Screenwriting Contests that focus specifically on the horror genre, or that offer a special award for horror scripts.
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Final Deadline: 02/29/2020
Breaking Walls is a contest for thriller screenplays with contacts at established Hollywood literary representation and production companies who have agreed to consider the full winning script and the top finalists' loglines. Well-written thrillers are always an excellent way for writers to show Hollywood pros a combination of commerciality, unique voice, and a clear understanding of effective feature film narrative.
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Final Deadline: 03/08/2020
The International Horror Hotel fosters creativity within genre writers and filmmakers, providing a platform for them to share their work and gain recognition. Our main focus is in connecting those working within the horror (and sub-genre) community, helping them to expand their network and gain contacts to strengthen their work. The 2020 festival will be held June 11th-14th at Mentor Holiday Inn - 20 minutes from downtown Cleveland (OH).
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Final Deadline: 03/31/2020
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 the options of a short version of their script being produced by The MIX, and the film will then get a guaranteed premiere at the Richmond International Film Festival.
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Final Deadline: 03/31/2020
The Austin After Dark Film Festival screens at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema Lakeline in Austin, Texas. This event will focus on films that are created for a mature audience. Enjoy a great slate of films in large cushioned seating, a massive theater screen, with access to 50 beers on tap and full restaurant while you watch films. Austin is a great independent film town and this event will be a lot of fun as well as a great opportunity to network with filmmakers and screenwriters.
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Final Deadline: 04/20/2020
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.
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Final Deadline: 04/22/2020
Stage 32 has partnered with Trick Candle Productions and Glass House Distribution to launch a brand-new Microbudget Horror Script Competition for 2020. The winning script will receive a $5,000 option, be entered into a mentorship program with the film’s producers and be eligible for a production greenlit for up to $100,000 by Trick Candle and Glass House.
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Final Deadline: 05/15/2020
The Ultimate Runway Now in our 27th 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.
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Final Deadline: 05/15/2020
To recognize excellence in screenwriting of shorts and features in a wide variety of genres.
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Final Deadline: 06/15/2020
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.
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Final Deadline: 06/26/2020
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.
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Final Deadline: 06/30/2020
Our Hollywood judges love good horror movies – and they’re looking for the next fresh voices in horror screenwriting.
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Final Deadline: 07/10/2020
CALL FOR ENTRIES! Shriekfest, the Los Angeles Horror/SciFi Film Festival continues its tradition as Los Angeles' Premier horror film event, presenting an exciting program of films each fall with beautiful Los Angeles as its backdrop. Now, in its 20th year, Shriekfest takes place at the legendary Raleigh Studios, which is the largest independent studio operator in the country.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2020
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.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2020
OUR FOCUS IS TO DISCOVER THE BEST NEW SCREENWRITING TALENT FROM AROUND THE WORLD How do we do that? 20 Oscar & BAFTA Winning Judges will read the final round of submissions. 120+ Production Companies, Agents & Managers are signed up to read each year’s best scripts. 70+ Directors are on our roster to read the best Feature screenplays.
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Final Deadline: 08/31/2020
Introducing Season 2 / 2020 of “Your Script Produced!” International Film / TV / Short Film Screenwriting Competition sponsored by Doval Bacall Films. The sponsor will fully finance, develop, package and produce the Grand Prize Winning Feature Script for $250,000.00. We've raised the stakes! Season 2 will accept Features, TV Scripts, AND SHORT FILM SCRIPTS! Winners will be promoted in the Variety Magazine and/or THR! Grand Prize winners can direct their own script! (Feature grand prize winner must have valid experience and approved by our sponsor.
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Final Deadline: 10/31/2020
LA LIVE FILM FESTIVAL's mission is to provide a festival where filmmakers are treated with respect and given opportunities that empower the filmmaker’s career while being showcased at the most prestigious location in Los Angeles, Regal Cinemas at LA LIVE. We strive to do things differently than other festivals and part of how we do this is the way we market the selected films.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Contest founded in 1988 to provide an opportunity to compete with talent from around the world. The 42nd Annual WorldFest offers Cash Awards, Special Screenplay Master Classes, significant mentoring and project development opportunities during the ten-day festival. More than 550 international filmmakers and writers attend each year. All Remi Nominees receive VIP Gold All Access Passes to the Festival and the Master Classes (A $800 value).
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Final Deadline: 07/29/2019 (expired)
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.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Industry exposure, WGAw writer assistance in polishing winning scripts and $15,000 in cash prizes for up to 19 finalists.
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Final Deadline: 07/23/2019 (expired)
Big Break is an annual, international feature and television screenwriting contest designed to launch the careers of aspiring writers. Big Break rewards screenwriters with over $80,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to Los Angeles for a series of A-list executive meetings. Winners and finalists alike have had their screenplays optioned and produced and have secured high-profile representation as well as lucrative writing deals.
