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Screamfest Horror Film Festival and Screenplay Competition

Screamfest

Contact

8840 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
310-358-3273 (voice)
310-358-3272 (fax)

Web:
https://screamfestla.com
Email:
info@screamfestla.com

Contact: Rachel Belofsky, Festival Director/Founder

Report Card

Overall: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.4/5.0)
Professionalism: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.5/5.0)
Feedback: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.2/5.0)
Signficance: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.1/5.0)
Report Cards: 15    
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card

Objective

Screamfest was formed in order to give filmmakers and writers in the horror/sci-fi genres a venue to have their work showcased to people in the industry. We are very proud that the majority of the films showcased now have distribution. Writers have garnered representation due to the festival.

Deadline/Entry Fees

Expired. Previous Deadline: 06/15/2024

Rules

  • Screenplays can be submitted online.
  • Online entrants can complete their application, make their credit card payment and upload a PDF version of their script.
  • Feature film script length should be at least 75 pages and not over 130 (there is no page limit).
  • We will notify screenplay finalists in October. The winning screenplay will be announced at the festival closing night awards ceremony.
  • The screenplay finalists will be announced in an email sent to you from Screamfest and posted on the front page of the Screamfest website in October.
  • Please add our email address to your email safe senders list, address book or contact list so that any correspondence with Screamfest will not be blocked or filtered into your bulk folder.

Awards

Winning Screenwriter will receive:
    General meeting with managers/producers
  • $1,000 cash prize
  • Our amazing gold skull trophy designed by Stan Winston
  • 10 free pitches on Virtual Pitch Fest
  • 3 months of On Ramp program and 2 Open Pitch Sessions. Value: $337
  • Movie Magic Screenwriting software
  • InkTip Script Listing: A listing of your script on InkTip so that producers and reps can find you. Every InkTip producer has been vetted via resume and references and demonstrated the ability to get movies made. Companies who are InkTip members include ABC, Anonymous Content, APA, CBS Films, HBO Films, ICM, Paradigm, Paramount Pictures, Hallmark Channel, FX, Universal, WME, Echo Lake, Zero Gravity, Bad Robot, and 20th Century Fox.
  • Publish your logline in InkTip's bi-monthly publication sent to nearly 15,000 producers, agents and managers. Top 5 Finalist will receive:
    • One full festival pass to Screamfest 2022, including all screenings and parties.
    • 5-free pitches on Virtual Pitch Fest
    • Movie Magic Screenwriting software
    • Read by managers/producers such as Ghost House Pictures, Hulu, Gotham Group, Impossible Dream Entertainment and more.
    • 1 Open Pitch Session each. Value: $175
    • A listing of your script on InkTip so that producers and reps can find you.
    • Publish your logline in InkTip's bi-monthly publication sent to nearly 15,000 producers, agents and managers.
    • InkTip Script Listing: A listing of your script on InkTip so that producers and reps can find you. Every InkTip producer has been vetted via resume and references and demonstrated the ability to get movies made. Companies who are InkTip members include ABC, Anonymous Content, APA, CBS Films, HBO Films, ICM, Paradigm, Paramount Pictures, Hallmark Channel, FX, Universal, WME, Echo Lake, Zero Gravity, Bad Robot, and 20th Century Fox.
    Semi-Finalists will receive:
  • 1 free pitch on Virtual Pitch Fest

Screamfest

Contact

8840 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
310-358-3273 (voice)
310-358-3272 (fax)

Web:
https://screamfestla.com
Email:
info@screamfestla.com

Contact: Rachel Belofsky, Festival Director/Founder

Report Card

Overall: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.4/5.0)
Professionalism: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.5/5.0)
Feedback: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.2/5.0)
Signficance: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.1/5.0)
Report Cards: 15    
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card

Contest Comments

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Screamfest Horror Film Festival and Screenplay Competition

Contact

8840 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
310-358-3273 (voice)
310-358-3272 (fax)

Web:
https://screamfestla.com
Email:
info@screamfestla.com

Contact: Rachel Belofsky, Festival Director/Founder

Report Card

Overall: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.4/5.0)
Professionalism: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.5/5.0)
Feedback: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.2/5.0)
Signficance: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.1/5.0)
Report Cards: 15    
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card

Contest News

MovieBytes Interview:
Screenwriter Jeremy Christensen

An interview with screenwriter Jeremy Christensen regarding the Screamfest Writing Competition.


Jeremy Christensen
Q: What's the title of the script you entered in this contest, and what's it about?

A: "The Gaslamp Horror" is a Lovecraftian period piece set in 1890's London. Down on his luck private detective John Littlechild searches for his lost daughter following madness and institutionalization brought on by his pursuit of the unsolved Ripper case. As Littlechild twists his way into the underworld of a doomsday cult who worships ancient gods from beyond the stars, he not only has to fight for his own sanity, but for the fate of humanity.

