MovieBytes - Screenwriting Contests & Markets Online

Writers Place

Objective:
To assist the aspiring screenwriter in realizing his/her dream of becoming a professional screenwriter. To eliminate industry chokepoints that stifle creativity and impede screenplay access to managers,agents & producers.

Deadline:
Early: October 31, 2009; Late: November 15, 2009.

Entry Fee:
Full Length Screenplay or MOW (not more than 130 pages): $55.00; �-Hour Short or Teleplay (not more than 40 pages): $35.00; Two Full Length Screenplays or MOWs: $85.00; Two � Hour Shorts or Teleplays: $60.00; Late fee: (After 10/31/09) Standard fee + $10.00 per script.

Praxis Screenplay Competition

Objective:
Praxis Centre for Screenwriters is a non-profit organization devoted to the professional development of Canadian screenwriters and filmmakers. Located in Vancouver, Canada, we serve to support and stimulate the production of innovative Canadian feature films though screenplay and screenwriter development. We run the compeition twice a year, with deadlines of June 30th and Dec. 1st.

Deadline:
Two competitions are held each year, deadlines June 30th & November 15th.

Entry Fee:
$75 Canadian Funds

Acclaim TV Screenwriting Competition

Objective:
To introduce writers to the decision makers of traditional broadcast television, the cable market, and multi-media outlets. Competition winners will have their material read by experienced producers and agents in L.A. and N.Y.

Deadline:
Extended to November 16, 2009

Entry Fee:
$40 by 8/31/2009 (early); $45 by 9/28/2009 (regular); $50 by 11/16/2009 (late, extended).

Acclaim Film

Objective:
To introduce writers to the decision makers in film and multimedia markets. Top script receives $1,000 and ALL competition winners, runners-up, and finalists will earn the chance to have their scripts read by established production companies and agents in LA and NY. We strive to provide commentary on each script.

Deadline:
Extended to November 16, 2009

Entry Fee:
$45 by 8/31/2009 (early); $50 by 9/28/2009 (regular); $55 by 11/16/2009 (late, extended).

Bridge International Screenplay Competition

Objective:
Bridge International Screenplay Competition is a global effort to bring undiscovered writers to the forefront of the film industry. We have strong ties with thousands of directors, agents, producers and executives world-wide representing everything from low-budget indies to Hollywood blockbuster films. We are currently in our first year and have plans to expand this website significantly to further promote our past winners and finalists to an unprecedented degree.

Deadline:
November 19, 2009

Entry Fee:
$10

Back in the Box Screenplay Competition

Objective:
Have you ever asked yourself "How will anyone know how good my screenplay is, if it never made into a film?" Here is your chance to see your screenplay brought to life. The winner in each category will not only receive a cash prize, but will get the opportunity to have their screenplay made into a film upon contract agreement with Fernleif Productions and the writer.

Deadline:
August 15, 2009 (early); October 3, 2009 (regular); October 31, 2009 (late); November 28, 2009 (final)

Entry Fee:
$20.00 - $85.00 (depending on category and deadline). See https://www.withoutabox.com/login/8162 for specific details.

Shiver's Short Horror Screenplay Competition

Objective:
Shiver's Short Horror Screenplay Competition is for short horror screenplays 1 to 30 pages in length. Winners receive monetary award, trophy, and industry exposure.

Deadline:
October 28, 2009 (early); November 30th, 2009 (regular)

Entry Fee:
$25 (by October 28, 2009); $30.00 (by November 30, 2009)

Screenwriter Showcase Screenplay Contest

Objective:
Our objective is to find and promote talented screenwriters.

Deadline:
November 30, 2009

Entry Fee:
$50

StoryPros International Screenplay Contest

Objective:
To promote and support new talent and continue our pledge of creating opportunities for new writers by providing financial rewards, software to assist in future projects, and promotion of the writer and project to agents, studios and production companies. Our winners are routinely requested by top entertainment industry people and many winners have either gained representation and/or had their screenplays optioned.

Deadline:
September 30, 2009 (early); October 31, 2009 (regular); November 30, 2009 (final).

Entry Fee:
$30 before Sept. 30th, 2009 (no feedback); $40 before Oct. 31st, 2009 (no feedback); $50 before Nov. 30th, 2009 (no feedback). $70 before Sept. 30th, 2009 (with feedback); $80 before Oct. 31st, 2009 (with feedback); $90 before Nov. 30th, 2009 (with feedback).

