The Film Empire & Ermantourage present The Industry Next 5! Our film and screenplay initiatives are focused on finding the next generation of filmmakers and screenwriters. This season is open to filmmakers and screenwriters of underrepresented communities. Submit your project for a chance at being a featured speaker at a future entertainment summit in 2021 for The Film Empire. Grand prize winner wins mentor meetings with a variety of names in entertainment. Features and pilots are welcomed.

*A portion of submission fees go towards The Innocence Project. The Innocence Project, founded in 1992 by Peter Neufeld and Barry Scheck at Cardozo School of Law, exonerates the wrongly convicted through DNA testing and reforms the criminal justice system to prevent future injustice.

The grand prize winner will be featured for a Q&A at one of The Film Empire's future virtual entertainment summits in 2021, celebrating creatives in media and film.

Winner to have a featured interview in digital magazine Vents Magazine and other outlets to be announced.

Film Mentorship meetings with (subject to change):
-Nate Moore, executive, Marvel Studios; executive producer, "Black Panther," "The Eternals," "Captain America: Civil War"
-Brian Goldberg, partner, Worldwide Production Agency (WPA)
-Nena Erb, two-time Emmy-winning editor, HBO's "Insecure," "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend"
-Steven Jaworski, Vice President of Production, A&E Networks

Screenplay mentorship meetings meeting with (subject to change):
-Deniese Davis, producer, "Insecure"; COO, ColorCreative
-Todd Baynes, director of scripted development, Paramount Network
-Linda Yvette Chavez, Co-Creator/Executive Producer, Netflix's "Gentefied"

Please see our general rules & guidelines for all contests before submitting: www.thefilmempire.com.

Specific Rules Pertaining to this Contest:

Screenwriters must submit original screenplay of a short, feature or tv episode.

There are no limitations on the number of pages.

No genre restrictions.

Our judges will be looking at all aspects of the story to include pacing, structure, organization, etc.

Must be of an underrepresented demographic within the entertainment industry.

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • I was SO happy and honored that my script placed in top 4, and then to find out that I won an opportunity to speak with a Mentor from Sony TV Development was just AMAZING!!! I can't thank Film Empire enough for the opportunity!

    October 2018