Adaptable 2023/24 Program Guidelines
Annual program. 2023/24 applications open: 13 November 2023 – 23 January 2024.
Queensland Writers Centre’s Adaptable: Turning the Page to Screen returns in 2023/24 for a 6th year of forging creative connections between the literary and screen communities. The Program seeks material for film or television adaptation, and accepts submissions of manuscripts of any genre, fiction or non-fiction, published and unpublished.
Successful applicants to the Program (up to 25 shortlisted writers) are given the opportunity to pitch works with potential for screen adaptation to producers, showrunners, screenwriters and industry professionals.
This Program is organised and managed by Queensland Writers Centre (QWC), with the support of Screen Queensland.
One-on-one Feedback Sessions with Queensland Writers Centre staff to receive reader feedback on the submitted manuscript and discuss next steps (regardless of the application outcome), are available as an add-on for all applicants with an unpublished manuscript.
To ensure all writers receive value from their application, QWC has committed to providing a relevant development workshop to all applicants as part of the Program (included in the application fee), tailored to address commonalities found by reviewers across the cohort of applications.
Please read the guidelines below carefully. By making an application, applicants acknowledge to have read and understood the terms.
HOW TO APPLY - applications & submission formatting
Applications are accepted via the online Application Form only (www.surveymonkey.com/r/Adaptable2324).
Applicants are required to submit:
For novels, novellas, and other full-length books: the first three chapters (or approximately 10,000 – 15,000 words, to a maximum of 15,000 words) of a completed manuscript
For plays, graphic novels, children’s books, short stories and other short-format writing: the complete manuscript
alongside a 400 word synopsis and information as requested in the Application Form.
Unpublished manuscripts should be presented according to standard formatting:
12 point, Times New Roman font
Double line spacing
3cm margins on an A4 page
Page numbered
Manuscript title at top of first page, bolded and centred
Published manuscripts and forthcoming published works are also accepted in publishers’ formatting/typesetting, or as per the above standard formatting.
Submissions are accepted in PDF format only. Include the title of the manuscript in the file name. Do not include your name or identifying details on any portion of the manuscript or synopsis. Submissions not meeting the requirements outlined in these guidelines may be deemed ineligible.
Please note that screenplays, feature/short film/television scripts, and other forms of screenwriting, with the exception of work specifically intended for adaptation (changing format, i.e. from a feature film to web series), are not eligible to enter Adaptable. Writers looking to pitch film scripts may consider Queensland Writers Centre’s annual Scriptable program for emerging screenwriters which accepts entries of film scripts of all formats.
APPLICATION CRITERIA
Adaptable seeks material for film or television adaptation. The competition accepts submissions of published and/or publication-ready manuscripts with potential for screen adaptation.
Applicants must be Australian or New Zealand citizens or permanent residents currently residing in Australia or New Zealand.
Applicants must submit their own original work.
Applicants who have entered work into previous years’ competitions are eligible to enter.
Previously shortlisted applicants are eligible to enter but not with a previously shortlisted manuscript.
Writers making resubmissions may be asked to provide a short statement regarding any changes made (if any) since the previous submission.
Applicants under 18 years are eligible but should contact the Centre prior to making their application. If applicants selected for the Program are under 18 years, they will need permission from their guardian to continue.
A minimum of 10 places in the Program shortlist will be reserved for Queensland-based writers (currently resident in Queensland).
A minimum of 7 places in the Program shortlist will be reserved for unpublished authors.
Applications must be compliant with Screen Queensland’s Terms of Trade, available via www.screenqueensland.com.au/about-sq/corporate-publications/terms-of-trade.
Where there is Indigenous content or participation in the work, applicants should comply with Screen Australia’s protocols and Australia Council for the Arts’ Protocols for using First Nations Intellectual and Cultural Property in the Arts.
The applicant must not:
submit incomplete work or excerpts of incomplete work
submit work designed for the education, training, advertising, marketing, or tourism sector
be employed by a government screen agency
be employed by a broadcaster
be involved with any projects in default with Screen Queensland
seek retrospective funding
No agreements have been entered into relating to the funding of the work, or any project based on the work, on interest in the work including any copyright interest.
If the applicant is incorporated, it must validly exist under the laws of its place of incorporation.
Manuscripts must not be part of any full-time undergraduate/postgraduate or masters’ coursework or research or study.
Manuscripts can be any genre, excluding works intended for the academic or educational market, self-help, business, and cookery manuscripts.
KEY DATES
Applications open: November 2023 – 23 January 2024
Longlist announced: early March 2024
Shortlist announced: March 2024
Feedback Sessions: from late April 2024
Program dates - Market Day: April 2024 (TBC)
Successful applicants will be publicly announced on QWC’s website, social media channels and Pen & Pixel email newsletter. All applicants will be personally notified of the outcome of their application prior to public announcements.
ENTRY & ASSESSMENT PROCESS
Applications must be made via the online Application Form – see How to apply. Applicants must submit the complete materials requested in the Form.
Once submitted, application materials can’t be modified or amended.
