Q. Similar to the TV series “Sherlock,” I’ve written an original feature script that brings detective Sam Spade into the 21st century. Since the story and dialogue are totally original and the setting completely different, isn’t my script eligible for the Nicholl competition? A. Since Dashiell Hammett created Sam Spade, who made his first appearance in Hammett’s novel “The Maltese Falcon,” any screenplay featuring Sam Spade is an adaptation. Since adaptations are not eligible, your script should not be submitted to the Academy Nicholl Fellowships competition. If it were, it would be disqualified. Your script would not be read, and your entry fee would not be refunded. The same is true of any “new” screenplay featuring preexisting characters. We have received scripts focusing on new adventures of Sherlock Holmes (prior to “Sherlock” and “Elementary”) and the characters from “Star Wars,” “Star Trek” and Bram Stoker’s “Dracula.” We have also received adaptations of such works as “A Clockwork Orange,” “Madame Butterfly,” “The Third Man,” “1984,” “Oliver Twist,” “Friday the 13th,” “The Three Musketeers,” “Shampoo,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “Oedipus,” “A Christmas Carol,” “Macbeth,” “Medea,” “Casablanca” and “Peter Pan,” among others. All were either disqualified or withdrawn (if the writer realized that the script was not eligible). Prequels, sequels and scripts based on preexisting work but moved to a new time and locale are all adaptations and not eligible for the competition. Please do not enter such screenplays as they’ll be disqualified.
Posted on: Tue, 21 Jan 2014 16:20:32 +0000
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