The second annual Page to Stage is a premier competition and live screenplay reading geared toward promoting and lifting up Georgia screenwriters.

The Atlanta film industry has seen major strides in production and post-production, but Georgians still lack enough established avenues to tell their own stories. In an effort to promote Georgia voices, the Atlanta Film Society is partnering with local industry members to put on an evening dedicated to developing Georgia writers.

The best of Georgia’s unproduced screenplays will be staged in a live reading by professional casts during a night of fun and entertainment that will serve as a meeting ground for all those interested in producing, discovering, and celebrating original Georgia films.

One winning writers will be chosen to take part in a staged reading of their winning screenplay at the historic Plaza Theatre, in front of live audience, and with a cast of professional actors. The winning writer will not only get to hear their words come to life, but also get the chance to get feedback on their work and connect with special industry guests in attendance.

The goal of this program is three fold: To help a local writer hone their craft and improve their best work, to expose the winning writer to new connections and networks that will help their screenplay down the road to production, and to engage the local community in the development process of local screenplays.

THE ATLANTA FILM SOCIETY

Now celebrating a 40-year history, the Atlanta Film Society (ATLFS) is one of the oldest and largest film organizations in the South. Positioned at the intersection of art, culture and commerce, the Atlanta Film Society brings meaning to the moving image by championing the shared community experience, fostering the free exchange of ideas, and nurturing the development of a thriving industry.

ATLFS aims unite the Atlanta community by serving artists in creative growth and inspiring audiences through the power of the moving image. Enriching the community through screenings, classes, workshops and other events year-round, the chief operation of ATLFS is the annual, Academy Award®-qualifying Atlanta Film Festival.

SUBMISSION DETAILS

Submissions are open ONLY to writers currently living in or based in Georgia.

There are (3) categories of submission: Feature Screenplay, One Hour Pilot, and 30 Minute Pilot.

Feature Screenplays must be between 40-120 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the program. We accept feature screenplays of any genre.

One Hour Pilots must be between 45-70 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the program. We do not accept additional pilot materials such as series bibles, additional episodes, plot outlines. We accept pilot screenplays of any genre.

30 Minute Pilots must be between 28-35 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the program. We do not accept additional pilot materials such as series bibles, additional episodes, plot outlines. We accept pilot screenplays of any genre.

**Should a pilot be chosen as a winner, it may be staged in conjunction with another winning pilot (at the discretion of the Page to Stage programmers) in order to produce a full 1.5 hour event.

REGULAR DEADLINE: May 30th, 2019

Feature Screenplay - $25
One Hour Pilot Screenplay - $20
30 Minute Pilot Screenplay - $20

FINAL DEADLINE: July 1st, 2019

Feature Screenplay - $30
One Hour Pilot Screenplay - $25
30 Minute Pilot Screenplay - $25

1 feature OR 1-2 pilots will be chosen each season. The winning screenplay(s) will be professionally staged in a live reading for an audience at the Plaza Theatre.

The staging process will offer the winning writer(s) a chance to hear their words performed aloud by professional actors, offer in-depth and in-person feedback to the writer, and a chance to promote the work directly to the Atlanta production community.

The winning writer(s) will receive feedback on their project from:

The director of their staged reading
The actors cast in their staged reading
The audience at their staged reading
Select film industry guests invited to attend the reading

The winning writer(s) will also be able to network and interact with industry members involved in the Page to Stage production and attending the staged reading, offering them a chance to expand their connections and take steps down the road to bringing their screenplay to life.

The winning writer(s) will receive an All Access Badge to the 2020 Atlanta Film Festival.

**There is no cash prize. Estimated value of Goods/Services: 2,000 U.S. Dollars.

Before submitting, please read through all the rules and terms below. By submitting your project, you acknowledge that you have read and agreed to all of the following. All projects that have been submitted by our final deadline and that adhere to the following terms will be considered for inclusion in the 2018-2019 Page to Stage Season.

If you have any further questions, please visit our FAQ page at atlantafilmsociety.org

SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

The Page to Stage Program is open ONLY to non-professional writers currently living in Georgia.

Submitted screenplays should not have been optioned, purchased, or otherwise produced at the time of submission. If your screenplay is optioned or purchased during the duration of the competition, please contact us immediately.

Writers can submit as many screenplays as they’d like to the competition. Each submission requires an application, payment, and original screenplay.

We happily accept screenplays with more than one author or contributor. Please make note of each author’s name in your submission. Should a screenplay with two or more writers be named a winner of the competition, the award will be divided equally among them.

Screenplays should be formatted according to current industry standards. Pages must be numbered and typed in 12 point Courier font with standard margins. All entries must be submitted in English. Brief dialogue in another language is acceptable so long as an English translation is provided.

