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An unfortunate byproduct of a great screenwriting contest gaining notability is that as more people come, the price for entry grows right alongside with it. Judging hundreds to thousands of scripts takes time and money, and while larger events can offer more exposure for a writer, they also make it difficult to stand out and afford entry. Because of this, finding smaller events with the same passion invested as major ones may offer a better learning experience.
Local company LEFT COAST Comedy wants to welcome as many talented comedy writers into the Portland comedy scene as possible in their first comedy screenwriting competition. Writers of all ages and experience are invited to throw their hat into the ring. The top four finalists will have their scripts read by professional Screen Actors Guild members at a public table read, with submissions are as cheap as $20.
“I know a lot of people, but I want to know more,” says LCC founder and director Jilly Murphy. “The idea behind the scriptwriting contest is to bring new writers into our group so they can write and try their hand at a screenwriting contest that’s not going to [have] thousands and thousands of submissions.”
Comedians and comedy fans alike are welcome to check out the table read at the McMenamins Kennedy School Theater on Thursday, Nov. 7. Given the events’ proximity to the presidential election, comedy may be the best remedy for the stress of election time. “I think all of us are going to need to laugh after this election season,” Murphy says.
Murphy’s handpicked team of 15 judges (local producers, casting directors, agents and directors of photography), will decide what scripts make it to the actors for the table read. An audience award vote will decide what script will be made into a comedy sketch for LCC’s social channels.
Murphy will act as director for the winning script, but the creator is welcome to be involved in whatever part of the process best suits them. This could include anything from acting to assistant directing.
The table read is a great resource for those looking to get their work in front of more eyes, and doubles as a way to bring more attention to LCC, which was founded in 2023. While possessing hopes of getting picked up by a major streamer for a Saturday Night Live-style show, the company still has a long way to go until that dream can become a reality. LCC’s first step is to get monetized on YouTube to allowing the group to earn money from ads run on their video. To do that, they need more content and more subscribers.
“We need to monetize, so that’s the problem,” Murphy says. “We’re all self-funded. Nobody pays for music or movies or art anymore—everything’s free. We had to find a way, so this is one way we’re doing that.”
LCC’s fledgling status means it doesn’t have the reach and notability of a larger company, but Murphy wants to grow it into something special.
“I’m doing what I can on a shoestring budget, but to have some financial backing would be amazing because we could do so much more and I could involve so many more people,” he says. “The goal is just to make the world smile and laugh more.”
SEE IT: LEFT COAST Comedy at McMenamins Kennedy School Theater, 736 NE 33rd Ave., 503-249-3983, mcmenamins.com. Thursday, Nov. 7, 5:30–9:30 pm. $20.
SUBMIT: Early-bird submissions due Sunday, Oct. 13, $20. Later submissions due Wednesday, Oct. 30, through Google Forms.