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Does anyone know when Chesterfield semifinalist notification is going to be sent out or posted? Just curious.

I saw on another board (Zoetrope, I think) that semi-finalists will be notified by Aug. 30th.

Got my letter today -- I am out out out!

So it goes.

Craig

Out out out as well...it was such a non-letter, too. Ah well...always better to hear on a three day weekend.

So, Craig and Laura, are you two in California? I ask because I'm in CA and, as such, expected to be among the first to receive the 'use-in-the-event-of-a-Charmin-shortage' letter... but I, as yet, have not.

Perhaps the wipe-'n-toss letter's travel time is not so much dependent upon geography as it is upon date/time of submission: My entry was postmarked five minutes before the local post office's closing on the last date of submission, May 15th. Maybe Chester's punishing me...making me wait to the very last minute before slamming my head with that self-addressed, stamped sledge hammer of rejection.

Or...

or, or, or, maybe the old axiom that 'no news is good news' applies here. Only time will tell.

In the meantime, I'm off to buy myself another 6-pack of Charmin.

Sigh.

Haven't seen hide nor hare of my get-the-hell-out letter either. Hmmmm. But hey, It was a last minute--I mean last second entry too. I'm not in CA, but in Idaho. I'm marking it down not as a no-news-is-good-news but slow-news-is-good-news. That way I'll enjoy my three-day weekend in clueless bliss. Of course, I am lying about enjoying my weekend...My fingernails are floating in my stomach and causing all sorts of pain. So I'll keep writing, it dulls the wait...

Shelley

Ummm, that would be hair -- not hare. (Insert stupid here.)

Just got my letter Saturday.

Didn't make it.

But a letter from the Nicholl arrived the same day. I advanced to the semis in that contest.

Funny how that happens.

To all who advance in thr chesterfield contest, good luck.

Doug S.

That would be ---

the chesterfield.

Where's the spell check Frederick???? :)

Got my letter yesterday. Seems pretty obvious you're being passed on when your letter arrives in some grungy envelope you folded up months ago. Oh well, on to the next one!

I made the quarterfinals in TFI's contest. Okay. These fingernails are tasting a lot better...

How did you find out about TFI, Shelley? Email or letter? Congrats, by the way.

Carol

Carol,

I got it via email.

Thank you for the congrats. I appreciate it.

Shelley

Congratulations Shelley!

Good luck on TFI.

Doug

I know I am not a regular poster to this board or anything, but I just wanted to share that I, too, recieved a rejection letter from Chesterfield.

There is something comforting in being able to share this with other folks toiling in this same challenging world.

Thanks to all for keeping this board active.

-Brian

For those of you wondering...yes, I'm from California, just a couple of miles from their offices. I think I got one of the first letters. Hang in there!

Well, persistence pays off.

I received my rejection from Chesterfield on Friday last.

And today... I received notice I advanced to Chesterfield's semi-finals!!!

Seriously, has anyone else experienced this? I don't get it. Yes, I submitted two scripts; but as far as I know, you are considered singly no matter how many scripts are entered.

I'm happy, but don't know what to think.

?

Craig

Same thing happened to me Craig.

"How odd, Bensonmum."

Have you emailed the contest director to find out what's up? Maybe there is some kind of number somewhere on your letter which designates which of your projects the letter is referring to?

This year was the first time I've entered Chesterfield, so I'm unfamiliar with their schtick, but I too was under the impression that we would be judged by our entire entry packet (why else do they ask you to indicate which submission best represents your work? Btw I hated that question; I submitted two extremely different scripts and a novel--how do I know which "best represents" my work? Anyway...) Hmmm. Maybe the new management has changed the contest structure?

I for one am feeling all kinds of left out, though, as so far I don't even have ONE letter and here you guys are with TWO. Jeez. :-) Of course, now if I get a rejection letter I'm still going to be running to the mailbox to see if I'll also get a non-rejection letter. Yikes, like we writers aren't neurotic enough to begin with.

I made the semi-finals! I'm having a tough time concentrating on my work in progess. My throat is sore from screaming. I wonder how I learned to dance like that? Sure glad I was alone.

It's funny how one contest can tell you to take a flying *bleep* and another to congratulate you. Whadda roller-coaster ride. I hope I can get used to it.

Thanks for the words of encouragement. They are as important as contest validation and rejection.

Shelley

Doug and Craig,

I, too, am slightly perplexed about the semifinal letters. I sent two seperate entries and received a single letter stating that I made the semifinals (on the same day as learning my Nicholl script will forever exist in quarterfinal hell.) I am wondering if WFP takes your best script to decide your placement or if they average scores together from all your scripts or if each entry is totally separate or...

Basically, I'd like to know how this competition is judged. If anyone knows...please post.

Congrats to all.

I got a letter saying I was in the semi-finals, but from what I've read above I may be recieving a rejection letter any day for the same entry...

All's well everyone. I called, left a message. Got a message back.

Apparently, it was a mistake, and it happened to THREE people (they know of): people that got semi and reject letters both.

But... the semi letter was the right one! Yay! Same for everyone, I gather.

That's all that matters.

Now for other salient questions, I wonder if anyone has answers to: how many entries do they usually receive? How many make the semi cut? How many finalists? Fellows?

Anyone know?.....

Craig

This is an e-mail I got today:

Dear Doug --

Reviewing our database, I'm afraid that a rejection letter was mistakenly sent to you last week. You are, in fact, a semifinalist and you should be receiving a letter informing you of that within the next few days.

Please accept our sincerest apologies. Out of several thousand applicants, you were one of three to receive the wrong letter!

Thank you for applying to the WFP and good luck in the semifinal round!

Sincerely,

Ed Rugoff

I guess Craig and I are very special people.

Oh well, I'm just glad that I advanced.

Good luck to all the Chesterfield semi-finalists!

Doug S.

To answer just one of Craig's questions, they'll select up to five fellows. (There's a news story about the Chesterfield at www.moviebytes.com/NewsStory.cfm?StoryID=735.)

I got a semifinalist letter, but I don't believe it for a minute.

Patricia

Made the semis too - looks like I'm in good company.

Here's hoping we'll all be hanging out at those Chesterfield workshops together!

-Colleen

Hey, I made it, too. That's quite a few of us. Hmmm...

I'd love to know the relevant stats: # of entries; # of semifinalists, etc. There was a posting or two on this board from a year or so ago that Chester advances 15% of all entries to the semi-finalists, which is far more than advance in the Nicholl semis (approx. 2.5%)--but then, it doesn't appear as though Chesterfield has a Quarterfinalist round, as does the Nicholl. And I'm still unclear if there will be a finalist round before Chester picks their final five.

Does anyone know if Chesterfield in any way publishes or provides to studios/prodcos/agents a list of their semifinalists, finalists, and/or winners, as does the Nicholl?

Congratulations, semi-finalists.

Hey, Craig, way to go again!

Joan

Congrats to Shelley, Craig, Mark, Doug, Barbara, Patricia, Colleen, and Jimmy and others who haven't posted yet.

Shelley for TFI - and others for Nicholls - way to go. Ding - Ding!!!

Best of luck to all. I made Chessie-semis and TFI quarters. It looks like I'm in good company.

And to others (like us) - keep writing - keep editing and don't stop because we're gaining on 'em.

Peter

This info posted just today over at www.chesterfield-co.com:

"The semifinal round of our selection process has begun. All first round notification letters have been mailed. By the end of the semifinal round, we expect to have approximately 50 finalists. Up to 5 Fellowships will be awarded at the end of the final round."

And, according to their home page:

"Finalists Will Be Notified By October 17"

Good luck, everyone!!!