Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting: Now accepting entries

There are a ton of screenplay competitions. The Nicholl is the most well-established and highly visible one in Hollywood. I know some writers who won and they told me as soon as the word went out, within hours they had been contacted by dozens of managers and agents.

Beverly Hills, CA — The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is now accepting entries for the 2012 Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition. As many as five $35,000 fellowships will be awarded through the program in November.

The Nicholl Fellowships competition is open to any individual who has not earned more than $5,000 from the sale or option of a screenplay or teleplay, or received a fellowship or prize of more than $5,000 that includes a “first look” clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer’s work. To enter, writers must submit a completed application online, upload one PDF copy of their original screenplay in English and pay the entry fee before 11:59 p.m. PT on May 1, 2012. The regular entry fee is US$52; an early-bird entry fee of US$35 is available for those who enter by 11:59 p.m. PT on March 15, 2012.

Online applications, rules and other details are available at www.oscars.org/nicholl.

Who has entered the Nicholl? Anybody have any success stories from it? I know even those who reach the semifinal stage will get contacted by reps.