"CREAM OF THE CROP" SCREENPLAY CONTESTS
Academy Nicholl Fellowship, the official screenwriting competition of the Academy (think: Oscars), this one is considered quite prestigious. It is, therefore, quite competitive.
Save the Cat! Screenplay Challenge, the world’s leading storytelling method, is the only screenplay competition that uses the same language the writer, the reader, and the decision makers use when analyzing your work. All scripts receive a full read. All entrants receive 50 points of analysis—at no additional cost and the feedback is grounded in structure versus subjective opinion.
ScreenCraft, a well-judged screenplay contest, one of the best features of this particular one is the number of genres you’re open to submit to. Comedy, sci-fi, horror, half-hour sitcom, they're all represented here. They even have a "public domain" contest just for works based on IP that isn't copyrighted anymore. Think: Shakespeare, Greek Mythology, or most books or plays published in the United States before 1923. Screencraft has one of the best screenwriting websites that every screenwriter should check out.
Austin Screenwriting Competition, tied to the Austin Film Festival, this screenplay contest is also considered prestigious. Sometimes it will even include some celebrity judges who announce the winners.
Page International Screenwriting Awards, an internationally recognized screenwriting competition, shows such as Ozark and Justified have won this contest. As well as films such as The Judge and The Accountant.
BlueCat Screenplay Competition has had a number of its alumni go on to be a part of a number of successful projects. They also provide full coverage of all entered screenplays, regardless of if you place in the competition.
Finish Line Script Competition, a rare bird in the world of screenplay contests, Finish Line allows you to re-submit your script after you receive notes. This increases your chances of winning because as the old saying goes, "writing is rewriting."
Final Draft Big Break Contest, the official contest of the most widely-known (and used) screenwriting software, many of the winners have gone on to sign deals with production companies or with agents at places such as UTA.
Scriptapalooza, another largely popular screenplay contest, this one doesn't have the diverse genres as ScreenCraft, but divides film and TV.
Diversity Initiative Competition - Roadmap Writers, The lack of diversity and representation in Hollywood has been at the forefront of the national conversation for a while now. At Roadmap, we want to do our part to help bring more diversity to the big screen (and the small)! For us, that starts with the screenwriters.
SlamDance, one of the few other screenwriting contests that offers feedback or coverage from the judges. These can be crucial to developing and rewriting your script over time.
Sundance Lab, the official contest of the biggest festival in the industry, this is more of an incubator or development course than a screenwriting competition. That being said, it's great to have on a resume and can really open doors. The Lab has a number of "tracks" to submit to. Whether you're doing the feature film program or the TV development lab, the networking opportunities available to winners are too good to pass up on submitting here.
Script Pipeline is a great way to discover talented writers, but their interest is just as much in incubating talent over the long haul. Contest finalists and handpicked screenwriters work with Script Pipeline executives year-round, getting ongoing, one-on-one feedback and broader exposure on their work. Over the last two decades, Script Pipeline has facilitated over $6 million in screenplay and TV pilot spec sales, so it's definitely worth checking out. Especially if you're looking for a hands-on approach and continuous guidance.
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