Screenplay Competition Prize Increase & Concise WGA Low Budget Agreement Information

Hello Slamdance Screenwriters!

Although we updated our website a few weeks ago with this information, we've been getting a lot of questions so I just wanted to highlight again that we have updated our prizes for this years Screenwriting Competition. The Grand Prize Winner stands to win up to $7,000 and there are an assortment of other prizes as well. One extra nice prize is that the top five screenwriters in each category will receive a paid membership to the WGA. This is a great bonus for our finalists, and I suspect that few people are aware of it. Here is the complete breakdown of the prizes we have to offer this year:

Slamdance Grand Prize: $5,000
The winner of the Feature, Horror/Thriller, and Teleplay categories will receive $2,000 each.
Short scripts will have an option to get produced and premiere at Slamdance 2011
Script Accessible Award sponsored by Lonely Seal Releasing for best screenplay involving characters with disabilities and/or written by a person with disabilities - Winner will receive $1,000
The top five screenwriters in each category will receive prize packages that include Festival Passes good for all screenings and parties at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah (January 2011)
The top five screenwriters in each category are eligible for membership in the Writers Guild of America's Independent Writers Caucus
The top five screenwriters in each category will receive merchandise from the Slamdance Shop such as t-shirts and dvd's.
Production companies, studios, agencies and managers request to read our top scripts.

Good Luck! And now for a very useful article forwarded from our friends at the WGA written by member Marilyn Mallory...

How the WGA Helps Aspiring Screenwriters

Marilyn Mallory

My own experience:

Once upon a time a small producer-writer asked me to rewrite a script of hers. She said another writer had already tried to rewrite it but she didn’t like his work at all and so now she was coming to me. I asked, had the first writer been paid or just kicked off the project? Would any part of his rewrite still be used? No clear answer. A red flag went up and I thought, if they could do that to him, they could do that to me too. She said that she, as the producer, would determine the final credits. I didn’t quite like the sound of that either because she had all the power. The film would have a micro budget under $1,200,000. She asked, would I do it for deferred payment? I asked, was anyone else on the project expected to take deferred payment and if not, why expect the rewriter to forfeit being paid up front? Maybe I was asking too many questions -- she never got back to me. I don’t consider it a loss.

It was then that I looked into the Writers Guild of America and their Low Budget Agreement for productions with a mini- or micro-budget ($1.2 million or below) and their low budget rates ($5 million or below). From then on, I wanted to be able to negotiate with the strength of the WGA contract and lawyers backing me up.

THE LOW BUDGET AGREEMENT

The Low Budget Agreement for theatrical screenplay “spec” sales allows for a partial or complete deferment of the purchase price and, if there is one, a rewrite.. When a writer writes for deferred payment, the contract enforces the minimum payments and other Guild provisions. No deferred payments are allowed for second rewrites, as in my case scenario. In fact she should have paid me $19,859 (non-deferred), although she could have done it in installments.

· When you file for a Low Budget Agreement, you need to submit your writing contracts, so the Guild staff can review it and see if you’re getting what you’re entitled to.

· The WGA determines the credits, not the arbitrary whim of some producer.

· If the requirements are met, you already start accumulating credits toward full WGA membership and, if employment is attached, the (WGA signatory) producer starts contributing to your WGA health and pension plans.

THE INDEPENDENT WRITERS CAUCUS (IWC)

This led me to delve further and apply to join the Independent Writers Caucus. To apply, I had to pass at least one of the four eligibility criteria within the past five years. (see for details http://www.wga.org, search ‘IWC’):

have had a feature film produced under the WGA’s Low Budget Agreement or
had it shown at certain domestic film festivals or
have completed an accredited screenwriting program (such as a recognized MFA in Screenwriting program or certain screenwriting labs) or
have been nominated or won a highly regarded screenwriting award, with screenwriting contests subject to review

I qualified under #4: I placed highly in the 2006 Scriptapalooza screenplay contest out of 3600 contestants and this was taken into consideration. I submitted my application, paid my fee of $75 (now it’s $100), and was admitted as an IWC member. The Guild’s Independent Writers Steering Committee weighs an applicant’s combination of qualifications and determines eligibility on a case-by-case basis.

BENEFITS

The IWC lets you become something like a “junior member” of the WGAW by receiving equivalent to associate member benefits for the yearly dues of $100. You are not yet be a full-fledged WGA member, but you at least you have a foot in the door. In Hollywood it’s not what you know but who you know; and the IWC helps you get to know budding writers, successful writers, and seasoned old pros.

· They put you on their invitation lists. Granted this would mainly appeal to those who live in the Los Angeles area but it’s almost a reason to move to L.A. They send you emails, inviting you to WGAW parties, panels and workshops given by famous writers like Judd Apatow. They even let you ask him questions and get his off-the-cuff answers.

· You get invited to screenings of box office hits (e.g. “Avatar”), followed by a talk by its writer-director (e.g. James Cameron). And you can ask him questions, too.

· Eight times a year you may attend an evening at the WGA offices’ gathering room to meet other new WGA members (pizza is usually served). Each new member tells his/her story about how their script either won a contest or was discovered and optioned/ bought, produced, etc. You can trade helpful hints about managers/agents/lawyers. Sometimes there are talks by WGA members about what they’ve learned about the screenwriting business over the course of their careers in Hollywood. I found one presentation by WGA lawyers on the gains won in the 2008 strike very helpful.

Even if you don’t live within the L.A. area --

There are other benefits to joining the IWC as well. If you live within the jurisdiction of the WGAW (west of the Mississippi) and join the IWC:

· You may become eligible for the WGA self-pay health insurance plan. Call 323-782-4713 to see if you might qualify.

· You can also become a member of the Musicians’ Interguild Credit Union (even if you’re not a musician). Unlike some banks that have become stingy in lending cash, this credit union says it has ample cash to lend. When you join the IWC you get a folder telling about this credit union.

· You get the Guild’s magazine Written By, which contains interviews with successful screenwriters and highly relevant articles, written by insiders and old pros.

· You get special discounts offered to WGAW members, like a reduced script registry fee.

* * * * *

So this past year another writer asked me to rewrite his script. We hope a producer will come onboard soon. If he does, I’m ready for him now.