Welcome to the first in a monthly series revealing the inside skinny on Judges and Readers of the Top Screenwriting Contests in the country. Everything you ever wanted to know about these mysterious creatures but had no way to ask.

These bunnies are willing to bare it all for me, a fellow judge, producer, screenwriting teacher, and friend, so I can bring you the scintillating scoop on who is reading your contest script and what they really, really want. Use this unique peek into their minds so your next contest encounter will turn these juicy judges to putty in your hands.

Ultimately, it's your turn to vote on your favorite Contest Judge of the Year. The writers who nominate the winning CJOY receive a 10% discount on the BIG IDEAS Screenwriting Seminar, held around the country, a $40 value. You'll learn to create your most successful script before you ever type "Fade In." One weekend takes you from "What to Write?" to "Ready to Write!" and gives you the tools to complete your script faster than you dreamed possible.

And now, Mr. January, utterly charming, astonishingly accomplished and fully exposed in this revealing centerfold.

Mr. January's Vital Statistics
Finalist Judge, Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting, Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, started in the mid-Nineties.

His Reel Life
Produced 20+ motion pictures. Some even made money. One was nominated for an Academy Award twice. The others were not. Now also President of an online membership organization for young Americans. Cheating death by living four or five lives in parallel.

Mr. January's Turn Ons
Anything that makes me cry. Anything that makes me laugh out loud. Anything superbly written that moves me. Anything that makes me think this is an amazing, original new voice. Technical proficiency. People who don't wing it.

Mr. January's Turn Offs
Scripts where the writer uses stage directions to convey character and motivation; if you don't see it or hear it friends, it did not happen in a film. Scripts with whole pages of one person talking. Scripts with major flaws of logic. Scripts that will cost more than the US GNP and take several years to shoot. Scripts that didn't grab me by around page 15, though I do force myself to read every page of the 10 finalists in case there is a miracle later. Scripts that are strongly derivative. Writers who cannot spell, nor use Spell Check. Writers who clearly never proofed their work properly. Writers who can't write but do so anyway. Scripts over about 130 pages. The film won't be longer than that. Writers who don't take the time to make their scripts shorter. Writers who use six point type and six millimeter margins to disguise the fact that they won't edit their four-hour script. Writers who never read or heard their script read aloud, resulting in dialog that nobody ever uses. Scripts written in crayon.

His Favorite Position ... to Read In
While reading my final script, having found some gold we can reward and feeling pride that I did a really good job as a judge with an awesome responsibility to our writers. Rejoicing that fresh new voices can come from Nebraska and not be the nephew of a studio executive. Lying down.

The Dirty Little Secret Mr. January wants to Share
I use a four quadrant scoring system and then second-guess myself half to death. I've used "magic" (you know it when you see it) as the fourth quadrant for twenty years. I was shocked when I suggested it become an official criterion and the Nicholl Committee said yes. I am in love with the excellent written word. Judging the Nicholl is the gold standard. It makes me a better Producer. It is a selfish endeavor because I absolutely love it. When the 15-pound cardboard box arrives via UPS, I worry how I will ever find the time to get everything read by the deadline. But I do every year, and I lose track of time while reading and forget to eat. Great scripts are catnip for producers. I am an addict who never wants to be in rehab.

REVOLUTIONIZE THE WAY YOU CREATE!

A working film producer who's sold pitches and specs to all the majors, Barri Evins created BIG IDEAS to give aspiring screenwriters what it takes to achieve their dreams by sharing the techniques she uses with highly paid pros on big league projects. The Big Ideas Screenwriting Seminar revolutionizes the way you write. Create ideas that ignite industry interest. Master tools to craft a successful script faster than you dreamed possible. The seminar includes Barri's mentorship for a year. Follow Big Ideas on Facebook.

NEXT UP:

The BIG IDEAS SEMINAR Weekend takes on 2012!

BOSTON January 20-22 SOLD OUT

CONNECTICUT January 27-29 location TBA

BOSTON MASTERS February 3-5 open only to previous students

BIG IDEAS in LOS ANGELES and WASHINGTON DC are in the works! Interested? Email us!

For more info or to grab your spot contact info@bigBIGideas.com.

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