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019 (expired)
To make Hollywood more accessible than ever before to more aspiring global screenwriters, Filmmakers is forming strategic alliances with the powers that be in Film and TV Script Writing; who are in search of top Screenplays & Writers... Filmmakers Championing Emerging Artists. FilmMakers International Screenwriting Awards has been in existence since 2000 (formerly known as The Radmin Company / FilmMakers.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The Eerie Horror Screenplay Competition offers beginning, aspiring and veteran screenwriters in the horror genre a chance to have their work recognized by people in the industry and beyond and to provide recognition and exposure for screenwriters in the horror, science fiction and suspense genres. The finalists and top 3 winning screenplays will be announced on all Eerie Horror Film Festival websites and winner's information will be forwarded to industry professionals for consideration.
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Final Deadline: 12/17/2018 (expired)
To discover the best un-produced short screenplays by talented writers and present their work to LEADING INDUSTRY PROFESSIONALS.
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Final Deadline: 09/17/2018 (expired)
Each script must be written in the same genre and style that would have been suitable to conform with episodes for either THE TWILIGHT ZONE or NIGHT GALLERY. More specifically this means displaying traits of either a horror or a science fiction genre, while exhibiting strong traditional or contemporary social themes. Serling taught at Ithaca College from 1967 until his death in 1975.
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Final Deadline: 04/30/2019 (expired)
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.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
To showcase screenwriters and their work to the industry, and provide awards and cash to help support and compliment their careers.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
A Night of Horror International Film Festival is Sydney, Australia's leading genre film event, seeks to find and promote talented screenwriters working in the horror genre. Submitted screenplays will be judged by industry professionals, with the three finalist feature scripts being read by a representative of Lionsgate, the world's leading distributor of horror cinema.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Zed Fest was formed to acknowledge and encourage new independent filmmakers and screenwriters. We noticed that there are a lot of talented and promising filmmakers and screenwriters that tend to get snubbed by other festivals and competitions simply because they are low budget or less polished. We want to give them the recognition that they deserve and try to help them build upon their abilities.
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Final Deadline: 11/07/2019 (expired)
Since 2009, Fresh Voices has been proud to provide a microphone to exciting new voices that deserve to be heard and memorable stories that must be told. Now celebrating our big 10th Annual Screenplay Competition, we are grateful to have had the opportunity to help guide dozens of talented writers to secure literary representation, option agreements and other writing assignments, providing the stepping stones and advancing the careers of many of our winning writers.
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Final Deadline: 06/27/2019 (expired)
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.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
A Truly Independent Film Festival...that's what TrindieFest is all about. Most of the bigger festivals have become selling venues for bigger films. Our job at TrindieFest is to bring the Independent Films and Screenplays back to center stage. This Festival is truly Independent.
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Final Deadline: 11/01/2019 (expired)
The 8th annual Richmond International Film Festival (RIFF) is a competitive festival that accepts feature and short screenplays, teleplays, and screens more than 120 international cutting edge film premiers making it one of the Mid-Atlantic's largest international competitive festivals. RIFF provides six days of industry panels, Q&As, industry mixers, live music performances, the FLOW Creative & Pitch Conference, and entertainment mixers that bring the spirit of Hollywood to beautiful Richmond, Virginia at the Bowtie Criterion/Movieland and the historic Byrd Theatre.
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Final Deadline: 10/30/2019 (expired)
To discover innovative, marketable, high-concept projects for studio-level development, including feature screenplays, TV material, and media content.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
To promote and celebrate all things horror and to foster new horror voices.
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Final Deadline: 08/21/2019 (expired)
OUR WINNERS GET RESULTS Over the years, our contest winners and finalists have been signed, optioned, put in development, staffed and secured high level meetings with some of the top executives and companies in the film industry. Our track record with the Search for New Blood has been off the charts. Now we’re back with this incredibly popular contest designed to give our horror and thriller writers the chance to have their work exposed to some of the top execs in the industry! Our top 3 winners will get exclusive meetings with executives.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Do you have an unproduced screenplay? Is it genre based? Then let’s have a look! We’re looking for FEATURE screenplays in this submission category, and those that are based in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, or Horror. No time for romantic comedies here… unless they involve alien love. Then we're digging it.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Screenplays must be feature length no less than 80 pages and no more than 120 pages. All screenplays must be written in English. Screenplays should be in 12 point Courier font and pages must be numbered. Only online PDF submissions will be accepted. Any revisions after submission will not be accepted. Genres may only be HORROR SCI-FI ACTION SUSPENSE
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Final Deadline: 07/31/2019 (expired)
To make Hollywood more accessible than ever before to more aspiring screenwriters, 1st TV Script Writing Competition is forming strategic alliances with the powers that be in Film & TV, who are on the lookout for exceptional talent and TV scripts. The 1st TV Script Writing Competition is presented by FilmMakers Magazine. It wasn't that long ago that for a writer to get discovered he or she had to reside in or around Hollywood.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The mission of the Film Crash Screenplay Competition is to build community, create a platform for screenplays, and encourage writers to "crash" through barriers to self-expression. Founded by Sundance Jury Prize winning director Matthew Harrison in 1985, Film Crash has enjoyed playing a part in the creative life of stories, many of which have gone on to be produced as motion picture and television entertainment.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The Indie Horror Film Festival (formerly known as “Indy Horror Film Festival) returned from the dead in 2010 with hopes of swallowing mortals whole and filling their souls with a thirst for blood and horror. The Indie Horror Film Festival screens films from all over the world and brings the best of blood, gore and horror to the big screen for you to enjoy!
