A list of upcoming screenplay contests, rated by screenwriters and sorted by deadline. Find the best contest for your screenplay or television script.
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Final Deadline: 07/17/2019
Stage 32's screenwriting contests have gained a reputation as some of the "most worthwhile screenwriting contests to enter." The reason for this is simple: We provide unparalleled access to industry executives and work directly with our winning writers in an never ending quest to help them find success.
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Final Deadline: 07/17/2019
The Scriptation Showcase is officially open for submissions! Emerging writers can now enter their best screenplay, teleplay, or short. The Scriptation Showcase is the screenwriting competition that circulates winners’ scripts to the directors, showrunners, and producers behind your favorite movies and TV shows. Why submit to the Scriptation Showcase? UNPRECENDENTED EXPOSURE Never before has a screenwriting competition made your script so accessible to working industry professionals.
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Final Deadline: 07/20/2019
The NHMC Television Scriptwriter’s Program is designed to familiarize participants with the format, characters and storyline structure of specific shows that are currently on the air. The five-week, *total immersion workshop is mentored and guided by former NBC V.P of Script Development, Geoff Harris and is conducted in Sherman Oaks, CA. A total of 10 writers are accepted nationwide from an established network of non-profit agencies, schools, universities, guilds and media organizations.
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Final Deadline: 07/23/2019
Big Break is an annual, international feature and television screenwriting contest designed to launch the careers of aspiring writers. Big Break rewards screenwriters with over $80,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to Los Angeles for a series of A-list executive meetings. Winners and finalists alike have had their screenplays optioned and produced and have secured high-profile representation as well as lucrative writing deals.
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Final Deadline: 07/26/2019
Broadening its mission to cultivate opportunities for and about women, SeriesFest is proud to partner with Big Swing Productions (founded by Emmy®- and Golden Globe®-winner Kyra Sedgwick, Meredith Bagby and Valerie Stadler) for the Women Writing Competition to discover and celebrate bold new series with a distinctly female perspective. The script writing competition gives female artists the opportunity to share diverse ideas through visual media and create unique and powerful roles for women.
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Final Deadline: 07/29/2019
The Slamdance Screenplay Competition is dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging writing talent. We welcome screenplays in every genre, on any topic, from anywhere in the world. A unique feature of the competition is providing constructive feedback for every entrant. In addition to this, we also offer a more intensive coverage service for a supplementary fee.
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Final Deadline: 07/30/2019
To promote and support new talent by creating real and original opportunities. To make Hollywood more accessible than ever before to more aspiring screenwriters, American Gem Short Script Writing Contest: presented by Filmmakers Magazine and Write Brothers, is forming strategic alliances with the powers that be in Film, TV and Literary Publishing.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019
To make Hollywood more accessible than ever before to more aspiring global screenwriters, Filmmakers is forming strategic alliances with the powers that be in Film and TV Script Writing; who are in search of top Screenplays & Writers... Filmmakers Championing Emerging Artists. FilmMakers International Screenwriting Awards has been in existence since 2000 (formerly known as The Radmin Company / FilmMakers.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019
Awards Ceremony at a Film Festival! Screenplay Festival winners get that rarest of experiences for a writer; applause from an audience. Our winners get to come out from behind the keyboard and be celebrated! Now Accepting Television Scripts! The writers spoke, and we listened. We have now added four categories to our contest for television scripts.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019
To make Hollywood more accessible than ever before to more aspiring screenwriters, 1st TV Script Writing Competition is forming strategic alliances with the powers that be in Film & TV, who are on the lookout for exceptional talent and TV scripts. The 1st TV Script Writing Competition is presented by FilmMakers Magazine. It wasn't that long ago that for a writer to get discovered he or she had to reside in or around Hollywood.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019
The Filmmatic Comedy Screenplay Awards were created to locate and expose up-and-coming comedic screenwriters, as well as to empower and educate those talented writers still waiting for their invitation into the mainstream film and television industries. Competition is open to comedic feature-length and short works, screenplays and teleplays.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019
On top of cash grants and Hollywood industry introductions, the top scripts are read by this amazing jury: Alice Kharoubi Alice Kharoubi is the the Head of the Cannes Film Festival’s Court Métrage, an entity dedicated to Short Films developed by the Cannes Film Festival. She is also the short film programmer for the Abu Dhabi Film Festival since its creation, as well as the international shorts programmer for Festival Tous Ecrans in Geneva, Switzerland.
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Final Deadline: 08/03/2019
The purpose of the Big Apple Film Festival Short Script Competition is to discover an engaging, innovative and purposeful scripts to support and promote to film industry professionals.
