How'd you like to have lunch with SHANE BLACK?

[now]

How'd you like to have lunch with SHANE BLACK? If you are the Grand Prize
winner of the the Silver Screenwriting Competition, that’s exactly what
you’ll do - that and win a trip to Los Angeles, a MacBook Air and $1,000 in
cash.

With over $10,000 in cash and prizes, the Silver Screenwriting
Competition promises its best year EVER. Doors open March 1st. $45 entry
fee. FINAL DEADLINE MAY 1ST. Find out more at www.silverscreenwriting.com!

[Jeff Messerman]

Depends what's on the menu. I have a slight gluten problem so I'd prefer nothing too grainy. Oh and no red meat, it causes heart problems.

Okay, in all seriousness, I have to assume, "now," that you are somehow connected to this contest? In the future, if you could please contact me first prior to hawking your ENTRY FEE based competitions, I'd appreciate it.

The purpose of this particular board is to make better writers out of each other in a safe community. I'd just as soon keep the dorsal fins out of these waters, if you get my drift.

[tcsp]

intriguing...I saw this competition before, it is run by another blogger/ script consultant called Julie Gray. I thought it looked legitimate then, now it doesn't. Any advice before I part with $45 ?? Cheers.

[Jeff Messerman]

The legitimacy of any contest for something as subjective as screenwriting is always in question, in my eyes. Even an established, well-regarded institution like CREATIVE SCREENWRITING magazine can wind up in the crossfire of controversy.

I remember last spring CS Mag. had a competition where you wrote a five page scene and had to upload it within a set deadline. The whole thing imploded onto itself and it all just came off as amateurish and ill-conceived. (one of my favorite script bloggers, Emily Blake, over at "Bamboo Killers," had some terrific posts about this...)

For my money, you have to ask yourself this rather important question... are you in it for a career or for "glory and prizes?" Because if it ain't the Nicholl, you can pretty much forget about scoring a career out of a contest victory (in most cases). (Hell, look at the stats... even if it IS the Nicholl, you're not exactly guaranteed a career!)

The energy one expends entering contests, as well as the inevitable entry fees (which I always have found somewhat reprehensible... a creative, subjective contest wherein you have to pay to play? Hmmm.... talk about getting your targets in the crosshairs....) could just as easily be put towards building an actual career... query letters, researching the market, making contacts.

Maybe I'm just too jaded but I feel you have a better chance of scoring a bag of change in prize money by spending your 45 bucks on scratch off cards at the corner market, y'know? AND with less sweat and tears... just have to deal with that tacky silver crap getting all over your fingers and lap.

But that's just me...

Jeff

[tcsp]

I LOVE honesty, I sometimes feel jaded but it is very refreshing to hear someone shoot from the hip. More please Jeff.

The more I look at the hook ''How'd you like to have lunch with SHANE BLACK?'' (NOTE the caps for SB) the more it reminds me of a snake-oil salesman. And the person who posted it did not even leave their name. As I said to the last cold caller, if I wanted new windows I would have called you!

Well thanks Jeff, you more than answered my question. I'll try 45 lottery tickets instead. Cheers.