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
AZED 4 HORROR is a horror film festival created by movie maker David Daze for indie filmmakers and fans of the genre. As a filmmaker Mr. Daze himself appreciate's the blood, sweat & tears that go into making Feature Movies. And being an indie filmmaker Daze understands how important it is to have a venue to show off your work ie; (film projects) to the genre's many fans.
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Final Deadline: 07/12/2018 (expired)
GenreBlast is an international independent genre film festival coming to you from the awesome Alamo Drafthouse Winchester in beautiful Winchester, VA! GB3 will happen Sept. 6-9, 2018 and will feature the best of truly independent films from around the world - specializing in action, horror, sc-fi, fantasy, martial arts, grindhouse, exploitation, Korean thrillers, Japanese gangster flicks, Chinese action movies, French horror, midnight movies, shoestring budget weird cinema, and everything under the sun! We really welcome all genres of interesting, original, exciting and daring moviemaking! All countries and walks of life are welcome here! We also have a fantastic screenplay contest that is growing larger every year! In our third year, we will really highlight screenwriters by hosting a screenwriting seminar and even having live script readings with professional actors! Our discussion panels at GenreBlast 2 were a big hit and we're bringing them back again for the threequel! Raw, uncensored real talk about indie filmmaking, gender bias, distribution, criticism, and much more will come your way from the mouths of some of the best indie talent out there! After-parties, lively conversation, networking galore, TONS of movies, informative Q&A's and the chance to make new lifelong industry friends - all nestled in the beautiful Shenandoah Valley hamlet of Winchester, VA! Your movie will be shown in front of a lively, enthusiastic crowd of cinephiles and industry peers that don't walk around with their heads up their asses 24/7! What a refreshing way to attend a film fest! Come September, you'll wish you were at GenreBlast! #alltheflavors
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Visceral Films in association with Land of Illusions and BAO Productions - one of the largest, continuously running horror theme parks in the US, announces an international screenplay competition for an upcoming feature film to be produced in 2016. The story must be of any horror genre, be between 70-90 pages, contain a mixed ensemble cast of 5-6 characters, and take place at specific locations at Land of Illusions Theme Park.
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Final Deadline: 05/04/2019 (expired)
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.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
CAL-TEX Worldwide Horror Fest is an Online International Competition open to Short and Feature Horror Films sponsored by Lonnie Ramati, Los Angeles CA. and Wendy Crouse/DreamReal Pictures, Austin, TX. This film competition event is to promote beginner to advanced film makers.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
Crimson Screen is a filmmakers film festival. You will get to meet other filmmakers from all over the globe, create lasting friendships and share your experiences with a captive audience. Professional to novice, first time filmmakers to well established, Crimson Screen Horror Film Fest showcases a wide variety of horror films from all over the globe.
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Final Deadline: 12/31/2019 (expired)
The Oregon Short Film Festival is a showcase of independent short films from around the world. We accept short screenplays of all genres that are 40 pages or less. Action Comedy Dark Comedy Drama Experimental Family Fantasy Horror Romantic Comedy Science Fiction
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
The Goal of the I.H.H.F.F. is to provide a safe fair professional venue for both Horror Filmmaker and Horror Fans to come together and celebrate the Horror Cinema as a union for a small Genre of filmmaking both Independant and Big Budget. Horror Films are indeed a small Genre of modern day Cinema devided by several sub-genres but nevertheless has a very large diehard Fan Base.
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Final Deadline: Contact contest for deadline info.
We are accepting Feature Screenplay and Short Script entries worthy of the title: 'Best Horror', 'Best Sci-Fi' and 'Best Thriller'.
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Final Deadline: 02/28/2018 (expired)
One screenplay and up to ten short films will win $500 each! As filmmakers, we know that outside of the film festival circuit, most shorts will die a lonely death in the bowels of the interwebs. So to help amazing shorts get the audience they deserve, we’re creating "Grave Intentions: An Anthology of Chills, Thrills, and Kills." And your film could be a part of it! If your short would be at home on The Twilight Zone, Tales From the Crypt, The Outer Limits, or Creep Show, we want to see it.
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