Early Bird Deadline ends July20: happy submitting to Your Script Produced! International Script Competition

OFFICIAL RULES

“YOUR SCRIPT PRODUCED” INTERNATIONAL FEATURE / TV / SHORT SCRIPT COMPETITION. SEASON TWO IS NOW OPEN FOR SUBMISSION TO EVERYONE 18 YEARS OLD OR OLDER. ANYONE 16 OR 17 YEARS OF AGE MUST HAVE A PARENTAL FORM SIGNED AND DATED TO ENTER.

PLEASE READ THESE COMMON RULES/GUIDELINES AND COMPETITION OFFICIAL RULES (“OFFICIAL RULES”) CAREFULLY, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING SUBMISSION PROCESS, PROCEDURES, AWARDS/PRIZES, AND COMPETITION LOGISTICS.

These Official Rules state that the process for any dispute between you and Sponsors (defined below) regarding the Competition must be resolved in binding arbitration on an individual basis, and in any event may not proceed on a class basis or otherwise seek class-wide relief. 

1. Competition Overview:

A. “Sponsor”: Doval Bacall Films is the sponsor of this competition and will be referred to as “Sponsor” in these official rules, where appropriate.

B. “Competition”: “Your Script Produced!” International Feature / Tv / Short Script Competition will be referred to as “Competition” in these official rules, where appropriate.

To enter this skilled based script competition, complete the application, attach your Feature/TV/Short script, pay the submission fee, agree to these Official Rules and submit your application.

You can enter here on FilmFreeway or directly on our website: www.YourScriptProduced.com

C. “Prizes”:

FEATURE CATEGORY: The Grand Prize Winning Screenplay will be purchased by Sponsor for Ten Thousand U.S Dollars ($10,000 USD). “Sponsor” will produce the Feature Length Script (“Grand Prize Winner”) for Two Hundred Fifty Thousand U.S Dollars ($250,000.00 USD). GUARANTEED. Winner will be included in the process of making the feature-length motion picture as a consultant and will also receive writing credit.

Feature Grand Prize winner will also receive two points on the back end to share in the success of the film. Structure of the two points will be disclosed in the agreement provided by our sponsor.

TV CATEGORY: $500.00 will be awarded to the Tv grand prize winner + optioned by our sponsor for one year (with 1 year extension.). Our sponsor will invest equity to produce the tv show for a budget of up to $10,000.00 for production. The writer will receive the ultimate prize: to direct their own tv show!

SHORTS CATEGORY: $250.00 will be awarded to the grand prize winner + optioned by our sponsor for one year (with 1 year extension). Our sponsor will invest equity to produce the project for a budget of up to $10,000.00 for production. The writer will receive the ultimate prize: to direct their own short film!

For entire list, please go to Awards & Prizes section.

2. “Submission Period”

Season Two Pre-launch / Opening entry period for the competition begins October 24, 2019 at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time.

The site’s server clock, countdown, shall serve as the official time keeping device for the competition.

3. “Deadlines / Fees / Winner Announcements”

Early Bird: May 24, 2020 | Feature $60 | Pilot $50 | Short $40
Regular: July 20, 2020 | Feature $65 | Pilot $55 | Short $45
Late: August 31, 2020 | Feature Film $70 | Pilot $60 | Short $50
Extended: October 31, 2020 | Feature $75 | Pilot $65 | Short $55
FINAL: November 30, 2020 | Feature $80 | Pilot $70 | Short $60

Quarter Finalists: December 31, 2020
Semi Finalists: January 15, 2021
Finalists: January 31, 2021

Grand Prize & Category Winners Announced in the trades during
The Berlin International Film Festival 2021 AND American Film Market 2021. Worldwide Recognition!

3. “Payment”

The entry fee must be paid via online using a credit card or debit card only.

4. “Eligibility Requirements”

A. Open to writers of all levels 18 years old or older with internet access. Anyone 16 or 17 years of age must submit a parental consent form along with their submission. Except where prohibited

B. Competition open to all creative writers with an original script can enter.

C. No limit on total earned income as a writer.

5. “Content Requirement”

A. “Initial Submission”: To enter the competition, each participant must submit/and or acknowledge the following materials at the site during the submission period for all categories.

1. Acknowledgement and acceptance of these Official Rules; and
2. Acknowledgement and declaration that the screenplay submitted is your original work.
3. You are submitting the Script voluntarily on a non-confidential basis.
4. - You are at least eighteen (18) years of age. 16 or 17 years of age is acceptable with parental consent form attached with the submission.
5. You have the right, authority, and capacity to enter into this agreement, and you agree to abide and be bound the terms and conditions herein.
6. Include entry fee.
7. FEATURE CATEGORY: An Original Feature Length Script that feasibly can be produced with an all-in budget of up to Quarter Million Dollars ($250,000.00).
8. TV CATEGORY: Our sponsor will invest equity to produce the project for a budget of up to $10,000.00 for production. The writer will receive the ultimate prize: to direct their own tv show!
9. SHORTS CATEGORY: Our sponsor will invest equity to produce the project for a budget of up to $10,000.00 for production. The writer will receive the ultimate prize: to direct their own short film!

B. “Allowed Submissions”

1. Unlimited entries to how many submissions a participant can submit. Each submission must be accompanied with a submission fee. The more submissions you enter, the more chances you have to win.

2. New drafts, substitutions or corrected pages will not be accepted after initial script submission. Competition or Sponsor are not responsible for submissions that are incomplete, lost, unintelligible, or misdirected.

3. Any improvement to an already submitted script will not be accepted and no refund will be issued. Once the script is submitted, that is final.

4. Added in Season two, the SEMI FINALISTS will be allowed to submit ONE updated draft of the original script submitted.

C. Genre:
1. Feature category: original screenplay can be in any of the following genre categories:
Thriller / Horror, Action / Adventure, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Comedy and Drama. (We accept all sub genre categories)

2. TV Category: original script can be in any of the following formats: 1 hour original script, 30-minute original script.

3. Shorts Category: Original short Script thirty five pages and under.
Following genre categories:
Thriller / Horror, Action / Adventure, Sci-Fi / Fantasy, Comedy and Drama. (We accept all sub genre categories)

D. Content Rating:
1. FEATURE category: Feature Length Screenplay may be in any genre, but must be intended for production as a live action (not animated) motion picture capable of securing an MPAA rating of “R,” “PG-13,” “PG,” or “G.”
2. TV category: Scripts must be intended for production as a live action (not animated) and suitable for kids, adults, and families. Not having nudity or profanity to be able to capture a release through SVOD and BASIC TV NETWORK.
3. SHORTS category: Short film Screenplay may be in any genre, but must be intended for production as a live action (not animated) motion picture capable of securing an MPAA rating of “R,” “PG-13,” “PG,” or “G.”

E. “Script Rights / Original work

1. Scripts must not have been previously produced as a live stage production, theatrical motion picture, television or online program.
2. Participant will inform competition If his or her script is a winner in another competition. Competition reserve the right to disqualify the script.
3. If any of the above occurs, and the writer wins the grand prize for either Feature, Tv, or Short Film, the competition reserves the right to remove/disqualify the script from with no refunds issued.

G. Participant acknowledges that Sponsor and Competition Entities may have motion pictures, television programs, and other creative materials in development or production that include ideas, concepts, plots, characters, settings, and themes similar to participant’s screenplay and the participant will not be entitled to any compensation or right to negotiate with sponsor because of nay such similarities. Nothing in these official Rules or related materials shall create an implied or express contract to compensate participants for their screenplays, except as specifically described in these official rules.

H. “Script Registration”

Competition and Sponsor(s) recommend that Participants register their Screenplays with the U.S. Copyright Office or the Writers Guild of America. If you live outside of USA, Register with the appropriate office within your state or country.

I. “Transfer of script rights”

Participants must retain all rights to their Screenplay throughout the Competition, so that if the Participant wins the grand prize for Feature / Tv / Short, Participant can assign rights in and to the Screenplay to sponsor/producer to be able to produce the content, free of any limitations, restrictions or third party obligations.

6. “Technical Requirements”:

Feature Length Script:

1. Screenplay must be in standard feature length (85-130 pages)
2. 12 point Courier font
3. Must be in English only,
4. Formatted to industry standard.
5. Must submit script in PDF format ONLY.


