Tabloid Witch Awards

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Here are some questions we've been asked over the years. If you have any questions not listed here, email us! We'll answer you, and maybe add your question to this page.

The Tabloid Witch Awards was founded with the intent of discovering new horror talent. Yet winners have mostly been film students or those with professional experience.

This doesn't mean you don't have a shot. Christopher Alan Broadstone (Best Sound, Honorable Mention, 2005), is a self-taught filmmaker working with a consumer DV camera. Yet he learned his stuff well enough that he beat out some "pros."

If your film has decent writing and acting, you're already in the upper half of entrants.

Here are more tips on how to win.

We also recommend Film Art: An Introduction. Yes, it's expensive. It's a textbook, used in top film schools throughout the U.S. If it's too expensive for you, seek an older edition on Amazon.com; they release a new edition every few years, and there's not that much difference from one edition to the next.

This book is about the aesthetics of film (as opposed to the technical stuff). Many self-taught filmmakers ignore aesthetics, concentrating solely on the technical elements. Yet this book is neither "artsy fartsy" nor "dummied down." It's written in an intelligent, yet accessible prose style. It's perfect for smart filmmakers who know how to use a camera (i.e., which buttons do what), but want to learn how to use their cameras well.

This book was read by film critics and film festival judges (hint, hint) while they were still in film school, so reading it will give you some insight into how "professional critics" view and judge your film.

You might also learn something about film aesthetics in one of our recommended blogs (left).

Finally, we have considered introducing a beginner award. Best Amateur Effort, or some such. But it would be a "third tier" award, beneath Honorable Mention. That raises an issue: would filmmakers feel insulted at winning a "Best Amateur Effort" or similar title?

Our recommendation: Try your very best, and then enter the Tabloid Witch Awards. Since there's no entry fee, you have nothing to lose.

Do you ever give feedback, or explain why someone lost?

Usually not a good idea. Some disappointed filmmakers might get argumentative upon receiving negative comments. Normally, if you lose, you won't hear from us.

You are, of course, welcome to email us and ask why you didn't win. The worst that will happen is (1) your email will be ignored, or (2) you'll get the criticism you asked for.

We've also begun reviewing some of the more interesting and entertaining films, among those that didn't win, on the Tabloid Witch blog.

My film isn't really horror. Is it worth entering?

Horror is diverse. Quiet, supernatural horror. Grisly, twisted gore. Hitchcockian suspense. Spiritual films with a New Agey element (such as that excellent New Outer Limits episode: "The Conversion").

We want to see all kinds of horror, from a diversity of filmmakers, from around the world.

Some of our winners have played at many other horror film festivals. And some have played only at the Tabloid Witch -- because we consider horror films that other festivals ignore. Don't count yourself out!

And did we mention that we're a No Entry Fee contest?

How about a No Entry Fee contest for horror screenplays?

It takes more effort (and endurance) to suffer through a bad screenplay than a bad movie. Thus, it's harder to find qualified people willing to do it for free (as a No Entry Fee contest, our budget is low).

Plus, audiences don't normally come to read scripts. Yes, there are public script readings in L.A. But they're harder to promote than a film festival. Harder to fill up those theater seats.

So for now, no.