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Chesterfield Writers Film Project
Most contests offer some prize money and maybe industry reads by production companies and literary agents. Very few contests offer a yearlong in-depth workshop fellowship with a $20,000 stipend and a chance to be mentored by an established writer. I interviewed Ed Rugoff of Chesterfield Writers Film Project, which does just that. Past mentors have included Scott Frank (Out of Sight), David Koepp (Jurassic Park) and Don Roos (The Opposite of Sex). Chesterfield is also unique because it accepts plays, short stories, and novels, as well as screenplays.
Q: How did the contest start?
A: It was started in 1990 and sponsored by Amblin Entertainment (ET, Jurassic Park) as a way to foster new talent. Now the fellowship is sponsored by Paramount Pictures.
Q: How many entries do you receive a year?
A: It varies, but usually several thousand.
Q: What happens to the submission once it arrives in the mail? What's the selection process?
A: Submissions usually get one read in the first round. We use experienced readers and we change them every year. About fifteen percent of the entries make it to the semi-finals. In the second round, submissions get two reads. About fifty people are named finalists. In the last round, submissions get two or sometimes three reads. We usually ask five people to participate in the fellowship. We're trying to evaluate the potential of the writer and if the writer would benefit from the workshop.
Q: Since writers can submit different types of works, is there one kind that you see more often than others?
A: Our submissions are wide-ranging and I've been impressed by their quality. You can submit more than one piece, but be selective. Send only your best. If you submit an adaptation or a TV spec, it's hard to evaluate the writer, so you might want to submit an original piece as well.
Q: How do you choose mentors for the writers?
A: We try to match up the mentors with the writers based on their writing sample.
Q: Who are your success stories?
A: Two of them are David Auburn, who won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the Tony award for Best Play for his play, "Proof." He submitted plays to get into the fellowship program. And Karen Janszen, who was a journalist and made documentaries before she was in the program, is adapting "A Walk to Remember" for Warner Bros. She also co-wrote an episode of HBO's "From the Earth to the Moon."
Q: Do you have any plans for the contest next year?
A: We won't have a deadline for 2002 yet.
Chesterfield is a bargain because you can send two submissions for one entry fee. You can check out the complete rules at their website, www.chesterfield-co.com. Applications should be available in early 2002. Chesterfield is one of those contests where the competition is fierce, but if you get in, the industry takes notice. My advice to you is to take Ed Rugoff's advice and send only your best. So put down that leftover pumpkin pie and start rewriting.
Monica Zepeda
iam_monica@excite.com
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