd Place: BABY by Sharri Hefner

Huzzah! Huzzah! And another Huzzah! For the third contest in a row, the overall prize has been taken by a sitcom. How wonderful to see so many really funny writers! (Hey, you drama writers are great too, but we're going with the flow here, okay?)

Don't just sit there resting on your laurels. The next SPEC SCRIPTACULAR opens in just a couple of weeks (and will end June 1, 2012). More on that as soon as we know, well, more.

October 3, 2011

17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR FINALISTS

Here we are with the next step in the countdown. The Finalists in the 17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR. Behold the awesomeness:

17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR FINALISTS

SITCOM

FUTURAMA: THREAT LEVEL LAMBDA by Stephen Chen

iCARLY: iHATE VALENTINE'S DAY by Gerald W. Wright

MODERN FAMILY: BIRTHDAY BLUES by Cynthia Furey

MODERN FAMILY: OUR SACRIFICE by Garron Ma

MODERN FAMILY: THROW IT BACK by Jason Voegele

MODERN FAMILY: WHEN THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A JAY by Philip A. Case

THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE HOLMESIAN DEDUCTION by Penney Alldredge

THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE CONVENTION CONUNDRUM by Christopher J. Valin

ACTION/DRAMA/DRAMEDY

JUSTIFIED: DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN by Ryan Harris

SUPERNATURAL: THE PRICE IS RIGHT by Katie Greene

SUPERNATURAL: THICKER THAN BLOOD by Elliot Flament

THE GLADES: A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Ryan Harris

THE WALKING DEAD: REVELATIONS by Zach Calig

MOW/SPECIAL

BABY by Sharri Hefner

CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN PART 1 by David R. Beshears

KEEPER OF THE NAVAJO WIND by Jacki Farrell

THE ASTRONAUT by Simmi Goyle

Congratulations, Big Dogs! Next week we'll announce PEOPLE'S PILOT Winners, and in two weeks this very space (okay, the space above this space to be more specific) will bring the SPEC SCRIPTACULAR Winners!

September 19, 2011

17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR SEMI-FINALISTS

This is it. The countdown to the Winners begins. And in record time, so yes, we're busy right now giving ourselves a big hand. (You learn this in showbiz: If you don't applaud for yourself no one else will.) Here they are, the eager and highly qualified suitors for the 17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR crown:

17th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR SEMI-FINALISTS

SITCOM

FUTURAMA: THREAT LEVEL LAMBDA by Stephen Chen

iCARLY: iHATE VALENTINE'S DAY by Gerald W. Wright

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA: CHARLIE GOES COMMANDO by Andrew Young

IT'S ALWAYS SUNNY IN PHILADELPHIA: THE ADVENTURES OF RAT KING by Tom Meyer

MODERN FAMILY: BIRTHDAY BLUES by Cynthia Furey

MODERN FAMILY: OUR SACRIFICE by Garron Ma

MODERN FAMILY: THROW IT BACK by Jason Voegele

MODERN FAMILY: WHEN THERE'S A WILL, THERE'S A JAY by Philip A. Case

THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE HOLMESIAN DEDUCTION by Penney Alldredge

THE BIG BANG THEORY: THE CONVENTION CONUNDRUM by Christopher J. Valin

ACTION/DRAMA/DRAMEDY

DEXTER: HAMMERTIME by Jonathan Fournier

JUSTIFIED: DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN by Ryan Harris

SHAMELESS: FAIR GAMES by Victoria Casarsa

SUPERNATURAL: THE PRICE IS RIGHT by Katie Greene

SUPERNATURAL: THICKER THAN BLOOD by Elliot Flament

THE GLADES: A PURPOSE DRIVEN LIFE by Ryan Harris

THE WALKING DEAD: REVELATIONS by Zach Calig

MOW/SPECIAL

BABY by Sharri Hefner

BUCK BATTLES THE CONSPIRACY by Chirstopher Sansone

CLIMB THE MOUNTAIN PART 1 by David R. Beshears

KEEPER OF THE NAVAJO WIND by Jacki Farrell

THE ASTRONAUT by Simmi Goyle

Our congratulations to everyone who faced the blank page and wrote a script for this contest. Seeya in two weeks, when we announce the Finalists!