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Final Deadline: 08/05/2019
The "Set in Philadelphia" Screenwriting Competition (SIP), which is presented by the Greater Philadelphia Film Office offers over $20,000 in cash prizes. Screenwriters world-wide are invited to submit an original feature length screenplay or TV pilot length screenplay that COULD be produced in the Greater Philadelphia Metropolitan Area. Scripts are judged on their overall quality, and the extent to which they project "shootability" in the Greater Philadelphia region.
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Final Deadline: 08/07/2019
Enter now for a chance to have your script read by professional actors! Every script submitted is in the running to be one of 2 scripts chosen to be read in front of our audience and an Industry Insider at a West Hollywood Theatre. Our event can also be Live Streamed. So if a writer is selected from outside LA they will be able to watch online and receive feedback live from the Insider, the audience, and the online viewers - as if they are sitting in the theatre.
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Final Deadline: 08/11/2019
Roadmap Writers is proud to announce the launch of its inaugural JumpStart Writing Competition. The competition is open to both feature scripts and original television pilots. Roadmap Writers - a leader in screenwriting education taught by executives and literary representatives currently working in the industry - have helped 46 writers get signed to representation in just two years with companies that include Gersh, Circle of Confusion, APA, Gotham Group, Zero Gravity, and more! Much like our educational programs this competition is designed to give writers exposure to industry professionals who can help jump start their writing careers!
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Final Deadline: 08/15/2019
Do you have a great script but don't have the access to the industry to move it forward? That's what we're here for. This is the 10th season of the ISA Fast Track Fellowship. With each passing year we continue to find fresh and original voices to pair up with eight veteran industry mentors for an intense, career-launching week in Los Angeles.
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Final Deadline: 08/15/2019
MISSION: To provide industry exposure and support to television screenwriters who are looking to have their stories told. FEEDBACK: We believe that writers need feedback to improve, which is why we provide the judges’ score cards to every entrant at no additional charge. PROMISE: We promise to give all scripts two rounds of scores and there will be a total of six rounds of scores to ensure fairness and transparency.
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Final Deadline: 08/15/2019
Founded by longtime residents and movie veterans alike, the Sherman Oaks Film Festival looks to showcase the best undiscovered movies in the heart of Los Angeles. The neighborhood that was home the mall in Fast Times At Ridgemont High deserves a world class film festival! The Sherman Oaks Film Festival has a category for unproduced screenplays of any length, feature or short or in between.
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Final Deadline: 08/18/2019
Our Director of the Screenplay Competition is a working writer himself. We carefully select our Judges and try to assist the screenplay winners in their journey to sell their manuscripts. Exposure is half the battle. Our priority has always been the writer. Read our reviews on FilmFreeway and you'll see what past writers and filmmakers think of our competition.
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Final Deadline: 08/20/2019
New York New Stories Screenplay Contest is an exciting new script competition seeking submissions in the following categories: Short Film, TV/Web Pilot. New York New Stories is dedicated to discovering and celebrating the work of screenwriters from all backgrounds and all levels of experience. Our mission is to elevate unique and creative stories that are ready to be told.
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Final Deadline: 08/21/2019
OUR WINNERS GET RESULTS Over the years, our contest winners and finalists have been signed, optioned, put in development, staffed and secured high level meetings with some of the top executives and companies in the film industry. Our track record with the Search for New Blood has been off the charts. Now we’re back with this incredibly popular contest designed to give our horror and thriller writers the chance to have their work exposed to some of the top execs in the industry! Our top 3 winners will get exclusive meetings with executives.
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Final Deadline: 08/26/2019
From the start, the competition has leveraged our deep relationships with Hollywood’s top agents, managers, producers, and executives and consistently assembled a “who’s who” panel of 25 judges for each and every competition. This year is no exception, with judges participating from Paradigm, APA, Energy Entertainment, Circle of Confusion, Di Novi Pictures, Bellevue, and many more.
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Final Deadline: 08/26/2019
The Golden Script Competition is a yearly competition founded in Glasgow, UK, of short and feature screenplays from all around the world.
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Final Deadline: 08/27/2019
Through personalized feedback from experienced industry professionals and other writers in the program, Screenwriting Fellows will gain the tools to revise and refine their scripts for production. The Screenwriting Lab also helps to further the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to film industry veterans who can offer guidance on both the craft and business of screenwriting.
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Final Deadline: 08/28/2019
We have teamed up with several creative partners looking for Features and TV Pilots with unique voices and original stories. Our goal with this contest is to discover great writers then connect their authentic stories to those creative partners, and we are looking for the best writing in all of these genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Family/Holiday, Mystery/Crime, Historical/Biopic, Horror/Thriller, Sci-Fi/ Fantasy, Western and Young Adult (YA).
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Final Deadline: 08/30/2019
The objective of the Moondance International Film Festival is to inspire, motivate, promote and encourage the best writers & independent filmmakers, from every country in the world, and to inspire a greater understanding about the vital role of the arts in enhancing creativity, community spirit, and the preservation of our cultural heritage.