Contest of Contest Winners

Objective:
There are dozens of screenwriting competitions, but which screenplay from among the winners of all of these quality competitions is the best of the best?

The Contest of Contest Winners hopes to answer that question and shine the spotlight on many accomplished, award-winning screenplays in what amounts to a definitive last shuffle of an elite pack.

All entrants will receive Two Expert Evaluations on their scripts (brief coverage and score sheet typically valued at $250.00)

Deadline:
Early Deadline: 10/01/2009; Final Deadline: 12/01/2009

Entry Fee:
$50 (before October 1, 2008); $55 (before 11/1/2008).

Free Screenplay Contest

Objective:
To promote talented screenwriters.

Deadline:
December 1, 2009

Entry Fee:
No entry fee for mailed entries. $5.00 entry processing fee for online entries

Ozark Foothills FilmFest Screenwriting Competition

Objective:
Promoting the work of and encouraging emerging screenwriters.

Deadline:
December 1, 2009

Entry Fee:
$20

trackingb.com Screenplay Contest

Objective:
We don't offer any of the usual screenplay contest smoke and mirrors ... No coverage from someone being paid $10 per script (please ask Mom). No cash (please ask Grandma) or writing clinics from gurus who have never sold a screenplay (Dad?). What our winners do receive is: INDUSTRY ACCESS AND INDUSTRY READS.

Deadline:
September 1st, 2009 (early); Nov. 15th, 2009 (late); Dec. 1st, 2009 (really late)

Entry Fee:
$45 (by Sept. 1, 2009); $55 (by Nov. 15, 2009); $65 (by Dec. 1, 2009)

For an extra $25, you can have your script be considered for The Abstract PrizeGuaranteed representation for one chosen WRITER (not one particular script) from top new management company Abstract Entertainment.

Silverback Screenwriting Competition

Objective:
Silverback Screenwriting strives to recognise and promote outstanding screenplays in the category of feature film, and acclaim the efforts of deserving screenwriters.

Deadline:
December 1st, 2009

Entry Fee:
None.

International Family Film Festival (IFFF)

Objective:
To promote and encourage the creation and sharing of family film product through film exhibition, professional, seminars, and engaging post-film discussions. IFFF believes it is extremely important to restate the emphasis on the celebration of the family unit and that this social unit is the single most important human dynamic that most directly influences and impacts each human being's personal odyssey through life. Any subject matter may be covered. Festival dates: March 11-14, 2010.

Deadline:
December 11, 2009

Entry Fee:
Feature length $60, short length $30.

Canada International Film Festival

Objective:
To discover and promote new writing talent; and find the best feature-length screenplays in all genres.

Deadline:
December 15, 2009

Entry Fee:
$30

The Inkwell Opportunity

Objective:
In the over saturated screenplay competition landscape, The Inkwell Opportunity offers aspiring scribes the chance to secure guaranteed representation. Our winner will be signed to an exclusive one year contract by Pipeline Entertainment, a production management firm with over 100 seasoned industry clients. The winning screenplay will be developed, packaged and brought to town - perhaps even financed - by this shingle. Our 2nd and 3rd place winners will receive detailed development notes and consideration for representation as well.

Deadline:
December 15, 2009

Entry Fee:
$50

IndieProducer Screenwriting Contest

Objective:
To extend a hand to those writers outside of the Hollywood system that have yet to attain their dream.

Deadline:
December 15, 2009

Entry Fee:
$35 ($25 with Student ID)

A Night of Horror International Film Festival Screenplay Competition

Objective:
Now in its third year, A Night of Horror International Film Festival is Sydney, Australia's leading genre film event. In accord with the 2009 festival, A Night of Horror is launching its inaugural horror screenplay contest, with the objective of finding and promoting 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.

Deadline:
July 31, 2009 (early); October 2, 2009 (regular); December 18, 2009 (final).

