afew Great Writers Competition

E N T E R

August 2020 Entry

Shortplay Entry

Theme: Teachers and Education

Genres: Comedy/Drama

This is an opportunity to have your writing performed by professional actors while giving back to the essential workers community. The performance will take place live at Arts For Essential Workers (afew) September show on 24 September 2020.

 PRIZES:

1st Place: £200.

  1. Shortplay performed publicly by professional actors at afew’s next performance.

  2. Shortplay published by afew publishing house.

  3. Feedback from our guest judge, published writer, Anna Hoghton.

  4. The winner will be invited to our virtual broadcast studio as a special guest on 24 September 2020 to receive their prize and watch their shortplay be performed live with a follow-on interactive panel with the audience.

  5. Your writer profile will be promoted as we offer the winner the opportunity to feature in our podcast: afew Great People.

  6. Keep full rights to your story, including receiving royalties from views and purchases of your work in the future.

  7. Join afew’s alumni artist community.

2nd & 3rd Place:

  1. Shortplay performed publicly by professional actors at afew’s next performance on 24 September 2020.

  2. You will be invited to our virtual broadcast studio as a special guest on 24 September 2020 to receive to watch your shortplay being performed live with a follow-on interactive panel with the audience.

  3. Your writer profile will be promoted in afew’s social media channels.

  4. Keep full rights to your story, including receiving royalties from views and purchases of your work in the future.

  5. Join afew’s alumni artist community.

How afew’s Competition Works & Benefits

  • The afew shortplay competition is a contest that challenges creative artists globally to write shortplays.

  • Please submit a scene you’ve written for a shortplay. Dialogue or monologues only. Minimum length 3 minutes, maximum length 6 minutes (five A4 pages maximum per shortplay entry) based on our ‘Teachers & Education’ theme for August and comedy/drama assignment.

  • You don’t have to be a professional writer to enter. All levels of experience are welcome.

  • Each writer submits at least one short play by the deadline below.

  • Each script entered will be read and feedback provided.

  • The top 3 scripts will be decided by our guest judge, Anna Hoghton.

Key Dates For the Competition

  • 10th August, at 0001 British Summer Time (BST) - Competition open to entries.

  • 23rd August, at 2359 BST - Competition closes.

  • 24th August to 6th September - Judging period.

  • 7th September at 0800 BST - Winner is announced.

  • 24th September at 7pm BST - The top 3 plays are professionally performed.

 

Anna_Hoghton.jpg

Anna Hoghton,

Guest Judge

Anna is a multidisciplinary creative and writer. Her debut children’s novel ‘The Mask of Aribella’ was published by Chicken House Books in January 2020. Previously, Anna has worked in film, both as a freelancer, and as the ‘Visual Storyteller’ for the creative agency ‘Pixillion’. She is an award-winning writer/director who spent two years on the BAFTA Youth Board. In 2018, her environmental short film ‘Never Land’ won the Ideastap ‘short film fund’ for development and, on completion, was awarded ‘best narrative’ at the Women in Film and Television International Showcase. The film starred Keeley Hawes, John Nettles, and Marcus Brigstocke.  

During Anna’s time with Pixillion, she directed music videos, narrative films and commercials for a range high-profile clients, such as The Soil Association and pitched at Nike. As a Senior Creative Copy and Script Writer, Anna has conceptualised and written big-budget commercials for Star Wars/Oral-B, Coca-Cola, Downy, Unilever and Nestle.  

Anna is a published poet who was asked to create a poem for the Mencap ‘Confidential Inquiry into Death by Indifference’. She was nominated for the Lancelot Andrews Award by the poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, and was one of fifteen 'leading UK poets' commission for the Bristol Festival of Ideas 'Utopia' event, where she read alongside poets such as Helen Dunmore, Dean Atta, and Holly McNish. Recently, Anna won the Bath and North Somerset Libraries ‘Lockdown Poetry’ competition. 

Anna is represented by Caroline Walsh at David Higham.

Anna's Website

REGISTRATION

  • Click the button below to register for the competition.

  • Please remember that two thirds of afew’s revenue goes to Mind, the mental health charity. The remaining third allows afew to achieve its mission to support essential workers and their families through the arts.

  • Donation entry fees are as follows:

  1. £5.50 GBP to enter one submission.

  2. £7.50 to enter two submissions.

  3. £10 GBP to enter up to five submissions.

  4. Other: You are welcome to donate greater than £10, however, please note that the minimum value to enter the contest is £5.50. If you donate less than £5.50, we will be unable to accept your writing submission.

We look forward to reading all of your entries, have fun with letting your imagination and creativity run free with our Teachers & Education theme. Happy writing!

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