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Final Deadline: 08/30/2019
The screenplay award is organized and promoted by the RIFF. The intent is to offer new filmmakers a concrete opportunity to grow professionally by developing their films, and making them accessible to the public.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
The Cynosure Screenwriting Awards seek to expand the scope of mainstream cinema by recognizing and rewarding screenplays in two distinct categories: screenplays which feature compelling female protagonists; and screenplays that showcase diversity (ethnicity, race, gender, sexuality, disability, etc.).
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
OUR FOCUS IS TO DISCOVER THE BEST NEW SCREENWRITING TALENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD How do we do that? 19 Oscar & BAFTA Winning Judges will read the final round of submissions. 75 Production Companies, Agents & Managers are signed up to read each year’s best scripts. 50+ Directors are on our roster to read the best Feature screenplays.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
The Houston Comedy Film Festival opened for submissions in 2008 and we had our first event in 2009. We are looking for a diverse palette of comedy screenplays with the following categories. 1-40 pages is considered a short and 41-150 pages is considered a feature in our world. 1) Comedy Short & Comedy Features 2) Dark Comedy Short & Dark Comedy Feature 3) Comedy TV Episode, Sitcom, or Webisode: Short & Feature (commonly called a Teleplay) 4) Romantic Comedy Short and Romantic Comedy Feature 80% of the submissions go to the Comedy Short & Feature Categories, which are the most competitive.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
Through screenings and associated events, the festival aims to present a wide spectrum of filmmaking - feature films, documentaries, animation, short films, experimental, student work, big budget, micro-budget, trailers and so on. The Illinois International Film Festival brings audiences and filmmakers together to better enjoy the art and fun of filmmaking.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
The Austin Comedy Short Film Festival held our first event in 2015. This event has been bi-annual since the beginning. We are looking for a diverse palette of comedy screenplays with the following categories. 1-40 pages is considered a short and 41-150 pages is considered a feature in our world. 1) Comedy Short & Comedy Features Screenplays 2) Dark Comedy Short & Dark Comedy Feature Screenplays 3) Comedy TV Episode, Sitcom, or Webisode: Short & Feature (commonly called a Teleplay) 4) Romantic Comedy Short and Romantic Comedy Feature Screenplays 80% of the submissions go to the Comedy Short & Feature Categories, which are the most competitive.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
Successful feature film dramas drive deep into the heart of what it means to be human, expressing universal themes with nuanced complexity. Our judges are looking for great stories with original voices and honest emotion. This competition celebrates great dramatic film writing. Whether you’re writing a sweeping period drama or a contained relationship movie, we want to read your script!
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2019
OUR FOCUS IS TO DISCOVER THE BEST NEW SCREENWRITING TALENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD How do we do that? 12 EMMY & Golden Globe Winning Judges will read the final round of submissions. 43 Production Companies, Agents & Managers are signed up to read each year’s best scripts. 50+ Directors are on our roster to read the best TV Pilot scripts.
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Final Deadline: 09/01/2019
The Athena List is an annual script competition that selects exceptional scripts with women leaders at the heart of the story. As the central program in the Athena Film Festival’s Parity Pipeline program, The Athena List’s goal is to raise the profile of the scripts and the writers within the industry with the purpose of getting these movies made and elevating their careers to the next level.
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Final Deadline: 09/01/2019
New York City's longest running horror film festival. Established by MooDude Films CEO / Producer / Director / Michael J. Hein in 2001. The NYCHFF is a four-day event that takes place each November in New York City. The NYCHFF has grown to be a world recognized event, with industry, filmmakers, and press attention from around the globe.The Hein Family is committed to keeping the festival alive in memory of the truly missed and loved founder Michael J Hein.
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Final Deadline: 09/05/2019
The mission of the American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest is to find and promote new and innovative voices in cinema. Every script is read closely by a select handful of professional readers, and Francis Ford Coppola selects a grand prize–winner from among the top ten finalists. The grand prize–winner receives a cash prize, and the scripts of all top ten finalists are sent by Zoetrope to leading production companies and talent agencies for consideration.
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Final Deadline: 09/06/2019
Breaking Walls is a contest for thriller screenplays with contacts at established Hollywood literary representation and production companies who have agreed to consider the full winning script and the top finalists' loglines. Well-written thrillers are always an excellent way for writers to show Hollywood pros a combination of commerciality, unique voice, and a clear understanding of effective feature film narrative.
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Final Deadline: 09/17/2019
The Vancouver International Women in Film Festival Screenplay Competition accepts English-language feature screenplays written by women. The festival is a forum for collaboration and networking with other screenwriters and filmmakers who contribute to the visibility of women through the ongoing practice of their craft. We encourage you to submit a feature film script of any genre, challenging the perceptions of what stories women write, and what we want to see.