Entry Fee:
Features: $45 (by 7/31); $50 (by 10/2); $55 (by 12/18). Shorts: $25 (by 7/31); $30 (by 10/2); $35 (by 12/18). (Students receive $5 discount on all fees)

L.A. Comedy Scripts Screenplay Competition

Objective:
The L.A. Comedy Shorts Film Festival and Screenplay Competition is dedicated to helping filmmakers and writers take the next step in their careers. Winners of the festival receive meetings with big companies, as well as cash and prizes. The 2009 winners met with Mosaic Media Group (Step Brothers, Talladega Nights, Elf) heads of production at Benderspink (The Hangover, American Pie movies, The Ring, Monster-In-Law) Generate (Comedy Central's Chocolate News with David Alan Grier). Atomic Wedgie (a division of Fremantle), and Atom.com (Comedy Central's Atom TV). The winning scripts were also requested by:

The Gersh Agency
ICM
UTA
Principato-Young Entertainment
Underground Films
The Gold Company
3 Arts Entertainment
Larger Than Life
Stars Road Entertainment
Manus Entertainment
Gunn Films

All nine screenplay finalists (3 from each category) will be honored and the winners announced at a gala red-carpet award ceremony on closing night of the film festival. Over $10,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded, including valuable industry meetings.

Deadline:
October 2, 2009 (early); November 2, 2009 (regular); December 2, 2009 (late); December 18, 2009 (extended final).

Entry Fee:
$35 features/$30 shorts (by October 2, 2009); $45 features/$40 shorts (by November 2, 2009); $55 features/$50 shorts (by December 2, 2009); $75 features/$70 shorts (by December 19, 2009). $35 features/$30 shorts/$30 Half-hour Comedy pilots (by October 2, 2009); $45 features/$40 shorts/$40 Half-hour Comedy Pilots (by November 2, 2009); $55 features/$50 shorts/$50 Half-hour Comedy Pilots (by December 2, 2009); $75 features/$70 shorts/$70 Half-hour Comedy Pilots (by December 18, 2009). WBW $5 Discount

20/20 Screenwriting Contest

Objective:
To obtain WGA Screenplay Representation for outstanding screenplays.

Deadline:
Contest #13 first round opens October 20, 2009; First Round deadline December 20,2009

Entry Fee:
$20 Basic Entries (Receive Parameter Marketability Checklist); $40 Expanded Feedback Entries (Receive Marketability Checklist, Margin Notes and Comments)

Mammoth Mountain Film Festival Screenplay Competition

Objective:
With a mission to entertain, enlighten and enrich through film, the Mammoth Mountain Film Festival fosters appreciation for the art of movie making and its power to inspire and communicate a richness of ideas and cultures, with an emphasis on environmental issues and mountain culture.

The festival celebrates and recognizes the winning films and filmmakers at the annual Awards Ceremony and Filmmakers Dinner, which then segues into a relaxing weekend where guests bask in the beauty of Mammoth, mingle with filmmakers and film-buffs, and stimulate all of the senses with world-class skiing, snowboarding and winter sports.

The festival recognizes and awards some of the world's finest and cutting-edge independent Feature Films, Shorts, Documentaries, Foreign Films, Student Films, Mountain Films, Adventure Sports Films, Music Videos, Animations, and Experimental Films. The festival also features an annual Screenplay Competition.

Deadline:
December 20, 2009

Entry Fee:
$20-$40

Mountain Film Festival

Objective:
With a mission to entertain, enlighten and enrich through film, the Mountain Film Festival fosters appreciation for the art of movie making and its power to inspire and communicate a richness of ideas and cultures. We accept films of all genres and especially encourage films with an emphasis on mountain culture, action sports, and environmental issues.

Deadline:
December 20, 2009

Entry Fee:
$30

Dream Quest International Screenwriting Competition

Objective:
To give recognition to screenwriters of all genres, anywhere in the world! One unique feature of this competition is that we provide constructive feedback for every entrant. A scorecard will be issued along with notes suggesting how to improve your script.

Deadline:
September 30, 2009 (early); November 30, 2009 (regular); December 31, 2009 (late)

Entry Fee:

Regular Entry with Scorecard
08/15 - 9/30/2009 Early $65.00
10/01 - 11/30/2009 Regular $75.00
12/01 - 12/31/2009 Late $85.00

Entry with Industry Standard Coverage
08/15 - 9/30/2009 Early $99.00
10/01 - 11/30/2009 Regular $115.00
12/01 - 12/31/2009 Late $125.00

Entry with In-Depth Developmental Analysis
08/15 - 9/30/2009 Early $150.00
10/01 - 11/30/2009 Regular $175.00
12/01 - 12/31/2009 Late $185.00

3i International Short Screenplay and Teleplay Contest

Objective:
To promote new talents producing, distributing and exposing their work with a real short film and TV Pilot. Over $10,000 will be invested in making the short film, and a similar amount producing the TV Pilot, subscription to the top 5 Short Film Festivals & TV Market Festivals around the globe and promotion. The authors keeps all the rights!

