Regardless of your age or skill level, the Film Sprint Relay is an opportunity to get feedback on your work from professionals and experienced artists, and a chance to get your short film script made into a real short by passionate filmmakers in the second stage of our challenge.

PART 1 - Scriptwriting! SCRIPTS DUE MARCH 18th

EACH 7-12 PAGE SCRIPT MUST INCLUDE:

• ONE OR MORE OF THESE GENRE(S): Science Fiction, Fantasy, Superhero, Fairy Tale, and/or Time Travel

• ONE OR MORE OF THESE NARRATIVE ELEMENT(S): Flashback, Prophecy/Premonition, "Red Herring", "Chekhov's Gun", "Deus ex Machina"

• ONE OR MORE CHARACTERS NAMED FOR A REAL HISTORICAL FIGURE

PART 2 - FILMMAKING WINDOW APRIL 1-10

Each team will be assigned a script FROM THE POOL OF ROUND 1 SUBMISSIONS the morning of April 1st, and must upload their completed short film by midnight April 10th.

Films will be judged on several criteria, including interpretation of the script - you’ll receive a full rules packet once your team registers!

Got a ONE person team? Use code “SOLO” to get 25% off your team registration for Part 2!

ABOUT FILM SPRINT: Founded as a local filmmaking competition in Northern California in 2018, Film Sprint transitioned to online competitions in March 2020. The challenge? To write, shoot and edit a short film in a short time, incorporating surprise elements like specific camera techniques, lines of dialogue, or narrative elements, using only what they have available at home or in their gear bag to make movie magic. In dozens of creative competitions, Film Sprint's filmmakers have risen to every challenge - exploring genres, subjects, and techniques they may never have otherwise, and growing as storytellers, artists, and performers with every round.

Because we challenge our artists to push their own boundaries, we don't always prioritize the flash and polish that other film competitions often covet. Though we appreciate technique and finish, we most value fidelity to the challenges. Our judge's selections represent the spirit of Film Sprint - to make the most of your resources and to reach for the horizons of your creativity. We also host filmmaker events like watch parties and mid-challenge discussion groups.

Our live premieres - hosted on Twitch and YouTube - are extravaganzas of revelry, celebrating the best in each artist to submit and be screened, with a lively and supportive audience in the chat!

Awards & Prizes

Round 1 Prizes (announced at the kickoff for Round 2):
Best Script - $200
Each Official Selection - $50 Scholarship for Film Sprint Entry

Round 2 Prizes:
Honors for Directing, Cinematography, Editing, Effects, Acting, Interpretation of the Script, Audience Choice, Filmmaker's Choice & More - Prizes To Be Announced

Overall
Best Film - $250 Cash Prize
Best Unproduced Script - $100

Rules & Terms

PART ONE RULES:
In the Film Sprint Relay, you'll write a short film screenplay of a length between 7 and 12 pages.

EACH SCRIPT MUST INCLUDE:

ONE OR MORE OF THESE GENRE(S): Science Fiction, Fantasy, Superhero, Fairy Tale, and/or Time Travel

ONE OR MORE OF THESE NARRATIVE ELEMENT(S): Flashback, A Prophecy/Premonition, A "Red Herring", "Chekhov's Gun", "deus ex machina"

ONE OR MORE CHARACTERS NAMED FOR A REAL HISTORICAL FIGURE

Scripts must be entirely original and created exclusively for this competition.

Our judges will give each script thorough notes and feedback, which will be presented to the writer at the conclusion of the event. The judges will also score each script on plot, dialogue, creativity, originality, and entertainment.

They'll also assign a score for degree of difficulty in creating the script (this score is not a determining factor in selecting a winner).

Selected films will advance to the next round, where they may be randomly chosen by production teams entered into Part 2 of the Relay - the production phase. Each team will be assigned to a script chosen from the official selections - official selections not assigned to a team will be presented in a special Live Table Read.

THIS COMPETITION IS FOR ALL AGES AND SKILL LEVELS. Any formatting is welcome, as long as the script can be reasonably read and understood. Preferred file formats: .pdf, .doc.

ONE SCREENPLAY PER ENTRY FEE, BUT UNLIMITED ENTRIES PER PERSON

PART TWO RULES:
To register for a spot in Part 2 and be sent a script at kickoff:
1: Create a new project in “My Projects”.
2: Title it “Film Sprint Relay”.
3: Under Section 1 - Project Information, select Project Type: Film/Vide
4: In Section 4 - Specifications, select Project Type “Short”
5: Scroll to the bottom and select “Save Project”
6: Return to this page page, and register for Part 2, Short Film Entry - Selecting the Film Sprint Relay project when you submit!

(Got a ONE person team? Use code “SOLO” to get 25% off your team registration for Part 2)

Each team will receive a script the morning of April 1st - team/script pairings will be announced publicly that night during the Film Sprint Relay Kickoff Show, live on Twitch at 8 PM ET/5 PM PT.

Teams can start work on their films as soon as they receive their scripts. Teams are expected to use the script (in whatever form it is submitted) as the basis for their film.

Judges who watch your film will first read the accompanying script and assess how difficult they believe the script would be to produce - degree of difficulty will play a part in determining Best Film!

You’re invited to collaborate with the writer of your script - contact information will be provided!

A team can join the competition at any point after the start, but will still be subject to the original deadline.

Full Terms and Conditions can be found at www.filmsprint.com/terms

Learn more about Film Sprint at www.filmsprint.com/about
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  • David Minard

    Loved this concept, hope it comes back again!

    December 2022
    Helpful
  • Julia Peters

    Such a fun challenge to be a part of! The Film Sprint team does a great job at creating unique opportunities to stretch your vision and skills as a filmmaker. Highly recommend!

    May 2022
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