COMPETITION PRESENTED BY: EL PASO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION PLAZA CLASSIC FILM FESTIVAL
The information included in on this page was provided by Doug Pullen, El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival Program Director, on May 17, 2022.
COMPETITION INFORMATION
2022 marked the inaugural year for the annual Plaza Classic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition.
“The Plaza Classic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition was launched in 2022 to provide a needed outlet for screenwriters in the area and beyond. Winner receives a $500 first prize, Final Draft 12®, and a table read of their screenplay.”
Doug Pullen, El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival Program Director
| Competition Name | The Plaza Classic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition |
| Competition Website | plazaclassic.com/screenwriting |
| Competition Type | Competition |
| The information included on this page was provided relative to: | The 2022 Screenwriting Competition |
| Total number of scripts entered in the previous year | N/A |
ENTRY DATES AND FEES
| Opens for Entries | April 27, 2022 | Entry Fee: $30 |
| First Submission Period | April 27, 2022 to May 20, 2022 @ 11:59 p.m. MST | Entry Fee: $30 |
| Second Submission Period | May 21, 2022 @ 12:00 a.m. MST to June 13, 2022 @ 11:59 p.m. MST | Entry Fee $40 |
| Final Submission Period | June 14, 2022 @ 12:00 a.m. MST to June 27, 2022 @ 11:59 p.m. MST | Entry Fee $50 |
TYPE OF SCRIPTS ACCEPTED
| Feature-length | 120 page limit. Scripts that exceed 120 pages will be disqualified. |
TYPE OF GENRES ACCEPTED
| Feature-length | All genres accepted |
Competition does not utilize genre-specific judging. All genres are judged together for the entire competition.
ADVANCEMENT TIERS
| First Round | All Scripts |
| Semifinals | Top 20 scripts |
| Finals | Top 10 scripts |
| Grand-Prize Winner | One Grand-Prize Winner |
ADVANCEMENT NOTIFICATIONS
| Entrants | Finalist advancement notifications are sent directly to entrants via email. Winners will be notified via email and/or phone call. |
| Public | Winner announced via press release, web blog and social media posts, and winner will receive his/her award during a local film event on August 4 in the Plaza Theatre. |
AWARDS AND PRIZES
| Winner | $500 cash Final Draft® 12 A table read of the winning screenplay Feedback from Impossible Dream Entertainment after the table read. |
FESTIVALS/CONFERENCES
| Festival or conference associated with the competition | Plaza Classic Film Festival |
| Date of festival/conference | July 28-August 7, 2022 (15th annual) |
JUDGES
| Judge Credentials | Judges have or are pursuing MFAs in screenwriting. |
| Are Judges Seeking New Writers or Material | No |
JUDGING PROCESS
| Script assignment | Scripts are randomly assigned to judges. |
| Judge knowledge of script prior to reading | Script title only. |
| Ranking System | Points/Scores. |
| Judging Criteria This criteria is the same for every round of competition. | Premise Plot Characters Dialogue Script’s potential prospects. Each category is scored from 1 to 10, with 10 being a perfect score. Total of 50 points possible. |
| Are judges required to read each script in its entirety at each round of the competition? | Yes |
ROUNDS AND RANKING
| First Round | All scripts are read by two judge, who will score the script from 1 to 50. The twenty scripts that receive the highest combined scores will advance to the semifinals. |
| Second Round Semifinal Round | Semifinalist scripts are read by two different judges, who will score the scripts from 1-50. The ten scripts that receive the highest scores will advance to the finals. |
| Third Round Final Round | Each finalist script will be read by a judge who will score the script from 1-50. The script with the highest accumulated score from the semifinal and final rounds wins the grand prize. |
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
| Required materials | Script Logline |
| Title page requirements | Title only |
| Script submission format requirements | |
| Submission Pathways | Competition website as a PDF upload |
| Rights | Entrants retain all rights to their entered script |
SCRIPT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
| Page Length | Features: 120 page max scripts that exceed this page count will be disqualified |
| Language | Scripts must be written in English |
| Adaptations | Accepted |
| Scripts based on true events | Accepted |
| Age restrictions on scripts | No |
| Copyright | Not required |
| WGA Registration | Not required |
WRITER ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
| Age Restrictions | Entrants under 18 years of age or older. |
| International Submissions | Accepted, but scripts must be written in English. |
| Earnings | No requirements reported. |
| Multiple Writers | Accepted |
WRITTEN CRITIQUES
| Critique Name | Analysis |
| Fee | $15 when purchased in conjunction with competition entry. |
| Receipt | Critique will be sent to entrant the day after entries are accepted |
| Length of Critique | Three pages |
| Number of Critiques | One |
| Critique Contents | Includes scores and feedback on character, plot, dialogue, theme, and potential. Critique scores are not the scores the script received in the competition |
| Critics | Critique written by a competition judge, with a review by the competition organizer. |
| Will entrants receive their critic’s individual credentials? | No |
| Are critics currently seeking new writers or material? | No |
| Script Assignment | Scripts are assigned randomly to critics. |
| Script Knowledge | Prior to reading the script, critics are provided with the script’s title only. |
Screenplay Competitions 