Applications incur an administration fee (see Fees & charges).
Applicants may submit more than one manuscript to the Program. However, each submission will require a new application and incur a separate administration fee.
All applicants will be personally notified of the outcome of their application via email.
QWC staff, tutors and trained readers will assess all submissions.
QWC will select up to 40 applicants, at its discretion, for the Program longlist.
QWC reserves the right to ask applicants to submit full works (within 72 hours of being notified) for proof of completion. This does not guarantee selection for the Program longlist or shortlist. The full manuscript may not be read or assessed in its entirety by QWC’s reading team.
Any advice given will be based off the submission and synopsis, and is provided to allow writers to work through the rest of the manuscript.
Following the selection of the longlist, QWC will select up to 25 writers (the shortlist) from the Program, at its discretion, to attend matched pitch sessions with producers and screen industry professionals at a Market Day event.
One-on-one Feedback Sessions (up to 30 minutes) with QWC staff are available as a paid add-on, for applicants with an unpublished manuscript to receive reader feedback and discuss next steps. All feedback is constructive and the opinion of the reader/s.
Correspondence with QWC will be a mixture of remote and in-person communication depending on availability. All required elements of the Program, with the exclusion of pitch interviews and attendance at the Market Day event for shortlisted writers, will be made available in an online format.
QWC is committed to providing a relevant development workshop, delivered by an industry professional, to all Program applicants free of charge, regardless of application outcome. QWC will endeavour to tailor the content of the session to address commonalities found across the cohort of applications.
FEES & CHARGES
Standard application fees:
Member application fee ($50)
Non-member (standard) application fee ($60)
Fees include GST. Fees contributes toward administration expenses of QWC in administering this Program.
Discounted member application fees are available to current members of state writers’ centres in the National Writers’ Centre Network. If you’re not a member of QWC, you may be asked to verify your membership of another Centre.
Participants, included shortlisted writers, will be required to arrange and pay for other expenses throughout the Program (including travel and accommodation to attend the Market Day), if applicable, except as expressly identified by QWC in written agreements.
Application fees with add-ons:
Application fee + One Year Membership ($115)
Application fee + Feedback Session ($99)
Application fee + One Year Membership + Feedback Session ($164)
Applicants can take advantage of a discounted One Year Membership ($55 usually valued at $89) with QWC as part of their application. If the applicant is already a member their current membership will be extended by one year.
Applicants with an unpublished manuscript can take advantage of a half-price Feedback Session ($49 usually valued at $99). After applications close, Feedback Sessions may be made available to book separately at full price ($99) for a limited time through QWC’s Writer’s Consults program.
ADDITIONAL TERMS
QWC does not guarantee the future production or publication of manuscripts submitted to or developed during the program.
The final numbers selected for the Program’s longlist and shortlist are to be at QWC’s discretion, and may depend on the quality and number of applications received.
QWC does not take a percentage of any future royalties, option or sale of submitted work, and all rights and intellectual property remain with the author, regardless of their final placement in the competition.
Manuscript submissions will be disposed of securely once QWC completes the selection process. QWC will record and keep information provided on the application form as necessary.
By making an application to the Program, or by accepting a position on the longlist or shortlist, applicants acknowledge their responsibility for travel and accommodation expenses required to attend the Market Day and participate in the Program (see Fees & charges), if selected.
While QWC will take all reasonable steps to secure an interview/s for shortlisted writers, entry into the Program shortlist may not guarantee an interview.
QWC reserves no rights over manuscripts submitted to or developed during the program. QWC allows writers to submit their manuscript to producers, competitions, courses, or publishers prior to, during or following their participation in the Program. Separate conditions will apply for shortlisted manuscripts:
The full screen rights of works selected for the Program shortlist will be exclusively embargoed (successful applicants cannot continue to separately enter this work into competitions, promote, pitch or sell the screen rights of the work) until 3 months after the pitch meeting/s. This is standard practice for all potential deals as producers consider the pitches.
If work selected for the Program shortlist is optioned and/or produced by a producer, the applicant will be required to acknowledge the assistance provided by QWC and the Program in published/produced outcomes and/or associated promotional materials (i.e. press releases), according to direction/consultation provided by QWC.
Successful applicants will be expected to promote and support the Program and QWC through social media sites, website, and other forms of media. Successful applicants may also be asked to provide a testimonial for the program.
Any credit offered towards QWC and the Program - on social media sites or media releases - should comply with any direction given by QWC, the proper logo and/or approved graphics used, and notification given of your intention to credit QWC.
Whilst not obligated and ultimately at the applicant’s discretion, if successful in future due to exposure or experience gained from the Program, appropriate credit and acknowledgement of QWC’s role is expected.
QWC may offer unsuccessful applicants the opportunity to participate in a tailored Program at a cost additional to the initial application fee.
GET IN TOUCH
If you have further queries regarding the Program or your application, contact Queensland Writers Centre at:
Phone: (07) 3842 9922
Email: admin@qldwriters.org.au
These Application Guidelines were developed and updated for the 2023/24 Adaptable program.