![[storyPros]](/images/ads/storyProsAwards2019a.jpg)
A list of categorized screenplay contests, ranked and sorted by screenwriters. Find the best contest for your screenplay or television script.
Subscribe to the MovieBytes Screenwriting Contest Newsletter for weekly screenplay contest deadline alerts!
Final Deadline: 03/27/2019
Whether you’re writing feature comedy screenplays or 30-60 minute teleplays, we want you to bring the funny! This year, we will again be flying our winner out to Los Angeles for face-to-face meetings. Further, other winning writers will have online meetings with executives and all finalists will have their loglines exposed to a list of hundreds of executives for the possibility of having their scripts requested.
Overall rating: 
Final Deadline: 03/31/2019
It has been hailed by L.A. Weekly as the festival with "THE WORLD'S SEXIEST DARKEST CRIME SHORT FILMS." Saturday, May 25th, LIVE FROM DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES, Downtown Independent Theater hosts THE 2019 L.A. NEO NOIR, NOVEL, FILM, AND SCRIPT FEST 7 (LANNEFF)! This is the ONLY FESTIVAL IN THE ENTIRE WORLD that makes a short film of EVERY writing submission and screens the best of those submissions AT THE FESTIVAL and gives every writing submission a copy of their fully produced short film based on their script, story, or novel.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 03/31/2019
The Inroads Screenwriting Fellowship competition was created to locate, expose and nurture up-and-coming screenwriters who have yet to receive their invitation to the mainstream industry. The competition is proudly sponsored by InkTip, The Script Coverage Co., and Filmmatic, and is open to all screenplays and pilots.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/03/2019
Honoring Stories Worth Telling. All Ages, All Cultures, All written formats. The rationale behind the festival is clear. New media continues to show its lasting power and potential to evolve - there is scope for truly groundbreaking and compelling work in the world of storytelling. The festival is designed to both discover and cultivate highly creative work from emerging and seasoned content creators.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/05/2019
The Nashville Film Festival Screenwriting Competition leverages one of the oldest and largest film festivals in the U.S. Each year, NashFilm draws hundreds of filmmakers, musicians and industry to ten days of films, panels, red carpet events, live music showcases and parties. NashFilm is an Academy® Award Qualifying Festival in three short film categories.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/10/2019
Creative World Awards (CWA) is an international screenwriting contest that is well known for having the writer's interest at heart when it comes to development and industry promotion. Production: CWA brings an exciting production opportunity to the Grand Prize Winner. This year’s winner will have a short version of their script produced by The MIX, and the film will then get a guaranteed premiere at the Richmond International Film Festival.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/15/2019
The PAGE Awards competition was established in the fall of 2003 by an alliance of Hollywood producers, agents, and development execs. Our goal: to discover the most exciting new scripts by up-and-coming writers from across the country and around the world. And due to the success of our winning writers, the PAGE Awards competition has rapidly become one of the most important sources for new screenwriting talent within the Hollywood community and worldwide.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/22/2019
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.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/23/2019
The True Story Screenplay Competition recognizes and showcases feature screenplays and television scripts based on, or inspired by, true stories.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/29/2019
We are looking to find the next generation of Sorkins, Rhimes, Gilligans, & Lorres by shining a spotlight on new, fresh voices writing for television. And we've enlisted a great industry judging panel from the TV world to help us. THE INDUSTRY PANEL Berry Welsh - SVP, Production & Development - Tribeca Film Tyler Knell - Manager of Development - Circle of Confusion Television Studios Peter Dealbert - Lit Manager - Pacific View Management Jeff Portnoy - Lit Manager - Bellevue Productions Dustin Davis - Head of Comedy - Youtube Originals Amanda Krentzman - International Originals - Netflix Jillian Apfelbaum - EVP, Content - Village Roadshow Entertainment Group Ryan Cunningham - Lit Manager - Anonymous Content Chris Mills - Lit Manager - Magnet Management Justin Killion - Head of Premium Programming & Development - COMPLEX Carly Kahane - Vice-President - Topple Productions Mike Goldberg - TV Lit Agent - APA A.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/30/2019
To find the best GENRE scripts. Genre scripts are bought and produced more than 10 to 1 over the serious drama, tentpole or quirky scripts that usually win screenplay contests. This contest pits genre scripts only against scripts within their genre, and seeks to identify and promote to the industry the very best in each genre -- in other words, the scripts with the very best chances in the marketplace.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/30/2019
The Filmmatic Screenplay Awards were created to locate and expose up-and-coming screenwriters, as well as to empower and educate those talented writers still waiting for their invitation to the mainstream industry. The DRAMA Competition is open to feature-length and short works, screenplays and teleplays.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/30/2019
