San Francisco IndieFest Screenplay Competition
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About
For 26 years the San Francisco Independent Film Festival has developed a great reputation for filling theaters, getting press, and throwing great parties. Films at our fest regularly get press reviews, picked up at other fests, and find rabid groupies following the makers around town demanding autographs and buying them drinks.
Our screenplay contest has the goal of expanding our filmmaker reach. We are very excited for screenwriters to participate in the festival and we promote them right alongside our films. Competition winners and finalists receive entry fee waivers to submit the finished films for consideration to the San Francisco Independent Film Festival. Participants will also enjoy live reads, parties, panels, film screenings and more.
- A representative at United Talent Agency requested access to the scripts of the finalists of our 2019 competition.
- For the 2023 competition Lilly Wachowski's production company, Anarchists United Foundation, has requested a look at this year's feature screenplay finalists.
Some feedback from competition participants:
"Thank you for the excellent coverage. Your notes are very helpful and well conceived. They are very much appreciated! It seems like most of the notes I’ve gotten simply tell me about my story- hence, not very helpful. The explanations and examples you provided really help steer me to a hopefully better rewrite. " - Tom F
"Really good coverage. Helps me out a lot." - Phil L
"This coverage is fantastic – insightful, constructive & specific. What a relief to have this "North Star” to guide me through my next draft. " - Helen K
"Amazing! This is incredibly helpful, particularly how detailed the notes were with regards to the character's motivations. To quote the writing partner : "Broo! These are fantastic notes!" Thank you so much for the in-depth deep dive, the suggestions are great and we've already scheduled a writing session to start implementing them :) The speedy turnaround was also impressive and very appreciated! " - David M
"Thank you very much for all of your insights and feedback. These notes are incredibly helpful and I've found this process with you and SF IndieFest to be so valuable! " - Madeleine W
"This is excellent feedback. Totally on point and gives me some key areas to dive in and improve. " - Oscar P
"I wanted to thank you once again for the insightful and informative coverage of my screenplay. It has been very helpful indeed." - Nafi A
"Thank you so much for this very valuable feedback. This has really opened up my eyes to some critics changes to my script! So happy I sent it you and your team! All the best an really a massive massive thank you :)" - Josh T
"Please pass on my sincerest thanks to the reviewer. I believe this coverage is very detailed and constructive, and it gives me a solid direction on how to improve this piece." - Danny A.
"I just wanted to say how much I appreciate the in depth, detailed coverage you provided for my screenplay. I had never read a screenplay before, much less written one, and I do not consider myself a writer at all. The story just kind of spilled out over a couple of months last year. While it wasn’t chosen, the feedback is encouraging, highly detailed and insightful, and provides a very clear path forward." - Kirk S.
"Thank you, these notes here are super helpful. This is among the most thoughtful coverage I've gotten on this script." - David S.
"Thank you very much for the detailed and thoughtful coverage of my script. Many of the points you made are valid and I'm already thinking about ways to incorporate them into a revision. My goal is always to make the script stronger and I think these few changes will help me accomplish that. I must say, it is refreshing to get coverage where the reader truly understands (and appreciates!) the characters and what moves them forward. I have found other coverage to be slapdash and not nearly as incisive. I am so close to the script that I have reached the stage where it greatly benefits from an objective and experienced reader." - Meghan S
"Thanks for sending over the feedback, this is probably the most cogent, well thought out and clear headed feedback on one of my script's that I have gotten in a while. Really appreciate the time you or folks on your team took drafting this up." - Mishu H
"Thank you for the coverage, this is really insightful and helpful! " - Sophie W
"It was fantastic to be a part of the San Francisco Independent Film Festival Screenplay Competition. Thank you also for sending the scripts to Lilly. Your support for writers is awesome." - Bryan M
SF IndieFest is a founding member of the FILM FESTIVAL ALLIANCE
Prices & Deadlines
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May 1st
Early
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Nov 16th
Regular
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Dec 10th
Extended
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Dec 31st
Final
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Feature Script Submission
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$45.00
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$55.00
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$65.00
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$75.00
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Feature Script Submission + 3 Pages of Notes
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$100.00
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$110.00
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$120.00
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$130.00
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Short Script Submission
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$35.00
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$45.00
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$55.00
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$65.00
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Short Script Submissions + 1.5 Pages of Notes
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$80.00
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$90.00
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$100.00
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$110.00
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Benefits
The winning Short and Feature length writers receive:
- Cash Prize: $1000 for top feature, $500 for top short
- Delegate Badges to attend the Festival, virtually and live in theater
- Invitation to participate at the festival's Screenwriter Panel
- Print and media coverage
- Name inclusion in Festival program materials as a competition winner
All Competition Finalists receive a Delegate Pass to attend the festival virtually and live in theater.
Announcements
No announcement dates listed.