ScriptED: Bring Learning to Life

THE WRITING CHALLENGE

Please review the course description and details for the ScriptED writing challenge below.

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In the 10-week “Ethics in Criminal Justice” course, students will analyze major ethical problems, such as discrimination, corruption, deception, racial profiling, and use of excessive force, using materials drawn from commissions of inquiry, internal affairs investigations, published literature, human rights documentation, and everyday circumstances observed in police-community relations. This is a 10-week course.

YOUR CHALLENGE

CREATE

● A 250-word description of the concept (overview) for your ten-episode series. Students will watch one episode of your series in each week of the course. Your description and the series as a whole must include the course themes identified below.
● A 7-12 page sample script for 1 of the weekly films. Your script must incorporate today’s criminal justice conversations and align with one or more of the following course themes:

SAMPLE COURSE THEMES

● Describe the ethical dilemma criminal justice professionals face when witnessing misconduct by supervisors.
● Evaluate how police misconduct can lead to human rights violations.
● Determine whom you would contact about a potentially inappropriate relationship with an inmate.
● Analyze the ethics of misrepresenting oneself during an undercover law enforcement action.

YOUR 7-12 PAGE SAMPLE SCRIPT MUST:

● Include real-world, relevant topics.
● Speak to your audience. 76% of Strayer students are of color and the average age is 34.
● Be education friendly.
● Deliver the learning in an approachable way.

OFFICIAL SCRIPTED WRITING COMPETITION RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN THIS COMPETITION. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. CONTEST IS OPEN TO LEGAL RESIDENTS OF THE FIFTY (50) UNITED STATES AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (“D.C.”) WHO ARE TWENTY ONE (21) YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER AT THE TIME OF ENTRY. THIS COMPETITION IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. CONTEST IS SUBJECT TO ALL FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL AND MUNICIPAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS.

A screenplay competition sponsored by Strayer University, Strayer Studios, Strategic Education Inc. (SEI), The Blackhouse Foundation and Big Answers, LLC.

PLEASE READ THESE COMPETITION OFFICIAL RULES (“OFFICIAL RULES”) CAREFULLY, AS THEY CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING YOUR RIGHT TO BRING A LAWSUIT IN COURT TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTES ARISING HEREUNDER.

These Official Rules state that any dispute between you and Sponsors (defined below) regarding the Competition must be resolved in binding arbitration on an individual basis, and in any event may not proceed on a class basis or otherwise seek class-wide relief.

I. COMPETITION OVERVIEW:

SPONSORS: Strayer University, Strayer Studios, Strategic Education Inc. (SEI), The Blackhouse Foundation and Big Answers, LLC (“Producer”) are, individually and collectively, the sponsors of this Competition and are individually and collectively referred to as Sponsors in these Official Rules, where appropriate.

COMPETITION: Strayer is looking for the next great filmmaker. To enter this skills-based screenplay competition, complete the application as provided below, agree to these Official Rules and submit a 250-word description of the concept (overview) for your ten-episode series plus a 7-12 page sample script for 1 of the weekly films (“Submission Materials”) that could bring Strayer’s Ethics in Criminal Justice course to life for their learners. The successful entry will tell a story that serves as a case study for academic concepts. See additional details and submissions guidelines at https://strayer.edu/scripted (“Site”).

DOCUMENTARY PROJECT: At Sponsors’ sole option, Producer’s cameras may document key moments from the Competition and the development and potential production of the Winning Submission Materials in an audio-visual production that gives Sponsor’s audience a behind-the-scenes look at the competition (“Project”). The Finalists and Winner of the Competition must live and be eligible to work in the United States, comply with all reasonable requests of Sponsors in furtherance of the Project, and execute any releases reasonably requested by Sponsors to appear in the Project. If produced, the Project likely would begin pre-production in February 2020 with post-production estimated to end in December 2020.

SUBMISSION PERIOD: The entry period for the Competition begins November 21, 2019 at 4:00 pm and ends December 23, 2019 at 11:59 Eastern Standard Time (“Entry Period”).

II. ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

The competition is open only to individuals who meet the following requirements at the time of entry:

