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Are Smaller Screenplay Contests Worth the Money?

Updated: 10/01/2025

Every year, thousands of aspiring screenwriters send their work off to contests, hoping for discovery, validation, or at least a set of notes that might help polish their scripts. The biggest competitions - The Austin Film Festival, the PAGE Awards, Scriptapalooza - are well known for launching careers. But what about the smaller contests, the ones advertised with modest entry fees, cash prizes, and vague promises of "industry exposure"?

Upcoming Contest Deadlines
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Screenwriting Contest News
Austin Fest Names Semifinalists & Second Rounders (09/30/2025)
Wiki Screenplay Names August Contest Winners (09/18/2025)
Scriptapalooza Names Fellowship Winner (09/18/2025)
PAGE Awards Announce 2025 Contest Finalists (09/15/2025)
Scriptapalooza Names 2025 Contest Winners (09/08/2025)
Optimus Feedback Names 2025 Contest Winners (09/05/2025)
Shore Scripts Names TV Mentorship Program Winners (09/03/2025)
Scriptapalooza Screenplay Competition Names Top 30 (09/01/2025)
TrackingB Names TV Script Contest Winners (08/29/2025)
Optimus Feedback Names Top 20 (08/25/2025)
Scriptapalooza Names Short Screenplay Contest Winners (08/19/2025)
Page Announces 2025 Semifinalists (08/15/2025)
Palm Springs International Names Pitch Deck Contest Winner (08/14/2025)
Scriptapalooza Names 2025 Semifinalists (08/13/2025)
Scriptapalooza TV Names Contest Winners (08/07/2025)
Golden Script Competition Reveals 2025 Golden List (08/06/2025)
Scriptapalooza Announces 2025 Quarterfinalists (08/01/2025)
Writers Lab Announces 2025 Participants (07/31/2025)
Santa Barbara International Names Spring Contest Winners (07/23/2025)
Wiki Screenplay Names June Contest Winners (07/22/2025)
Golden Script Competition Names 2025 Contest Winners (07/20/2025)
Page International Names 2025 Quarterfinalists (07/15/2025)
Palm Springs International Names Winter Competition Winners (07/08/2025)
Industry News
‘KPop Demon Hunters’ Singers Take ‘The Tonight Show’ With First Full Live Performance of ‘Golden’ (Variety, 10/08/2025) New!
Tiffany & Co. Partners with Netflix to Bejewel Guillermo del Toro’s ‘Frankenstein’ (Exclusive) (Hollywood Reporter, 10/08/2025) New!
Nancylee Myatt, Creator of UPN’s ‘Social Studies’ and TV Producer, Dies at 68 (Variety, 10/08/2025) New!
‘Dancing With The Stars’ Week 4 Ends With Another Shocking Elimination (Deadline, 10/08/2025) New!
Wanda Clark, Lucille Ball’s Longtime Secretary, Dies at 87 (Hollywood Reporter, 10/08/2025) New!
‘Marty Supreme’s Timothée Chalamet Surprises With Buzzcut In Livestream Promoting Josh Safdie Film (Deadline, 10/08/2025) New!
Screenplay Contest
Deadline Alert
Final Deadlines

(Displaying final deadlines only. Click here to display preliminary deadlines, as well.)

Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Final: 10/10/2025
WSPro Discount: $10.00

Shock-A-Go-Go Film Festival New!
Extended: 10/11/2025
WSPro Discount: No

The Thing In The Basement Horror Fest New!
Night of the Living Deadline: 10/17/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival
Final: 10/18/2025
WSPro Discount: $5.00

Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays
Late: 10/20/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Script Pipeline First Look Project
Final: 10/30/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition
Final: 10/30/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Outstanding Screenplays Feature Competition
Final: 10/30/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Red Flight Pictures Screenplay Awards
Final: 10/30/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Shore Scripts Short Film Fund
Final: 10/31/2025
WSPro Discount: $5.00

StoryPros International Screenplay Contest
Late: 10/31/2025
WSPro Discount: $10.00

Breaking Walls Thriller Screenplay Contest
Extended: 11/01/2025
WSPro Discount: $5.00

Scriptapalooza TV Writing Competition
Final: 11/03/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Stage 32 + Mammoth Pictures Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest
Extended: 11/03/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Extended: 11/07/2025
WSPro Discount: No

WriteMovies' Writing Contest 80
Late: 11/09/2025
WSPro Discount: No

BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Late: 11/11/2025
WSPro Discount: $10.00

Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition
Final: 11/13/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Cinequest Screenwriting Competition
Final: 11/15/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Christian Faith, Hope, and Love Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition
Final: 11/20/2025
WSPro Discount: $15.00

Hollywood Genre Action Screenplay Contest
Final: 11/22/2025
WSPro Discount: $5.00

Stowe Narrative Labs
Late: 11/24/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Near Nazareth Festival
Final: 11/27/2025
WSPro Discount: 10%

Hollywood Genre Comedy Screenplay Contest
Final: 11/29/2025
WSPro Discount: $5.00

CineStory TV/Digital Retreat & Fellowship
Final: 11/30/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Filmmatic Pitch Now Screenplay Competition
Final: 11/30/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Bloodstained Indie Film Festival New!
Final Buried: 12/09/2025
WSPro Discount: No

Go Pro!