Television Script:

Script page count for each category:
1. 1 Hour Original Show - Under 70 pages
2. 1/2 Hour Original Program - Under 35 pages
3. 12 point Courier font
4. Must be in English only
5. Formatted to industry standard.
6. Must submit script in PDF format ONLY

Shorts Script Category:

1. Script must be under 40 pages long
2. 12 point Courier font
3. Must be in English only,
4. Formatted to industry standard.
5. Must submit script in PDF format ONLY

7. “Competition Structure”:

1. Initial submissions that do not conform to technical requirements in these official rules will be automatically disqualified with no refunds.

2. Each initial submission that satisfies all the requirements in these rules will be reviewed by experienced industry script readers and ranked based on the following criteria on a scale from 10 (poor) to 100 (outstanding), with each professional script reader assigning a score for each of the listed criteria that will be added together to arrive at an average score for the submission.

1. STORY/CONCEPT
2. ORIGINALITY
3. PLOT STRUCTURE
4. STYLE/TONE
5. PACING 
6. CHARACTERS
7. DIALOGUE
8. THEME
9. “Produceability” Ability to be produced for Quarter Million U.S. Dollars ($250,000.00).
10. COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL:  Audience appeal and box office potential.

3. All scripts will be read once in the initial round. Screenplay submissions with the highest average score based on the Criteria listed above will advance to the Quarter finalists.

4. Scripts in the Quarter Finalists round, will be read two times, (1) by industry script reader (2) by Your Script Produced creative team.

5. Scripts that advance to the Semi Finalists round, will be read two times. (1) by Your Script Produced creative team. (2) by our Elite roster of Season Two Judges.

6. Scripts that advance to the FINALISTS round, will be read three times. (1) by our Elite roster of Season Two Judges (2) by Your Script Produced creative team. (3) by a team member from our sponsor, Doval Bacall Films

Scripts that advance to the CATEGORY FINALISTS, will be read exclusively by Distributors, Executives, and ultimately by our sponsor, Doval Bacall. The decision to choose the GRAND PRIZE WINNERS for Feature, Tv, and Shorts category will be be chosen by our sponsor Doval Bacall Films. The decision cannot be challenged or disputed by any of the Season 2 judges, YSP Competition, or anyone who submitted to the competition.

7. Final Decision to choose the Grand Prize winners will be at the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Final decision cannot be challenged, as the final decision set forth by Sponsor will be the final irreversible decision.

8. Once the Participants reach the Finalists round, Your script produced! LLC Season 2 will have the right to perform background check/Clearance for anyone that advanced to the FINALISTS round. Competition and Sponsor have the right to disqualify with no refunds any participant who may have current charges pending against him or her.

Also, If the participant speaks negatively of the competition or sole sponsor in any way, may be disqualified from the competition, without any refunds.

9. Sponsor will request a copy of proof of ownership of the script in the form of copyright or WGA registration to be emailed via email to Finalists@yourscriptproduced.com to validate that the writer(s) have 100 percent full ownership to the script submitted into the competition. If the participant fails to provide such document within 14 days of the time the contestant receives the email, then the participant forfeits their position within the competition and will be disqualified with no refunds.

8. “Prize/Winner’s Obligations”

A. There will be 3 Grand Prize awards provided in this Competition for the categories below:

1. FEATURE CATEGORY: Sponsor (or sponsors successor) will enter into a standard purchase agreement with the winner to acquire all rights, title, and interest in and to the screenplay (“purchase agreement”) for $10,000 USD (“Screenplay Purchase Price”).

2. TV CATEGORY: $500.00 will be awarded to the grand prize winner + optioned by our sponsor for one year (with 1 year extension). Our sponsor will invest equity to produce the project for a budget of up to $10,000.00 for production. The writer will receive the ultimate prize: to direct their own tv show!

3. SHORT SCRIPT: $250.00 will be awarded to the grand prize winner + optioned by our sponsor for one year (with 1 year extension). Our sponsor will invest equity to produce the project for a budget of up to $10,000.00 for production. The writer will receive the ultimate prize: to direct their own short film!

If the winner does not execute the Purchase Agreement for any reason, the winner will be deemed to have forfeited the prize, and sponsor(s) reserve the right to award the Prize to one of the Category finalists in the Feature Category as an alternate winner, decision based on sponsor’s choosing.

