A list of contests for regional authors, or restricted to regional settings. Find a home for your regional screenplay!
Subscribe to the MovieBytes Screenwriting Contest Newsletter for weekly screenplay contest deadline alerts!
Final Deadline: 02/06/2020
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: 02/06/2020
We are San Francisco. And we love film and we love writers. In fact, we care so deeply about developing the next generation of filmmakers from the U.S. and abroad that we founded what we hope will be one of the most prestigious screenwriting competitions in the world for serious writers and serious subject matter. We are an independent screenwriting competition founded by artists, and while we are artists, a lot of us come from backgrounds in journalism, publishing, and in some cases some very grisly real life experiences and we like serious subject matter.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
To provide a forum for Virigina screenwriters and promote the future of filmmaking in Virginia.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Personal coverage and feedback from programmers and readers on your screenplay will be available to every screenplay entrant. Cash prizes are awarded in each of three categories: Best Screenplay, Best Voice of Color Screenplay (written by or about people of color), and Best Northcoast Screenplay (set in or about northern Ohio).
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The NFO competition seeks to provide unsold writers a means to hone their craft as writers, get them a proverbial "a foot in the door" into the filmmaking industry, while encouraging the creation of scripts (and hopefully future productions) specific to Nevada.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
For more than a decade, CinemaSpoke has showcased the art and craft of local feature screenwriters by rewarding finalists with full readings and publicity. All entrants will receive written feedback from judges.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
This contest is restricted to new writers residing in New England and the Canadian Maritimes. It's objective is to identify local talent, and expose it to a broader market.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
To bring awareness of the craft of screenwriting to the Midwest.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
To introduce Midwestern screenwriters to Hollywood production companies and representatives.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 04/05/2019 (expired)
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: Contact contest for deadline info.
The West Field Screenwriting Awards were created in 2011 by award winning screenwriter Jim Powers for the simple purpose of awarding others for the merit of their work. To do this he enlisted the help of industry insiders, multi-award winning directors, producers, professional writers, and actors to read and select. Your screenplay will be read by these film professionals, who will evaluate the script based on an 8 point grading system, complete with checks and balances, the entire team will find the script that they see fit to be awarded "The Birch" Its easy to get lost in the world of screenwriting, so thats why WFSA was started.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Pennsylvania residents: The Greater Erie Film Office, a program of the Film Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania (FSNWPA), a 501(c)3 non-profit organization, is proud to debut its short screenwriting and filmmaking competition, in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association- Greater PA Chapter. The theme will be memory and/or dementia.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The Greater Erie Film Office and the Greater Erie Arts Rental at Penn State Behrend Short Screenplay Competition is open to all Pennsylvania residents. This year’s screenwriting and filmmaking competition is themed immigration. Entry scripts must be the original work of the writer(s). The Greater Erie Film Office Screenwriting Competition is the first part of an annual two-contest combo.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
To highlight the work of screenwriters with a connection to Northern New York, work that is set in Northern New York, or that could use Northern New York as a filming location.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The Alaska International Film Awards is an independent film competition that aims to recognize the best and brightest new work in international cinema and highlight Alaska's important role in the international film community. Awards are presented to independent filmmakers from around the globe who produce original and compelling films and screenplays in several competition categories.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
CREATE ORIGINAL & BOLD MOVIES IN MAINE The Maine Film Initiative exists to generate and reward bold original screen-writing; to highlight Maine as a low budget film-making destination; and to support Maine film artists by investing directly in paying productions. OUR BIG IDEA: A SCREENWRITING CONTEST THAT WILL MAKE YOUR FILM YOU GIVE US STORIES.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 03/31/2019 (expired)
It’s easy. You send us a sample of your best piece of writing along with a short email explaining why this fellowship is right for you. Our judges select a winner who will receive 6 months of free 24/7* access to the space. This is equivalent to a Premium Membership, the highest level of membership we offer, worth upwards of $2700. Winner gets their own door code to access the space even when staff isn’t here.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 11/19/2018 (expired)
Transition Stage Company want to give as much opportunity as possible to writers who submit to Enter. Stage. Write in the competition and beyond the Competition. We believe in providing creatives with a 'hand up' and putting you in front and in touch with the right people to push your career in the right direction. Every writer wants to see their story come to life – with Enter Stage Write you get just that chance! Along with a £1000 prize for the overall winner, a select number of scripts will be produced and performed at the prestigious Royal Birmingham Conservatoire on December 1st.
Overall rating:
Final Deadline: 08/05/2019 (expired)
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.
Overall rating:
