Roadmap Writers is proud to provide the following transparency information per our pledge to Women of Color Unite (WOCU)’s Screenwriting Contest Transparency Initiative.
Competition Script Advancement FAQ
How are scripts assigned to readers?
Readers are randomly assigned a batch of 2-10 submissions (a mix of features & pilots) and turn in their assessments as they finish them. As soon as a reader finishes an assigned batch, they are assigned a new batch. All assessments must be returned no later than one week prior to the placement announcement.
How many different readers read and review a script for each round?
For paid competitions, each submission gets at least one full script read. Based on the reader’s assessment, our Director of Competitions also looks over all submissions to determine the initial placements.
How many pages of a script must be read for each round?
For paid competitions, the entire script must be read.
For free competitions, scripts are read for at least 10 pages or until the reader has a sense of whether or not the script should advance.
For our free Diversity Initiative, only the scripts that advanced from the personal statement round are read.
What are the placement criteria for each round?
Non-exhaustive criteria guidelines that apply to all competitions (paid and free) can be found here.
Who provides the optional feedback notes? Does their feedback affect script placement?
The reader providing feedback notes is the same reader for the judging process. This feedback can occasionally affect the script placement if the writer is close to advancing, as the extra insight from the more detailed feedback may make a nuanced difference (either positively or negatively) in final decisions. Regardless of receiving optional feedback notes, all scripts are judged using the same criteria.
Which scripts are read by the industry judges? How many pages do they read? Does their input affect script placement?
For all competitions, any applicable industry judges read the Finalists. They are asked to read the entire script. Their input determines the Grand Prize Winner(s) and any applicable runners-up.
Competition Statistics
JumpStart Competition
Possible Placements:
- Quarterfinalists: Top 50 (50 features / 50 pilots)
- Semifinalists: Top 25 (25 features / 25 pilots)
- Finalists: Top 5 (5 features / 5 pilots)
- Grand Prize Winner: Top 1 (1 feature / 1 pilot)
2022 Submissions: 1071
- Features: 543
- Pilots: 528
2021 Submissions: 779
- Features: 361
- Pilots: 418
Top Tier Competition
Possible Placements:
- Semifinalists: Top 50 (features & pilots)
- Finalists: Top 10 (features & pilots)
- Grand Prize Winner: Top 1 (feature or pilot)
2021/2 Submissions: 649
- Features: 349
- Pilots: 300
Shorts Competition
Possible Placements:
- Quarterfinalists: Top 50 (written & produced shorts)
- Semifinalists: Top 25 (written & produced shorts)
- Finalists: Top 10 (written & produced shorts)
- Grand Prize Winners: Top 4 (written & produced shorts)
2022 Submissions: 296
- Short Scripts: 252
- Short Films: 44
Diversity Initiative
Possible Placements:
- Grand Prize Winners: up to 2 per month
2022 Submissions:
- December 2022: 58
- November 2022: 56
- October 2022: 59
- September 2022: 48
- August 2022: 61
- July 2022: 81
- June 2022: 103
- May 2022: 350
- April 2022: 554
- March 2022: n/a
- February 2022: 142
- January 2022: 304
Reader Qualifications
To read for Roadmap Writers' competitions, previous training and/or industry/reading experience is required, as well as a sample of the reader’s coverage. In some cases, we request a sample notes test.
As Roadmap does not utilize the reader pools offered by corporate submission platforms, every reader in our private pool has been directly vetted by us.
Reader Compensation
For paid competitions, our readers receive a stipend of up to $40/submission to read the full script. The rate fluctuates depending on the length of the submission and whether or not they need to write feedback notes.
For free competitions, our readers are furnished with Roadmap store credit of up to $10/submission to read approx. 10 pages. Free competitions are also frequently assessed internally by RoadCrew staff.
For full coverage, our readers receive a stipend of up to $60/submission to read the full script and provide 3-6 pages of professional coverage including page notes.