C. The Prize will be awarded subject to the condition that the winner is and remains in compliance with the official rules. The prize cannot be substituted, shared, assigned, transferred, or exchanged. If the winner is found to be ineligible or in violation of the representations and warranties in these official rules, winner will forfeit his or her entitlement to the prize.

D. If the Winner engages in (1) criminal conduct; (2) behavior (or makes statements), including, without limitation, on social media platforms that is obnoxious, inappropriate, threatening, or illegal, or which shocks, insults, or offends a substantial portion of the community or reflects unfavorably on winner and sponsor(s) in a significant and material way; (3) behavior that is intended to abuse, threaten, or harass any other person, Competition/sponsor reserves the right to terminate participants right to receive the prize. In either case, sponsor will determine in sponsors sole discretion whether to award the prize to the participant next highest score winner or one of the category finalists, or another alternative if such second place winner is disqualified.

E. Winner will be required to sign and deliver additional documents to confirm Winner’s grant of rights to the Screenplay and other submitted materials to producer (“Additional Documents”). If winner does not complete and return additional Documents within 14 business days after Producer’s (or its designee’s) request, Winner hereby irrevocable appoints Producer as Winner’s attorney in fact with the full power to execute, acknowledge the additional Documents and to record the additional documents in the U.S Copyright Office or elsewhere.

F. Winner is solely responsible for all federal state, and/or local taxes that may be come due as a result of Winner’s receipt of the prize. An IRS form 1099, or any other form necessary (if outside of U.S.A) may be issued in the name of the Winner for the value of the prize and for any other compensation or funds provided to the winner in connection with the Competition or Project.

9. “Consent to use Name and Likeness”

Except where legally prohibited, each participant grants permission to producer, sponsor(s), competition to use participants name, address, photograph, voice, likeness, and prize information for advertising, promotional, or other purposes in all forms of media, known now or developed later, worldwide, without further compensation, notice or permission.

Anyone who submits to our competition are giving permission to YSP Competition to promote the writer whether they have won a prize or not, to producers, executives, agents, etc in the entertainment business that will help further launch the writers career in the film industry or to simply demonstrate or announce past winners or previous writers who had submitted to Your Script Produced! Competition and have excelled and achieved great success within the entertainment industry.

10. “Representations and Warranties”

By entering the Competition, participant represents and warrants that: (a) except for elements that are in the public domain, all elements of the script are wholly original and are not a copy of imitation of other material; (b) Participant has the right to grant all rights granted to sponsor in these official rules and sponsor may exercise such rights without obligation or liability to any third party; (c) the script will not defame nor infringe the rights of any third party, including, without limitation, copyright, privacy rights, false light; (d) the script is not the subject of any threatened litigation or dispute that could give rise to a litigation.; (e) Participant has not previously sold or transferred rights to the Script to any third party; (f) Participant has satisfied all eligibility requirements in these rules at the time of entry into the competition and will notify competition and or sponsor if circumstances change which would make participant ineligible; (g) Participant created the script without knowledge of the competition.

11. “Force Majeure clause"

The Sponsor does guarantee the production of the grand prize winning scripts which are fully funded by the sponsor. But, The Sponsor reserves the right not to produce, release, or otherwise exhibit, distribute or exploit the winning scripts for any reason the sponsor may provide.

The sponsor have the right to suspend or terminate the performance of its obligations when certain circumstances beyond their control arise, making performance inadvisable, commercially impracticable, illegal, impossible, or any reason the sponsor indicates.

Although the sponsor intends to produce the Grand Prize winning scripts, but we have to include this clause as a safety precaution for events beyond the competition or sponsor’s control.

12. “Privacy”

By entering the competition, participant consents to the use of any information submitted in connection with the competition as described in these official rules.

13. “Indemnification”

Participant will indemnify and hold harmless the released parties (competition and sponsor) from any third party claims arising from participants failure to comply with the eligibility requirements and/or breach of the representations, warranties, and covenants in these official rules.

14. “Compliance with Rules”

All determinations by competition and sponsor shall be in their sole and absolute discretion and shall be final and binding on all participants. By entering the competition, each participant agrees to be bound by these rules and accept all decisions regarding the competition as binding, final and not subject to challenge, review or appeal.

