Based in the Hollywood Hills – home to many of the world’s top screenwriters, actors, directors, and producers – the international Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition offers screenwriters the opportunity to show they belong with the other masters of their craft!

Giving out cash prizes and promoting our winners, our mission is to discover and reward screenwriters who excel in the art of storytelling and deserve the attention of the Hollywood Hills....

We offer awards for six scripts (three features and three shorts) that are exceptional for any genre, but also recognize those screenwriters who have mastered a top-selling genre with our series of genre awards.

TV writers with original pilots and specs also have the chance to win, as there is so much talent in TV writing during this "golden age" of television. And since New Media is taking Hollywood by storm, we have a new category of awards that recognizes outstanding web series and new media scripts!

Additionally, we honor entrants who excel in the art of logline writing and creating an amazing first scene "hook" - both crucial skills for screenwriters!

We give out cash prizes to the screenwriters who win First Place in our Features, Shorts, TV Drama, TV Comedy, and New Media categories. All screenplay winners' loglines are promoted and sent out to our list of industry contacts, production companies, and agencies. First Place Awardees also receive the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition Winner laurels, and all Finalists receive Top Finalist laurels.

Can your story get you noticed by the Hollywood Hills? Enter today to find out!

We give out Cash Prizes to the screenwriters who win First Place in our Features, Shorts, TV Drama, TV Comedy, and New Media categories! Additionally, we offer a series of Genre Awards! Awardees receive the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition Winner laurels, and all Finalists receive Top Finalist laurels. Personalized digital certificates are also available to Winners. Cash Prize winners are marked with an asterisk* next to them below.

FEATURE SCREENPLAY AWARDS

Best Feature Screenplay*
First Runner Up Feature Screenplay
Second Runner Up Feature Screenplay
Best Student Feature Screenplay

FEATURE GENRE AWARDS

First Prize Action Adventure
First Prize Comedy
First Prize Drama
First Prize Family
First Prize Horror
First Prize Sci-Fi
First Prize Thriller / Crime

SHORT SCREENPLAY AWARDS

Best Short Screenplay*
First Runner Up Short Screenplay
Second Runner Up Short Screenplay
Best Student Short Screenplay

SHORT GENRE SCREENPLAY AWARDS

First Prize Comedy
First Prize Drama
First Prize Family
First Prize Horror
First Prize Sci-Fi
First Prize Thriller / Crime

TV ORIGINAL PILOT AWARDS

Best One Hour Drama Original Pilot*
First Runner Up One Hour Drama Original Pilot
Second Runner Up One Hour Drama Original Pilot

Best Half Hour Comedy Original Pilot*
First Runner Up Half Hour Comedy Original Pilot
Second Runner Up Half Hour Comedy Original Pilot

TV SPEC AWARDS

Best One Hour Drama Spec
Best Half Hour Comedy Spec

NEW MEDIA / WEB SERIES AWARDS

Best New Media Script

OTHER AWARDS

Best First Scene Hook
Best Feature Logline
Best TV Logline

CASH PRIZES

Best HHSC Feature Cash Prize $200
Best Short Cash Prize $100
Best TV Drama Pilot Cash Prize $100
Best TV Comedy Pilot Cash Prize $100

Additional awards not listed above may be given out at the discretion of HHSC!

Submitting your screenplay(s) to the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition constitutes acceptance of the following Rules and Terms.

Anonymity:
Please remove your name and any personal information from your title page and script. If you submit your work with your name or information on it, it does not disqualify you. Your personal information will be removed before being given to readers.

Submissions:
Online submissions only, no hard copies will be accepted.

Format:
Submit your screenplay in PDF, Final Draft, or Celtx format. PDF format preferred. All entries must conform to basic screenplay rules. No treatments or other non-screenplay formats will be accepted.

Page Length: Readers will stop reading at the following maximum page limit per category.
Feature Film: Up to 120 Pages
Short Film: Up to 35 Pages
TV One Hour: Up to 70 Pages
TV Half Hour: Up to 40 Pages
New Media: Up to 35 Pages

Language:
At this time we can only accept screenplays written in English. However, screenplay submissions from all over the world are encouraged.

Legal Rights:
By submitting your screenplay to the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition, you warrant that you have the sole rights and copyright to your screenplay. You may not submit a screenplay that you did not write or do not have the rights to. We encourage you to copyright your script or register it with the WGA before entry, though it is not required.

Fee:
Entry fees are currently in U.S. Dollars. Each screenplay or submission requires a separate entry fee.

Refunds:
No refunds will be issued.

Drafts & Resubmissions:
No updated drafts will be accepted at a reduced price. However, you may submit a later draft if you repay the full submission fee.

Age:
We require entrants to be 18 years of age or older at the time of entry.

Award Types:
As HHSC attempts to acknowledge talented writers, HHSC can give awards in any category or any genre to an entrant, even if the category/genre is different than the category/genre the entrant entered, as deemed appropriate by HHSC.

Winners:
Winner will only receive cash prizes electronically (no mailed checks) in USD and via Paypal. If the winner does not have a Paypal, they must set one up in order to receive their cash prize or forfeit it. If the winner does not respond by email to the notification email of their win within 10 days to claim their cash prize, they forfeit it. Winners will receive a digital copy of their award(s) by email. All winners agree to allow the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition to publish their entry name, entry title, and award on sites and social media accounts relating to the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition, including but not limited to: FilmFreeway, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and any Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition website. Genre Award Winners and Runner Ups in all categories do not receive cash prizes. Only the categories and titles specified receive cash prizes.

Legal Indemnification:
All entrants and competition winners indemnify and hold harmless the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition and its organizers for any claim arising out of submission of their screenplay(s) to the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition, or relating to the publication of winners' names, screenplay titles, or awards/prizes online. Entrants may only enter where it is legal to do so, and release the Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition of any liability. Winners are responsible for all taxes and fees associated with prize receipt and/or use.

Rules are subject to change at any time without notice.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • By far the best communication of all festivals I have entered. Unfortunately I was unable to attend, but felt included with updates and emails. Highly recommend!

    July 2018
  • Brett Scieszka

    I was absolutely thrilled to win grand prize in this year's Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition. When I had questions the organizers responded to me in a timely fashion, and the general vibe of the contest is so positive and supportive.

    June 2018
  • Katie McNeice

    I hands-down recommend entering The Hollywood Hills Screenplay Competition. As the writer of an experimental LGBT film set in Ireland, I'm so grateful to the festival team to select it as Second Runner Up in the Best Drama category.

    There are very few festivals which give the proper time, effort and recognition to outside-the-box screenplays but HHSC is one of them. Not only that, their notifications came on time (early actually!) and they followed up with a courteous, prompt mail to sent on the award certificate. It's all in the details. Thanks again HHSC.

    June 2018
  • Ana Ortega

    So honored to accept the First Prize at the Hollywood Hills with the Romantic Comedy Award “Meet you at George’s .

    June 2018
  • Was very excited to hear that I won best horror with my screenplay I, PHINE'D. Thank you HHSC!

    June 2018