2024 WINTER COMPETITION NOW OPEN!

Palm Springs...
The legendary desert oasis where Hollywood gathers to relax, play, and search for
the next generation of creative talent.

Home of the famed Palm Springs International Film Festival* and playground for generations of entertainment industry moguls and international celebrities.

Every word of your script...or every frame of your trailer/video will be studied and analyzed by established Hollywood film and television WGA, SAG, DGA Award-winners with hundreds of credits at every major Hollywood studio, network, and streamer.

There are no unpaid interns or amateur readers involved in our process at any time.

Winners and Finalists get far more than "attaboys" and laurels:
• Screenplay Contest Winners earn LIVE STORY CONFERENCES with award-winning WGA writer-producers, engraved trophies, professionally written script analysis, professional memberships, and promotional placement in the online "Writers Walk of Fame"
• Media Winners (pitch decks, sizzle reels, trailers) receive LIVE SCREENINGS & MARKET ANALYSIS with DGA-WGA-SAG judges, engraved trophies, FREE ADMISSION to "Money for Your Movie: Guaranteed" to learn the proven system for financing film projects, and Marquee Promotional Placement in the Palm Springs Online Screening Room

*not affiliated

Best Sizzle Reel, Movie Trailer, or Pitch Deck
• Priority Promotional Placement at The Screening Room to drive online exposure to the industry.
• Free Admission to "Money for Your Movie: Guaranteed", the proven system for raising film financing
• Engraved winner's trophy
• Live Screening & Marketing Analysis with WGA-DGA-SAG Judges
• Marquee placement in the Palm Springs online Screening Room

Best Screenplay, TV Pilot, or Short Script
• Live Story Conference with award-wining Senior Level WGA Judge
• Priority Promotional Placement at The Screening Room to drive online exposure to the industry.
• Engraved Winner's Trophy
• Written Studio-grade analysis
• Promotional placement in "Writers Walk of Fame"
• 4-month InkTip Pro Membership
• Free Listing at SellingYourScreenplay.com
​•Free listing at MovieBytes.com

What happens to your script or your video when you enter
​The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards
& Sizzle Reel-Trailer-Pitchdeck Festival?

​• Your script or video file is uploaded into our firewall-protected data portal.
• Your script is read and evaluated against professional marketplace standards.
• Your Sizzle Reel, Movie Trailer, or Pitch deck is screened multiple times and judged on its marketability.
• Scores are assigned; written analysis (far more than "coverage") is then composed, edited, and validated by members of the Senior Judging Panel.
• There are no unpaid interns or amateur readers involved in our process at any time.

• Screenplay contest material submitted to The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards & Pitchdeck - Sizzle Reel - Trailer Festival is accepted via electronic submission only.

• Script submissions must be in PDF file format, the title ONLY indicated in the PDF file name. Submissions as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter files will not be read, scored, or judged.

• Media submissions (Pitchdeck-Sizzle Reel - Trailer) must be in PDF, MP4 or YouTube link format and in conformance with FilmFreeway guidelines.

• There is no limit to the number of screenplay, teleplay, or short film scripts you may submit. There is no limit the the number of media submissions.

• Submitted material must be received by midnight of each monthly deadline date and submission fee payment must accompany your material.

• All entry fees are non-refundable; submissions in any file format other than those acceptable to FilmFreeway will be disqualified.

• Page count limitations: Short Film Scripts = 30pp Television Scripts = 70pp Feature Screenplays = 125pp Entries exceeding those page limits will incur a 20% reading fee surcharge.

• Pitchdecks are limited to 20 slides. Sizzle Reels are limited to three minutes in length. Trailers are limited to seven minutes in length.

• All material submitted to these contests must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).

• Screenplays and scripts must be submitted by the credited writer. Screenplays and scripts written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s). Media entries must include the names of writer-director.

• All writers must be credited on title pages.

• If a screenwriting/filmmaking team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the screenwriter submitting the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing the prize money, with no direction from The Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards Contest administrators, staff, or judges.

• Once submitted, material is promptly assigned to analysts and judges and reading/scoring begins. Revisions, rewrites, addenda, or substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered screenplay or script material require a separate entry.

• Multiple entries are accepted. Submitting the same script pages for different levels of analysis is fine. In all cases, each entry or request for varying levels of analysis must be entered individually. When multiple levels of analysis are NOT entered individually, only the highest level of analysis will be provided with no refunds for other analysis services.

• By using our service, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s), including FilmFreeway.

• All copyright, ownership and derivative rights to the material submitted to The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards & Pitchdeck-Sizzle Reel-Trailer Festival contest(s) remains with the original rights holders and/or author.

• By submitting material to the contest, writer/filmmaker gives contest administrators permission to promote the work and the writer/filmmaker to third parties, including professional literary managers and agents at their sole discretion. By submitting material to the contest, you agree to hold Butterfly Beach Media Inc., its officers, managers, employees, contractors, and representatives of all kinds harmless against any and all claims. No assurances, warranties, or guarantees are either implicitly or explicitly made as to the efforts or lack of response by any and all third parties to whom The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards & Pitch deck-Sizzle Reel-Trailer Festival may send or transmit material.

