How Our Judges Select the Winning Scripts

We want to be certain that each script, regardless of topic, style, length, setting, language, or any other subjective qualities, is judged equally. The text below is exactly what we share with our judges to help guide them through the evaluation process.

WE URGE ANYONE INTERESTING IN WINNING OUR COMPETITION TO STUDY AND OBSERVE THESE GUIDELINES!

They are the "secret insider tips" you'll need to write a winning script!

Below you will find the EXACT instructions we share with our judges. We post this information in the hopes that it will help guide writers as they prepare scripts -- either for our competition or for other reasons. Too often "competitions" become little more than popularity contests -- with the "funniest" or "most touching" scripts recieving top honors. While there is nothing wrong with honoring "the funniest" script, our goal here is to help judges select the BEST script, the one which demonstrates the finest command of craft, of audio drama as an artform.

We developed this point system to guide judges so that the elements we consider to be important are addressed. You can have a great story -- but have a terrible grasp of language. You can have a great ear for dialogue -- but no story to tell. We urge you to review this, so that you know what we're looking for.

Ours is a complicated review process, and it takes time, but we feel that it will enable the panel to select the BEST script entered, fairly and equitably. We hope it helps you both understand why the winning scripts were so honored, and as something to consider as you prepare your scripts for next year's competition.

At the end, we've given the judges a full 30 points of "discretionary" points. We all know that the very best productions go far beyond the basic elements of story, dialogue, sound effects, etc. For this reason we're helping the judges really honor the very best of the season.

We encourage your input on the process, and ask that you help us to refine this process.

A NOTE ON THE IDENTITY OF OUR JUDGES

We're still in the process of finalizing our judges panel, but in the past have NOT publicized the names of our judges. Why?

Well, the audio theatre world is pretty small, and it seems like we all know each other. The first year, we did list our judges panel in advance, and these poor folks found themselves being campaigned by some of the entrants. That's not really fair to either the judge or the other entrants, we felt, so it was decided that we would announce the judges AFTER the winners were announced. In addition, as an extra bit of insurance against any favoritism, we require that the name of the playwright be removed from all script pages. The judging is then completely double-blind.

Our past judges have included:

• noted audio critic Bennet Pomerantz
• the late Tom Fuller of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company,
• Richard Fish of LodesTone,
• screenwriter/audio playwright/novelist Scott Southard from LA
• Daniel McDeavitt, an audio playwright with a PhD in New Media

  In addition, Mind's Ear staff judge.

  Rest assued that each and every judge is also a writer, or producer, or actor, or engineer, or critic, or teacher, or designer: they are all actively involved in this artform. We select our judges based on their intimate working knowledge of the genre - NOT because they are "celebrities" or any other such foolishness. We seek the educated opinions of our peers and our mentors. We invite those whose work, knowledge, and opinion we trust and respect to help us select the BEST script, the one which most clearly demonstrates not only a great skill level, but also a true LOVE of the genre.

  We want to honor works which really push envelopes, which is not to say that all we're after is experimental sound art, but rather those scripts that are bold and visionary enough to rise above the tedious "The gun in my right hand is loaded" theory that painfully obvious descriptive dialogue is the only way to tell a tale using sound.

  We hope that this information will reassure you that even though we choose not to publish the names of our judges in advance, those who read the entries are well-qualified to evaluate and judge them.

  If YOU are interested in judging, please let us know, and tell us about your experience, background and qualifications.

  JUDGING GUIDELINES

  The Mind's Ear Points System

  PLOT (0-15 points)

  Is the story interesting? Does it have a logical progression? How is the plot development? Is the story told completely or did the playwright forget to end some plotlines? Does it have an ending? Does that ending make any sense -- or did the playwright just stop writing?

  USE OF SOUND (0-15 points)

  Is this playwright really thinking about how this SOUNDS? Do they utilize the medium to its fullest or did they just submit a stage play with a few sound cues written in? Do they REALLY understand how sound can tell a tale? Are the sound effects used intelligently or gratuitously? Does the use of sound add to -- or distract from -- the action?

  CHARACTERS (0-10 points)

  Are the characters believable? Interesting? Do they help move the story forward or are they just glorified sound effects or exposition spewers? Do you care about them? Does each character add something to the overall story or are they just formulaic ingredients (i.e. "The Neighbor", "The Boyfriend", "The Boss", etc.)

  USE OF LANGUAGE (0-10 points)

  Do the characters speak as they should? If the play is set in say, Elizabethan England, does the language fit that period or do they all sound like someone who really should be on "The Fresh Prince"? Does the playwright understand how humans speak and interact (assuming that all the characters ARE human, that is...)? We're not concerned about FCC issues, per se -- so there are no language barriers or filters. We're not censors but you all understand the power of language well wielded.

  CONFLICT (0-10 points)

  Does it have any? Is the conflict believeable or is it gratuitous? Is it "conflict for the sake of conflict" -- or does it actually add dramatic tension to the story? Is the resolution of said conflict reasonable... or does it happen just because the playwright stopped writing? Does the writer understand the difference between an argument and true conflict within a story?

  "REALISM" (0-10 points)

  Does the play FEEL like it actually takes place where it should? Do YOU believe that the author knows their locale or setting? This is not to say that only "realistic" plays are of merit -- quite the contrary: if the play is set in a parallel dimension, or in ancient Egypt, or on the fabled purple shores of Bablooxavarj Four, does the playwright faithfully transport you to that time and/or place -- or is the setting just a cheap trick?

  JUDGE'S BONUS POINTS (0-20 points)

  You, as judge, can grant up to an additional 20 points their way for intangible qualities: if the script REALLY moved you in some way, or if you felt that the script was far greater than the components, or if you just couldn't stop laughing/thinking/crying about it...give them a bonus. The best scripts are far more than a sum of the parts.

  PRODUCTION MERIT POINTS (0-10 points)

  We ask that for the final 10 points you rate each script based on this one final question: On a scale of 1 to 10, how much do YOU want to hear a finished production of this script? If this is a script you are just DYING to hear someday, here's your big chance to make that happen.

  So that brings us to 100 points.

  You'll note that the scoring scale is quite subjective, even for a points-based system. That's because we know that the very best scripts go far beyond the mechanics we rate with points above. The best scripts grab you by the heart and demand your attention. They BEG to be produced.

  This system is the creation of Mind's Ear Audio Productions, and may not be used for any purpose without our permission. However, we are happy to share this with anyone who wants it, as we hope that it will raise the bar for all audio playwrights! If you are interesting in using this points system for YOUR competition or lesson planning, all you need to do is ask . Tell us about your project, so that we can help.
  
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