Brit Short Comp / Red Planet Prize contest
- Thread starter zahra
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I entered a couple of years ago. Advanced a couple of rounds but didn't win.
Honestly, for the amount it costs to enter you're better off submitting a couple of features into the Nicholl. If you're looking to get a short made it's a much more viable solution to just hunt out some student filmmakers / indie companies. There are always people looking for shorts. Check out mandy, talent circle and myspace. Find companies whose work you like (a great deal have website showreels) and shoot them an email.
Honestly, for the amount it costs to enter you're better off submitting a couple of features into the Nicholl. If you're looking to get a short made it's a much more viable solution to just hunt out some student filmmakers / indie companies. There are always people looking for shorts. Check out mandy, talent circle and myspace. Find companies whose work you like (a great deal have website showreels) and shoot them an email.
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I'm in no way disagreeing with you, XL, but what with so few UK contests it's kinda tempting to fire something into the Brit Short Comp in the slim hope that the organizers/sponsors may somehow open that door to interesting connections and greater things on this side of the Pond.
Talking of UK contests... the deadline for Tony Jordan's Red Planet Prize Contest is tomorrow, Sept 1st:
http://www.redplanetpictures.co.uk/prize/prize.html
No entry fee, but I'm guessing there's gonna be stiff competition, and plenty of it.
"Who the hell is Tony Jordan?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/tony_jordan_high_concept.shtml
-Derek
Talking of UK contests... the deadline for Tony Jordan's Red Planet Prize Contest is tomorrow, Sept 1st:
http://www.redplanetpictures.co.uk/prize/prize.html
No entry fee, but I'm guessing there's gonna be stiff competition, and plenty of it.
"Who the hell is Tony Jordan?"
http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/insight/tony_jordan_high_concept.shtml
-Derek
I don't think I've got anything suitable for the Red Planet thing, but now there's the deadline, I'm thinking of a script I started...I might enter it to tempt sod's law= if I've got nothing finished, they'll be interested.
I've more or less decided to produce my short myself. I am about to do the begging letters to dentists etc, but I need a tutorial, which I'm sure I'll find here. The 1st one I've written is a little high-maintenance for a short - six characters and two locations, one of which is a particular London church.
Couple more I have in mind are more manageable.
I've more or less decided to produce my short myself. I am about to do the begging letters to dentists etc, but I need a tutorial, which I'm sure I'll find here. The 1st one I've written is a little high-maintenance for a short - six characters and two locations, one of which is a particular London church.
Couple more I have in mind are more manageable.
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Don't feel obliged to enter or anything, but you still have 24 hours. 
I bust my head today writing a half-page synopsis for a second entry. Not easy! By the time I got the story trimmed down to around 250 words I'd lost just about everything. They also ask for a half-page "about you" which was even harder to write than the outline! Man, this writing thing is too much like hard work.
Good luck with the shorts! Don't paint yourself into too tight a corner.
-Derek
I bust my head today writing a half-page synopsis for a second entry. Not easy! By the time I got the story trimmed down to around 250 words I'd lost just about everything. They also ask for a half-page "about you" which was even harder to write than the outline! Man, this writing thing is too much like hard work.
Good luck with the shorts! Don't paint yourself into too tight a corner.
-Derek
Yeah, my sister just rang me at work to ask what she should write in her half-page bio. I bet all the writers sweated more at this than the actual writing.Don't feel obliged to enter or anything, but you still have 24 hours.
I bust my head today writing a half-page synopsis for a second entry. Not easy! By the time I got the story trimmed down to around 250 words I'd lost just about everything. They also ask for a half-page "about you" which was even harder to write than the outline! Man, this writing thing is too much like hard work.
Good luck with the shorts! Don't paint yourself into too tight a corner.
-Derek
Thanks for your good wishes. I'm sending tomorrow - they say the address will be gone by Monday, so they have done a little sneaky extend.
That's fair enough, Derek, and understandable too. But I have to admit the £25 / £35 cost for entry in comparison to the prizes is more than enough to put me off.
I got my Red Planet entries in Friday (too good an opportunity to miss), having rushed the half-page pitches a little, and then discovered this on the front page:
Always the way
Good luck with your entries, D.
I got my Red Planet entries in Friday (too good an opportunity to miss), having rushed the half-page pitches a little, and then discovered this on the front page:
Always the way
Good luck with your entries, D.
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Thanks, and good luck with yours, even if you are the competition.
There's more work to do, of course -- gotta make sure the other 90+ pages read as well as the super-polished first 10 pages!
-Derek
There's more work to do, of course -- gotta make sure the other 90+ pages read as well as the super-polished first 10 pages!
-Derek
Well, sent it off, but knowing Tony J, despite his claims that he's OK with all genres etc, we're talking cat's chance in hell - it's a horror. Mind you, horror is popular, and Brit ones have had some success recently, so you never know.
And it's free.
And it's free.
Thanks for posting this, I zipped off a couple entries, too...anyone know when they announce finalists, etc.?
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Red Planet will ask for the full scripts in Oct. So if you get throught to the next round then you will know by them asking for your full script. No ask no next round!
The final announcement will be made in Dec.
This info is on the BBC site not the Red P. site.
I have sent off a couple of entries also. Even though we are competing with each other there will be "6" finalists so there is room for us all.
Kevvers.
The final announcement will be made in Dec.
This info is on the BBC site not the Red P. site.
I have sent off a couple of entries also. Even though we are competing with each other there will be "6" finalists so there is room for us all.
Kevvers.
i have entered. long shot, but it might have a chance....i think it is a strong script, but I still don't think this is something sutible for the bbc or british tv in general.
That would be cool...very unlikely statistically speaking, which would make it all the cooler!
I've entered the Red Planet comp too. I am not optimistic, think I sent in the wrong sort of thing. Good luck to everyone!
didn't say
They did say that ANY genre or script or size was acceptable so I would stress it too much.
Kevvers
They did say that ANY genre or script or size was acceptable so I would stress it too much.
Kevvers
Zahra and any others
The RP system was over loaded so ONLY those that tried to submit over the weekend can resubmit. Go to RP page and the link is there. You have 10 days.
Kevvers
The RP system was over loaded so ONLY those that tried to submit over the weekend can resubmit. Go to RP page and the link is there. You have 10 days.
Kevvers
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Thanks Kev, done.
Address is [email protected]
I changed the email subject line to "Contest resubmission - script title - my name"
And remembered to attach the PDF file a split-second before I hit Send.
-Derek
Address is [email protected]
I changed the email subject line to "Contest resubmission - script title - my name"
And remembered to attach the PDF file a split-second before I hit Send.
-Derek
Red Pictures has decided the next round. So keep an eye out in your mail boxes for requests for the full script. They will do this for one week starting Oct 31st.
Let us know if any get through.
Kevvers.
Let us know if any get through.
Kevvers.
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- Joined
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Thanks! Tho' a script request and 2 bucks barely gets you a cup of coffee...
More invite emails could easily be on their way. Good luck everyone.
-Derek
More invite emails could easily be on their way. Good luck everyone.
-Derek
Congratulations Derek, that's wonderful news. I understand that there were hundreds of entries so you've done incredibly well. Fingers crossed!