● Must be at least 21 years of age or older at the time of entry.
● Must be a legal resident of the fifty (50) United States or the District of Columbia and eligible to work in the United States at the time of entry and through the duration of the Competition.
● Must not, in any single calendar year, have earned more than $60,000 as a screenwriter or director for theatrical films or television, or for the sale of, or sale of an option to, any original story, treatment, screenplay, or teleplay.
● Must not have generated, or be attributed to have generated, publicly available social media content that, in Sponsors’ sole discretion, is determined to (a) espouse or promote viewpoints or activities that are inconsistent with the purpose of this Competition; (b) promote hate speech; (c) contain obscene or pornographic content; (d) promote illegal activities; or (e) risk impairing the reputation and goodwill enjoyed by Sponsors.
● If chosen as a Finalist, agrees to submit to, and passes, a background check conducted for the purpose of determining whether the Finalist is eligible to receive the 3rd Round Finalist Prize. Such background check will be reviewed by Sponsors for purposes of determining, in Sponsors’ sole discretion, whether the putative Finalist has engaged in activities that are inconsistent with or detrimental to the purpose of this Competition, or risk impairing the reputation and goodwill enjoyed by Sponsors.
● Is available, if chosen as a Finalist, to travel to, attend, and participate in a pitch session in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2020.
● If chosen as the Winner, agrees to submit to, and passes, SEI’s standard pre-employment background check. The Winner of the Competition may be disqualified if, after selection, SEI determines in its sole discretion that the results of the Winner’s background check do not meet SEI’s standards for being engaged as a writer-in-virtual residence with Strayer Studios. SEI will consider for employment all Winners, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act. Applicants with criminal histories are encouraged to apply.
● Agree that all Submission Materials are licensed to Sponsors pursuant to the terms Section VI of these Official Rules.
● If selected as a Finalist, execute in accordance with these Rules a Submission Materials License and Release Agreement. Such agreement shall include, in exchange for the 3rd Round Finalist Prize: (a) the terms of an exclusive license granted by Finalist to Sponsors for Sponsors’ exclusive use of the Submission Materials for a term of no less than six (6) months after the conclusion of the Competition; and (b) the terms of a right-of-first refusal to the exclusive license or purchase of the Submission Materials that shall be immediately activated when and if the Finalist is deemed the putative Winner, running until such time that the putative Winner executes a Purchase Agreement with Sponsors transferring ownership interest in the Submission Materials. In addition, in Sponsors’ sole discretion, the Submission Materials License and Release Agreement may include the terms of a five-year right-of-first refusal to the exclusive license or purchase of the Submission Materials from any Finalist not deemed the putative Winner, subject to an additional fee paid to be negotiated between Sponsors and Finalist.

● May not be, or have an immediate family member (including, without limitation, spouse, ex-spouse, domestic partner, ex-domestic partner, parents, grandparents, siblings, children, and step-children), and/or those living in entrant’s household (whether or not related) who is, an employee, officer, or board member of any of the following, either currently or within the last two (2) years:
o Strategic Education, Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (including Strayer University,
LLC, and Capella University, Inc.)
o The Blackhouse Foundation
o Big Answers, LLC
o Any person or entity supplying prizes and/or services to the Competition or the Project,
including but not limited to Script Pipeline; or
o Judges or any other person or entity involved in the development, production, distribution or other exploitation of the Project or any variation thereof.

By entering the Competition, entrants represent that they satisfy the above Eligibility Requirements (to the best of their knowledge), as of the date of entry. Sponsors are relying on the accuracy of these representations and each entrant agrees that if he or she discovers that any of his or her representations are inaccurate or incomplete, the entrant shall immediately notify Sponsor. Competition entrants who satisfy all of the above requirements are referred to as “Participants.”

III. ENTRY SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS:

During the Entry Period, go to https://strayer.edu/scripted and follow the on-screen directions to submit the entry materials.

To enter the Competition, each Participant must submit the following materials during the submission period (the “Entry Submission Requirements”):

● The application, as provided below.
● Acknowledgement of Official Rules by the Participant (through FilmFreeway portal)
● A 250-word description of the concept (overview) for your ten-episode series. Students will watch one episode of your series in each week of the course. Your description and the series as a whole must include the course themes identified below.
● A 7-12 page sample script for 1 of the weekly films. Your script must incorporate today’s criminal justice conversations and align with ONE OR MORE of the following course themes:

COURSE THEMES:

● Describe the ethical dilemma criminal justice professionals face when witnessing misconduct by supervisors.
● Evaluate how police misconduct can lead to human rights violations.
● Determine whom you would contact about a potentially inappropriate relationship with an inmate.
● Analyze the ethics of misrepresenting oneself during an undercover law enforcement action.

Your 7-12 page sample script must: 

● Include real-world, relevant topics
● Speak to your audience. 76% of Strayer students are of color and the average age is 34.
● Be education friendly
● Deliver the learning in an approachable way

Here is information about the course:

COURSE TITLE: "Ethics of Criminal Justice"

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

In the 10-week “Ethics in Criminal Justice” course, students will analyze major ethical problems, such as discrimination, corruption, deception, racial profiling, and use of excessive force, using materials drawn from commissions of inquiry, internal affairs investigations, published literature, human rights documentation, and everyday circumstances observed in police-community relations. This is a 10-week course.

Limit: One (1) entry per Participant, except as set forth in the following paragraph.

Except as otherwise set forth in this paragraph, each submission component must be the original work and sole property of the Participant submitting them. In the event that any component of the Submission Materials has been developed by more than one Participant (e.g., co-authored scripts) (a “Multi-Author Submission”), then each Participant must individually submit each of the required components of the Entry Submission Requirements, and indicate in the Submission Materials that such submission constitutes a Multi-Author Submission. No more than four (4) Participants may contribute to any Multi-Author Submission. Should the Submission Materials in a Multi-Author Submission be selected for the 3rd Round Finalist Prize, then each Participant named as a contributor to the Multi-Author Submission shall receive the 3rd Round Finalist Prize (subject to all eligibility requirements of that prize). In the event that the Submission Materials in a Multi-Author Submission are selected as the Winner, only one (1) Participant in the Multi-Author Submission shall receive the Grand Prize (the “Multi-Author Winner”), such Participant to be identified to Sponsors by consensus of the Participants in the winning Multi-Author Submission before the commencement of the pitch session in Park City, Utah. If the Participants are unable to reach consensus, or otherwise fail to identify a Multi-Author Winner, then Sponsors will identify such individual, and such decision shall be final and binding. Only the Multi-Author Winner shall be subject to the SEI pre-employment background check. However, all Participants in a Multi-Author Submission selected as a Winner must execute a Purchase Agreement as further set forth in these Official Rules. Failure of each Participant to do so shall disqualify the Multi-Author Submission from the Competition.

