*New* TV Script Writing Competition

[Baldwin]

I was going to add this to Paul's thread, but it's just as easy to start a new thread.

I just got an e-mail from NYTVF (New York Television Festival) about a new script contest for a procedural drama tv movie with potential for sequels or a series.

The New York Television Festival has teamed up with ION Television to offer aspiring drama writers the opportunity to win $40,000, a development deal with ION, and the possibility to have your original dramatic screenplay produced as a TV movie to air on the ION Network!
. . . . .
We are looking for procedural dramas meant for mature audiences. The ideal script would have a strong central character or team of characters and a plot that focuses on the introduction, investigation, and solution of a central problem or mystery. An ending that leaves the door open to further stories or sequels involving some or all of the same characters is recommended.

In the TV realm, CSI, Law & Order, and House are perhaps the best known examples of procedurals. There are also TV movie series that fit this definition well: The Jesse Stone movies, the Movies of the Week featuring Columbo, etc.

While many procedurals focus on crime, law, or medicine, stories set in any field are encouraged, so long as they allow for an examination of the procedures by which the central problem or mystery is overcome.

Within this dramatic movie genre, there can certainly be comic themes, characters or tones so long as the procedural element is prominent.

To enter, submit a treatment describing your idea (5-10 pages) and the first act of the script (15-40 pages).
. . . .
The submission period will open on October 26 and will close at 12:00 noon Eastern on January 15, 2010.

All submissions must be uploaded during this time period, without exception. The contest will stop accepting entries if this period elapses or if it receives 1,500 valid entries, whichever comes first.

That last paragraph is worth noting. The same provision (closes at deadline or when 1,500 entries are received) was true for the comedy script competition, and because of that, I rushed to get my entry in on the first day, worried that they might quickly get 1,500 entries and close the competition. As it turned out, the competition stayed open to the last day (I guess they didn't get over 1,500) and I could just as easily have taken an additional week to polish my script. Which might have helped. So this time, I'll try not to worry about it closing early.

Anyway, I'm going to give this a shot. Anybody with me?

[Baldwin]

Hmm. $30 entry fee; didn't notice that before.