International Planetarium Society

2007 IPS/Eugenides Script Writing Competition

GUIDELINES

Steve Tidey
Astronomy Educator
58 Prince Avenue, Southend, Essex, SS2 6NN, England
stevetidey@hotmail.co.uk

To encourage excellence in planetarium show production, the IPS announce a scriptwriting competition sponsored by the Eugenides Foundation in Athens, Greece. Scripts are requested for school shows only, on the subject of constellations. You can write about any aspect of constellations, factual, mythological, etc. No other subjects please. The target age group is 11-14.

Any currently enrolled IPS member may enter one or more scripts.

The First and Second prize scripts remain the author's property, but the IPS retains the right to publish them in Planetarian.

Contest Rules and Procedures

Previously submitted scripts, or material published elsewhere, are not allowed.

Writers should submit six copies of each script to the contest's Coordinator: one copy for the Eugenides Foundation's files, one copy for the IPS files and one copy each for the three judges and the Coordinator. A single electronic copy may be substituted for the hard copies, but a hard copy of the release form must still be mailed.

The contest Coordinator will choose from the IPS Fellows three judges to mark each entry based on the criteria set out below, and the Coordinator will then quantify the totals to determine the winners. The author's names will be kept anonymous from the judges.

Entries may be submitted between July 1 and December 31, 2007. Please mail scripts to: Steve Tidey, 58 Prince Avenue, Southend, Essex, SS2 6NN, England. Or email: stevetidey@hotmail.co.uk The two winning authors will be recognised during the awards ceremony at the 2008 IPS conference in Chicago, where they will receive a certificate and prize money.

All scripts must conform to the following format:

1. A signed release form must accompany the script. (It appeared in the March 2005 Planetarian).
2. Attach a cover page giving the script's title, author's name, institution, address, telephone/fax number, email address and the number of pages. Do not put author's name on any other page.
3. Scripts should be written in English with the directions for visuals (slides, panoramas, video clips, etc.) in the left-hand column, and the narration in the right-hand column, typed or computer printed, double-spaced, with line numbers and pages numbered. Place a paragraph on page one that states the script's goals and purpose.
4. The length should be 25 minutes, and include a five-minute live segment, incorporate slides and/or video segments, pans, all skies and basic star projector functions.
5. If the above requirements are not met, a script may be disqualified.

Evaluative Criteria

In the assumption that the above criteria for submission have been met, the judges will evaluate each script based on: a clear writing style, factual accuracy, the correct use of grammar, originality in presentation and content, a maintained focus on the script's core topic, overall entertainment value, and, whether or not the script has achieved the author's stated goals.

Awards Categories and Values

A. First Place $1000 (US)
B. Second Place $350 (US)

IPS/Eugenides Script Writing Competition

SAMPLE SCRIPT --|-- ENTRY& RELEASE FORM

Eugenides documents also available in: PDF format --|-- Microsoft Word format

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SITE MAP

EUGENIDES SCRIPT WRITING COMPETITION

• Eugenides Home
• Guidelines
• Entry/Release Form
• Script Sample
• Eugenides in PDF
• Eugenides in MS Word

Chair of IPS Web Committee: Alan Gould