• Plagiarized or non-original written materials will be disqualified.

• Once announced and delivered, all prize package items and taxes appurtenant thereto are the responsibility of the recipient.

• All scores are final and purely at the discretion of the Senior Judging Panel.

• Writer/filmmaker acknowledges that any and all written feedback and analysis commentary is objectively presented and intended to be illustrative, instructive, and helpful in guiding the writer along a professional path. Scores and comments are in accordance with current professional film and television industry standards, but writer/filmmaker accepts them as purely subjective pursuant to the judgment and opinion of the individual reader-analyst and agrees not to request, demand, or suggest alternate, different, or revised written feedback; no guarantees of satisfaction on the part of the writer are expressed or implied.

Eligibility:

• All screenwriters and filmmakers, without regard to professional or amateur status, age, gender, race, ethnicity, country of origin, native language, political orientation, or sexual preference are eligible.

• The screenplay, television script, short film script material or visual media submitted must be in English.

• All screenplay, television script, or short film script material submitted to other competitions or contests is eligible.

• There are no limitations or restrictions as to date of authorship of submitted screenplay, television script, or short film materials.

• The screenplay, television script, short film script material, or visual media submitted must not be encumbered by any obligation to, or option held by, any third party prior to entering the screenplay competition.

• Materials submitted are accepted via electronic submission only.

• There is no limit to the number of screenplay, teleplay, short film scripts, or visual media files you may submit.

• Submitted material must be received by midnight of each monthly deadline date and submission fee payment must accompany your material.

• All entry fees are non-refundable; submissions in any file format other than PDF will be disqualified with no refund.

• Page count limitations: Short Film Scripts = 30pp Television Scripts = 70pp Feature Screenplays = 125pp Entries exceeding those page limits will incur a 20% reading fee surcharge.

• All material submitted to these screenplay contests must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).

• Screenplays and scripts must be submitted by the credited writer. Screenplays and scripts written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s).

• All writers must be credited on title page.

• If a screenwriting team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the screenwriter submitting the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing the prize money, with no direction from The Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards Contest administrators, staff, or judges.

• Once submitted, material is promptly assigned to analysts and judges and reading/scoring begins. Revisions, rewrites, addenda, or substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered screenplay or script material require a separate entry.

• Multiple entries are accepted. Submitting the same script pages for different levels of analysis is fine. In all cases, each entry or request for varying levels of analysis must be entered individually. When multiple levels of analysis are NOT entered individually, only the highest level of analysis will be provided with no refunds for other analysis services.

• By using our service, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s), including Film • Freeway and/or Coverfly.

• All copyright, ownership and derivative rights to the material submitted remains with the original rights holders and/or author.

• By submitting material to the contest, writer gives contest administrators permission to promote the work and the writer to third parties, including professional literary managers and agents at their sole discretion. By submitting material to the contest, you agree to hold Butterfly Beach Media Inc., its officers, managers, employees, contractors, and representatives of all kinds harmless against any and all claims. No assurances, warranties, or guarantees are either implicitly or explicitly made as to the efforts or lack of response by any and all third parties to whom The Wiki Screenplay Contest LLC may send or transmit material.

• Plagiarized or non-original written materials will be disqualified.

• Once announced and delivered, all prize package items and taxes appurtenant thereto are the responsibility of the recipient.

• All scores are final and purely at the discretion of the Senior Judging Panel.

• Writer acknowledges that any and all written feedback and analysis commentary is objectively presented and intended to be illustrative, instructive, and helpful in guiding the writer along a professional path. Scores and comments are in accordance with current professional film and television industry standards, but writer accepts them as purely subjective pursuant to the judgment and opinion of the individual reader-analyst and agrees not to request, demand, or suggest alternate, different, or revised written feedback; no guarantees of satisfaction on the part of the writer are expressed or implied.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Pratiwi Menzies

    Absolutely amazing to have had the opportunity to take part in this prestigious contest, it helped boost my confidence in writing and encouragedme to write more

    February 2024
  • Joey Maranto

    Thank you so much for the honorable mention! Had a wonderful time being part of the contest. Such a great opportunity and overall great experience. Look forward to entering again.

    January 2024
  • Salvatore Klezmer Riggio

    Thank you for your consideration.

    January 2024
  • What an amazing opportunity and honor. Intellectual affirmation and artistic confirmation is what this festival is all about. Great ideas meet in Palm Springs. Thank you so much.

    January 2024
  • kevin irvine

    Thank you, Palm Springs International Screenplay & Pitchdeck-Sizzle Reel-Trailer Contest, for honoring my feature comedy, DRAG QUEENS OF EMERALIS, with Semi-Finalist. It's a thrill to be part of your festival!

    January 2024