
Big Apple Film Festival Screenplay Competition
Enter Now
About
Big Apple Film Festival is currently accepting screenplay submissions for our fall edition.
Big Apple Film Festival will present live theatrical screenings in the heart of NYC November 7-11, followed by industry networking conferences taking place virtually November 14-18.
BAFF,
named one of MovieMaker Magazine's top "25 Film Festivals Worth The
Entry Fee,” top "25 Coolest Film Festivals,”, CBS New York's "Best Film
Festivals in New York...,” and FilmFreeway's "Top 100 Best Reviewed
Festivals", is dedicated to showcasing, highlighting and supporting the
most innovative, purposeful and influential filmmakers and
screenwriters.
Big Apple Film Festival script entries are reviewed by readers who have had experience in either one or more of the following areas: screenwriting, film production, creative writing, film festival programming, film and/or screenwriting review and analysis, film, screenwriting and/or creative writing education.
OUR ESTEEMED LIST OF JUDGES INCLUDE:
Writers, Directors and/or Producers who have developed projects for:
- Netflix
- Hulu
- Warner Bros.
- Disney
- Apple TV
- Amazon
- Twentieth Century Fox
- Paramount
- CBS
- HBO
- NBCUniversal
- and more...
Agents and Managers from the following companies:
- Anonymous Content
- APA
- Examples of our readers/judges credits include:
-Academy Award nominated writer/director
-Independent Spirit Award nominated Producer who has developed projects for Netflix, Hulu, Sony Pictures, IFC, Warner Bros, New Line Cinema and more...
- -Emmy nominee and Golden Globe winner who has written and produced for studios and networks including HBO, Disney, Hulu, Paramount, Fox, Sony Pictures, Universal, CBS, and SyFy
- -Senior Director at NBCUniversal
- -Script analyst who has provided coverage for outlets including HBO, Sony International, Amazon and Sundance Feature Lab, instructor for UCLA MFA program, as well as mentor for CineStory TV writers program
-Former executive at HBO, Creative Consultant for Sony, Amazon, Emmy Juror
-Literary Agent from APA
- -Literary Manager from Anonymous Content
- and many more...
"Since being a finalist with Big Apple, I was signed by A3 (Abrams) and have taken meetings with Starz, Lionsgate, and Anonymous Content (among others). I was also recently a Semi-Finalist for the Sundance Episodic Lab!" -Maia Henkin
"My feature script The Tenant recently became a finalist in the Big Apple Film Festival. This accolade moved my script onto Coverfly's Red List. This helped in querying representation and getting signed by a literary manager."
-Janet J. Lawler
PREVIOUS SCREENPLAY COMPETITION WINNERS AND FINALISTS INCLUDE: Shia LaBeouf (SAG Award, People's Choice Award and Independent Spirit Award nominee), Caytha Jentis(written/directed/produced projects for HBO, Amazon), Ron Friedman(Emmy nominee and WGA Award winner), Jyllian Gunther(Emmy Award winner, producer for NBC, ABC, A&E), Henry Sarwer-Foner(Directors Guild of Canada Award nominee), Daniel Talbott (writer ABC's "The Conners", "The Mist" produced by The Weinstein Company and Spike TV), Michael Vaynberg (writer/director Cannes Film Festival selection "9.8 m/s²"), Shruti Tewari (member of the Sundance Collab Directing Program), Bill Brock (Semi-Finalist - Stage 32 Feature Screenwriting Contest), Ken Krauss (writer "Tom, Dick, & Harriet" - Hallmark Channel), Kevin Emerson (author of over twenty novels published by HarperCollins, Random House, Scholastic), Linda Shayne (writer/director "Undercover Kid" released by WARNER BROTHERS, HBO Family, "Little Ghost,” distributed by PARAMOUNT video airing on HBO), Chris Phillips (Finalist - Sundance Institute Development Track, Award for Overall Excellence in Playwriting-New York International Fringe Festival), Maia Henkin (repped by Abrams Artists Agency), and many more...
AGENTS AND MANAGERS CONFERENCE AND NETWORKING LABS:
Big Apple Film Festival is proud to present our industry networking conferences, which includes our Agents and Managers Conference. These conferences provide career advice, strategies, guidance and networking opportunities with top agents and managers representing filmmakers and screenwriters.
