Write a Ten-Page Screenplay or Stage Play— Win a Five Thousand Dollar Scholarship!

Rules for The Drexel University 2012 High School

Ten-Page Screenplay Contest & Ten-Page Stage Play Contest  

How much can you do in ten pages?

Can you give us characters? A situation? A time? A place? A moment? Can you give us comedy? Tragedy? Drama? Farce? Can you give us a joke come to life? Can you do anger? Love? Hunger? Delight? Can you make us laugh, cry, sigh, think?

Can you do this in either a stage play or a screenplay?

The Screenwriting & Playwriting Program of Drexel University's Department of Cinema & Television wants to find out.

Write short script, for either a movie or a play, any subject, any tone. No more than ten pages. Yes, it has to be typed. No, the cover doesn't count as a page. Try to make it conform to standard play or screenplay format. Make it interesting Make it fun.

What can I win?

1st Prize in each contest: $5,000 Drexel University Scholarship *

2nd Prize in each contest: $3,000 Drexel University Scholarship *

3rd Prize in each contest:: $1,000 Drexel University Scholarship *

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO PARTICIPATE OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW

DOES IT COST ANYTHING TO APPLY?  Not a cent. Well, postage.

WHO'S ELIGIBLE?  Any student enrolled as a Junior or Senior in an American high school during the 2011-2012 school year.

WHAT'S THE DEADLINE?  All entries must be postmarked no later than December 1, 2011.

WHAT IF MY ENTRY RUNS MORE THAN TEN PAGES?  We won't even read it. No more than ten pages, no fewer than three scenes, proper stage- or screenplay format. That's the law. No excerpts—make it a complete story (And no fair submitting on legal-size paper, or in little teeny fonts, either.)

CAN I DO AN ADAPTATION?  Nope. We want something original.

WHAT'S THIS "FORMAT" YOU KEEP TALKING ABOUT?  Stage play format is pretty simple. Screenplay format isn't. For screenplay format, check out our web demo . Or call us at 215-895-2408, and we'll send you a free booklet explaining the basics.

DO I NEED A COVER PAGE?  Of course you do, and it better have your name, phone number, email address and any other way we can contact you. Not to mention the screenplay's title.

CAN I SUBMIT MORE THAN ONCE, OR TO BOTH CONTESTS? Nope. Take your best shot and hold your breath.

WHEN DO I FIND OUT IF I WON?  We'll try let you know by January 30, 2012, but sometimes the judging runs late.

DO I GET MY ENTRY BACK?  Alas, no. Please don't send your only copy!

WHO ARE THE JUDGES?  First-round judges: junior- and senior-level students in Drexel's Screenwriting & Playwriting Program. Finalists: Faculty of Drexel's Screenwriting & Playwriting Program.

WHAT WILL I BE JUDGED ON?  How well you can hold our attention in ten pages. Whether we think you have something interesting to say. How well you succeed at being funny, dramatic, suspenseful—whatever. How good it all is. Whether it feels like you know how movies or plays work. That kind of stuff. By the way, all judges' decisions are final.

WHAT IS THE SCREENWRITING & PLAYWRITING PROGRAM, ANYWAY?  Glad you asked. We're a comprehensive four-year undergraduate program aimed at teaching everything we can about writing for the stage or screen, along with providing a good grounding in the basics of show business and film and video production, while simultaneously giving students a first-class liberal arts education. Whew. Our faculty is made up of pros—people who write movies and TV for a living. We're here to teach what we know about the way things really work. You can find out a lot more about our program and our courses by taking a look around our  website .

OKAY, SO HOW DO I APPLY? Two ways to do it:

VIA SNAIL MAIL:

    Send us the following:

1. Your screenplay (don't forget the title page)
2. A copy of the completed entry form.
3. Mail it to:
   
   2012 TEN-PAGE SCREENPLAY CONTEST
   DREXEL UNIVERSITY - 89-051
   MARKET & 32ND STREETS
   PHILADELPHIA, PA 19104

ELECTRONICALLY:

1. Go here and fill out the on-line entry form
2. Send your script as a .PDF file to ScreenPlay@drexel.edu

*All scholarship awards are conditioned upon the winners applying and being admitted to Drexel University during the normal application cycle. Scholarship awards must be redeemed within 3 years of receiving the scholarship award. Winners are solely responsible for all federal, state, local or other applicable taxes with respect to prizes awarded by Drexel.

The Drexel University 2011 High School Ten-Page Screenplay Contest & Ten-Page Playwriting Contest Are Over! And We Have Winners!

Dozens of high school juniors and seniors submitted 10-page screenplays—comedy, fantasy, mystery, history, you name it, we got it. The best of the bunch displayed a firm understanding of how screenwriting differs from other kinds of writing, a good sense of story, and a knack for creating interesting characters.

Here are the top ten screenwriters, and their teachers. (You can find a complete list of past year's winners  here )

2011 Screenwriting Contest Winners

1st Place: TIE for $5,000 Drexel University Scholarship

3rd Place: $1,000 Drexel University Scholarship

Honorable Mention (In Alphabetical Order, by Author): TO BE ANNOUNCED

2011 Playwriting Contest Winners

1st Place: $5,000 Drexel University Scholarship

2nd Place: $3,000 Drexel University Scholarship

3rd Place: $1,000 Drexel University Scholarship