EXCEPT AS SET FORTH IN THE PRECEDING PARAGRAPH, ALL RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF THESE OFFICIAL RULES APPLY TO EACH PARTICIPANT IN A MULTI-AUTHOR SUBMISSION, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION ALL LICENSING, INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, AND BACKGROUND CHECK REQUIREMENTS.

Sponsors are not soliciting the creation of new screenplays.

Submission Materials must be intended for production as a live-action film.

Submission Materials must not have been previously optioned, sold, licensed or produced as a live stage production, theatrical motion picture, television or online program. Submission Materials must not have won a previous screenwriting competition. Submission Materials cannot be currently entered into any other screenwriting competition(s). If prior to entering the Competition, Participant previously submitted the Submission Materials into another screenwriting competition(s), then Participant must disclose the name of the other competition at the time of entry. Sponsors reserve the right to remove the Submission Materials from the Competition. By entering Submission Materials to the Competition, Participant represents, warrants and covenants that such Submission Materials will not be entered into any other contest or competition until the Winner is announced. The foregoing sentence does not restrict any licensing or intellectual property provisions in these Official Rules, including but not limited to those provisions authorizing Sponsors’ use of the Submission Materials in the Project and in the Competition.

Submission Materials must not include material that: (i) defames any individual or entity; (ii) invades the privacy or misappropriates publicity rights of any third party; (iii) infringes the copyright of any third party or is otherwise unlawful or infringing; (iv) includes any intellectual property of third parties; (v) is obscene or offensive, or endorses any form of hate or hate group; (vi) promotes the violation of any law; (vii) is in violation of any law; or (viii) is harmful to users of the Site or could adversely impact the Competition, Site, other Participants.

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Scripts must be at least 7 (seven) pages and no more than 12 (twelve) pages, 12 point Courier font, written in English, and formatted using industry-accepted standards. No hard copy submissions will be accepted.

New drafts, substitutions or corrected pages will not be accepted after initial submission. Sponsors will not be responsible for Submission Materials that are incomplete, lost, unintelligible, misdirected, or damaged while in transit.

Entry must be suitable for broadcast at Sponsors’ sole discretion. By submitting Submission Materials, Participant warrants and represents that the Submission Materials are his/her original creation (a modification of an existing work does not qualify as original), Participant is the sole copyright owner of the Submission Materials (except in the case of Multi-Author Submission, in which case Participant represents he or she jointly owns the copyright only with the other Participants in the Multi-Author Submission), that the Submission Materials are true and verifiable, that the Submission Materials have not been previously broadcast, submitted to or entered in any competition not disclosed at the time of submitting or Submission Materials or won any awards, and that his/her Submission Materials do not violate any law, regulation or any right of any third-party, including, without limitation, the publicity, intellectual property or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or proprietary right.

By submitting Submission Materials, Participant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsors may obtain many submissions under this Competition and that such submissions may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to others submitted under this Competition and/or other contests staged and/or sponsored by the Sponsors, or to other ideas conceived by or provided to Sponsors and Participant waives any and all claims Participant may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any Submission Materials and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by the Sponsors (or their designees) may be similar to his/her Submission Materials. Except where prohibited by law, each Participant acknowledges and agrees that the Sponsor does not have now, nor shall it have in the future, any duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the infringement or protection of any copyright in and to Participants’ Submission Materials. Participant agrees that Submission Materials may be posted on www.strayer.edu/scripted or other Sponsor websites and other websites related to the Competition. The Released Parties (as defined in the Limitations of Liability section of these Official Rules) are not responsible for any unauthorized use of Submission Materials by third parties. Released Parties do not guarantee the posting of any Submission Materials. Participants agree that they will not use the Submission Materials for any other purpose until the Winner is announced, including, without limitation, publicly posting or distributing the Submission Materials (including to any online social networks) or selling, licensing, or offering the Submission Materials for license or sale to any third party other than Sponsors, without the prior express, written consent of the Sponsors in each instance. Any Submission Materials that do not comply with these requirements, in the opinion of the judges or the Sponsor, may be disqualified. By submitting Submission Materials, Participant agrees that his/her submission is gratuitous and made without restriction, and will not place Sponsor under any obligation; that Sponsor is free to disclose the ideas contained in the Submission Materials on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use the ideas without any additional compensation to Participant and/or anyone depicted in the Submission Materials. Sponsor reserves the right to waive the Competition entry requirements set forth herein in its reasonable discretion. Sponsor reserves the right, in its reasonable discretion, during or upon completion of the Entry Period, to request that any Participant resubmit his or her Submission Materials that fail to comply with the Competition entry requirements prior to any judging period.

IV. JUDGING AND COMPETITION STRUCTURE:

From December 23, 2019 through January 24, 2020, Submission Materials will be judged in phases as described below by a panel of judges identified below and appointed by Sponsor. Judging during the First Round and Second Round will be based on, and equally weighted among, the following criteria (the “Initial Criteria”): (a) core writing skills, (b) quality of concept, (c) quality of sample scene, and (d) exhibited ability to translate concept into script as represented by the sample scene. In the event of a tie by the judges, the Submission Materials involved in the tie will be re-judged by an additional judge who will serve as a tiebreaker and who will evaluate tied Submission Materials according to the criteria listed above. The decisions of the judges will be final and binding on all matters relating to the Competition. Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to select fewer than 25 Semi-Finalists or five Finalist Entries if it does not receive a sufficient number of eligible and qualified Submission Materials. There may be fewer than 25 Semi-Finalists and five Finalist Entries if an insufficient number of eligible entries are received.