PARTICIPATING AGENTS AND MANAGERS HAVE INCLUDED REPRESENTATIVES FROM:
- WME
- The Gersh Agency
- APA
- Kazarian/Measures/Ruskin & Associates
- Kaplan Stahler Agency
- A3
- Anonymous Content
- 3 Arts Entertainment
- Crystal Ship Artists
- Entertainment Lab
- Magnolia Entertainment
- Culture Creative Entertainment
- Meridian Artists
- Stobby Entertainment
- Sweet 180 Management
- The Jackson Agency
- Alexander Creatives
(Fall 2022 Participating Agents and Managers will be announced this summer)
Additionally, for writers and filmmakers currently seeking representation, Big Apple Film Festival offers our Agents and Managers Networking Lab. Screenwriters selected for the labs will be given the opportunity to network with selected agents and managers in small group meetings to discuss and pitch their projects, ask questions, and receive feedback. (NOTE: Agents and Manager Networking Lab selections are separate from our screenplay competition selections, and will take place after the conclusion of the festival).
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB MENTORS INCLUDE REPS FROM:
The Gersh Agency
APA
Stobby Entertainment
For more information on our labs visit bigapplefilmfestival.com/networkingevents
Prices & Deadlines
Jul 20th
BAFF Early
|
Aug 9th
Regular Entry
|
Aug 29th
Extended Entry
|
Sep 18th
Late Entry
|
Oct 7th
FINAL Entry
|
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FEATURE SCREENPLAY (DRAMA)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (COMEDY)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (WOMEN SCREENWRITERS)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (HORROR/THRILLER)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (ACTION/ADVENTURE)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (HISTORICAL)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (SCIENCE FICTION)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (LGBTQ)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
FEATURE SCREENPLAY (FAITH BASED)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
TV PILOT/EPISODIC (DRAMA)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
TV PILOT/EPISODIC (COMEDY)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
TV PILOT/EPISODIC (HORROR/THRILLER)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
TV PILOT/EPISODIC (WOMEN SCREENWRITERS)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
SHORT SCRIPTS
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (FEATURE SCREENPLAY DRAMA)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (FEATURE SCREENPLAY COMEDY)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (TV PILOT/EPISODIC DRAMA)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (TV PILOT/EPISODIC COMEDY)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (SHORT SCRIPTS)
|
$60.00
|
$65.00
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (WOMEN SCREENWRITERS - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (HORROR/THRILLER - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (ACTION/ADVENTURE - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (SCIENCE FICTION - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (HISTORICAL - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (FAMILY - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (TRUE STORIES - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (LGBTQ - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB (FAITH BASED - FEATURE SCREENPLAYS OR EPISODIC)
|
$70.00
|
$75.00
|
$80.00
|
$85.00
|
$90.00
|
Benefits
Screenplay
winners in each category will receive small group meetings with
established producers and other industry representatives. These industry
professionals will be selected from BAFF alumni and other members of
our industry network. Screenplay winners will receive information on
this year's selected industry reps in the weeks following the festival.
Our
network of professionals from previous years have included
representatives from: HBO, NBCUniversal, Academy Award winning Killer
Films, William Morris Endeavor Agency, The Gersh Agency, APA Agency, Magnolia
Pictures, Film Rise(distributor of numerous Oscar Award winning and Emmy
Award winning films), Emmy Award winning Gigantic Productions,
Cinepointe Advisors(legal counsel on numerous Oscar nominated films),
Academy Award nominated and Emmy Award winning filmmakers, Academy Award
and Emmy Award winning screenwriters, Filmmakers with projects released
through Sony, Disney, Lions Gate, HBO, Showtime, Netflix, Amazon
Studios, Hulu, and theatrically, as well as staff writers for CBS, ABC,
Lifetime, and more... (fall 2022 participating industry representatives for networking meetings will be announced in November)
These meetings are designed to provide
winning screenwriters with direct access and live interaction with
industry professionals to provide strategies, guidance and mentorship to
emerging screenwriters.
Conferences take place virtually allowing participants to join remotely.
Winning screenplays will be promoted to Big Apple Film Festival's list of alumni filmmakers, many of which include filmmakers who have had film released theatrically, as well as on numerous major distribution platforms, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, HBO, iTunes, NBCUniveral and more...
Winners
will receive a complimentary InkTip listing, which will provide access
to InkTip's entire network of producers, filmmakers, agents and
managers. Producers have made over 400 films discovered thru InkTip.
Screenplay
Competition winners will receive a complimentary all access badge to
Big Apple Film Festival events, including screenings, networking
conferences and receptions. Festival takes place November 7-11 in New York City, with industry networking conferences taking place virtually November 14-18.
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LABS
For writers and filmmakers currently seeking representation, Big Apple Film Festival offers our Agents and Managers Networking Lab. Screenwriters selected for the labs will be given the opportunity to network with agents and managers in small group meetings to discuss and pitch their projects, ask questions, and receive feedback. (NOTE: Agents and Manager Networking Lab selections are separate from our screenplay competition selections, and will take place after the conclusion of the festival).
AGENTS AND MANAGERS NETWORKING LAB MENTORS INCLUDE REPS FROM:
The Gersh Agency
APA
Stobby Entertainment
For more information on our labs visit bigapplefilmfestival.com/networkingevents