Deadline:
October 31, 2009 (early); November 30, 2009 (regular); December 31, 2009 (final)

Entry Fee:
$22 (by October 31st, 2009); $25 (by November 30th, 2009); $30 (by December 31st, 2009)

Garden State Film Festival Screenplay Competition

Objective:
The Garden State Film Festival was founded in 2008 to promote the art of filmmaking on all levels by showcasing a wide variety of film, video and animated works, as well as to provide educational programs in the creative arts to the public by industry leaders. Our goal is to present films of the highest quality in both production value and content.

Deadline:
October 31, 2009 (regular); December 31, 2009 (late)

Entry Fee:
$25 (by October 31, 2009); $40 (by December 31, 2009)

Beverly Hills Film Festival

Objective:
The annual International Beverly Hills Film Festival was founded in 2001 by award-winning independent filmmaker Nino Simone. The event is dedicated to showcasing and promoting non-studio films to the entertainment industry.

Deadline:
January 1, 2010

Entry Fee:
$25 (features); $25 (short scripts)

Screenplay Shootout

Objective:
The Screenplay Shootout was created to develop a pipeline between undiscovered screenwriters and the Hollywood filmmaking community. Driven by the success of our past winners and finalists, the Screenplay Shootout has rapidly become an important source for new screenwriting talent within the Hollywood community and worldwide.

We are proud to announce InkTip.com, The Writers Store & Write Bros. as sponsors of this year's Screenplay Shootout.

Deadline:
July 31, 2009 (early); September 26, 2009 (regular); December 18, 2009 (late); January 1, 2010 (WithoutABox)

Entry Fee:
$40 (by July 31, 2009); $50 (by September 26, 2009); $60 (by December 18, 2009); $65 (by January 1, 2009 ($5 WAB discount)

Screenplay Search Screenwriting Competition

Objective:
Our objective is to discover and promote quality screenplays. There will be one winner in each of our seven categories: Drama, Romantic Comedy, Comedy, Family, Action/Thriller, Period, Sci-Fi/Fantasy (provided quality scripts are submitted in each category) and one Grand Prize winner.

The Grand Prize winning script will be submitted to managers, producers, and directors in Los Angeles, New York and/or London, depending on the genre.

We are a group of professional story analysts with over 20 years of story coverage experience (collectively) and we have extensive contacts in the film industry. We know what makes a great script and we want to find those scripts and get them into the hands of people who are in a position to get them produced.

Deadline:
November 30, 2009 (early); January 10, 2010 (final)

Entry Fee:
$35 (through November 30, 2009); $45 (through January 10, 2010). Multiple entries welcome.

Script Alchemist Screenplay Competition

Objective:
The Script Alchemist Screenplay Competition is for unique and original, well crafted screenplays of all genres. Screenplay submissions to the Script Alchemist Screenplay Competition should be 90 to 120 pages in length.

Deadline:
January 13, 2010

Entry Fee:
$40.00 (by November 14th, 2009); $50.00 (by January 13, 2010)

Worldfest - Houston Int'l Film Festival

Objective:
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). Each festival finds new partnerships, options on scripts, development deals and new friends and contacts in the international film industry.

Deadline:
Early: 11/15/2009; Regular: 12/15/2009; Final: 1/15/2010

Entry Fee:
See web site. (All the entry fees - Less a special $10 MovieBytes deadline per entry... plus the EarlyBird Discount of $5 per entry... a total of $15 discount before NOV 15.)

Act 1: The ION Television Movie Contest

Objective:
Enter ''Act I: The ION Television Movie Contest'' and submit your original idea for a dramatic TV movie. Ideally, the ideas submitted by entrants will be for a two-hour made-for-TV movie that could potentially serve as a pilot for launching an hour-long drama procedural TV series.

We are looking for procedural dramas meant for mature audiences. The ideal script would have a strong central character or team of characters and a plot that focuses on the introduction, investigation, and solution of a central problem or mystery. An ending that leaves the door open to further stories or sequels involving some or all of the same characters is recommended.

Deadline:
January 15, 2010 at noon EST, or before 1500 entries are received.

Entry Fee:
$30