Screenwriting Contests 2021

A quick reference for my friends and fellow writers, previous students, and emerging storytellers.

“The Academy Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting is an international screenwriting competition established to identify and encourage talented new screenwriters. The 2021 competition is now open for submissions“. – Academy Website

• Website: https://www.oscars.org/nicholl
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/academygold

“For over twenty-seven years, Austin Film Festival has been catapulting writers into life-changing careers. With one of the most noteworthy competitions among Hollywood tastemakers, AFF consistently yanks newcomers from the isolation of their desks and ushers them into the bustling world of film and television. Whether your dream is to sign a contract, land an agent, learn from an industry icon, or take home the coveted Bronze Typewriter Award, it’s simple: you can’t win if you don’t enter.” – Austin Film Festival Website

• Website: https://austinfilmfestival.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AustinFilmFestival
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/austinfilmfest/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/austinfilmfest

“Founded in 1995, the CineStory Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to educating new writing talent through its screenwriting and TV writing retreats, fellowships, and events. These educational programs are designed for emerging writers with a high level of craft who are ready to enter or are in the early stages of navigating the entertainment industry.

The CineStory Foundation is based in Los Angeles with a retreat center in Idyllwild, California. Competitions, retreats, and events are open to international TV writers and screenwriters.” – CineStory Website

• Website: https://cinestory.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CineStoryorg
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cinestoryfoundation/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/CineStory

“On behalf of our Judges and Administrative Staff, I invite you to enter The 2021 PAGE International Screenwriting Awards competition! This marks our 18th Anniversary year, and in just a few short months, our Judges will once again present over $50,000 in cash and prizes to some of the most talented new screenwriters from across the country and around the world.
You could be one of them!

Each year some of Hollywood’s most influential producers, agents, managers, and development executives judge the contest and read our winning scripts. As a result, dozens of our past winners have secured representation, landed script assignments, signed option agreements on their work, and many now have movies and television shows in production, on the air, and in theaters..” – Page International Screenwriting Awards Website

• Website: https://pageawards.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pageawards/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/page_awards/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/PAGEawards

They have several contests throughout the year for various genres and subcategories:

• Website: https://screencraft.org/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/screencraft.org
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/page_awards
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/screencrafting/

“The 19th Annual Script Pipeline Screenwriting Competition connects talented writers with production companies, agencies, and managers. As one of the longest-running and most successful screenplay contests, we focus specifically on finding emerging writers representation, supporting diverse voices, championing marketable, bold storytelling, and pushing original projects into production.

The company’s unique process, consisting of long-term writer development and widespread circulation of material, gives finalists access to top execs worldwide as well as the proper guidance to advance their careers.” – Script Pipeline Website

• Website: https://cinestory.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/scriptpipeline/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/scriptpipeline

The Slamdance Screenplay Competition is dedicated to discovering and nurturing emerging screenwriters. Since 1995, the competition has established a strong track record for introducing writers to members of the entertainment industry who have gone on to produce, option and represent submitted work. Like the Film Festival, the Screenplay Competition is a place for new, bold, and raw voices. We are looking for scripts that take risks, refuse compromise, and go places where Hollywood hacks fear to tread.

• Website: https://slamdance.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SlamdanceFilmFestival/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/slamogram/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/slamdance

From the start, WeScreenplay has been devoted to approaching script coverage and screenplay contests like a Silicon Valley startup.  Besides automating away all of the tasks that other companies have to do manually, they’ve been building models out of the troves of script data that pass through their system every day.

• Website: https://www.wescreenplay.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wescreenplay
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wescreenplay
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/WeScreenplay

Hello everyone, I try to update this when I can but please make sure to click through and confirm dates on the official websites. These dates and information may be changed by the contest providers at any time and its always best to double check.  Happy Writing.