PSA For All Aspiring Screenwriters (From An Aspiring Screenwriter)
When you’re trying to break into the industry, screenwriting competitions are usually an excellent way to do that. They get you exposure, money, deals, and more.
Right now, they’re the worst possible thing that could happen to you.
During this writer’s strike, there is a very high likelihood that a lot of screenwriting competitions are tying to get you to scab. They’re offering you amazing opportunities in the hope that you’ll give them your script and then the studios can use it, meaning that you have scabbed, you have crossed the picket line. If you scab, you will not be able to join the WGA, meaning that you go through your career without any protections against getting taken advantage of.
So no matter what’s being offered, don’t fall for it.
