What is the Monthly Contest?
The Monthly Contest is a free contest held every month at MoviePoet.com. Eight months out of the year it consists of a five page screenplay contest. Three months out of the year we run a feature length screenplay contest. One month out of the year is dedicated to a short film contest.
What is the contest schedule?
Jan ~ Feature Contest: Logline
Feb ~ Short Script Contest
Mar ~ Short Script Contest
Apr ~ Feature Contest: First 10 Pages
May ~ Short Script Contest
Jun ~ Short Script Contest (1 Page Only)
Jul ~ Short Script Contest
Aug ~ Feature Contest: Full Script
Sep ~ Short Script Contest
Oct ~ Short Script Contest
Nov ~ Film Contest
Dec ~ Short Script Contest (Open)
How does it work?
A new contest starts on the first of each month. For each short script contest, a new challenge is selected. The challenge might specify, genre, character, dialogue, location, etc.
Members choosing to participate in the contest, must submit their entry, before midnight on the last day of the month. Scripts are submitted as PDF's and without the author's name appearing on the script (the author's name is recorded as part of the upload process).
During the next month, members can read/view the entries. Members comment on and score each entry (not knowing whose entry it is) from 1 (poor) to 5 (excellent).
Finally, during the third month, the writers of each entry are revealed as well as the scores and comments received. Each script is saved and searchable through our online database.
Does it cost any money to participate?
MoviePoet.com is entirely free. There are no costs of any kind.
Who can enter the contest?
All members and membership is quick, easy, and free.
How many contests can I enter?
Members can enter a maximum number of contests per calendar year based on their member level.
Level 5 ~ 12 Contests
Level 4 ~ 6 Contests
Level 3 ~ 4 Contests
Level 2 ~ 2 Contests
Level 1 ~ 1 Contest
Member levels are based upon the number of reviews you have done. It only takes one review to reach level 1. To see the numbers required for the other levels, you can check the stats page. Additionally, you can check your eligibility for any contest by going to the enter page.
How do I enter the contest?
You can use our online entry form.
What is the format for submitted scripts?
All scripts must be: a PDF, five pages or less, in standard script format, and the author's name must not be on the script. Changing font size or margins to fit in under five pages will result in a disqualification.
Should I include a title page?
You may or may not include a title page (it does not count towards the 5 page limit). However, if you do include a title page, please make sure it is in standard format and does not include your name or contact information.
Why is the short script contest only five pages long?
Believe it or not, 5 pages is long enough to write a compelling and original story for the screen. It is also short enough that even a bad script can be read all the way through without too much pain.
Does my entry need to be created during the entry month?
No. If you have a suitable entry that matches the criteria please feel free to enter it.
May I post my entry on another website?
You may, but please wait until after the voting period is over so that judging can be done anonymously. Failure to do so may result in a disqualification.
May I submit the same script (or a rewrite) to more than one monthly contest?
No. Each script may only be submitted once.
What is the official deadline for entry?
You need to have your entry uploaded before midnight on the last day of the month, Eastern Standard Time.
Can I enter more than once?
No. Only one entry per month is allowed (except for the short film contest).
Am I giving up any of my rights to my entry?
You are the sole owner of your entry. The only privlege you are granting to MoviePoet.com is the permission to post your entry on our site. This permission is irrevocable.
How does the feature length screenplay contest work?
The feature length screenplay contest consists of three rounds. In the first round, writers submit their title and logline (no more than 500 characters). The top 30 writers move on to the second round in April, when they submit their first ten pages. In August, the top ten writers move on to the third and final round, when they submit their finished scripts.
How does the short film contest work?
In November, filmmakers are able to submit short films (under fifteen minutes in length) based on MoviePoet.com scripts. You may submit as many films as you like and there are no member level requirements for this contest.
How does the December "Open" challenge work?
Every December we run a five page short script contest, but there is no theme or requirement for the challenge. Instead, only those members (level 3 or higher) who have given more reviews than they have received are eligible to enter.
Where do I vote on the entries?
Voting can be done online through our voting page.
How do I vote on the entries?
Entries will be assigned to you one at a time. You will give each entry a score and share your comments.
How does scoring work?
You will score each entry on a scale from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent).