We do not have a rule regarding title pages. But it is recommended that include the title, author(s) and any relevant registration or copyright information.

Submitters must include their address in the Director Statement section of FilmFreeway Submissions in order to verify their Georgia Residence.

Screenplays should be submitted only as a PDF. We WILL NOT accept Word .docs, Final Draft, Celtrix or any other file formats.

Screenplays MUST be submitted to the correct category. Any screenplay submitted to the wrong category (based on both genre and page count) is subject to disqualification with refund of submission fees

DEADLINES AND PRICES

The deadlines are as follows:

Regular Deadline: May 30th, 2019

Feature Screenplay - $25
One Hour Pilot Screenplay - $20
30 Minute Pilot Screenplay - $20

Final Deadline: July 1st, 2019

Feature Screenplay - $30
One Hour Pilot Screenplay - $25
30 Minute Pilot Screenplay - $25

Submissions without payment will not be considered. If the submitter fails to pay the submission fee associated with their deadline by 11:59 EDT, their submission fee will be increased to coincide with the new deadline. Any unpaid or partially paid submission at the time of submissions closing will be disqualified. Unsolicited screenplays sent by email or mail will not be considered.

REFUNDS AND REVISIONS

All screenplays are considered complete once the Page to Stage Programming Office receives them. No revisions or updated copies will be accepted. Please be sure to carefully review and edit your screenplay before submitting. Any updates to screenplays on FilmFreeway will not be reviewed.

Once a project is listed “In Consideration” on FilmFreeway, we are unable to offer refunds for any reason, including (but not limited to):

Submission to the wrong category
Duplicate submissions
Failure to pay the full submission fee by the final deadline
Failure to provide a PDF
Project’s failure to comply with submission Rules & Terms
Rejection from the program
Change in Option or Production Status
Withdrawing your submission for any reason (including changes of heart)

SUBMISSION CATEGORIES/PRIZES

Feature Screenplays must be between 40-120 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the program. We accept feature screenplays of any genre.

One Hour Pilots must be between 45-70 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the program. We do not accept additional pilot materials such as series bibles, additional episodes, plot outlines. We accept pilot screenplays of any genre.

30 Minute Pilots must be between 28-35 pages in length. Anything outside of that page range will not be considered for the program. We do not accept additional pilot materials such as series bibles, additional episodes, plot outlines. We accept pilot screenplays of any genre.

PRIZES

1 feature OR 1-2 pilots will be chosen each of season.

The winning writer(s) will receive a free All-Access Badge to the Atlanta Film Festival
The winning screenplay(s) will be cast using local GA talent and staged in a “live read” for an audience at the Plaza Theatre.

The staging process will offer the winning writer(s) a chance to hear their words performed aloud by professional actors, offer in-depth and in-person feedback to the writer, and a chance to promote the work directly to the Atlanta production community.

The winning writer will receive detailed feedback on their project from:

The actors cast in their staged reading
The audience at their staged reading
Select film industry guests invited to attend the reading
This process will help them refine their work and take it to the next level.

The winning writer will also be able to network and interact with industry members involved in the Page to Stage production and attending the staged reading, offering them a once in a lifetime chance to expand their connections and take steps down the road to bringing their screenplay to life.

**There is no cash prize. Estimated value of Goods/Services: 2,000 U.S. Dollar

COPYRIGHT

Feature screenplays and television screenplays must be the original work of the writer(s). If the screenplay is based on another person’s life, writer(s) must also attach a signed statement acknowledging and approving of adaptation. A screenplay containing copyrighted ideas, characters, or storylines without the proper paperwork will be disqualified. The only exception to this rule are materials within the Public Domain.

By submitting to the Page to Stage Program you are affirming the following:

That the screenplay being entered is the sole work of the writer or writers who in totality contributed 100% of the contents of the screenplay.

That for works written by more than one writer, all writers have agreed to submit the work for consideration.

That for works written by more than one writer, any collaborators no longer involved and not claiming copyright privileges over the material have relinquished their claim to copyright in writing, or electronically, proof of which can be provided.

That the screenwriter(s) has permission to use any work included in the screenplay that they have not written themselves.

The authors of each submitted screenplay retains complete ownership and copyright for their work. However, Page to Stage reserves the right to share or distribute a finalist or winning screenplay for the purposes for casting and table read organization.

Page to Stage and The Atlanta Film Society reserves the right to disqualify any screenplay at any time, even after winners have been chosen and/or announced, at our discretion.

If you have any questions, first check out our FAQ. If you still need more information, please feel free to e-mail page2stage@atlantafilmsociety.org

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Jessica Burnett

    Great screenwriting competition. The readers are thoughtful, considerate, and true champions of original work.

    November 2019