We love New York and we love film! We especially loves films shot, set, about, or written and produced and starring New Yorkers! And by New Yorker, we mean New Yorkers from the State, the City, and around the world. Even New Yorkers who haven’t made it here yet. We love you all. (And no, you don’t have to be from here to submit your scripts). We are a passionate group of artists who care deeply about nurturing, developing, and furthering the careers of the next generation of New York City filmmakers and screenwriters from the U.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/01/2019
The focus of this eight month program is on opening doors: providing opportunities to build relationships with network executives and show runners; to support new and emerging writers in their efforts to improve their craft; and to develop the interpersonal skills necessary to break in and succeed. The Writers Mentoring Program is not employment and there is no monetary compensation.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/01/2019
Working with top industry mentors, annual four-day intensive lab is designed to help participants develop film and TV projects in an intensive and supportive environment. You will learn skills and be exposed to opportunities to get your work made and seen. The four-day lab is enrolled through competitive application process. All other elements of Stowe Story Labs programming (writers' retreats, ongoing mentoring, market experiences, fiscal agency) are available by invitation only.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/02/2019
The Table Read My Screenplay – Screenplay Contest will help you to propel your screenwriting career forward with a transformative Table Read showcase experience, an opportunity to confidently pitch to a range of over 200 industry professionals with the title of “Grand Prize Winner” at the 23rd Annual Hollywood Pitch Festival, and a support mechanism for layering a long-term career with an invitation to be a part of the elite ISA Development Slate.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/04/2019
13Horror.com is back with THE go-to contest for horror screenwriters and film-makers! The categories for the contest are: Feature-length screenplays Short screenplays Feature-length movies Short movies Winning entrants will receive some truly awesome prizes, including: Cash Publishing deals Movie distribution offer Film-making classes Contacts with horror movie industry insiders Horror merchandise And much more Each screenplay and movie entrant receives a comprehensive feedback form from one of our Hollywood judges, explaining how their screenplay or film did against the judging criteria.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/08/2019
To recognize excellence in screenwriting of shorts and features in a wide variety of genres.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/15/2019
The Ultimate Runway Now in our 25th year, the Austin Film Festival has been catapulting writers into life-changing careers for over two decades. Whether your dream is to sign a contract, land an agent, learn from an industry icon, or take home the coveted Bronze Typewriter Award, it’s simple: you can’t win if you don’t enter.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/23/2019
The Diversity Film & Script Showcase recognizes and showcases screenplays with a PERSON OF COLOR REPRESENTED or a WOMAN REPRESENTED as one of the following: Lead Character OR Filmmaker (Writer or Co-Writer, or Director, or Producer).
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/24/2019
HollyShorts Film Festival (HSFF) is an annual Academy Qualifying short film festival showcasing the best and brightest short films and short screenplays from around the globe. The festival showcases the top short films produced 40 minutes or less and is looking for the best short screenplays 30 pages or less.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/31/2019
For over 30 years, the Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop has been the premier writing program for new writers looking to start and further their career in the world of television. The list of graduates who have gone on to do great things is long: Terrance Winter (Boardwalk Empire), Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives), Greg Garcia (My Name Is Earl) and Felicia Henderson (Soul Food) to name a few.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 05/31/2019
Year six is here, and the competition that has led to more signings, success stories and careers than any other writing competition in the world is now underway. With more than 400 signings, 140 projects set up, 61 writers staffed, 134 appearances on annual best of lists such as the Black List, Blood List, Hit List, and the Young & Hungry List, as well as 6 bidding wars, the Launch Pad Competition has become the premiere hub for Hollywood discovering new talent.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 06/01/2019
The Capital Fund Screenplay Competition, now in its fifth year of successes, where your scripts are read direct by investors that buy projects and fund films at the studio level domestically and abroad. Our entrants have been optioned and sold at AFM, Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Shanghai Film Markets. A Different Screenplay Contest Congratulations to the 2018 Winners at Universal 2019 Competition opens September 30, 2018.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 06/14/2019
Guaranteed distributor review by World Wide Motion Pictures Corporation (WWMPC.COM) for features, Adler & Associates for features and shorts, and Polaris Pictures (for Screenplays) among others, AT NO EXTRA COST TO YOU, for our select few ‘Best Of’ and "Award of Outstanding Excellence" winners in the 20 Major categories, based on sufficient qualified entries.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 06/23/2019
The ONLY screenplay competition focused exclusively on adapted material. The Adapted Screenplay Competition recognizes and showcases adapted feature and television scripts in ALL genres.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 06/24/2019
The fellowship program was developed to honor dedicated writers and to help further their creative process and skills. Writing in itself is a journey and we would like to facilitate the process by giving the fellows the opportunity to be surrounded by like-minded professionals and individuals. Application Requirements: Completed application and fee.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 06/27/2019
