APPLICATION GUIDELINES:
Prices and Deadlines:
Early Deadline - Nov 1st, 2016 - $30 / $25 Student*
Regular Deadline - Dec 15th, 2016 - $35 / $30 Student*
Late Deadline - Jan 15th, 2017 - $45 / $35 Student*
Last Chance Deadline - Jan 31st, 2017 - $55 / $45 Student*
*Please note, student pricing is available when you enter your script via FilmFreeway and supply proof of enrollment.
Applications are accepted via electronic submission only and must be in English. Foreign languages may be contained in the script, but a translation of such language should be indicated within the script to allow the reviewer to understand your meaning.
Submissions should be in the short horror or short thriller genres, between one to twenty pages) in proper screenplay format.
Your Application must include: an original script screenplay of which you are an / the author.
You can submit more than one project, but each submission should be made separately and will be analyzed as a distinct project.
Applications must be received on or before the deadlines and application fee payment must be received in full at time of the submission.
All fees are non-refundable.
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the author(s).
Material must be submitted by the author or owner of such material. Material 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.
Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material are not allowed. Please proofread your script very carefully before submitting.
Your contact info should be included on the cover page of the screenplay.
The finalists, including one chosen for production, will be announced and notified on or before March 31st.
ELIGIBILITY:
We welcome international applicants. All persons from anywhere in the world are eligible; however, the material submitted must be in English, except when they specifically incorporate a foreign-language scene.
If an applicant is younger than 18 years old, a parent or guardian may submit the application; otherwise, submissions will not be accepted from persons under the age of 18 years.
Materials may be submitted to other competitions without prejudice.
Material should be submitted in a standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin. See http://www.finaldraft.com/mm_media/mm_pdf/How_to_Format_a_Screenplay.pdf to learn proper formatting techniques. Failure to conform your material to this format is strongly discouraged.
Title page content: Title or piece. Name of writer. Contact information for submitter, including name, address, telephone, and email address.
Adaptations are ineligible unless the underlying rights are owned by the writer or the work is in the public domain.
All material must be submitted electronically as a PDF or Microsoft Word document no larger than 1MB or it will not be eligible.
The top submissions will be chosen on or about March 31st, 2017, based on the following criteria: (i) originality; (ii) story structure; (iii) characterization; (iv) feasibility of production; (v) overall viability for world-class film festivals and/or online distribution; (vi) compliance with the rules hereof. The winners and finalists may be contacted by Seraph. Entrants may be required to submit further information to assist in the judges’ verification of eligibility. Any entrant may be deemed ineligible at the sole discretion of Seraph Films, LLC. The selected winner(s) will be notified by e-mail on or before March 31st, 2017. Finalists may be required to sign and return within seven (7) business days of receipt a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and a Release and Indemnification and proof of valid passport and any other documents that Seraph may require. Failure to respond to the initial notification within ten (10) days or return of notification may result in disqualification. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time and without notice. You should check them periodically.
Seraph reserves the right to cancel the contest due to insufficient interest. If Seraph exercises this right, all entrants will be reimbursed the full cost of their entry fee.
COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP FOR WINNING ENTRANTS
Seraph Films, LLC will retain ownership of the resulting film, and in order for production to commence, the winning writer(s) will need to sell the rights to their script to Seraph for a fee of fifty (50) dollars. . Writer credit will remain with the author, while director and producer credit will be given to Seraph’s team unless otherwise agreed. Should your project win, you are not obligated to allow Seraph to produce it until and unless other agreements are made, satisfactory to both parties.
PUBLICITY
Except where prohibited by law, participation in this program constitutes each entrant’s consent to Seraph and its agents’ and any sponsors’ use of entrants’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or personal information for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration.
ENTRY CONDITIONS AND RELEASE
By applying, each participant agrees to release and hold harmless Seraph Films, LLC, its subsidiaries, parents and affiliated companies, contributors, Sponsors, and any other organizations responsible for administering, advertising or promoting this Program, and every one of their respective members, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) past and present from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to damages and negligence to property and persons, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, copyright, infringement of trademark or other intellectual property rights relating to a participant’s Entry, participation herein and/or acceptance or use or misuse of Prize; provided however, that such release will not apply to any commercial exploitation of the script by a Released Party in violation of your rights under applicable copyright law; and indemnify, defend and hold harmless all related parties, agents and employees from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) relating to an entrant’s participation in the Program. Employees of Seraph and their immediate families are ineligible to participate in this contest. Any such submission will be immediately disqualified. This contest is void where restricted by any Federal, State or Local law. Recipients’ eligibility must be verified before any award is made, and the winner may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility.
