July 28, 2009
Dear Emily,
With a record number of entries and a readily apparent increase in quality, this year’s Nicholl Fellowships was more competitive than in any previous year. Now that scores have been tallied for all 6,380 entries, we have to inform too many writers of scripts featuring compelling stories, intriguing characters and excellent craft that they have not advanced into the next round. Regrettably, Not Dead Yet was not one of the 321 entries selected as a Quarterfinalist in the 2009 Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting.
You should realize that while we strive to make the evaluation of screenplays as objective a process as possible, it is inherently both a personal and an extremely subjective matter. A lack of success here may not have any bearing on your reception in the marketplace where a sale is the ultimate measure of success. I’ll even venture a prediction: several non-advancing writers will become professional screenwriters in the near future.
To tell you a little about the process: each script was read once. After receiving an initial positive evaluation, over 2,700 scripts garnered a second read. Just under 800 scripts were read a third time. Each read resulted in a numerical score being awarded. Scores for each entrant's script were totaled, and the Quarterfinalists were selected on the basis of highest scores.
Early next year, we'll send you a link to a 2010 application form, which will include a list of the recipients of the 2009 Fellowships. Results will be posted online at www.oscars.org/nicholl in November.
Best of luck with all your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Greg Beal
Director
Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting
PS: Your script received two positive reads in the first round but finished outside of the top 1000 entries.
Well Goddamit.
You and I shall meet again, Nicholl. And next time, you won't be so lucky.
ADDED: I've noticed that in the past couple of hours a lot of people have come here searching for info about the Nicholl Fellowship, mainly who the quarterfinalists are. The list is not revealed until the finalists have been chosen. Any other questions, feel free to post them in the comments and I will find you the answer.
