Dallas International Film Festival's Screenwriting Competition
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About
Dallas International Film Festival, Event Horizon Films, and Torfoot Studios have come together for the DIFF 2023 Screenplay Competition.
Among the prizes, award-winning filmmaker Johnathan Brownlee at Torfoot Studios will produce and direct the winning short script for film festival screenings (30 pages or less; single location). Previous winning short scripts screened at Dallas Noir Fest, Dallas International Film Festival and ATX Short Film Showcase, and many others.
All scripts are reviewed by readers currently working at top representation companies with the potential to get signed at any time.
- William Morris Endeavor (WME)
- Creative Artists Agency
- Zero Gravity
- Artist First
- Innovative Artists
- Authentic Talent + Literary Management
- GVA Talent Agency
- And more
A harsh Hollywood reality is that most scripts are lost in the slush pile. Those who are lucky to have their scripts read by a producer, agent, manager or studio head may never know whether it was given the infamous pass, consider, recommend rating. We break the mold by providing these ratings on ever feature, pilot or short submitted to our team of readers, as well as offering detailed feedback to improve overall marketability.
Advancing scripts are read and judged by Oscar winners, Emmy winners and/or blockbuster screenwriters.
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Dallas International Film Festival is a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization established in 2006 by people who love the magic of film. Since its inception, Dallas Film has contributed more than $1M in filmmaker awards, brought over 2000 filmmakers to Dallas, screened over 2000 films from more than 50 countries. We are proud to support local filmmakers, as well as fellow film organizations in DFW.
Event Horizon Films is about networking and connectivity. We are committed to providing Hollywood access to filmmakers and screenwriters. By partnering with film festivals, film professionals and leading film companies, we are able to provide a valuable range of resources to help improve craft and advance industry exposure. Our expert readers come from: Creative Artists Agency, Innovative Artists, Zero Gravity, WME Agency, ICM Partners, and Authentic.
Torfoot Studios has a long history of telling stories, creating worlds and pleasing investors. Along with being artists and visionaries, we are business owners and executives. Great stories are good business.
Benefits
Optioned, Produced, and Premiered Short Film
Luxury Oscar Party 2024
Dallas International Film Festival Passes 2024
Celebrity Shout Out
Professional Feedback
Announcements
Rules
Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback after an entry is submitted will not be accepted.
Feature screenplays must be a minimum of 75 pages and a maximum of 150 pages. Short screenplays must be a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 35 pages. Thirty minute pilots have a max page count of 35. One Hour pilots have a max page count of 65.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Central Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
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). All writers must be credited on title page.
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 the prize money.
Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with resubmission through Event Horizon Films. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.
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.
Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required.
All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.
Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only, between the dates provided for each competition.
Entry fees will vary depending on each competition. Please review the fees and dates of the competition via the submission page.
Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback after an entry is submitted will not be accepted.
Feature screenplays must be a minimum of 75 pages and a maximum of 150 pages. Short screenplays must be a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 35 pages. Thirty minute pilots have a max page count of 35. One Hour pilots have a max page count of 65.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Central Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
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). All writers must be credited on title page.
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 the prize money.
Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with resubmission through Event Horizon Films. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.
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.
Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required.
All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.
the submission page.
Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback after an entry is submitted will not be accepted.
Feature screenplays must be a minimum of 75 pages and a maximum of 150 pages. Short screenplays must be a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 35 pages. Thirty minute pilots have a max page count of 35. One Hour pilots have a max page count of 65.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Central Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
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). All writers must be credited on title page.
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 the prize money.
Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with resubmission through Event Horizon Films. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.
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.
Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required.
All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.
only, between the dates provided for each competition.
Entry fees will vary depending on each competition. Please review the fees and dates of the competition via the submission page.
Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback after an entry is submitted will not be accepted.
Feature screenplays must be a minimum of 75 pages and a maximum of 150 pages. Short screenplays must be a minimum of 5 pages and a maximum of 35 pages. Thirty minute pilots have a max page count of 35. One Hour pilots have a max page count of 65.
There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Central Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
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). All writers must be credited on title page.
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 the prize money.
Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with resubmission through Event Horizon Films. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.
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.
Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required.
All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.