Q: What made you enter this particular contest? Have you entered any other contests with this script? If so, how did you do?

A: I entered Screamfest because I liked the collection of films they have curated for their festivals every year, it seemed like what I was writing might be a good fit. Screamfest is the first festival I have ever entered, but since then The Gaslamp Horror was a finalist in Screenplay Festival's Horror/Thriller category as well. There are a few other approaching deadlines for screenplay competitions I will be entering as well.

Q: Were you satisfied with the administration of the contest? Did they meet their deadlines? Did you receive all the awards that were promised?

A: So far, so good!

Q: How long did it take you to write the script? Did you write an outline beforehand? How many drafts did you write?

A: I wrote a first draft as part of the UCLA professional program in screenwriting over about 20 weeks. I did do a pretty extensive outline, but of course it changed drastically while I wrote. Since that first draft I haven't had to do any page one rewrites, but I would say it's on its third draft now. Still refining!

Q: What kind of software did you use to write the script, if any? What other kinds of writing software do you use?

A: I wrote in a combination of Word and Final Draft, I also have Movie Magic Screenwriter (the prize from the Screamfest competition). I generally do a first draft in Word and just really plow the scenes out, write everything that pops into my head, formatting be damned. Then I copy and paste into Final Draft and rework the material. This takes a little longer, but I never face the blank page. A blank page in Final Draft is absolutely horrifying to me.

Q: Do you write every day? How many hours per day?

A: (Laughs) I try to write every day. If I can't find the time to sit down I at least try to jot down notes on my phone or iPad, just to keep the story in my sights. I generally try to do Sunday-Thursday from 8-10pm, but I usually just write until I finish the scene I'm trying to break. I'm not a morning person, so it has to be at night.

Q: Do you ever get writer's block? If so, how do you deal with that?

A: I don't believe in writer's block. I know that sounds a little pretentious as we all hit a wall occasionally, but I think you can generally boil it down to fear, not lack of anything to say, at least for me anyway. What if I'm not good enough? Or what if no one likes my ideas? This is the fear of the blank page, of too many possibilities. Every time I have sat down and just started typing I go somewhere; maybe not as far or as perfect as I'd like, but I get something. A few times the only thing I have gotten is a diatribe about how I can't write, but I usually get a little thread on the story as I have a written dialog with my own brain and my fear. The only cure for writer's block is to write, and to write horribly if that is what it takes.

Q: What's your background? Have you written any other screenplays or television scripts?

A: I did an English literature and creative writing degree at the University of Minnesota, then I stopped writing for over ten years to focus on music. As I became interested in music for film I also rekindled my love of story telling and writing. So I got involved in helping write some no budget affairs and went from there. I realized that books weren't pointing me in the right direction so I took some UCLA extension classes and then the UCLA professional program, which was invaluable. I still have a writer's group today from fellow students in the program. I have written four or five other screenplays and a television pilot, including a spec script with a creative executive who read The Gaslamp Horror from Screamfest. I consider all of my work to be drama, but three are definitely horror/thriller, one is a character piece and two others are sci-fi in scope.

Q: Do you live in Los Angeles? If not, do you have any plans to move there?

A: I do. Over ten years now, probably not going anywhere else anytime soon. The contacts you make with people doing what you're doing is invaluable. I don't look at all the other writers as competition, though they undoubtedly are, I see them as peers with something to teach me. And if they're really good, they motivate me to be better. I don't know where else you could get that outside of LA.

Q: What's next? Are you working on a new script?

A: I am always working on a new script. Since I wrapped up the first draft with the creative executive on our project I am focused on polishing The Gaslamp Horror and I'm working on a new horror feature. I don't see any point in waiting for something to happen, if I have down time I may as well sharpen my skills and generate new material. It can't hurt to take a meeting and have more ideas!

Posted Thursday, March 14, 2013

Screamfest Horror Film Festival and Screenplay Competition

Contact

8840 Wilshire Blvd.
Beverly Hills, CA 90211
310-358-3273 (voice)
310-358-3272 (fax)

Web:
https://screamfestla.com
Email:
info@screamfestla.com

Contact: Rachel Belofsky, Festival Director/Founder

Report Card

Overall: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.4/5.0)
Professionalism: 3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars3.5 stars (3.5/5.0)
Feedback: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.2/5.0)
Signficance: 3 stars3 stars3 stars (3.1/5.0)
Report Cards: 15    
Have you entered?
Submit a Report card

Submit Report Card

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First-time user? Register now to receive FREE email contest updates, news, results, deadline reminders and more. Rest assured, information submitted here is held in strict confidence. MovieBytes never sells or in any way distributes email names or addresses. We promise!

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