Why Submit

For over thirty years, Austin Film Festival’s annual Script Competitions serve as a launchpad, providing emerging talent with meaningful opportunities, mentorship, and real access. With one of the most noteworthy competitions among Hollywood tastemakers, AFF’s Competitions has a rich history of connecting creatives with industry leaders and fostering meaningful opportunities for writers at all stages of their career.

With an incredible alumni network, the industry consistently looks to AFF’s competitions to identify emerging talent and distinct voices.

Invest In Your Writing Career

The 2026 Screenplay Competition features 12 categories of competition, including feature (drama, comedy, horror, & sci-fi) and short screenplays, teleplays (both drama & comedy pilot & spec), playwriting, fiction podcast, and scripted digital series. Show More

Why Submit

For over thirty years, Austin Film Festival’s annual Script Competitions serve as a launchpad, providing emerging talent with meaningful opportunities, mentorship, and real access. With one of the most noteworthy competitions among Hollywood tastemakers, AFF’s Competitions has a rich history of connecting creatives with industry leaders and fostering meaningful opportunities for writers at all stages of their career.

With an incredible alumni network, the industry consistently looks to AFF’s competitions to identify emerging talent and distinct voices.

Invest In Your Writing Career

The 2026 Screenplay Competition features 12 categories of competition, including feature (drama, comedy, horror, & sci-fi) and short screenplays, teleplays (both drama & comedy pilot & spec), playwriting, fiction podcast, and scripted digital series.

Each year AFF partners with Industry leading companies who share a passion for connecting vetted emerging talent to invaluable career opportunities. Through tailored fellowships and awards, writers recognized through the competition are met with professional guidance to open doors and move the career needle forward. Partners have included AMC Networks, Valhalla Entertainment, Big Indie Pictures, The Donners’ Company, Enderby Entertainment, YMH Studios, Starburns Industries, Sony Entertainment, The Wonder Project, Writers Guild of America, East, Warner Bros, and more.

Though AFF is one of the largest and most respected screenplay competitions, every entrant receives personalized attention and multiple reads throughout the process. All entrants can opt in to receive FREE “Reader Comments” which are a brief, overall summary of their notes. AFF sends e-mailed notifications in September to ensure everyone knows their placement in the competition. Second Rounders may also find a personalized note in their notification letter from the Screenplay Competition Director!

You’ll Get Back Way More Than You Bargained For

Not only do all entrants receive registration discounts, but you get larger discounts when you place in the competition. Unlike other screenplay competitions, your experience with AFF doesn’t end after making the first cut. Second Rounders, Semifinalists, and Finalists attend exclusive panels, industry lunches, intimate roundtable discussions, script reading workshops, and are afforded special access to working writers, agents, managers, producers, and executives who are actively looking to open doors for new voices. Through AFF’s programing, conversations may include how to find representation, demystifying the development process, how to pitch yourself and your project, and how successful alumni from the competition made the most of their placement.

Additionally, Semifinalists and Finalists’ loglines and contact information are also included in the annual Producer’s Book, distributed to all AFF panelists as well as over 800 agents, managers, producers, and other industry professionals.

At the Semifinalist level and above industry judges are actively seeking scripts and new talent to sign. In past years, these judges have included representatives from Sony, Disney Entertainment, Range Media, AMC, NBC Universal, Paradigm Agency, Untitled Entertainment, Grandview Management, Lit Entertainment, Showtime, Mosaic Media, Big Indie Pictures, Donners’ Company, Nickelodeon, UTA, CAA, WME, DreamWorks, and Pixar among others.

Signing Deals and Launching Projects

AFF’s Screenplay Competition is one of the most acclaimed contests within the industry for establishing the careers of up-and-coming writers. Countless past competition entrants have signed with major agencies and have had their scripts optioned, acquired, and produced by signatory production companies.

In 2023, following a competitive bidding war, AFF winner Mac Smullen’s winning script Souvenir Alaska was optioned by Warner Brothers and is currently in production. At the 2023 Festival, Drama pilot winner Austin Elliott met 2008 AFF winner Oren Uziel, who was speaking at the Conference, and was later staffed on Uziel’s upcoming series Spider-Noir, starring Nicholas Cage, premiering May 2026. Winner of the Drama Feature and Enderby Entertainment Award, Becca Hurd, signed with Verve Agency immediately following her win, and 2025 Horror Feature Award Winner Danny Salemme signed with Untitled Entertainment. Wes Brown, 2014 winner of the AMC One-Hour Pilot Award, was hired as a staff writer for AMC, Amy Aniobi, 2011 Semifinalist, has been hired to write for HBO’s Silicon Valley. 2013 Finalist LaToya Morgan co-created and EP’d HBO’s Duster (2025) with J.J. Abrams.