Reader Biases Policies & Procedures
All of our feedback notes and coverage are reviewed by a staff member before it is delivered to the writer. If any bias is detected by us, we reach out to counsel the reader on the issue and reassign the script to another reader. If we did not detect bias but the writer contacts us concerned that bias was involved, we have additional staff members take a look and determine the best course of action from there. If we come to a consensus that the notes were biased, lazy, or unfair, the script is reassigned to a second reader. If a reader consistently turns in biased, lazy, or unfair assessments, we discontinue their status as a reader for our competitions.
Reader Demographics
We conducted an anonymous survey of our readers as of January 2023. Of our 77 readers, 63 responded. The following numbers reflect those responses.
Gender Identity
- Woman: 37
- Man: 23
- Non-Binary: 2
- Trans Man: 1
Race/Ethnicity
- White: 47 (6 Biracial)
- Latine/x: 10
- Black: 9
- Asian: 3
- South Asian: 1
- Indigenous: 1
Age
- 18-25: 18
- 26-34: 18
- 35-44: 16
- 45-54: 5
- 55-64: 5
- 65+: 1
Sexual Orientation
- Straight: 39
- Bisexual: 12
- Queer: 5
- Gay: 3
- Lesbian: 2
- Asexual: 2
- Pansexual: 1
- Prefer not to answer: 3
Religious Affiliation
- Spiritual but not Religious: 21
- Agnostic: 16
- Christian: 11
- Atheist: 10
- Jewish: 5
- Catholic: 3
- Buddhist: 2
- Prefer not to answer: 9
Disability
- None: 43
- Mental Health Condition: 13
- Neurodivergent: 8
- Chronic/Long-Term Condition: 5
- Physical Disability: 3
- Prefer not to answer: 2
Veteran Status
- No, I am not a veteran: 58
- No, but I have immediate family members who are active military/veterans: 4
- Yes: 1
Location – Upbringing
- USA - Southeast: 18
- USA - Northeast: 14
- USA - Midwest: 9
- USA - Northwest: 7
- USA - Southwest: 6
- USA - South: 5
- USA - Mountain: 3
- Europe: 3
- Australia/New Zealand: 1
- Canada: 1
- Central America / Caribbean: 1
Location – Current
- USA - Southwest: 31
- USA - Southeast: 14
- USA - Northeast: 8
- USA - Northwest: 5
- USA - Midwest: 1
- USA - South: 1
- USA - Mountain: 1
- Australia/New Zealand: 1
- Canada: 1
Highest Level of Education Completed
- Bachelors Degree: 40
- Masters Degree: 15
- Associates Degree: 4
- Some College: 2
- High School Diploma: 1
- Some High School: 1
- Doctorate: 1
Annual Household Income
- Under $20k: 6
- $21k - $30k: 4
- $31k - $40k: 6
- $41k - $50k: 4
- $51k - $60k: 2
- $61k - $70k: 4
- $71k - $80k: 4
- $81k - $90k: 3
- $91k - $100k: 2
- $101k+: 6
- Prefer not to answer: 22
Type of Industry Experience
- I have taken a class/been trained on how to evaluate screenplays: 52
- I have read for mid-level competitions: 35
- I have read for a studio/production company: 31
- I am a working freelance story analyst/editor: 24
- I have read for agents/managers and/or talent: 22
- I have read for major competitions: 21
Duration of Industry Experience
- 5+ years: 18
- 4 years: 11
- 3 years: 10
- 2 years: 7
- 1 year: 7
- Less than 1 year: 10
Next Steps
Training New Readers – Roadmap takes pride in championing underrepresented voices, so we welcomed this opportunity to get to know our readers (most of whom we've never met!). After reviewing the responses, it's clear we still have some work to do on diversifying our reader pool. So, we want to do our part to put more qualified diverse readers into circulation. To that end, we are excited to launch a quarterly FREE virtual training course on becoming a paid coverage reader (BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, disabled, and veterans are especially encouraged to apply).
Making Your Reader's Demographics Available – Many of the readers who responded gave permission for some or all of their (non-personally identifiable) demographic information to be provided (upon request) to writers for whom they have written full coverage or competition feedback notes. So, going forward, any writer who receives full coverage or competition feedback notes may respond to the email containing those notes to request the demographic information of the reader, if available.