Entering A Screenwriting Contest: What Judges Await For Inwards The Perfect Screenplay

When evaluating as well as analyzing your screenplay, judges aspect for these xiii basic ingredients to determine the strength as well as marketability of your story. Before yous function into a screenwriting contest, inquire yourself if your screenplay has most of these ingredients.

CHARACTERS
Memorable characters accept unique personas as well as attributes; they are riveting, multi-dimensional, as well as erratic. H5N1 strong hero as well as villain accept distinct as well as progressive goals.

• Do your characters engage your audience's attention? 
• Can they relate to your characters? 
• Are the characters' ambitions as well as goals credible? 
• Do their behaviors check their identity?

COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITY
How vast is the need of your movie? The fads as well as demands of the manufacture evolve fast. How hard is your screenplay to sell based on recent trends?

CONFLICT
Conflict provides dramatic tension. Conflict is the motivating tension of whatever even out as well as typically entails physical (man vs. man) as well as psychological (man vs. himself) conflict. If your hero fails, what volition he lose?

DIALOGUE
Engaging dialogue provides original, blunt, as well as particular voices to each character. The means as well as role of linguistic communication successfully gives individuality to a graphic symbol as well as pushes the even out forward.

MARKETABILITY
How elementary is your even out concept to promote? Can yous communicate the concept merely on a painting poster? What is the retailing or sequel potential?

PACING
Pacing is how yous fourth dimension the action, how yous unravel plot elements, as well as how chop-chop or slow yous prepare the characters.

PLOT
The plot must strength displace into actions, events, as well as conflicts to thrust the even out onward.

• Does your even out unfold naturally or unexpectedly? 
• Does your pitch apparently outline the primary plot points? 
• Do the plot points weave the even out inward unforeseen ways? 
• Do the plot points contribute to the dramatic unease, rendering barriers for the hero?

PREMISE/CONCEPT
Is your premise coherent plenty then audiences tin position as well as connect to it. Is it a meaning concept premise, or down-to-earth concept? Is your even out genre-driven, or is it character-driven?

PRESENTATION
Format your screenplay according to painting manufacture standards, such every bit using 12 pt. Courier font, precise margins, spacing, etc., likewise every bit right spelling, punctuation, syntax, as well as means usage.

STORY
Clearly position the even out or premise of your screenplay. What is your screenplay about? This is known every bit "the hook." Is your even out captivating plenty to uphold the audience's involvement for a sum hour-and-a-half?

STRUCTURE
The construction is the designing as well as foundation of your script. What type of construction are yous using? Common structures include the 3-Act Structure (most popular), the Odyssey Structure, the Linear Structure, as well as the Non-Linear Story Structure.

• Does your even out accept a clear-cut beginning, middle as well as end? 
• Does the halt of Act One examination your hero or strength him/her to determine on a turning indicate inward your story?

STYLE/TONE
The sum character of your writing must rest strong. Judges desire narrative that is unique, dramatic, as well as properly reveals the personality or "feel" of the movie.

THEME
The subject is the inherent moral of the even out every bit gradually exposed via plot, dialogue, as well as visible devices.

I welcome your comments.


Related links:
New Screenwriting Contests (FreelanceWriting.com)
How to Format a New Screenplay (My Hub)
Free eBooks on Screenwriting (My Squidoo Lens)

Sincerely,
Brian Scott

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