1st Round:

Submission Materials that do not conform to technical requirements in these Official Rules will be automatically disqualified. Submission Materials that satisfy all the requirements in these Rules will be judged by Script Pipeline, a provider of script-review services retained by Sponsors.

The top 25 Semi-Finalists based on the criteria will advance to the 2nd Round.

2nd Round / Semi-Finalists:

Each of the top 25 Semi-Finalists will be reviewed by panel of Strayer Studios staff members.

Second Round Background Check: The Participants submitting the five (5) Submission Materials receiving the highest scores on the Second Round Submission will be contacted by phone, email, or next-day air (at Sponsors’ sole discretion) and asked to participate in the Second Round Background Check. The Second Round Background Check is conducted by Sponsors exclusively for the purpose of establishing the Participant’s eligibility to receive the 3rd Round Finalist Prize. The background check will be reviewed by Sponsors for purposes of determining, in Sponsors’ sole discretion, whether the putative Finalist has engaged in activities that are inconsistent with or detrimental to the purpose of this Competition, or risk impairing the reputation and goodwill enjoyed by Sponsors.

Social Media Review/Clearance: The Participants submitting the five (5) Submission Materials receiving the highest scores on the Second Round Submission will be subject to a review of publicly available social media content generated by or attributed to the Participant. Should Sponsor, in its sole discretion, determine that any of the reviewed social media content (a) espouses or promotes viewpoints or activities that are inconsistent with the purpose of this Competition; (b) promotes hate speech; (c) contains obscene or pornographic content; (d) promotes illegal activities; or (e) risks impairing the reputation and goodwill enjoyed by Sponsor; then that Participant shall be disqualified.

If one of the five putative Finalists is disqualified based on the results of the Second Round Background Check or the Social Media Review/Clearance, another Participant chosen by the panel of judges will take her/his place.

The top five Finalists based on the 1st Round and 2nd Round criteria and requirements will advance to the 3rd Round.

3rd Round / Finalists:

The top five Finalists will pitch to the panel of judges in Park City, Utah at the Sundance Film Festival who will then evaluate and determine the Winner. The judges of the 3rd Round will be: Karl McDonnell, Nicole Cattell, Judge Victoria Pratt, Brickson Diamond, and Aaliyah Williams. Judging during the 3rd Round will be based on, and equally weighted among, the following criteria (the “Final Criteria”): (a) core writing skills, (b) quality of concept, (c) quality of sample scene, (d) exhibited ability to translate concept into script as represented by the sample scene, (e) quality of the pitch, (f) Participant’s ability to engage judges, and (g) Participant’s indication of ability to develop full series.

Upon being chosen by the judges in the 3rd round as the putative Winner, that Participant agrees to submit to SEI’s standard pre-employment background check. SEI honors and celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion as core institutional principles. SEI holds itself accountable for cultivating an innovative environment that reflects all stakeholders, building a foundation as a culturally competent, diverse organization. The putative Winner of the Competition may be disqualified if, after selection, SEI determines in its sole discretion that the results of the Winner’s background check do not meet SEI’s standards for being engaged as a writer-in-virtual residence with Strayer Studios. SEI will consider for employment all Winners, including those with a criminal history, in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable federal, state, and local laws, including the Los Angeles Fair Chance Initiative for Hiring Ordinance, the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, and the New York City Fair Chance Act. Applicants with criminal histories are encouraged to apply.

POTENTIAL WINNER IS SUBJECT TO VERIFICATION BY SPONSOR, WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE COMPETITION. A PARTICIPANT IS NOT THE WINNER UNLESS AND UNTIL PARTICIPANT’S ELIGIBILITY HAS BEEN VERIFIED AND PARTICIPANT HAS BEEN NOTIFIED THAT VERIFICATION IS COMPLETE.

Selection and Announcement of Winner: The Winner will be announced on or about January 24, 2020.

Participants who submitted potential Finalist Submission Materials will be notified on or about January 10, 2020 by overnight delivery and/or telephone or email, in Sponsor’s sole discretion and, in addition to the other requirements of each round, must execute and return SEI’s liability, media and publicity release agreement and the Submission Materials License and Release, within ten (10) days of date of issuance specified in the notice. Failure to return the documents listed above within the specified time period, the return of a notification as undeliverable, noncompliance with these Official Rules, or Sponsor’s inability to contact a potential Finalist Participant within a reasonable time period may result in forfeiture of Participant status and the Participant receiving the next highest score during judging will be chosen.

V. AWARDS AND PRIZES

3rd Round Finalist Prize:

The top five Finalists will win a trip to attend and pitch their script at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah with Strayer University and The Blackhouse Foundation.