15. “Rule Modification”

Competition, and sponsor may, in its sole discretion, amend, delete, suspend or otherwise modify or replace these rules prior to or during the competition, whether in writing or orally, and participants shall be bound thereby.

16. “Governing Law”

All disputes concerning the interpretation, validity and enforcement of these rules or the rights and obligations of participants, Competition, sponsor or the released parties in connection with the competition will be resolved in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Michigan, USA, without giving affect to Any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application off any other laws.

17. “Limitations of Liability”

The Released Parties, Your Script Produced! Season 2 LLC and Doval Bacall Films LLC are not responsible for: (a) any injury or damage to persons or property that may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Participant’s participation in the Competition; (b) technical failures of any kind; (c) technical or human error that may occur in the administration of the Competition or processing of submissions; (d) incorrect information, whether caused by Participants, printing errors or any equipment used in the Competition; or (e) any inability of the Winner to accept or use any prize for any reason.

BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION, ENTRANT AGREES THAT COMPETITION, SPONSORS, COMPETITION ENTITIES AND THEIR PARENT COMPANY, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, REPRESENTATIVES, CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, LEGAL COUNSEL, ADVERTISING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PROMOTIONAL, FULFILLMENT AND MARKETING, WEBSITE PROVIDERS, WEB MASTERS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AGENTS (THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR, AND SHALL BE HELD HARMLESS BY ENTRANTS AGAINST, ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURIES, LOSSES OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS, INCLUDING PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, OR PROPERTY RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMPETITION OR ANY COMPETITION RELATED ACTIVITY, OR ANY CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION OR INVASION OF PRIVACY.  THE RELEASED PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE IF ANY PRIZE CANNOT BE AWARDED DUE TO CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS, OR INTERRUPTIONS DUE TO ACTS OF GOD, ACTS OF WAR, NATURAL DISASTERS, WEATHER, OR TERRORISM.  BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION, ENTRANT AGREES THAT THE RELEASED PARTIES WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY INJURIES, DAMAGES, OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES TO PERSONS, INCLUDING DEATH, OR TO PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF ACCESS TO AND USE OF ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COMPETITION OR THE DOWNLOADING FROM AND/OR PRINTING MATERIAL DOWNLOADED FROM SUCH SITE.  

18. “ No Rescission or Injunctive Relief”

All rights granted to sponsor under these Official rules are irrevocably vested at the time of submission. To the maximum extent permitted by law, no breach by sponsor of these official rules will entitle participants to equitable relief, whether injunctive or otherwise; and participants explicitly waives the right to seek or obtain any form of equitable relief, including the right to enjoin the development, production, exploitation our marketing of the script/project. Participants’ sole remedy for any breach of these official rules or any other dispute related to this competition and sponsor shall be an action at law for solely for compensatory damages. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Participant expressly waives all rights to seek incidental, consequential, special, punitive damages, or lost profits.

19. “Waiver”

Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these official rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

20. “Suspension / Termination

Competition / Sponsors have the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Competition, if an event beyond Sponsors’ control prevents Competition and or Sponsors from continuing with the Competition (e.g., fire, flood, labor dispute, war, terrorist threat, recession) (each, a “Force Majeure event”). 

Additionally, Sponsor(s) reserve the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Competition or deadlines, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsors’ reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Competition, as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion.

WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PARTICIPANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPETITION OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE COMPETITION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW, AND, SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PROSECUTE AND SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Sponsors reserve the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be attempting to tamper with or undermine the entry process, any website associated with the Competition, and/or the legitimate operation of the Competition; to violate the Official Rules; or to act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person. If, for any reason, the Competition is not capable of running as planned, Sponsors may, in their sole discretion, void any suspect entries and (a) modify the Competition or suspend the Competition to address the impairment and then resume the Competition in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) terminate the Competition altogether and not award the Prize, or select the Winner based on the non-suspect Scripts submitted as of the effective termination date and full refund would be issued for all submissions if sponsor terminates the competition.

Again, Sponsor sole reason to engage in this competition is to discover talented new writers, domestic and international, and the above needs to be mentioned to protect the competition and sponsor if any violates stated here in the Official Rules Tab.