ScreenCraft's Short Screenplay Competition is one of Hollywood's top contests celebrating short-form screenwriting. With the rise in demand for high-quality short content across new platforms and devices, we’re honoring the craft of short-form narrative screenwriting.

This is your chance to get exclusive guidance from Academy Award-nominated filmmakers and access to industry professionals. Connect with producers, agents, and studios actively seeking fresh talent.

Awards & Prizes

GRAND PRIZE MENTOR

The Grand Prize Winner this year will receive a mentorship with Carlos López Estrada, the Academy Award nominated filmmaker behind RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON and BLINDSPOTTING.

Carlos’s debut film, BLINDSPOTTING earned him a nomination from the DGA for Outstanding Directorial Achievement of a First-Time Feature Film. He also directed the films SUMMERTIME and RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON, the latter of which was a nominee for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards in 2021. Through his production company Antigravity Academy, he produced the film DIDI which won the audience award at Sundance in 2024.

MENTOR

The Runner Up for this year's will receive a mentorship meeting with Academy Award nominated producer Maria Gracia Turgeon

Canadian producer and two-time Academy Award nominee Maria Gracia Turgeon has produced highly successful short films through her company Midi La Unit, including FAUVE and BROTHERHOOD, both of which were nominated for Best Short Film at the Academy Awards.

JURY

KYLE BOWLES
Creative Executive, MACRO

An LA native from Inglewood, Kyle Bowles is a Creative Executive at MACRO where he realizes his dream of producing films that center people of color on both sides of the camera. His recent credits include serving as Associate Producer on the forthcoming features, FREAKY TALES from Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden, and YOUNG. WILD. FREE. directed by Thembi Banks. Prior to MACRO, Kyle began his career at Forward Pass, Gersh, and Mandalay Pictures. Kyle is a graduate of Villanova University, where he began his filmmaking journey making shorts.

NADINE LUCHINGER
Academy Award Nominated Film Producer

A Swiss film producer based in Zurich, she was nominated for an Oscar® for the short film "ALA KACHUU" at the 94th Academy Awards. She built the feature film and documentary department at Filmgerberei, producing several award-winning projects. Her recent works include the feature-length documentary "EVERYTHING ABOUT MARTIN SUTER. EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE TRUTH" and the short film "UNSER KIND," which qualifies for the 97th Academy Awards.

DAN KAVANAGH
Manager of TV Development, Vertigo Entertainment

Dan Kavanagh joined Vertigo Entertainment in 2019. Since then, he’s worked to identify projects that have sold to Charter, Sony and Village Roadshow among others, while contributing to the development of shows at every major streamer, including Warhammer at Amazon. Previously, he served as Development & Production Coordinator at AMC Networks’ Shudder and Sundance Now, where he helped launch their reboot of Stephen King and George Romero’s Creepshow, which is now in its fourth season.

GISELLE JOHNSON-MORRIS
Director of Film, Blackmaled Productions

Giselle serves as the Director of Film at BLACKMALED, Malcolm D. Lee's production company known for hits like "THE BEST MAN" franchise and "GIRLS TRIP." Previously, she was a development and production executive at Sony Pictures' Screen Gems, overseeing successful films like "THE POPE'S EXORCIST." Her career also includes stints at Netflix's Original Studio Film team and VICE Studios, where she worked on various high-profile projects.

JACQUI DE PADOIN GOODMAN
Director of Development, DeMilo Films

Jacqui oversees creative development for Demilo's film and television projects (known for GUILLERMO DEL TORO’S CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, MAMA, SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD etc) drawing from her diverse experience in various aspects of the film industry. A Sarah Lawrence College graduate in Creative Writing and Film, she adheres to William Faulkner's philosophy that the most compelling stories explore "the human heart in conflict with itself." Jacqui believes in film's power to entertain, challenge ideals, and reshape our understanding of the world.

PRIZES

The overall grand prize winner will be welcomed to the Writer Development Program and receive individualized consulting regarding your portfolio and career goals, and receive introductions with one or more top Hollywood literary managers, execs, or producers who are looking for talented emerging screenwriters.

In addition, the winner's project info and log lines will be recommended in a targeted way to our network of 150+ Hollywood managers, agents, producers and development executives with mandates that match your writing and voice.

ScreenCraft has a proven track record for getting writers signed with managers, agents, and staffed in writing rooms.

Grand Prize
- Personal Introduction to industry professionals
- Accepted into the Writer Development Program
- $1,000 cash award
- An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
- Mentorship Meeting with Carlos López Estrada

Runner Up
- $500 cash award
- Accepted into the Writer Development Program
- An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
- Mentorship Meeting with Maria Gracia Turgeon

Finalists
- An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Rules & Terms

For full rules, terms, and conditions, please visit -- https://screencraft.org/short-film/

Rules:

1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.

2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.

3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.

4. While short scripts may be any length, we recommend scripts be between 2 - 30 pages. Any script submission longer than 30 pages will incur a $1 per page overage fee for each page over 30.

5. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.

6. Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.

7. All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.

8. Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s).

9. If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the person who submits the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing any prizes awarded as they deem fair (whether there is a cash value or not).

10. Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with a $6 reentry fee through Coverfly. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.

11. It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition, however we do not require registration.

12. Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required. ScreenCraft uses Coverfly to manage submissions and automatically removes cover pages before scripts are read by the judges.

13. ScreenCraft claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.

14. The decision of the judges will be final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the next level as advancement will be based on all scores in the competition.

15. In the event a juror, partner organization, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, ScreenCraft will make its best effort to secure a replacement. ScreenCraft is not responsible for the failed delivery of any prize package by a juror, sponsor, or partner organization.

16. ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.

17. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.