The Finish Line Script Competition

Had a lovely coffee with @dannymanus.bsky.social
yesterday. We're thinking of doing something together. What would writers want that the two of us could provide?

Asking questions is the key to great script notes. This and opening the space to help the writer develop the right answers.

15% off script notes this WEEKEND only. August 1-3.
Code: 2615 at www.finishlinescriptcomp/store

Well, yesterday was definitely a mixed bag but the big plus was that our Grand Prize Winner, J. Augustine has signed with Anonymous Content. J. is based in the Vancouver area. I have known his new manager for 25+ years and he's never signed anyone I've asked him to until now.

Welcome to the 10th season of the Finish Line Script Competition! We're open for entries on
@filmfreeway.bsky.social @networkisa.bsky.social @stage32.bsky.social

Please check out new mentors, new testimonials, etc., everything at finishlinescriptcomp.com

New TV fellowship coming soon!

Monday can't come soon enough!
We'll be accepting submissions through @networkisa.bsky.social @filmfreeway.bsky.social & @stage32.bsky.social

Since our winners were announced, we've been working with the writers to put the final touches on each script, getting them ready for the industry to see. First script went out last night to a major Australian director. Let's go!!!!!

Congratulations to the 2024-2025 Finish Line Script Competition Winners!

MUSE by J. Augustine (Thriller feature)

KANGAROO by Steven Lowery (Drama feature)

GOD SAVE THE PROM QUEEN by Devi Snively (1 hour Dramedy pilot)

Note I gave last night:

The reader doesn’t want to just 'hear' the conversation between these characters — we want to be in the room experiencing it.

Read your dialogue aloud. If it sounds like a tennis match, let your characters move — not just talk.

Remember - Film & TV are active and visual mediums. When writing, picture yourself in the theater watching. And write accordingly.

Happy Birthday to Paul Thomas Anderson, whose work has had a huge impact on me. What’s your favorite PTA movie?

Take a big swing today. Whether on the page or reaching out to someone to read your script.

We’ll do the same and report back!

Received draft of a script & have given notes. Producer wants to quickly get them to writer so we can get a new draft. Smartly, our financier says,
"Let’s put together a solid set of notes to respond to the script & not worry about the timing."

Be patient. Get it right.

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Semi-Finalists have been announced.
www.finishlinescriptcomp.com/blog

Tomorrow we will announce our Semi-Finalists! As a reminder, those who are chosen to move forward will be able to purchase notes through us or rewrite on their own to submit their best final draft.

Thanks for letting me know. Unfollowed!

You don’t become a writer by waiting to be discovered. You become one by refusing to give up.

"Sorry, I was supposed to send out an email days ago. I read the draft and I am very happy where it is at the moment, enough to share with Xxxxxxx Xxxxx."

Congrats to Pepi Kokab, one of last year's winners, who has been working with a director (who was one of my clients when I was a manager).

Almost every project our writers are working on through Finish Line has started one way and ended up another. Happy to give examples.

The point is, you cannot get attached to the how, just keep working on getting your work in front of as many people as possible.

Rewriting is rewrtiting.
Getting script notes is just the start. Executing them is a skill unto itself. Often, the result shows how well you really know your story and characters.

Because there has been some confusion, the final date
for resubmissions for Quarter-Finalists is 11:59pm PST on May 22. If you have any questions, please email us. Thank you.

You’ve got to come from somewhere, and then whatever your ‘you-ness’ is, you bring it along with you wherever you go.

In fact it’s all you’ve got.

- David Koepp

Remember that your reputation is all you have and to treat people as you want to be treated. This business is about relationships.

Give your protagonist a ghost, something that haunts them.

Let that ghost shape a lie that the character holds as truth.

Let that lie drive their decisions & let it fall apart when the real world proves them wrong.

When they finally start to change, don’t make it perfect. Make it real.

Oh, it's really hard but try not to be cynical and try even harder to keep your gripes and ego out of your artistic space. This is not about anyone or us, it's a really important piece of advice for this (and every) industry.

Coverfly ending has been known for a while by comps who are part of its platform. Though there were certainly positive elements, its monopoly was rapacious. There are many competitions that remain, run by good, writing forward people who play it like it is. Don't fret, writers.

Speaking with a first time writer about his pilot yesterday. He has a great character we're engaged with and care about. What he doesn't have is a hook; a premise and quick engine we engaged with and don't want to let go of. These two = 🤩

When we read a script through the competition, we read the script only. We don't read the log line, we don't care if the script has placed elsewhere, we may not even know who the writer is. This is about the skill of the writing, regardless of genre/story and how it makes us feel.

finishlinescriptcomp.com/blog

We'll be announcing our Quarter-Finalists on Sunday or Monday. Thank you to those who entered for your patience.

Lots of scripts this year about suicide. Are y'all okay? 😟