A question often asked: Last year, my script placed in the Top 20% (or Next 100 or Semifinals, etc.). Ive rewritten it and its so much better - and yet I didnt do as well this year. How is that possible? Most likely, its because the first round readers are not a uniform collective sharing exactly the same taste in stories and in scripts. Instead, while the readers have considerable experience reading and evaluating screenplays, they differ in background and taste. A script one reader might think is great may be only okay when read by another. For the same script, one reader may be totally captured by a story while the next could be put off by sloppy writing and craft. Every year past quarter/semi/finalists do not advance with the same script that placed previously. Sometimes, particular subject matter (or characters, an arena or setting) will attract some readers but not others. Likewise, the approach to a story or the tone of a script will be engaging to some readers but not to others. As mentioned in the notification email. the evaluation of screenplays is an incredibly subjective enterprise. In nearly every instance, a good script, even a great one, will not be appreciated by all readers. Thats one reason we ignore the lowest score in both the first round and quarterfinals and eliminate the lowest two scores (of ten) in the semifinals. Scripts can be polarizing and will elicit negative reactions from a reader or two while being appreciated by most. For instance, among the 2014 Quarterfinalists, 77 of 379 screenplays received two strong scores and one negative score from the three first round readers.
Posted on: Tue, 29 Jul 2014 22:09:46 +0000
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