Objective

As Austin Film Festival continues to grow and expand, our vision also widens with the addition of new avenues for storytellers. In 2017 we introduced the inaugural Playwriting Competition. It is open to full-length stage plays and gives playwrights a chance to explore our film and television conference. It will also allow film professionals to discover storytellers who have mastered the art and craft of stage drama.

AFF has always promoted story as the most important element of film and TV. So giving playwrights their own story exposure and a chance of crossover into film and TV only advances our mission. There are many other playwriting competitions out there, but AFF offers playwrights a broader access to successful writers and professionals in all of the other related fields.

Deadline/Entry Fees

Expired. Previous Deadline: 05/15/2018

Notification: October 28, 2017.

Rules

General Eligibility

• All plays submitted must be in English.
• The play must not have been optioned, sold, had a professional production, or be scheduled to have a professional production prior to October 28, 2017. A “professional production” is defined as a staged production where the playwrights involved were or will be compensated for their intellectual property or work. Applicants must notify Austin Film Festival (“AFF” or the “Festival”) of any changes in status following submission.
• Applicants may submit more than one play.
• All submissions must be accompanied by the appropriate submission fee PER ENTRY and if submitting by mail, a completed entry form including authors’ original signatures. Please do not send a photocopy of your signature. Make checks or money orders payable to “Austin Film Festival.” Only US money orders will be accepted. AFF reserves the right in its sole discretion to reject or disqualify any ineligible entries, without a refund. Full-length plays, original or adapted, will be accepted. One-act plays, musicals, and screenplays will not be considered.
• Only complete applications will be accepted.

Originality and Permissions; INDEMNITY

• If submitting an adapted work based on material not in the public domain, the writer(s) must obtain all necessary rights prior to entering the competition.
• Plays must be the original work of the applicant(s). If based upon a real person’s life, applicant(s) must secure rights to make such adaptations. However, it is not necessary to submit the adaptation rights agreements to AFF. Neither the Festival nor its jurists investigates or attests to the authenticity of an applicant’s statement of authorship or rights secured. By entering the competition, you are acknowledging that you have secured all necessary rights.
• Applicants are solely responsible for obtaining all necessary rights and permissions for third-party materials included in their material, including but not limited to music lyrics and other copyrighted material. AFF expressly disclaims all liability or responsibility for any violations of the foregoing.
• BY SUBMITTING THE MATERIAL, THE APPLICANT HEREBY AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS, AND DEFEND THE FESTIVAL, ITS EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS, REPRESENTATIVES, AND AFFILIATES FROM ANY LIABILITY, CLAIMS, AND DAMAGES IN CONNECTION WITH THE SUBMISSION AND FROM ANY FEES AND EXPENSES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO REASONABLE ATTORNEYS’ FEES, THAT ANY OF THEM MAY INCUR IN CONNECTION THEREWITH.

Additional Information

• If a submission involves two or more writers as applicants, the monetary prize and any reimbursements will be divided equally among them and only one Typewriter Award will be provided.
• Once an entry payment has been processed we cannot provide a refund. If a payment is disputed by an entrant for any reason, the entrant may be subject to any transaction fees or similar amounts incurred by AFF in connection with the dispute.
• No revisions or missing pages will be accepted once entry has been received.
• Awards are based solely on the overall merit of entries. Judges reserve the right not to grant an award. We strongly suggest that applicants copyright their plays with the US Copyright Office (www.copyright.gov) before submitting.

General Format Rules

• Standard play format is preferred.
• Preferred font type is Times New Roman but any font will be accepted. Font size must be in 12 point.
• Preferred page length is around 60 – 90 pages. Plays will not be disqualified if the page length does not fit these parameters as long as it could reasonably be performed within 90 minutes on stage.
• Pages must be numbered.
• Be sure that a Character Breakdown precedes the script.
• Please include age and gender of each character. The breakdown should not exceed one page.
• NO REVISIONS OR MISSING PAGES WILL BE ACCEPTED ONCE ENTRY HAS BEEN RECEIVED.

Mailed-In Submissions Format

• Pages should be two or three hole punched, bound between cardstock covers and fastened by two or three metal brads.
• Pages may be double-sided.
• Only the TITLE of the play should appear on the front stock cover (legibly written or typed). A second title page with all contact information (TITLE, AUTHOR, AUTHOR’S ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, E-MAIL ADDRESS, and a BRIEF SYNOPSIS) should be included but kept separate from the play. The author’s name must not appear elsewhere in the play in order to preserve anonymity in the judging process.
• Payments made with a check are subject to our Bounced Check Policy: If we receive a returned check from our bank for a payment you made, you will be invoiced for the original amount of the check plus a $25 bank fee. The payment of the invoiced amount will be due within 30 days of invoice date. We will not re-submit the original check, nor will we accept another check for repayment. Repayment must be made by money order or cashier’s check.

Online Submissions Format:

• Submission must be in PDF format and under 5MB. Only the TITLE of the play should appear on the front cover page.
• A second title page with contact information is not required for online submissions.
• The author’s name must not appear anywhere in the script in order to preserve anonymity in the judging process.

Selected Scripts and Winners

• AFF has no obligation (other than as stated in these rules or on our website) to disclose any of the following information: i) identities of readers or judges; ii) notes, feedback, or information relating to the submitted material; and/or iii) details regarding the submission review or selection process.
• Except as explicitly stated, no representations or guarantees are made regarding the feedback or comments provided, or the quality thereof. The opinions of the readers are their own and do not reflect the opinions of AFF. AFF explicitly disclaims any liability or responsibility for any comments, notes, or opinions expressed about a submission, whether by AFF or by its volunteers.
• Winners will be announced on October 28, 2017. The judges’ decision is final.
• Winners receiving cash prizes are solely responsible for payment of all applicable local, state, and federal taxes.

RETURNS AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

• Submissions will not be returned under any circumstances. Please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard for each submission if you wish acknowledgement of the receipt of your screenplay/teleplay (mailed-in entries only).
• Online submissions will receive a confirmation email. Notification letters will be sent by postal mail by mid-September. Semifinalists will be contacted by phone around this time.

Awards

Three finalists from the Playwriting Competition will have staged readings during the festival which will be performed in front of an audience including the industry professionals already in attendance at the Conference. One winner will be selected and will receive a $1000 cash prize, AFF’s Bronze Typewriter Award, and reimbursements of up to $500 for travel and up to $500 for lodging if used during the 2017 Festival.