A script writing contest
Tribeca Films has a script writing contest, they are looking for “scripts that have a scientific of technological theme and story line or have a leading character who is a scientist, engineer, or mathematician.”
They then go on and say “The program will not accept science fiction story lines.”
I may take this as a major challenge – and consider how I might rewrite my novel as a non-science fiction story.
But at the same time, I wonder, why are they refusing to consider “science fiction story lines” when they are specifically looking for “fiction with science”…. seems silly to me. Or is this a sign that just what “science fiction” is is not entirely clear to most people?
I have many ideas, and I have been considering writing a movie script anyway.
This however, does introduce a rather severe deadline – the deadline is Nov 1st.
However the prize does make it rather tempting. Two writers will be chose to participate and wil be provide with financial support (not stated of how much) and insight from an advisory panel of leading filmmakers and experts in science and technology. Advisors will provide input on script revisions and assist in moving the script from development into production. At least one script will be read at the second annual Tribeca Film Festival in spring 2003, and the completed film will be screened at the 2004 Festival.
Translation, if you win, you get to spend the next year rewriting the screenplay, and by 2004 you have a very good chance that your script will have been made into a film. Not only will you likely make a lot of money from this, this is a very fast track from script to film.
So sure, I am a very very long shot just to get the script finished, let alone to win. But, I think I will give it a serious shot. I definitely know science (and engineering), I have had a lifelong passion of reading about the history of science, and I already have over 100 pages (which needs lots of editing) that could be a framework of a story.
It will need to be “non-science fictioned” but that too is not too difficult. My story involved time travel, but in most ways it was not really about the time travel, rather it was about learning about one’s past, and the people that had made you you.
Instead, I think that I will rewrite it to be the story of three (maybe four) generations of one family – and the discovery of their connections and relationships.
It is not, at all, an action film – far from it. But I can “see it”, and it resonates strongly in my mind – hopefully I can translate this into written words.
and wish me luck.
Searching for the Moon 