Inaugural NZ Writers College Youth Scriptwriting Competition

The inaugural NZ Writers College Youth Scriptwriting Competition

25 April 2018: The NZ Writers College is calling for submissions from creative Kiwis aged between 15 and 20 for its inaugural Youth Scriptwriting Competition, closing 31 July 2018. Talented young writers are challenged to produce an engaging and relevant 60 second script on the highly topical theme of affirmative sexual consent – ‘Yes Means Yes’.

Entry is free in two categories, script only or script plus finished video, with cash prizes amounting to $1500.

Throughout April - Sexual Assault Awareness Month - educators worldwide have been confirming the importance of learning about consent at school level. The ‘Yes Means Yes’ theme tasks young people to produce a nuanced Public Service Announcement (PSA) exploring the theme in a relevant and dynamic way.

NZ Writers College principal Nichola Meyer said this is an opportunity for gifted local writers to harness multiple skills and submit a polished PSA short video.

‘Writing a 60-second script is a real challenge for any writer – how do I get my message across clearly, but remain entertaining and engaging, in just one minute? Students who can both write and harness digital skills to produce creative, topical content can aim for the top prize of $1000.’

Judges for the Youth Scriptwriting Competition include multi-award-winning playwright Karen Jeynes and local digital content writer Paul Dunn.

This year NZ Writers College will run its ninth annual short story competition for novice adult writers, but this is the first time it has run a competition aimed at young people.

Koos Turenhout, head of Writers College student admissions globally, said they’re keen to test the mettle of a younger demographic.

‘These are the activists and lobbyists of tomorrow and we’d like to give them a platform and a voice,’ Turenhout commented. ‘We’re also hoping for a wide range of snappy short films that are not just relevant and Kiwi-centric, but quirky and inventive.’

The competition closes midnight 31 July 2018, with the winners announced on Friday 31 August on the NZ Writers College website.

Contact details:
Full competition rules and guidelines can be found on the college website.

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