Should You Submit a Commercial Script to a Screenwriting Contest?

Question:

If you have a great script that’s very commercial and you feel like it can possibly sell, but you don’t have representation yet — should you enter that script into a contest?  Because what I’ve been told is that if the script does well in a contest, it will get you representation — but after you get that representation, the agent won’t want to send it out anymore because he feels like it has basically already gone around town as a result of so many eyes having seen it through the contest.  Because it’s already been “seen” in this way, the agent won’t have a hush-hush hot script.  Instead, he’ll have a known quantity that people have already formed opinions on, and thus he won’t be able to ramp up a major bidding war for it.  So I’ve been advised to keep a great commercial script to myself and not show it to anyone.  The only problem being that contests seem like a great way to get agents’ attention.

Screenwriting Compass:

The best scenario for you would be having a great commercial script and sending it to an agent to read. That of course is easier said than done. If you can’t find an agent first, then I do think you should submit your script to a screenwriting contest.

I actually believe it’s better to send your script to a screenwriting contest first, before sending it to producers. If you send it to a producer and they like, they will want to tie up your script and have it exclusively to shop. If you send it to a screenwriting contest and it actually makes it in the top three, you will find that people will find you, and you will have more options to decide. So if you can’t get an agent or manager first, go ahead and send to screenwriting contest.

The second part to the question is if an agent will want to take on a script that has been in a screenwriting contest? I can see why you may think that if it’s in a contest, then that means the whole town has seen it. Agents and managers want scripts that are fresh and unseen. However, if we read a great script and it happens to have been in a contest, that is fine. The truth is, many of the top producers and studio executives rarely are scouting screenwriting contests. They barely have time to read actual scripts being submitted to them for projects. Are they really going to waste valuable time reading screenwriting contest scripts? Even if they did read it, an agent can call and follow up. If the script is good and it sells, the agent can negotiate the deal.  So don’t worry about it, if the script is good and commercial, an agent will want to represent the project.