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Final Deadline: 09/20/2019
The Filmmatic TV Pilot Awards were created to locate and expose up-and-coming TV and web-series writers, as well as to empower and educate passionate and talented screenwriters still waiting for their invitation into the mainstream industry. Competition is open to TV pilots, webisodes and inventive TV-series scripts of all genres. Season 4 results will post by November 15, 2019.
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Final Deadline: 09/21/2019
Welcome to the WRPN Women's International Film Festival, where distribution and feedback opportunities abound for films made by women, or films that carry subject matter relating to concerns particular to women's issues. WWIFF is a sister festival to the Depth of Field International Film Festival, a FilmFreeway “Top 100 Reviewed” festival alumni.
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Final Deadline: 09/30/2019
We are looking to find the next generation of great feature screenwriters by shining a spotlight on new, fresh voices. And we've enlisted a great industry judging panel from the feature world to help us. THE INDUSTRY PANEL: Brooklyn Weaver – Manager/Producer - Energy Entertainment Anna Culp – EVP – Imagine Jennifer Au – Lit Manager – Untitled Entertainment John Campbell – Creative Executive - Bruckheimer Films David Boxerbaum - Lit Agent/Partner - Verve Ken Freimann - Manager/Producer - Circle of Confusion Brin Lukens – Executive – AwesomenessTV Norm Todd – Creative Executive - Infinitum Nihil Erin Westerman - VP - Lionsgate Chris Sablan - Lit Manager/Producer - Avenue 220 Ava Jamshidi - Lit Manager - Industry Entertainment Tara Farney - Vice President - Vinson Films Janet Jeffries - Development Executive - Lawrence Bender Productions Lucas Carter - VP, Film - Intrigue Entertainment Josh Goldenberg - Lit Manager - Kaplan/Perrone Lucy Kitada - Executive - Michael De Luca Productions Ryan Cunningham - Lit Manager - Madhouse Entertainment John Swetnam - Writer/Producer - Mad Horse Films
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Final Deadline: 09/30/2019
Our panel of Hollywood industry professionals is looking for the next great drama and comedy TV pilots for network, cable and online platforms! Accepting web series and non-traditional series pilots as well. Three winners will receive cash awards and introductions to industry professionals. The Industry Jury: This year's jury is our best one yet! Our industry judges are looking for fresh voices in comedy and drama writing for television and web series! Our mission is to connect great TV writers with great TV producers, managers and development executives.
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Final Deadline: 09/30/2019
The Portland Comedy Film Festival, ranked in the Top 100 on FilmFreeway, is a unique forum for international independent comedy filmmakers to showcase their comedy films in Portland, Oregon. The Portland Comedy Film Festival is a bi-annual event, searching for funny and engaging films and screenplays to entertain a comedy loving audience.
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Final Deadline: 10/13/2019
WriteMovies has been helping writers succeed since 1999! Now in our 20th anniversary year, we are currently accepting entries to our Fall 2019 Screenwriting Contest! Grand Prize: $2000 A year of free script development worth up to $3200 Guaranteed pitching to industry Exclusive prizes from InkTip Get free entry to the contest when you commission a script report, with Judging Feedback from just $89 Through our exclusive arrangement with TALENTSCOUT INTERNATIONAL MANAGEMENT (TSIM) we can guarantee the contest winner representation.
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Final Deadline: 10/15/2019
Our intention is to help open doors for the aspiring television writer. There are four categories you can submit to, which include 1 hour existing spec scripts, 1/2 hour existing sitcom spec scripts, original pilots, and reality programs. This competition is designed with the TV writer and crossover screenwriter in mind. The participants we have chosen to read the winning scripts are individuals from established production companies.
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Final Deadline: 10/30/2019
To discover innovative, marketable, high-concept projects for studio-level development, including feature screenplays, TV material, and media content.
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Final Deadline: 10/31/2019
Top scripts will be considered by our industry jury of executives, writers, and managers who focus on the action and thriller genres: Jenny Wood, Elevate Entertainment Manager of Taylor Sheridan, writer of Hell or High Water, Sicario and Sicario: Day of the Soledado. Belle Avery, Appelles Entertainment Producer of The Meg, a big budget action adventure starring Jason Statham in theaters August 10th.
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Final Deadline: 10/31/2019
Filmmatic coined a slogan, "Hidden screenplays never get produced". As writers, we spend a lot of our precious time crafting unique scripts, yet we hardly ever employ an equal level of passion when attempting to get our work into the "right hands". The exposure and prestige one can gain from placing or winning a screenplay competition is invaluable, but what do you say this time around we also get you PITCHING! Let's get proactive, let's pick a production company that makes sense for our project, tell them we were a Pitch Now Finalist or Winner, and get them to review our work, now not later ;) All 100 finalists will be able to pitch to a studio or production company of their choice via Virtual Pitch Fest! The competition is open to feature-length and short works, screenplays and teleplays.
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