Each of the five Finalists will receive a trip for him- or herself and for four (4) days/three (3) nights to the following destination: Park City, Utah (“Prize Trip”). Prize Trip includes: (i) round-trip economy air transportation from major airport nearest Finalist’s residence (as determined by Sponsor) to Salt Lake City, Utah, (ii) ground transportation from Salt Lake City, Utah airport to Park City, Utah, (iii) standard hotel accommodations for four (4) days and three (3) nights (1 single occupancy) (room rate and tax only), (iv) $300 spending cash awarded in the form a check made out to winner, (v) the opportunity to pitch the Participant’s Submission Materials to the 3rd Round judges (no retail value); and (vi) a Sundance Film Festival Entry Ticket (approx. $70). Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”): $2,753. Actual value may vary based on point of departure, dates of travel, and activities engaged in at Sundance Festival. Sponsor’s maximum total amount to be awarded for the 3rd Round Finalist Prize shall not exceed $3,000. If Finalist resides within a 100-mile radius of trip destination, Sponsor reserves the right to provide ground transportation in lieu of air transportation and no compensation or substitution will be provided for difference in prize value. Travel arrangements must be made through Sponsor’s agent, on a carrier of Sponsor’s choice, at least fourteen (14) days prior to travel. It is recommended that the Finalist obtain sufficient personal insurance, including trip cancellation coverage, prior to departure; Sponsors expressly disclaim any responsibility or liability for securing such insurance. Flight schedules are subject to change without notice. Released Parties (as defined below) are not liable for any expenses incurred as a consequence of flight cancellation/delay. Tickets are subject to certain terms and conditions specified thereon. Finalist agrees to comply with all venue rules and regulations. Failure to do so may result in forfeiture of such portion of prize. Finalist must execute and return SEI’s liability, media and publicity release and the Submission Materials License and Release prior to issuance of travel documents. By participating and accepting the 3rd Round Finalist Prize, Finalist represents that he/she understands that travel, whether by plane, automobile, or other conveyance, or by foot, and in the air, contains some inherent element of risk of accident, illness, injury, loss or death, which may be caused by negligence, forces of nature, or other agencies, known or unknown. Finalist represents that he/she recognizes that such risks may be present at any time before, during and after the trip. Certain travel restrictions may apply. Air transportation and hotel accommodations are subject to availability. All other costs and expenses associated with the acceptance and use of the 3rd Round Finalist Prize not stated in the prize description above as being provided including, but not limited to, all federal, state and local taxes, insurance, luggage fees, meals and beverages, gratuities, incidentals, souvenirs, and all personal expenses of any kind or nature, will be the sole responsibility of the Finalist. In the event Sponsor is unable to provide any portion of the trip for any reason, no compensation or substitution will be provided for that portion of the 3rd Round Finalist Prize; however, the remainder of the prize package will be awarded and Sponsor will have no further obligation to Finalist. The pitch session to the 3rd Round judges has no retail value, and if Participant—for any reason—is unable to attend the pitch session, Sponsor shall not be obligated to provide any equivalent prize or replacement. Travel must be taken by January 23, 2020, or 3rd Round Finalist Prize will be forfeited and Sponsor will have no further obligation to such Finalist. No substitution, transfer or cash equivalent is permitted except by Sponsor, which reserves the right to substitute the prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value at its sole discretion. For all prizes: Finalists are solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes and other fees associated with prize receipt and use. No other substitution, assignment or transfer of prizes permitted, except by Sponsors, who reserve the right to substitute a prize with another prize of greater or equal value if prize cannot be awarded as stated. Sponsors will withhold and/or report taxes as required by the applicable law of Sponsors’ jurisdiction and Finalist’s jurisdiction. Prizes are awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied by Sponsor. All prize details are at the sole discretion of Sponsor.

GRAND PRIZE

The Participant submitting the Submission Materials that receive the highest score during the 3rd Round will be deemed the Winner (subject to the verification, background check, and other requirements of these Official Rules) and will be awarded $10,000 and a 6-month writer-in-virtual residency with Strayer Studios with a gross monthly salary of $10,000 during the 6-month term of the writer-in-virtual residency Sponsors (the “Grand Prize”). Grand Prize includes: (i) $10,000 cash awarded in the form a check made out to Winner, and (ii) remote temporary employment as a writer-in-virtual residence with Strayer Studios, performing work remotely as a writer for Strayer Studios and receiving mentorship from Strayer Studios staff for a gross salary of $10,000 a month during each month of the 6-month writer-in-virtual residency that the Winner remains employed as an at-will temporary employee of SEI. Approximate Retail Value (“ARV”) of the Grand Prize: $70,000. Actual value may vary based on Winner maintaining eligibility for employment with Strayer Studios during the full 6-month term of the writer-in-virtual residency. Sponsor’s maximum total amount to be awarded for the Grand Prize shall not exceed $70,000. During the 6-month writer-in-virtual residency, the Winner shall work at least forty (40) hours per week for Strayer Studios on concept development, proposal writing, script writing, content writing for SEI courses and programs. The 6-month writer-in-virtual residency constitutes an at-will employment relationship between Winner and SEI. To remain eligible for the full value of the Grand Prize, Winner must abide by all corporate policies of SEI during the duration of the 6-month writer-in-virtual residency, and otherwise remain continuously eligible for employment with SEI. If Winner resides within a 30-mile radius of Strayer Studios offices in New York City, Sponsor reserves the right to require Winner to work on-site at Strayer Studios offices, and no compensation or substitution will be provided for difference in prize value. All work performed within the scope of Winner’s employment during the term of the 6-month writer-in-virtual residency shall be owned solely by SEI, subject to all applicable federal and state laws and regulations. Winner will only be eligible to receive those employment benefits of SEI required by federal, state, and local laws and regulations, if any, and the provision of any such benefits may reduce the take-home pay of Winner during the term of the writer-in-virtual residency. All other costs and expenses associated with the acceptance and use of the Grand Prize not stated in the prize description above as being provided including, but not limited to, all federal, state and local taxes, insurance, and all personal expenses of any kind or nature, will be the sole responsibility of the Winner. The $10,000 a month salary received during the 6-month writer-in-virtual residency is the gross salary and may be reduced by any requisite taxes withheld by SEI. In the event Sponsor is unable to provide any portion of the Grand Prize for any reason, no compensation, replacement, or substitution will be provided for that portion of the Grand Prize, and Sponsor will have no further obligation to Finalist. The 6-month writer-in-virtual residency must be commenced by Winner on or before June 30, 2020, or the Grand Prize will be forfeited and Sponsor will have no further obligation to Winner. No substitution, transfer or cash equivalent is permitted except by Sponsor, which reserves the right to substitute the prize (or portion thereof) with one of comparable or greater value at its sole discretion. For all portions of the Grand Prize: Winner is solely responsible for all federal, state, and local taxes and other fees associated with prize receipt and use. No other substitution, assignment or transfer of prizes permitted, except by Sponsors, who reserve the right to substitute a prize with another prize of greater or equal value if prize cannot be awarded as stated. Sponsors will withhold and/or report taxes as required by the applicable law of Sponsors’ jurisdiction and Winner’s jurisdiction. Prizes are awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either express or implied by Sponsor. All prize details are at the sole discretion of Sponsor.

