The first 10 pages of any script are the most important. Every story needs a creative and unique inciting incident. What's yours?

"Yes, it’s true a writer might only get the opening pages of their script read -- and it will likely be put down right away if those pages don’t immediately engage the busy industry professional who has given it a chance by opening it." (Erik Bork, Band Of Brothers)

Inciting Incident Script Competition aims to help writers discover if their work is engaging enough to captivate the Hollywood gatekeeper to receive the elusive “Recommend.” Inciting Incident accepts up to 12 pages of your screenplay, short script or play. The Grand Prize Winner receives $300, a Winner’s Laurel, and written feedback from the festival directors with additional prizes for second and third place entries. Written feedback is also available for all submissions as an additional category entry.

Your opening pages will be read by select industry professionals. The team scores the scripts based on seven professional writing criteria. The readers assign scores of 1 to 10 for each of the following elements: Concept/Originality, Structure, Plot, Pacing, Characters, Dialogue & Inciting Incident.

Inciting Incident was founded by Industry Professionals Laura Fortino-Zeni and Debra Stolberg.
Laura is an award winning Writer and Filmmaker. As a Producer and the founder of VincI Productions she has written, directed and produced numerous international stage and film productions. A film festival judge for over 23 years as well as co-director of Cinematic Scribe Short Screenplay Competition, Laura is well versed with industry standards.
Debra has been writing professionally for 25 years, first as an entertainment journalist who segued into entertainment publicity.As a screenwriter, she has sold and optioned numerous projects. After writing and directing Spanish for Your Nanny, which went viral on YouTube, she began working as a contracted writer for online content providers. She has worked internationally with writers and actors to help them hone and improve their work.

Awards & Prizes

AWARDS & PRIZES
GRAND PRIZE
$300
Judges Written Feedback
Winner’s Laurel

2ND PLACE
$50
Judges Written Feedback
2nd Place Laurel

3rd PLACE
Judges Written Feedback
3rd Place Laurel

INDIE PATHWAYS
Grand Prize
A grand prize winner in each of the following categories
Short Story
Poetry
Photography
Will win a Feature in INDIE PATHWAYS MAGAZINE the following Month

Rules & Terms

RULES & TERMS
- Submissions must be 12 pages or less.
-All entries are non-refundable.
- Please use standard script format.
- Must be submitted in English
-All submissions must be in PDF Format
- All entries must be by electronic submission between the contest opening date and the final deadline
-All submitted material must be original, and must not be encumbered by any obligation to, or option held by any 3rd party, with all rights owned by the writer(s).
-Open to writers 18 years and older.
-Student entries require proof of enrollment and will be verified upon submission. Please list school in your cover letter.
-If a script is optioned during the competition, then it is no longer eligible for consideration.
- Substitutions or updated drafts are not accepted at any time.
-For screenplays with multiple writers Prize money will be distributed equally amongst all writers.
- All decisions by judges are final
TERMS AND CONDITIONS:
The undersigned warrants and agrees, on behalf of the undersigned and each of the Scripts owners that the Script is being submitted voluntarily and without promise or inducement to the Cinematic Scribe Short Screenplay Contest, and that submission of the Script neither imposes or creates any obligation or responsibility from the contest related parties, except as stated in the Contest Rules & Terms. By submitting a script, the undersigned, on behalf of the undersigned and each of the scripts owners also agrees to hold harmless, any contest related parties free from all claims, losses, liabilities, damages, fees, and expenses at any time, in connection with submission of their Script arising from any breach or alleged breach of any representation made by the undersigned to the contest parties, or any implied representation in these terms and conditions.