Write 5 pages of fiction or screenplay treatment for a chance to win up to $200 or to write for a television sitcom!

Prizes

• Grand Prize: $200, plus recognition certificate at the 2010 Black Writers & Reunion Conference in Atlanta, Georgia
• Second Prize $100, plus recognition certificate
• Third Prize $50, plus recognition certificate

Writers: This is your chance to get feedback on your structure, dialogue, style and originality.

First Round Deadline: March 30, 2010

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THE BWRC GIVE ME FIVE CONTEST IS SPONSORED BY BLACK WRITERS REUNION AND CONFERENCE (OR “BWRC” OR “SPONSOR”). NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

GUIDELINES
- Contestants will submit the five pages of fiction or an original screenplay treatment. The top 25 selected in each category will have 30 days to submit a 2nd entry. There is no additional fee for top 25.
- Judges will grade each submission based on structure, dialogue, style and originality. All entrants will receive feedback and a score from a judge by email.
- Important: You may enter more than once by purchasing two or more entries. But you must submit only once per entry in one of the formats indicated below. DO NOT include any images in your submission.
- Deadlines are absolute for, but may be revised by, the Competition. All submissions must be submitted online by the prescribed methods, and must be submitted no later than the deadline. Black Writers Reunion & Conference Competition reserves the sole right to extend the deadline in case of technical delivery problems. See ‘Refund’ for your rights in case of a rule or deadline change.
- Communication by email; entrant’s responsibility regarding spam filters. Every entrant must provide a working email address and must ensure that mail will pass through any spam filter. All communications with entrants will be by email and by information posted here. It is the sole responsibility of the entrant to ensure that his or her email address and server accept communications from these two servers.
- BWRC has the right to modify rules, withdraw with refund based on rule, or change the deadline. As this is the first year of The Give Me Five Writing Competition, BWRC reserves the right, with notice given by email, to modify these Rules, the deadlines, methods of submission, and any other details to facilitate the smooth and effective management of the Give Me Five Competition.
- Original, unproduced work. Submitted material must be the unproduced, unoptioned, and wholly original work of the writer(s).
- Any entrant shall have the right to withdraw from the competition by midnight, March 30, 2010, and receive a full refund if the entrant finds a change to be objectionable.
- Nonprofessionals only. Writers of submitted scenes must not have earned more than $8,000 (in cash or other consideration) for writing services for film or television. Furthermore, writers must not have won a fellowship or writing competition that includes a “first look” clause.
- Your responsibility to understand rules. Please read and understand these Rules and Regulations. Failure to adhere to The Competition guidelines will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.
- The state with jurisdiction over any disputes relating to this Agreement is Texas, and the sole location for proper venue is Dallas, Texas.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

The submission MUST have:
a. A cover page containing ALL of the following information:
   i. Assigned 4-digit submission number
   ii. Name(s) of the writer(s), one of which must be the name provided in the shopping cart at the time of entry
   iii. Writer’s or writers’ email address(es), one of which must be the email address provided in the shopping cart at the time of entry.
b. Failure to provide all of the above information WILL be cause for AUTOMATIC disqualification. The purpose of this rule is to eliminate the possibility of confusing scenes written by two persons with the same name.

English language. Submissions must be in English, text only, with no images, in one of these electronic formats only: PDF, Microsoft Word, or RTF format up to 5 pages, other than the cover page.

Movie Magic and Final Draft users: save and send your scene in PDF format. Scenes must conform to standard script format. Each page should equal about one minute. Length must be no less than three pages and no more than five, plus the cover page.

Genres: All genres.

Important: submit on time, only once per entry, in one of the formats indicated. DO NOT include any images in your submission. You will be disqualified without a refund if you do.

SCORING
- The top 25 semi-final entrants will advance to Round Two.
- The judges will grade each submission and submit brief feedback based on structure, dialogue and originality. Each semifinalist will receive feedback and a score from a judge by email.

JUDGING
- Judging will be conducted by professionals. Winners will have the opportunity to read their submissions during the closing ceremony at the 2010 Black Writers Reunion and Conference.

WRITING PARTNERS
- Writing partners may enter together. Each partner must be an individual at least 18 years of age. All partners must be identified per ‘Writing Partner’ on the cover page. If the partners are winners, the partners must split the prize money equally. BWRC is not responsible for discrepancies over partners.
- Writing partners agree to be bound by the Rules. By submitting, you agree to the Release Form (copied below) and to abide by all the rules of The Give Me Five Writing competition (the Competition Rules).
- Original, unproduced work. Submitted material must be the unproduced, unoptioned, and wholly original work of the writer(s).
- There must be no dispute about the ownership of submitted scenes or the writers’ right to submit the scene. Entrants may not use characters or any other copyrighted material owned by others.
- Multiple entries are allowed ($15 each), but one submission only for each entry. You may enter more than once. Each entry must be by the March 30, deadline. You will be given a number for each entry. You may submit only once for each entry. If you submit more than one draft under the same number, the Competition has the right to (a) disqualify all your entries with no refund or (b) take the first submission as the final submission.
- You need not be present to win.

PRIZES
- The Competition may substitute alternative prizes of equal or greater value in place of previously announced prizes.
- The only official prize list for the Give Me Five competition is the prize list above.
- Any other prize list, such as in an email blast or on another page, is an informal, non-definitive summary.
- All winners will be responsible for their own U.S. income tax withholding.

REFUNDS
- Refunds offered in limited circumstances. Entry fees are nonrefundable except as provided for in these rules. There will be no exceptions.
- Refunds of 100% will be provided (a) to an individual requesting a refund under the terms and deadline in rule 5 above; or (b) to an individual if the electronic delivery system and its backup system fail to accept, or prevent submission of, that individual’s scene AND the writer so notifies the contest (email) within one hour after that deadline; or (c) to all entrants in the unlikely case that the submission technology fails or the competition is canceled.
- Refunds minus a $7.00 processing fee (net $8.00 refund) will be provided to an entrant who (a) fails to submit a scene and (b) requests a refund later than one hour after the deadline of Round One, but before the Round Two. No refunds will be granted for any reason after the Top 25 are announced.
- Questions regarding The Competition should be directed to: contest (at) blackwriters.org

OFFICIAL RULES (THE “RULES”)

1. ENTRY. From 12:00:01 a.m. Eastern Time (“ET”) on January 18, 2010 until 11:59:59 p.m. ET on March 30, 2010 (the “Entry Period”), visit blackwriters.org, click the “enter today” link, and follow the directions. All entries must be received by the end of the Entry Period.
2. ELIGIBILITY: Participation is open to any person(s) who are (i) 18 years of age or older at the time of entry and (ii) legal residents of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia (the “Territory”).
3. PROCEDURES: On or about June 23, 2010 the potential winner will be selected based on overall score from style, orginiality, structure and dialogue.
4. PRIZE: There will be one grand prize (the “Prize”) awarded, consisting of a cash award of $200; 2nd place cash award $100 and 3rd place award $50.

HOW TO ENTER

1. Download registration form: PDF / DOC

2. Pay entry fee. To pay by credit card via PayPal, click the Pay Now button below. Entries are not accepted by mail.

3. Your entry number will be emailed to you. Enter this number on your registration form.

4. Submit your contest entry.

Enter Now! And good luck!