CALL FOR ENTRIES
Sithengi Writers’ Forum (WF) - Matching Writers With Producers

Sithengi Film and Television Market is looking for strong African and South African writers to enter their feature film scripts into the 2004 Writers’ Forum (WF)

1st DEADLINE: 31 MAY 2004
Following the success of the 2003 edition, this year’s Sithengi Writer’s Forum (WF) will follow a similar model but will include a year-round development process to strengthen scripts with the aim to secure a local or international producer at the market.

ROLL-OUT:
After an initial selection process, the selected projects will be sent to a script consultant. This expert, who will be announced shortly, will analyse the scripts and comment, criticize and advise writers on how to better their stories. The feedback will then be sent to the writers to begin reworking their scripts. All writers who are selected for this developmental process will automatically be entered into the WF at Sithengi.

A final call will then be announced for writers, who have not gone through the developmental process but who but who have strong stories and are seeking a producer to attach to their scripts to be entered into the 2004 WF.

The final selection of projects will be forwarded to invited local and international co-producers, financiers and distributors, prior to Sithengi 2004, who are looking for scripts. These industry leaders will then select the projects and writers they would like to meet with and the Sithengi team will set up one-on-one meetings with the interested producers and/or financiers. The Writers Forum will offer talented writers the opportunity to meet various African and International producers through this series of one-on-one meetings.

The objective of the WF is to ensure that you will be ‘matched’ with the correct people – those who are genuinely interested in your project with the capacity to come on board with either financing or as a producer.

In addition, all projects selected for the 2004 WF, will automatically qualify for entry into the Sithengi Awards evening and stand a chance to win a prize presented by Eubulus Timothy Productions and Final Draft, the official script writing package of Hollywood.

NOTE:
If you are selected for the initial developmental process and/or for the Writers’ Forum (WF) at Sithengi 2004, you have to be a registered and fully paid up member. For more information on registration, please visit sithengi.co.za

THE CRITERIA FOR ENTRY INTO THE 2004 WF ARE:

• At least a 1st draft of the script/screenplay, that you want to submit, must be written already;
  
  or
  
• If you are still working on the 1st draft, you have to have previously completed a full screenplay that has been bought or produced, and evidence of this must be submitted with your application.

Entry Procedure:
Email the following to Taryn da Canha at [email protected]

• A top sheet including the following information under each individual heading:
  
  - Full Name
  - Contact details (Address, Telephone number, email)
  - Project Name/Title
  - Genre (ie Romance, Horror, Science Fiction)
  - Titles of previously written screenplays that have been bought or produced (if you are still working on the 1st draft of the project you will be submitting).
  - Cutline (The one sentence or part of a sentence that you would read on the poster - max. 20 words).
  - Logline (2-3 sentences (50-100 words max.) that introduce you to the main characters and conflict with words that reveal the genre).
  
• A fuller 3-page synopsis/treatment.
• A 1-page character description/breakdown of central characters.
• A 1-page company profile or biography of the writer.
• A copy of the +/- 90-min script
• If you are still working on the 1st draft, a 50-page treatment of the story thus far.

[Total number of pages of application: 6 (excluding script or full treatment)]

NOTE:
The lengths of the above application material must be strictly adhered to. Any incomplete applications or application material that is longer than required will be disqualified and no correspondence will be entered into.

We look forward to receiving your applications and ‘Matching Writers with Producers’!

Register for the 2004 Writers’ Forum (WF)