July 2, 2011

17th SPECSCRIPTACULAR IS CLOSED

We've finally slammed the door shut and bolted it behind us. All the entries have been received and acknowledged. In fact, if you entered the most recent SPECS CRIPTACULAR and haven't received your email thanking you and wishing you luck, please let us know.

This time around, we received 61 entries, including a couple of CASTLEs for the first time, and even a DOCTOR WHO. Our thanks to everyone who faced the blank page and had the courage to write, finish, and send off your baby. We promise to take care of it and send out the results as quickly as possible.

How Quickly? Well, the plan is to choose Semi-Finalists in September, followed by Finalists and Winners in October. Watch this space for future details!

August 3, 2009

FORMER SPEC SCRIPTACULAR WINNER'S TESTIMONIAL

Today was a day when, in spite of the usual travails, it was wonderful to wake up in the morning. Mostly thanks to this e-mail we received from 14th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR winner Christiana Miller:

Thought you might be interested in this...

Because I won both your competitions, simultaneously...
Word started getting around...
And a showrunner I had recently run into at a party,
emailed me, to see if I was still unrepped.

Because I won both your competitions...
He emailed his rep. Repeatedly. And met with her...
So she read my scripts...
And I kept sending her updates...

Because I won your competitions...
It inspired a showrunner to take up my cause...
And his huge mega-corp management company,
[name withheld], called me in to meet with them.
And now his manager is repping both my scripts
and my novels.

And all of a sudden, I'm playing on an entirely different
playing field. I've gone from sand lot (writing for myself)
to majors (writing to be a player in the industry).

So who says that entering competitions is a waste of time? ;-)

One step leads to another and another and another. Keep your
fingers crossed that I can maximize this opportunity and turn
it into a career!

xoxo,
Tana

Heartfelt congrats, Tana! You've earned this!

May 14, 2009

SCRIPTPIMP.COM HAS RETURNED TO THE FOLD

Starting with the 15th SPEC SCRIPTACULAR, ScriptPimp.Com will once again be awarding 1 year membership in the ScriptPimp.Com Writers Database to the Grand Prize and Category Winners. Welcome back, Pimpsters - and thanks!

September 6, 2004

SPEC SCRIPTACULAR TIPS

Some things to keep in mind when preparing your entries:

When writing an episode for an existing sitcom, action, or drama show, stay within the parameters established by the series. The best way to attract the attention of producers, agents and judges is to follow the conventions of a series while writing what is simply the best-written version possible.

This means focusing on the series leads and giving them the best lines and putting them into the most interesting situations. One of the basic signals that a writer is not ready for primetime is the insertion of a guest character who overwhelms the leads. Save that for fan fiction.

When writing an episode for an existing series make sure you are using the proper format for that series. Check the web for samples. Our sponsor, WriteSafe.Com has many accurate spec samples in the TV section of its "New Gallery."

This means that the length of your script should be the same as the usual length of the teleplays for the series for which you are writing. No 75 page drama scripts please! (Unless it's a spec for THE WEST WING.)

The best way to attract the kind of attention that gets your own pilot or screenplay or "special" sold or represented awarded is to write as freely and openly and spiritedly as possible. The trick to successfully breaking new ground in your work is to write so that the reader knows that you understand the "rules" and have deliberately chosen to break them. Sending this message is vital, and it can be done via any number of indirect and more direct techniques.

When producers, agents and judges read screenplays and teleplays they are always looking for work that satisfies their definition of "good writing." Within the entertainment industry this usually boils down to interesting characters who involve the reader in their problems; clever, original and yet seemingly realistic dialog; and a fast-paced story that keeps the reader on the edge of his or her seat.

For all practical purposes, the most important of the three elements described above is "clever, original and yet seemingly realistic dialog." Because of their busy schedules, most show business professionals - and too many judges - often just skim down a page, reading only the dialog. If they encounter cliched speech, dull speech, overly-expository speech, or speeches that are too long and "stagey" that's the end of your chances. Dialog that is witty and conversational rules. No film or television writer ever went wrong by concentrating on banter. It works for Nora Ephron and Alvin Sargeant and Larry David and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason and David E. Kelly and Shane Black and Aaron Sorkin, and it will work for you.