Comic script contest

[Agonyzer]

Came across this today and thought it might be of interest:

The top 5 finalists will be traveling all expense paid (*subject to terms and conditions) to Orlando, FL during MegaCon 2013 week where the top 5 submissions will be reviewed by the judging panel and the opportunity to be interviewed for position as graphic novel/comic book writer and or illustrator.
The top 3 winners will be announced at MegaCon 2013.


First Place: $5,000 Cash Prize along with offer of employment and use of your work in animated comics and films where you will receive credits.

Second Place: $2,500 Cash Prize along with possible offer of employment and use of your work in animated comics and films where you will receive credits.


Third Place: $750 Cash Prize along with possible offer of employment and use of your work in animated comics and films where you will receive credits.​

http://www.comicscriptcontest.com/

 

[Bicyclefish]

I've not heard anything, good or bad, about this contest in comic circles. Does the contest state anywhere who the potential employers winners might end up working for?

Here's a few important, in my opinion, highlights from the terms and conditions.

ELIGIBILITY:
[...](a) you must be 18 years of age or older, (b) you must have internet access and access to a personal computer, and (c) you must be entitled to work in the United States or Canada or the United Kingdom to be offered employment.

FEES, DATES AND DEADLINES:
Early Submission Fee and Deadline: $29 to enter before September 1, 2012
Standard Submission Fee and Deadline: $39 to enter September 2, 2012 – October 31, 2012
Late Submission Fee and Deadline: $49 to enter November 1, 2012 – December 20, 2012

GENERAL CONDITIONS:
By entering into the Contest, [...] (c) you assign and agree to assign to Us all rights, title and interest, including, without limitation, copyright and intellectual property rights, in or to your entry, (d) you agree that We may post your user or forum name (or real name) and hometown on Our website and in any and all publicity and advertising for Us, this Contest or other promotions by Us without any further attribution, notification or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law, [...] We, in Our sole discretion, may edit and modify any submission before posting.

 

[Fedora]

"By entering into the Contest, [...] (c) you assign and agree to assign to Us all rights, title and interest, including, without limitation, copyright and intellectual property rights, in or to your entry,..."

And there's where I broke a rib laughing. They get ALL rights to your work just by you submitting. You don't have to win for them to own your work.

"No more than 8 panels per page (4 panels per splash page) if submitting as a graphics." As a graphics, huh?

 

[Max Vaehling]

Thanks for pointing out those conditions, Byciclefish. It does sound a little dodgy. I make it a rule not to enter any contest I have to pay for.

That other condition about signing off your rights - we had a lot of discussions about that back when DC ran the Zuda contests. Personally, while I'm a big fan of keeping my rights, I don't mind signing them away on a work-for-hire basis if the pay is right. Heck, I can always think up new ideas, if need be. But I'd really like to know who I'm signing them off to before I do that. Also, the Zuda condition, I think, was that you only sign them away with the contract you get if you win. Not upomn entering the raffle.

'Cause if I don't get a contract, but I think it's good stuff, I'd like to keep using it.

 

[Agonyzer]

I'm pretty sure it's a new, conventioneer-run contest, so that might explain some of the dodginess. As for the fee, I'd that's pretty reasonable when compared to many fiction contests I've seen.

As for the panels, I think they're allowing writer/artists in too, which explains that.

Anyway, I don't claim to know the background or details, but I hope it helps someone!

 

[Bicyclefish]

I emailed MegaCon asking for more information as to who is behind the contest and clarification of part (c) of the general conditions.

We are not involved in this script contest, they are just paying to advertise it on our website. The winner will be announced at our show in a panel, but that is the only involvement we have.

My questions were forwarded to the company running the contest. I'll update with further information should they respond.

 

[Bicyclefish]

I received a reply today from an Alana Parker, with an email address from c-t-s.com

Q: Who is behind the contest?

A: There are a couple of companies running the contest some are silent investors that will be released to the winners as well as ourselves. We are digital animation company that is located in Orlando, FL and in other countries.

Q: Who are the potential employers with whom the winners may be offered a job?

A: The job offer will be with us and will be discussed with the winner on how the terms will be worked out [...] and we cannot define the terms until we have a winner. The winner will be creating a series and have all the credits associated with it.

Q: The terms state "By entering into the Contest, [...] (c) you assign and agree to assign to Us all rights, title and interest, including, without limitation, copyright and intellectual property rights, in or to your entry". Does this mean they're claiming copyright of all entries or they're claiming exclusive rights? If so, is this for "all time" or is there a point at which rights revert back to the creator?

A: Unfortunately, we cannot give legal advice because the terms and conditions was created by a legal team. However, what I can tell you is that we are looking for talent and this is a talent contest to create a series in which the intellectual property on the series is already owned.

Personally, I'm not reassured they cannot explain the terms of their contract.

[edit]
I suspect the winner may end up working on something like this property.

 

[Fedora]

Has all the hallmarks of a total scam. It may be legit, but there's nothing in the reply email to make me think so.

There are so many places that gorge on the desperation of writers and it makes me sick. It's bad enough that we undercut ourselves and each other (I was once called an arrogant jerk by a fellow writer because I thought submitting fiction to non-paying markets was often a bad idea), but there's a whole industry built on our own feelings of worthlessness.

 

[jmascia]

I just wanted to chime in on this since the contest is almost at the deadline.

While I agree that this does have a lot of hallmarks of a scam, I'm not sure if they would be allowed at a show as big as MegaCon if they were.

This being a first time contest, from a company that appears to currently do nothing more than computer simulations, that could also account for the dodgyness of the Terms.

That being said, still not sure if I would enter the contest.

 

[NotoriousOne]

Contest was real

This was an actual contest the reason I know this is because I entered it and won 2nd place. Everything they said they did. They put me in a very nice hotel room for three days, they paid my travel there and food expenses as well as my tickets to megacon. The deal was a jet car driver named Elaine Larsen from Larsens motorsports contracted a Orlando company called C-T-S to look for unknown talent to write a graphic novel for her company and a charcter she created called Blaze. You can google Adventures of Blaze I believe the url is adventuresofblaze.com, and you can google Elaine Larsen. From what I can tell it is only going to be a one run deal and something given to fans and such. I am not for sure on the distrubtion. But the contest was very real I have my huge winners check framed and hanging in my office.

 

[Max Vaehling]

Well, congrats to you. then!

 

[NotoriousOne]

Thank you

 

[AnthonyHill]

Yes, this was an actual contest. A friend of mine went there.