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
Screenwriting Contest News
Austin Fest Names Semifinalists & Second Rounders (09/30/2025) New!
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
‘Homebound’ Review: One of the Year’s Best Indian Films Is a Martin Scorsese-Produced Drama of Friendship Amid Systemic Injustice (Hollywood Reporter, 10/02/2025) New!
Barcelona Serielizados TV Fest Unveils Alan Ball Masterclass, Spanish Competition Headlined by ‘Anatomy of a Moment’ (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety, 10/02/2025) New!
How ‘Chicago P.D.’ Wrote Off Kiana Following Toya Turner Exit (Deadline, 10/02/2025) New!
‘Chicago Fire’ Boss Addresses Stellaride Baby & What’s Ahead For Them In Season 14 (Deadline, 10/02/2025) New!
‘Big Bang Theory’ Star Kunal Nayyar’s Producing Partner Jason Hiro Kim Launches Indie Shingle Hiro’s Omakase, Logan Kovarick Upped to VP at Good Karma (EXCLUSIVE) (Variety, 10/02/2025) New!
Laufey Charms L.A. Crowd With Her Whimsical and Theatrical A Matter of Time Tour (Hollywood Reporter, 10/02/2025) New!
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Trending: Contest Queue
The following screenwriting competitions are the "most queued" upcoming contests on MovieBytes:
Scriptapalooza Features & Shorts Competition
BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Script Pipeline Screenwriting and TV Writing Competition
Creative World Awards
WriteMovies' Writing Contest 80
Scriptapalooza TV Writing Competition
Cinequest Screenwriting Competition
Script Pipeline First Look Project
Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition
StoryPros International Screenplay Contest
Screenplay Contest
Deadline Alert
All Deadlines
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The Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition
Regular: 10/03/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
Hollywood Genre Comedy Screenplay Contest
Earlybird: 10/04/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
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trackingb.com Screenplay Contest
Really Late: 10/06/2025WSPro Discount: No
Scriptapalooza TV Writing Competition
Early-bird: 10/06/2025WSPro Discount: No
Indie Suspense Horror Sci-Fi Film Festival New!
Quite Late Deadline: 10/06/2025WSPro Discount: No
Stage 32 + Mammoth Pictures Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest
Regular: 10/08/2025WSPro Discount: No
Faith in Film: International Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition
Regular: 10/09/2025WSPro Discount: 20%
Cinequest Screenwriting Competition
Late: 10/10/2025WSPro Discount: No
Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Final: 10/10/2025WSPro Discount: $10.00
Breaking Walls Thriller Screenplay Contest
Late: 10/11/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Hollywood Diversity Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Sprint: 10/11/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Shock-A-Go-Go Film Festival New!
Extended: 10/11/2025WSPro Discount: No
Outstanding Screenplays Shorts Competition
Regular: 10/15/2025WSPro Discount: No
Creative World Awards
Fall: 10/15/2025WSPro Discount: No
San Francisco International Screenwriting Competition & Film Awards
Regular: 10/16/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
Christian Faith, Hope, and Love Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition
Ext Late: 10/16/2025WSPro Discount: $15.00
New York Metropolitan Screenwriting Competition & Film Awards
Regular: 10/16/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
LA Script Showdown New!
Late Deadline: 10/16/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Late: 10/17/2025WSPro Discount: No
The Thing In The Basement Horror Fest New!
