Matt Dy
With the regular deadline for screenplays approaching next week on May 15th, I can only imagine the anxiety many of you are currently experiencing if you are planning on submitting. The typical neurotic questions that plague all writers are probably reaching a cacophony at this moment including: “Am I ready to send my baby out into the world?!”, “Will they like it?!!”, “Do I need to do a 34th rewrite on my script?!!!” Unfortunately, these questions aren’t addressed in our Frequently Asked Questions page for the competition. However, you may be able to find answers to other questions and mitigate any other concerns you might have if you take a look at this page.
Lately, we’ve been receiving more and more calls and e-mails regarding the same questions. I’ve made a list of very frequently asked questions that may help you and make your submission process much easier.
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Q: Do you accept international submissions?
- A: Yes we do! Each year we receive many submissions internationally including ones from Canada, Japan, and Ireland. Submissions, of course, must be written in the English language.
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Q: I’m having issues submitting online and I keep getting an error message. What should I do?
- A: Due to possible high traffic on the website, you may need to wait a few minutes and try again. If you continue to have problems, try another web browser (Firefox or Explorer) or try submitting from a different computer. Double-check that the file is in a .pdf format and under 5MB. If you still cannot submit, contact the Screenplay Competition Director at screenplaydirector@austinfilmfestival.com or call the office at 512-478-4795.
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Q: Did you receive my submission?
- A: As long as you paid through PayPal and have an e-mail receipt, then we have received your online entry form, script PDF, and payment. A separate e-mail confirmation from AFF is sent out at least within 5 business days. If you submitted through the mail, you will only receive confirmation if you included a SASE which we will send back to you.
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Q: Who are this year’s judges?
- A: Many judges have already been confirmed and we will announce the list of confirmed judges very soon. Just a few already confirmed include Joyce San Pedro (Creative Executive for Alex Siskin and Escape Artists at Sony), Melissa Breaux (Manager, Washington Square Arts), Richard Bever (Co-President, Chill Entertainment), and Kyle Killen (showrunner, Awake and Lonestar).
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Q: Do you accept scripts for animated features and television shows?
- A: Yes we do! Any teleplays for animated shows should be for primetime (i.e. The Simpsons, Family Guy, etc.).
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Q: When are the deadlines?
- A: Postmarked or submitted online by Friday, June 1st 11:59PM PST ($50 for screenplay entries and $30 for teleplay entries). Regular screenplay submission closes on Tuesday, May 15th 11:59PM PST ($40 fee).
Read through the entire FAQ page if you have questions. If you don’t find the answer you are looking for, please don’t hesitate to e-mail me at matt@austinfilmfestival.com or call our office at 512-478-4795.
If you’re submitting this year, you are taking a brave step in growing as a writer. You’ve got 8 days for the regular deadline and 25 days for the final deadline. Are you ready?
Good luck!
–Matt Dy, Screenplay & Teleplay Competition Director