Final Draft offers the annual Big Break® Contest – a screenwriting competition that has been helping launch careers for over twenty years.

Prizes include an exclusive NYFA fellowship, general meetings with top literary agents, meeting preparation with top career coach Lee Jessup, $10,000 in cash, a brand new Dell laptop, a trip to Hollywood - and more! Is this your year?

Quarterfinalists - Aug 23, 2024
Semifinalists - Sep 20, 2024
Finalists (Top 10s) - Oct 11, 2024
Category Winners - Nov 1, 2024
Grand Prize Winners - Dec 4, 2024

JURY

Gary King
VP of Development, Paramount Television Studios

Amanda Alley
Creative Executive, Skydance Media

Andrew Bergamo
Creative Executive, The Donners' Company

Gabrielle Utsey
VP, Development, POV Entertainment

Jeff Portnoy
Literary Manager, Bellevue Productions

Scott Stoops
Literary Manager, Good Fear Content

Lauren Deitch
Manager for Drama Series Development, Netflix

Jon Hersh
Literary Manager, Housefire Management

Jason Lubin
Manager & Producer, First Story Entertainment

Jesse Hood
Executive, ACE Entertainment

Alex Barnes
Development Executive

Diego Rey
Manager & Producer, Underground Films

Trent Anderson
Manager, Anonymous Content

Allie Loh
President Content & Acquisitions, Zero Gravity

Brian Spink
Manager & Producer, Realm

Zack Zucker
Manager & Producer, Bellevue Productions

Mireia Vilanova
Producer, Cartuna

Jen Ray
Partner & Literary Manager, Heroes & Villains Entertainment

Zach Bianco
Development Exec. / Producer, Feigco Entertainment

Lisa Alford
Development Executive, Johnson Production Group

Awards & Prizes

2 Grand Prize Winners receive:

- $10,000 cash
- An Apple iPad
- A trip to Hollywood* –Roundtrip airfare to Los Angeles plus 3 night hotel accommodations
- Dell XPS Laptop
- Meetings With Managers, Producers and Executives. Attend networking events and meet the industry.
- New York Film Academy - Attend multi-week online immersive program in both film & television writing
- UCLAex Masterclass
- 1 year subscription to ScriptHop
- Writer brand assessment and 60-Minute Career Prep Webinar with screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup
- Copy of Save The Cat! Story Structure Software and book
- Query Letter or One-Sheet analysis and a personalized, signed copy of The Screenwriter’s Bible by Dave Trottier
- Final Draft Go™ App for iPhone and iPad.

Additional Prizes For TV Grand Prize Winner:

- Script Consultation from Jen Grisanti Inc.
- One-hour career coaching session with Carole Kirschner to create a personalized game plan for leveraging the contest win.

Each Feature And TV Award Winner receives:

- $1,000 Cash
- Final Draft 13
- New York Film Academy - Attend multi-week online immersive program in both film & television writing
- Writer brand assessment from Lee Jessup
- 5 Career coaching sessions with screenwriting coach Lee Jessup
- 60-minute webinar with screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup on how to capitalize on your Big Break win
- Participation in a 6-Week Teleseminar from Jen Grisanti Inc.
- A 4-month InkTip Pro Membership – As an InkTip Pro Member, thousands of filmmakers can find and read your scripts, and you’ll be able to pitch directly to production companies every week
- Free entry to any Script Pipeline Season – Feature or TV
- One year subscription of MasterWriter software
- Free Big Break Contest entry for 2025
- Script coverage from Big Break readers
- A Copy of Save The Cat! Strikes Back by screenwriter Blake Snyder
- 6 month subscription to ScriptHop

Short Script Winner Receives:
- $1,000 Cash
- Final Draft 13
- Feedback on a verbal pitch or pitch deck, plus a 1-hour feedback session with Seed & Spark
- Free Big Break Contest entry for 2025
- A 4-month InkTip Pro Membership - As an InkTip Pro Member, thousands of filmmakers can find and read your scripts, and you'll be able to pitch directly to production companies every week
- 6 month subscription to ScriptHop
- One year subscription of MasterWriter software

Short Script Finalists:
- One-on-one consultation with Seed & Spark on crowdfunding, producing, and distribution

Rules & Terms


1. The Big Break Screenwriting Contest only accepts online entry of feature film, television, and short screenplays (original pilot scripts only – miniseries cannot be accepted).
2. No printed scripts will be accepted.
3. To enter your script electronically, you must submit your screenplay in PDF format. You are not required to use Final Draft in order to enter the Contest.
4. All submissions should consist of: – Full-length screenplays (approximately 80 to 120 pages); – Teleplays (hour-long approximately 40 to 70 pages, half hour approximately 20 to 35 pages); – Short script screenplays (maximum 20 pages).
5. Any entries over 150 pages WILL BE DISQUALIFIED. For feature and teleplay, entries less than 20 pages that are clearly not a screenplay (comic books, etc.) will also be disqualified.
6. All necessary information is captured upon entry of digital submissions, so title pages should be removed or contact information must be deleted from the title page. The title of the script will be provided to the reader as part of the file name and in the judging form.
7. Do NOT include personally identifying information (name, etc.) ANYWHERE in your script as this will result in INSTANT DISQUALIFICATION. This includes: – Writers name, WGA or representation info on the title page; – Writers name on ANY page of the script; – Writers name within the script’s file name.
8. Entry should consist of a screenplay, teleplay, or short script only. Do not include resumes, pitches, synopses, casting suggestions, letters, or other supporting documentation with your submission. Judges will not receive these materials.
The exception is original hour-long and half-hour TV entries, which may include standard supplementary materials, such as lists of recurring characters and future episodes, as part of the screenplay. This information would need to be included within the same file, at the end of the script.
9. Entrants who select to receive feedback on their screenplay will be given at least 550 words of assessment from a competition reader. Feedback will be automatically emailed to entrants upon its completion.