Sponsors (or their successors or licensees) will enter into a purchase agreement with the Winner to acquire all rights, title, and interest in and to the winning Submission Materials (“Purchase Agreement”) in exchange for the $10,000 cash payment made as part of the Grand Prize. If the Winner does not execute the Purchase Agreement for any reason, the Winner will be deemed to have forfeited the Prize, and Sponsors reserve the right to award the Prize to another Finalist as an alternate winner.

VI. LICENSE/USE OF SUBMISSION MATERIALS:

By submitting or appearing in Submission Materials, Participant hereby grants to Sponsor a royalty free and fully paid up, irrevocable, worldwide nonexclusive perpetual license to edit, publish, use, adapt, exploit, and modify any Submission Materials (and all elements embodied therein), including, without limitation the images, names, likenesses of any persons or locations embodied therein, online, in print, film, television, or in any other media now known or hereafter devised, without compensation, notification or permission from Participant, anyone appearing in the Submission Materials, or any third party and display the Submission Materials on Sponsor’s website, third party websites, and in any and all media now known or hereafter devised, throughout the world, in perpetuity in accordance with these Official Rules solely for purposes of promoting this and future Sponsor Competitions and contests, for use in the Project, and for otherwise publicizing the existence and results of the Competition. Participant waives the benefit of any provision of law known as droit moral or moral rights, or any similar or analogous law or decision in any country of the world. The foregoing provisions of this Section VI notwithstanding, Sponsors agree and acknowledge that any use of the Submission Materials for classroom education purposes by Sponsors shall be excluded from the permissible uses of this Section VI.

VII. MISCELLANEOUS

The 3rd Round Prize and Grand Prize (the “Prizes”) will be awarded subject to the condition that each Participant is and remains in compliance with the Official Rules at all times during the Competition and through the development and production of the Project. The Prizes cannot be substituted, shared, assigned, transferred, or exchanged. If the Participant is found to be ineligible or in violation of the representations and warranties in these Official Rules, Participant will forfeit her/his/their entitlement to the Prizes.

If the Participant engages in (1) criminal conduct; (2) behavior (or makes statements), that is obnoxious, inappropriate, threatening, or illegal, or which shocks, insults or offends a substantial portion of the community or reflects unfavorably on Participant and Sponsors in a significant and material way; (3) behavior that is intended to abuse, threaten, or harass any other person, Sponsor reserves the right to terminate Participant’s right to receive the Prizes. In either case, Sponsors will determine in Sponsors’ sole discretion whether to award the Prizes to the Participant in second place, or another alternate if such second place winner is disqualified.

Participant is solely responsible for all federal, state, and/or local taxes that may become due as a result of Participant’s receipt of the Prizes and other compensation received during the Competition. An IRS Form 1099 may be issued in the name of the Participant for the value of the Prizes and for any other compensation or funds provided to Participant in connection with the Competition and Project.

If any Participant is a member of a collective bargaining organization, such Participant is solely responsible for determining whether Participant’s participation in the Competition and Project complies with Participant’s obligations under collective bargaining agreements. Sponsors reserve the right to address any union or guild issues arising from this Competition in its absolute discretion, including disqualifying any Finalist or Winner who would otherwise cause Sponsor and/or Producer to violate a union or guild agreement.

Consent to use Name and Likeness: Except where legally prohibited, each Participant grants permission to Producer, Sponsors, and Competition Entities, and their respective agents, representatives and designees to use Participant’s name, address, photograph, voice, likeness, and Prizes information for advertising, promotional or other purposes in all forms of media, now known or developed later, worldwide, without further compensation, notice or permission.

No Obligation to Use: There is no guarantee that any Participant will actually appear in the Project or that the Submission Materials will be produced or distributed. Sponsor reserves the right to adjust selection of Participants and/or to make further determinations as to which Participants will actually appear in the Project after considering the overall creative needs of the Project. Moreover, Sponsors and Producers reserve the right not to produce, release theatrically, or otherwise exhibit, distribute or exploit the Submission Materials.

Privacy: By entering this Competition, Participant consents to the use of information submitted in connection with the Competition in accordance with the Sponsors’ Privacy Policies, and as described in these Official Rules.