Night of the Living Deadline: 10/17/2025WSPro Discount: No
Los Angeles Crime and Horror Film Festival
Final: 10/18/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Hollywood Genre Action Screenplay Contest
Regular: 10/18/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
WriteMovies' Writing Contest 80
Standard: 10/19/2025WSPro Discount: No
Kairos Prize for Spiritually Uplifting Screenplays
Late: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
Filmmatic Horror Screenplay Awards
Regular: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
Outstanding Screenplays TV Pilot Competition
Regular: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
American Story Showcase
Late: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
First 10 Pages Showcase
Regular: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
Military Story Showcase
Early: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
The Crime List
Quick: 10/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
SeriesFest
Regular: 10/22/2025WSPro Discount: No
Hollywood Genre Comedy Screenplay Contest
Regular: 10/25/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
CineStory TV/Digital Retreat & Fellowship
Extended: 10/26/2025WSPro Discount: No
Golden Script Competition
Earlybird: 10/29/2025WSPro Discount: 10%
Stage 32 + Mammoth Pictures Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest
Final Deadline: 10/29/2025WSPro Discount: No
Script Pipeline First Look Project
Final: 10/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Emerging Screenwriters Screenplay Competition
Final: 10/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Outstanding Screenplays Feature Competition
Final: 10/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Red Flight Pictures Screenplay Awards
Final: 10/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Shore Scripts Short Film Fund
Final: 10/31/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
MidWest WeirdFest
Regular: 10/31/2025WSPro Discount: No
Filmmatic Pitch Now Screenplay Competition
Late: 10/31/2025WSPro Discount: No
StoryPros International Screenplay Contest
Late: 10/31/2025WSPro Discount: $10.00
Richmond International Film Festival (Screenplays & Films)
Regular: 11/01/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Breaking Walls Thriller Screenplay Contest
Extended: 11/01/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Hollywood Diversity Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Late: 11/01/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Scriptapalooza TV Writing Competition
Final: 11/03/2025WSPro Discount: No
Stage 32 + Mammoth Pictures Search for New Blood Screenwriting Contest
Extended: 11/03/2025WSPro Discount: No
B!tchFest Film Festival & Screenplay Contest
Extended: 11/04/2025WSPro Discount: 20%
Atlanta Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Extended: 11/07/2025WSPro Discount: No
Hollywood Genre Action Screenplay Contest
Late: 11/08/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
WriteMovies' Writing Contest 80
Late: 11/09/2025WSPro Discount: No
Stowe Narrative Labs
Regular: 11/10/2025WSPro Discount: No
BlueCat Screenplay Competition
Late: 11/11/2025WSPro Discount: $10.00
Finish Line Script Competition
Regular: 11/11/2025WSPro Discount: $10.00
Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition
Final: 11/13/2025WSPro Discount: No
Faith in Film: International Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition
Extended: 11/13/2025WSPro Discount: 20%
New York Metropolitan Screenwriting Competition & Film Awards
Ext Regular: 11/13/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
San Francisco International Screenwriting Competition & Film Awards
Standard: 11/14/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
Cinequest Screenwriting Competition
Final: 11/15/2025WSPro Discount: No
Outstanding Screenplays Shorts Competition
Late: 11/15/2025WSPro Discount: No
True Story Showcase
Quick: 11/15/2025WSPro Discount: No
Hollywood Genre Comedy Screenplay Contest
Late: 11/15/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
San Francisco IndieFest Screenplay Competition
Regular: 11/16/2025WSPro Discount: No
Filmmatic Horror Screenplay Awards
Late: 11/20/2025WSPro Discount: 25%
Outstanding Screenplays TV Pilot Competition
Late: 11/20/2025WSPro Discount: No
Christian Faith, Hope, and Love Film Festival and Screenwriting Competition
Final: 11/20/2025WSPro Discount: $15.00
Hollywood Genre Action Screenplay Contest
Final: 11/22/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Stowe Narrative Labs
Late: 11/24/2025WSPro Discount: No
American Story Showcase
Final: 11/24/2025WSPro Discount: No
First 10 Pages Showcase
Late: 11/24/2025WSPro Discount: No
Military Story Showcase
Regular: 11/24/2025WSPro Discount: No
The Crime List
Early: 11/24/2025WSPro Discount: No
Near Nazareth Festival
Final: 11/27/2025WSPro Discount: 10%
Hollywood Genre Comedy Screenplay Contest
Final: 11/29/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
CineStory TV/Digital Retreat & Fellowship
Final: 11/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Sedona International Film Festival
Late: 11/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Filmmatic Pitch Now Screenplay Competition
Final: 11/30/2025WSPro Discount: No
Scriptapalooza Features & Shorts Competition
Early-bird: 12/01/2025WSPro Discount: No
Richmond International Film Festival (Screenplays & Films)
Late: 12/01/2025WSPro Discount: $5.00
Creative World Awards
Late: 12/01/2025WSPro Discount: No
SeriesFest
Regular: 12/03/2025WSPro Discount: No
