Judging and Rules

OUR READERS AND METHODOLOGIES

 

S&Co's judging principles are straightforward and take concept, plot, story arc, pace and tone, dialogue, characters, stakes, heart and logic into consideration - not forgetting 'voice', and sheer enjoyability.

Rest assured, your script won't be assessed by holiday-job students who haven't studied craft. We interview and train our readers properly, so they know exactly what to look for. 

Ideally, scripts should be submitted anonymously via FilmFreeway. We will not disqualify you if your name is there, but to avoid unconscious bias we prefer entrants to remove their name and any other details from the cover/title page (except for a mobile/cell phone number). You may, if you wish, place a logline below your script's title, but please don't add other details, such as a synoposis, your bio or a preamble. The script's the thing.

All SCRIPTWRITERS & CO INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL submissions will be judged as follows:

• • • Every entry will be read and evaluated by two readers, to decide which pieces will progress to the Quarter-Finals in their category.
    • Fresh eyes will read and grade Quarter-Finalists' scripts, to decide which will progress to the Semi-Finals.
    • All scripts in the Semi-Finals will be read from start to finish by at least three readers.
    • The same principles will apply until we have 2-8 Finalists in each category, whose scripts will be read by at least four judges including Zanna Cardash and Alex Hollister.

    • S&CO/POSTERITY AWARDS will not have Quarter or Semi-finalists. Instead, S&CO will decide Finalists and forward their scripts, along with our notes, to Posterity Entertainment. Two awards are available - one for stage, one for screen - and ultimate responsibility on winners will lie with producer JONATHAN WILLIS. NOTE: there is no guarantee of S&CO/POSTERITY finalists or awards if S&CO and Posterity feel the required standard and/or criteria have not been met by any competitor. Likewise, development and production are at Posterity Entertainment's discretion. However, all unsuccessful entries in this category will automatically be entered in the equivalent non-S&CO/POSTERITY categories (for features or full-length stage plays), giving their writers two opportunities to win.
      

GENERAL ENTRY INFORMATION

We will publish lists of all Quarter-Finalists, Semi-Finalists and Finalists on our website and in social and other media, as they are announced. Finalists will be invited to attend the Festival free of charge. NOTE: You may initially be informed that your script is a Quarter-Finalist. However, that will not necesssarily be your final destination in our contest. The same goes for each script as it progresses through the competition.

S&CO/POSTERITY entries (including those that fail to meet Posterity criteria, or are not selected as Finalists) will be also judged in the Main competition, so writers have two chances to win. However, no play or feature can win both categories, so while our two S&CO/POSTERITY winners will remain listed as Finalists in the Main festival, they will automatically be excluded from judging in this category once Posterity has selected them.

All runners-up and winners will be announced at the Festival.

By entering, you confirm that you have read and accept the competition rules.

 

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