Indemnification: Participant will indemnify and hold harmless the Released Parties (defined below) from any third party claims arising from Participant’s failure to comply with the Eligibility Requirements and/or breach of the representations, warranties, and covenants in these Official Rules.

Compliance with Rules: All determinations by Sponsor shall be in Sponsor’s sole and absolute discretion and shall be final and binding on all Participants. By entering the Competition, each Participant agrees to be bound by these Rules and to accept all decisions regarding the Competition as binding, final and not subject to challenge, review or appeal.

Rule Modification: Sponsor may, in its sole discretion, amend, delete, suspend, change, supersede and/or otherwise modify or replace these Rules prior to or during development or production, whether in writing or orally, and Participants shall be bound thereby.

Governing Law: All disputes concerning the interpretation, validity and enforcement of these Rules or the rights and obligations of Participants, Producer, Sponsor, or the Released Parties in connection with the Competition will be resolved in accordance with the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia, without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules or provisions that would cause the application of any other laws.

NEITHER SPONSORS NOR PARTICIPANT WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR OTHER PERSONS SIMILARLY SITUATED, OR AS A MEMBER OF ANY CLASS OF CLAIMANTS PERTAINING TO ANY CLAIM. ALL CLAIMS ARE SUBJECT TO THE ARBITRATION PROVISION BELOW.

No Rescission or Injunctive Relief: All rights granted to Sponsor under these Official Rules are irrevocably vested at the time of submission. To the maximum extent permitted by law, no breach by Sponsor of these Official Rules will entitle Participants to equitable relief, whether injunctive or otherwise; and Participant explicitly waives the right to seek or obtain any form of equitable relief, including the right to enjoin the development, production, exploitation and/or marketing of the Submission Materials, and/or Project. Participants’ sole remedy for any breach of these Official Rules or any other dispute related to this Competition and Project shall be an action at law for solely for compensatory damages. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Participant expressly waives all rights to seek incidental, consequential, special, punitive damages, or lost profits.

Waiver: Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision.

Sever-ability: Should any provision in these Official Rules be deemed void, invalid, illegal, unenforceable or inoperative, such invalid, illegal, unenforceable or inoperative section or provision shall not affect any other section or provision hereof, and the remainder of these Official Rules shall be effective as though such void, invalid, illegal, unenforceable or inoperative section or provision had not been contained herein.

Suspension / Termination: Sponsors have the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the Competition, if an event beyond Sponsors’ control prevents Sponsors from continuing with the Competition (e.g., fire, flood, labor dispute, war, terrorist threat) (each, a “force majeure event”). Additionally, Sponsors reserve the right to cancel, suspend and/or modify the Competition, or any part of it, if any fraud, technical failures or any other factor beyond Sponsors’ reasonable control impairs the integrity or proper functioning of the Competition, as determined by Sponsors in their sole discretion.

WARNING: ANY ATTEMPT BY A PARTICIPANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPETITION OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE COMPETITION MAY BE A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAW, AND, SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PROSECUTE AND SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PERSON TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Sponsors reserve the right at its sole discretion to disqualify any individual it finds to be attempting to tamper with or undermine the entry process, any website associated with the Competition, and/or the legitimate operation of the Competition; to violate the Official Rules; or to act in an unsportsmanlike or disruptive manner or with the intent to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any other person. If, for any reason, the Competition is not capable of running as planned, Sponsors may, in their sole discretion, void any suspect Submission Materials and (a) modify the Competition or suspend the Competition to address the impairment and then resume the Competition in a manner that best conforms to the spirit of these Official Rules; or (b) terminate the Competition altogether and not award the Prize, or select the Winner based on the non-suspect Submission Materials submitted as of the effective termination date.

VIII. REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

By entering the Competition, Participant represents and warrants that: (a) except for elements that are in the public domain, all elements of the Submission Materials are wholly original and are not a copy of imitation of other material; (b) Participant has the right to grant all rights granted to Sponsors in these Official Rules and Sponsor may exercise such rights without obligation or liability to any third party; (c) the Submission Materials will not defame nor infringe the rights of any third party, including, without limitation, copyright, privacy rights, false light; (d) the Submission Materials are not the subject of any threatened litigation or dispute that could give rise to a litigation; (e) Participant has not previously optioned, sold or otherwise transferred rights to the Submission Materials to any third party; and (f) Participant has satisfied all Eligibility Requirements in these Rules at the time of entry into the Competition and will notify Producer and/or Network if circumstances change which would make Participant ineligible.

IX. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY

The Released Parties (defined below) are not responsible for: (a) any injury or damage to persons or property that may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from Participant’s participation in the Competition or the Project; (b) technical failures of any kind; (c) technical or human error that may occur in the administration of the Competition or processing of submissions; (d) incorrect information, whether caused by Participants, printing errors or any equipment used in the Competition; or (e) any inability of the Finalists or Winner to accept or use any prize for any reason.

BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION, PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT SPONSORS, COMPETITION ENTITIES AND THEIR PARENT COMPANY, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, REPRESENTATIVES, CONSULTANTS, CONTRACTORS, LEGAL COUNSEL, ADVERTISING, PUBLIC RELATIONS, PROMOTIONAL, FULFILLMENT AND MARKETING, WEBSITE PROVIDERS, WEB MASTERS, AND THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AGENTS (THE “RELEASED PARTIES”) WILL HAVE NO LIABILITY WHATSOEVER FOR, AND SHALL BE HELD HARMLESS BY PARTICIPANTS AGAINST, ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURIES, LOSSES OR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND TO PERSONS, INCLUDING PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH, OR PROPERTY RESULTING IN WHOLE OR IN PART, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, FROM OR PARTICIPATION IN THIS COMPETITION OR ANY COMPETITION-RELATED ACTIVITY, OR ANY CLAIMS BASED ON PUBLICITY RIGHTS, DEFAMATION OR INVASION OF PRIVACY. THE RELEASED PARTIES ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE IF ANY PRIZE CANNOT BE AWARDED DUE TO CANCELLATIONS, DELAYS, OR INTERRUPTIONS DUE TO ACTS OF GOD, ACTS OF WAR, NATURAL DISASTERS, WEATHER, OR TERRORISM. BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS COMPETITION, PARTICIPANT AGREES THAT THE RELEASED PARTIES WILL NOT BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR ANY INJURIES, DAMAGES, OR LOSSES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES TO PERSONS, INCLUDING DEATH, OR TO PROPERTY ARISING OUT OF ACCESS TO AND USE OF ANY WEBSITE ASSOCIATED WITH THIS COMPETITION OR THE DOWNLOADING FROM AND/OR PRINTING MATERIAL DOWNLOADED FROM SUCH SITE.

Release: To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Participant, on behalf of Participant and Participant’s heirs, next of kin, spouse or spousal equivalent, guardians, legal representatives, executors, administrators, successors and assigns, (collectively “Releasing Parties”), irrevocably and unconditionally agree not to sue and release the Released Parties from all claims, damages, liabilities, costs, expenses of any kind (including, without limitation, attorneys’ fees) (collectively, “Claims”) using any legal theory (including, without limitation, intentional or negligent infliction of emotional distress, violation of privacy or publicity rights, defamation, false light, breach of implied or express contract, copyright infringement, etc.) arising from participation in the Competition, Project, Submission Materials (whether or not produced) , including, without limitation, the application of the Initial Criteria and Final Criteria, selection process, these Official Rules, Participant’s depiction in the Project, references to Participant’s Submission Materials in the Project, production of a project similar to Participant’s Submission Materials, or the exhibition or use of any other materials submitted by Participant to Sponsors. WITHOUT LIMITING THE GENERALITY OF THE FOREGOING, Sponsors shall have no liability for any personal injuries, death, property damage, or other damages or expenses resulting from or arising out of any travel related to the PRIZE or THE PROJECT, and the 6-MONTH WRITER-IN-VIRTUAL RESIDENCY .

X. ARBITRATION

To the maximum extent permitted by law, all disputes related to the Competition will be resolved, upon the election by Participant or Sponsors, through a binding arbitration administered by Judicial Arbitration and Mediation Services, Inc. (“JAMS”) pursuant to JAMS Streamlined Arbitration Rules and Procedures, which can be found at https://www.jamsadr.com/rules-streamlined-arbitration/ .

IF ARBITRATION IS CHOSEN BY ANY PARTY WITH RESPECT TO A CLAIM, NEITHER PARTY WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO LITIGATE THAT CLAIM IN COURT OR HAVE A JURY TRIAL ON THAT CLAIM. FURTHER, NEITHER SPONSORS NOR PARTICIPANT WILL HAVE THE RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN A REPRESENTATIVE CAPACITY ON BEHALF OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC OR OTHER PERSONS SIMILARLY SITUATED, OR AS A MEMBER OF ANY CLASS OF CLAIMANTS PERTAINING TO ANY CLAIM SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION. EXCEPT AS SET FORTH BELOW, THE ARBITRATOR’S DECISION WILL BE FINAL AND BINDING. NOTE THAT OTHER RIGHTS THAT PARTICIPANT WOULD HAVE IF PARTICIPANT WENT TO COURT ALSO MAY NOT BE AVAILABLE IN ARBITRATION.

The arbitrator’s authority to resolve disputes is limited to dispute between Sponsors and Participants alone, and the arbitrator’s authority to make awards is limited to awards to Sponsors and Participants alone. Furthermore, claims brought by either party against the other may not be joined or consolidated in arbitration with claims brought by or against any third party, unless agreed to in writing by all parties. No arbitration award or decision will have any preclusive effect as to issues or claims in any dispute with anyone who is not a named party to the arbitration. Notwithstanding any other provision in these Official Rules and without waiving either party’s right to appeal such decision, should any portion of this provision be deemed invalid or unenforceable, then the entire provision (other than this sentence) shall not apply. Judgments on the arbitration award may be entered in any court having jurisdiction. This clause shall not preclude parties from seeking provisional remedies in aid of arbitration from a court of appropriate jurisdiction. Each party will bear its own costs, including attorneys’ fees. Failure to appear at any arbitration hearing entitles the arbitrator to continue with the proceeding with only one party.

Inquiries: All inquiries related to this Competition should be sent to: scripted@strategiced.com

XI. WINNERS LIST

For the names of prize winners (available after February 29, 2020), send a self-addressed, stamped, business size (#10) envelop by March 31, 2020 to 1133 15th ST NW, Washington, DC 20005. Winners list will be sent after winners have been verified.

BY ENTERING THIS COMPETITION, YOU CONSENT TO THE COMPETITIONS OFFICIAL RULES.
BY SUBMITTING, YOU INDICATE THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTAND, AND AGREE TO THE OFFICIAL RULES.