Emerging Screenwriter Award Winner (Selected from 7 Genre Award Winners) ISA Development Slate Invitation 1 Year ISAConnect with access to Writing Gigs and Industry Pros Accepted Genres: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Drama, Historical/Bio, Horror/Thriller, Mystery/Crime, Sci Fi/Fantasy Our goal is to help you, the emerging screenwriter develop as a storyteller, show off your talents to the industry, and provide you with a cash prize to propel you along in your screenwriting career.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 06/30/2019
Script Summit is a festival dedicated to supporting screenwriters. You will have the opportunity to connect with directors, producers, and other writers at the Script Summit Networking Event. The Summit also hosts Q&A panels, seminars, table reads of selected scripts, an awards dinner, and over $1,500 in cash prizes! We are very excited to announce that we have partnered with the famous Action on Film MEGAfest! This allows all of our writers with officially selected scripts, the chance to attend the AoF.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 07/01/2019
The Action on Film 15th Annual Film Festival celebrates and honors WRITERS of all genres and formats like no other festival does. $2000 in CASH PRIZES for TOP Winners. Now in our 15th year, our Film Festival has garnered a solid reputation as being one of the premier Writing competitions. The AOF MegaFest has created a solid community of Filmmakers and Writers from around the globe.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 07/11/2019
It’s a fact that rewriting your screenplay or television pilot is an absolutely essential part of the successful process of perfecting story, character, structure, tone and theme. It’s from that reality that The Finish Line Script Competition was created. The Finish Line redefines the screenwriting competition, embracing the rewrite as an essential component in any successful screenplay, and incentivizing every entrant to dig deeper, find their best draft, and win.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 07/15/2019
A new kind of screenplay competition presented by LA Screenwriter and LiveRead/LA. Write/LA is dedicated to helping writers improve their craft so they can find success in the ultra-competitive world of screenwriting. We will be awarding three writers of either feature or television projects the opportunity to come to Los Angeles to improve their craft, experience the industry (which means meeting people currently working in it), and have their work celebrated at an exclusive live read gala.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
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.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Monthly.
WILDsound Monthly Screenplay Festival offers screenwriters at all levels the fantastic opportunity of hearing their scripts read out loud using Top Professional Actors and seen by 10000s of people online, including producers and agents. At least 5 winning readings done every single month. Click the website info and watch the winning videos.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Ongoing - submit anytime.
Submit a TV SPEC SCREENPLAY or ORIGINAL TV PILOT (monthly deadlines) and get the chance to see your script read out loud at our Screenplay Festival using professional actors. Shown online on the YouTube channel that garners 1000s of views. CLICK the website link for examples of past winners. A great way to get your words out there and obtain the Agent you're looking for or just get your script seen by more people.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Last day of each month
A monthly competition for members of Talentville.com who have uploaded full length, drama or sitcom screenplays at the site. Script are reviewed and rated via a peer review system among the members, with the top three rated scripts becoming a finalist at the end of each month. All finalists receive professional coverage by Scriptapalooza, with the order of finish being judged solely by them.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Monthly.
FULL FEEDBACK on the first moments of your screenplay from our committee of Professional Screenwriters, Production Heads and Script Consultants. Are you just starting off your screenplay and want immediate feedback on your first scenes/first moments of your script?
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Monthly.
To provide a great platform that allows screenwriters to compete against each other for recognition, and prizes.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Monthly.
The short film traces its roots to the very beginning of movie history, long before the concept of a feature films existed. Almost a century later, short films continue to strive as a new filmmaker's calling card in Hollywood. Short films serve as a quick, efficient medium to demonstrate a filmmaker's talent. And it all begins with a great script.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Monthly.
The script is the core of any project. We want to enlight the raw talent of writing. Not everyone knows how to write. We reward ideas, talent, and structure. If in the wrong hands, a good script may end up as a flat movie, but a bad script never, ever is going to make a groundbreaking film. The Script and Storyboard Showcase is the one contest of Talent Factory 100% focused on scripts, and scriptwriting.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Monthly.
The SOMEDAY… Screenwriting Competition is an exciting, international, multi-genre screenwriting contest with the goal to identify the best new voices in screenwriting for film and television! From the start of our working relationship, we at Someday Productions always dreamed of having our "someday" and that is what has propelled us forward as screenwriters, filmmakers, playwrights, and authors.
Overall rating:
