The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition
Objective
Now in its 6th year, The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition’s grand prize winners get flown to Los Angeles, where they receive three nights free accommodation, spending money, a whirlwind of industry meetings, connections and read requests AND lunch with an A-list writer.
Last year's Grand Prize winner, Matthew Morgan had lunch with Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air, Xmen: First Class) and signed with ICM less than six weeks after winning!
Winning is only the beginning! Unexpected extra prizes and introductions are what we are all about – because that’s how we roll.
That’s why our tag line is Live the Dream. Because you really will have a Hollywood experience like none other. One that might just open some doors for you. This year that lucky person could be YOU.
Writers with exponentially higher chances of winning the JFEME competition:
- Write scripts with unique, compelling premises that we have not seen before.
- Write scripts that are universal, marketable and have a specific audience in mind.
- Write clean, uncluttered pages that move quickly.
- Understand structure well and use it to escalate stakes and character development on every page.
- Have fun on every page, writing cinematic moments and memorable set pieces.
- Just effing entertain our judges with a good story, well told.
Deadline/Entry Fees
| Deadline |
Date |
Entry Fee |
Days till Deadline |
| Early Bird |
April 24, 2013 |
$45 |
|
| Regular |
June 15, 2013 |
$50 |
|
| Final |
July 15, 2013 |
$60 |
26 |
| Extended Procrastinator |
August 15, 2013 |
$70 |
57 |
Please note that deadlines have been extended due to serious illness. Julie is feeling better but she has to be ship shape to make Just Effing as effing amazing as it is every year.
Please Note: All deadlines are as of 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time.
Notification:
Quarterfinalists: October 15th, 2013;
Semi-finalists: November 15th, 2013;
Finalists: December 1st, 2013;
Grand Prize: December 15th, 2013.
Rules
- Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
- Screenplays must:
- be written in English
- be an original feature script
- can be any length, but you should normally aim for between 90 and 120 pages in length.
- have numbered pages
- be in standard format
- Any genre is accepted.
- Multiple submissions are accepted as long as each is accompanied with an application and the entry fee.
- Only one copy, draft or version of any single screenplay may be submitted by any entrant or entrants. Under no circumstances will substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entry screenplays be allowed.
- Collaborative work undertaken by two writers is eligible. Collaborative work by three or more writers is not eligible. All prizes will be split 50-50 by collaborators.
- Entering the competition constitutes permission to use finalists' names and likeness for publicity and promotions with no additional compensation. We reserve the right to publicize and promote any and all progress, development and success of the entered scripts.
- Partners, affiliated members and employees of Just Effing Entertain Me and their immediate families are ineligible, as are competition judges and their immediate families.
- No applicant may have earned money or other consideration as a screenwriter for theatrical films or television, or for the sale of, or sale of an option to, any original story, treatment, screenplay or teleplay for more than $8,000. Applicants may not have received a screenwriting fellowship or prize which includes a ''first look'' clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer's work. The date for the purposes of this clause shall be the announcement of the Grand Prize Winner - October 10.
- Adaptations of previously written work are not acceptable. The only exception is when the writer has adapted his/her own unpublished work. Material adapted from a previously published source to which the author has secured the rights, such as a novel, short story, or play, is ineligible.
- The judges' decisions are final. The Just Effing Entertain Me Competition reserves the right to substitute prizes for other prizes of equal monetary value.
- Scripts may be disqualified for not adhering to the rules and requirements. No refund will be issued for disqualified scripts.
- In an effort to make a contribution toward a better environment, The Just Effing Entertain Me Competition is a paperless contest. We only accept scripts and payments electronically. Do not mail scripts or payments.
- All monetary prizes will be paid in US dollars. The domestic airfare portion of the travel to Los Angeles for the Grand Prize winner is limited to $500 and will only be awarded if the winner lives more than 200 miles outside Los Angeles. International airfare has a $750 limit. The Grand Prize winner must work within the schedule and time constraints of the special guests and managers donating their time.
- All participants will be automatically registered for The Just Effing Entertain Me Newsletter. Clear instructions on how to unsubscribe are available for those who prefer not to receive it.
- All questions regarding judging processes or results should be directed to info@justeffing.com.
- Results of the competition will be posted at www.justeffing.com.
Awards
Grand Prize
- One round trip ticket to Los Angeles
- 3 nights accommodation
- Minimum 3 industry reads by agents, managers and producers
- $1,000 in cash
- Lunch with an A-list screenwriter. Previous A-listers have included: David Arata (Children of Men, Brokedown Palace), Tom Benedek (Cocoon), Shane Black (Lethal Weapon, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Last Action Hero and the upcoming Iron Man 3), Jeffrey Bushell (Beverly Hills Chihuahua, The Bernie Mac Show), Steve Faber (The Wedding Crashers, We’re the Millers, Married With Children), Dan McGrath (The Simpsons, King of the Hill, SNL), Chris Sparling (Buried, upcoming M. Night Shyamalan project), Stephen Susco (The Grudge, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D), Sheldon Turner (Up in the Air, X-Men: First Class).
GENRE & SPECIAL AWARDS
One winner in each category, below, wins:
- $250 in cash
- A 30 minute career consult with Julie Gray
- $150 Amazon gift certificate
Categories
- Best Horror/Thriller
- Best Comedy
- Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Best Drama
- Best Leading Role for a Woman
Also Queued
Writers who have queued this contest have also queued:
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News: The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition
The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition has announced their 2012 finalists.
Updated: 10/08/2012
The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Contest has announce their 2012 semifinalists.
Updated: 10/04/2012
The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition has announced their 2011 quarterfinalists.
Updated: 07/12/2011
R. Ian Simpson's Paraplizzle has been named the Grand Prize Winner of the 2010 Silver Screenwriting Competition.
Updated: 09/17/2010
The Silver Screenwriting Competition has announced their Top 10 finalists for 2010.
Updated: 09/02/2010
Interviews: The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition
An interview with screenwriter Diane Stredicke regarding the Silver Writing Competition.
Updated: 09/17/2008
Contest Winner? Let's talk. If you've finished first, second, or third in the The Just Effing Entertain Me Screenwriting Competition, MovieBytes would like to
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