How do comments work?
You are strongly encouraged to share detailed comments with the writer. Please be helpful and honest.
Are votes and comments ever deleted?
A review may be deleted (by the site moderator) if it is too short, too harsh, or if the comments are not in keeping with the score given. A specific reviewer may have all their reviews deleted if they have multiple issues or the average score is abnormally low or high.
Are there any guides to scoring and writing reviews?
Is voting anonymous?
The score you give each entry will be kept secret. However, your comments will be public (after the voting period is over).
Can I change my score and comments?
Yes, during the voting month you can go back and change any of the scores or comments you have given. Simply, go to the voting page and select the title of an entry to change your score or comments.
Must I vote on every entry?
You do not need to vote on every entry for your votes to count. However, you may not skip any entries assigned to you. Leaving one word reviews or inappropriate reviews may result in all your reviews being deleted.
How do I find out the results?
The top three winners will be announced on our home page and all results will be shared online though our results page.
What is an Honorable Mention?
Every entry that scored (on average) 3.5 or higher will receive an "Honorable Mention".
When are the results announced?
The results are announced on the first day of each month. In the unlikely event that we need to delete a vote (for abusive comments or no comments), there is a potential the results might change. However, once the winners are submitted to MovieBytes.com the results are final.
Can I comment or vote on entries after the voting month?
You may comment (or continue to comment) on an entry after the voting month is over, but you can no longer vote or change your vote.
What are Favorites?
Marking an entry as one of your favorites is another way of recognizing a script you thought was great. This is also a handy way to keep track of scripts that you really enjoyed and want to be able to find easily in the future (perfect for filmmakers visiting the site). You can mark up to three entries from each contest as your favorite.
What is Search?
Search allows filmmakers (and writers) to search our database of scripts based on criteria (keyword, genre, cast size, production status, etc.) and contact the screenwriter. This provides an easy method for filmmakers to find potential scripts that meet their needs and contact the author to secure the rights.
What is Production Status (and Production Web Site)?
After the voting month is over the writer of a script may select a Production Status. Production Status can be Available, In Production, Produced, or Unavailable. Scripts listed as In Production or Produced may also have a link added to a Production Web Site. Scripts listed as Unavailable are no longer readable.
Can I read the winning scripts from the original MoviePoet.com contests held back in 2002 and 2003?
2002 Quarter 2 ~ "The 90 Second Minute" by Faisal A. Qureshi
2002 Quarter 3 ~ "Invisible?" by Ethelyn Boddy
2002 Quarter 4 ~ "The Cabinet" by Shawn W. Tittle
2003 Quarter 1 ~ "Branches" by Rick Hansberry
2003 Quarter 2 ~ "The Patriots" by Sean Sweeney
Can anyone participate in the Discussion Forum?
Only members can post a topic or a reply, but anyone can read the forum.
There are no edit or delete buttons in our forum. What you post will remain there forever, so choose your words carefully. Our forums are moderated and offensive posts may be deleted.
What are Polls?
Polls are an easy way to let members vote on a question in the discussion forum. Polls can be created by level 4 members and above.
How do I enter a URL link in the forums (or in script comments)?
Simply enclose your link inside url brackets like this: [urlx]www.moviepoet.com[/urlx] (remove the x's to make it work).
What are Member Status Levels?
Member Status Levels reflect the number/percentage of scripts each member has reviewed. The levels break down like this:
Level 5 ~ Top 5% of Reviewers
Level 4 ~ Top 15% of Reviewers
Level 3 ~ Top 30% of Reviewers
Level 2 ~ Top 50% of Reviewers
Level 1 ~ Top 100% of Reviewers
Level 0 ~ No Reviews
What are Achievements?
Achievements are awarded for attaining certain statistical milestones. They are purely for fun.
Are there any secrets for navigating around the site?
You can get to the bottom of any page by clicking on the square in the upper right of the header bar (it is the vine with the three leaves). Meanwhile, the "Top" button in the footer will bring you back up.
What is the Donate button for?
MoviePoet.com is free. However, it does cost money to run the site. The Donate button is an option for those who would like to contribute towards the cost of running the site. Any donation, no matter the size, is greatly appreciated.