The Big Break Screenwriting Contest from Final Draft offers film and TV writers in 11 genres the chance to win up to $100,000 in cash and prizes. Grand prize winners also get flown to Los Angeles to meet with managers, producers and executives.

• 11 Winners Share Up To $100,000 in cash and prizes
• 2 Grand Prize Winners Are Flown to Los Angeles
• Winners Are Introduced To Producers and Executives
• Grand Prize Winners receive NYFA Fellowship
• Over 50 past winners have sold scripts, received representation, or gone on to professional writing careers

The Final Draft / New York Film Academy Fellowship In Writing For Film & Television

Co-sponsored by The New York Film Academy, the fellowship begins with a 12-week master class—one for film writers and one for television writers—held on the Burbank campus of the New York Film Academy and taught by top New York Film Academy instructors.

Writers will receive individualized instruction and mentoring in their chosen medium, and visiting industry VIPs will provide first-hand, practical insights into the entertainment industry (Out of town winners will be able to participate via virtual classroom).

Once the workshop has been completed, each fellow will be given a New York Film Academy Mentor to meet with once a month for the remainder of the calendar year for further guidance in script and career development. 

Diversity Category

This category is specifically for underrepresented writers and diverse voices. The story itself does not have to be about Diversity issues. When submitting, you can select the Diversity category and the actual genre of your script. 

The Final Draft Awards Ceremony

Winners are invited to the Paramount Studios lot to celebrate great writing and be recognized for their incredible scripts. The industry event includes a red carpet, some of the biggest writers in town, and a great place to network and celebrate screenwriters!

Big Break Success Stories

In recent years, over 50 Big Break semi-finalists, finalists, and winners have been signed to professional representation. Many have had scripts optioned, sold, and produced. Others have found full-time work in television. Read about just a few of those successes below!

• 2018 Television Grand Prize Winner Myles Reid has signed with Jewerl Ross of Silent R Management and has been staffed as the Showrunner's Assistant on 'The Lost Boys' pilot for The CW
• 2018 Quarter-Finalist Natasha Bonanno has optioned her script 'The Undertakers Children' to Chayah Masters/Rumination Road, with Alex Gayner set to direct
• 2018 Quarter-Finalist Jonathan Barger has optioned his script 'Station Zero' to Zorg Studios, with Erwan Marinopoulos set to direct
• 2017 Feature Grand Prize Winner Greta Heinemann has signed with Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Productions, who is shopping her script 'Anatomy of a Breakdown' alongside UTA
• 2017 Half-Hour Pilot category winner Greg Wayne has signed with Brian Spink of REALM, and has Director Scott Speer set to helm his script 'S21', with Catapult and Needle's Eye producing
• 2017 Feature Drama category winner Julia Mogerman has signed with Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Productions
• 2017 Feature Diversity category winner Nicolas Pinzón has signed with Markus Goerg of Heroes and Villains
• 2017 Hour-Long TV Pilot category winner JJ Bailey has signed with Markus Goerg of Heroes and Villains
• 2017 Top-3 Finalist Nancy Duff has signed with Jennifer Au of Untitled 
• 2016 Television Grand Prize Winner Rowan Wheeler has signed with UTA
• 2016 Feature Grand Prize Winner Alexis Perkins has signed with Stagecoach Entertainment and agent David Rubin at Gersh
• 2016 Family category winner Matt Katzenberger has signed with Entertainment Lab
• 2016 Hour-Longt TV Pilot winner Julia Cooperman has been staffed on USA Network's TV series 'Colony'
• 2016 Top-5 Finalist Paul Jarnagin has signed with Universal Writers Management
• 2015 Television Grand Prize Winner Eric Buchman has signed with Mitch Solomon at Magnet Management and continues to write for NBC's 'Blindspot' and has been promoted to co-producer
• 2015 Feature Grand Prize Winners G.W. Freund & Daniel Bonjour have signed with Brillstein Entertainment Partners
• 2015 Half-Hour TV Pilot Quarter-Finalist Nick Watson has signed with Abrams Artists Agency and is now a full-time staff writer on the animated sitcom 'Final Space' for TBS
• 2015 Hour-Long TV Pilot Finalist Paula Sabbaga has signed with Brian Spink of REALM
• 2014 Hour-Long TV Pilot Winner Derek Asaff signed with Derrick Eppich of Lee Stobby Entertainment
• 2014 Sci-Fi/Fantasy category winner Joseph Greenberg sold his script 'Man Alive' to 20th Century Fox for Noah Hawley of 'Fargo' to direct
• 2014 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Finalist James Barclay  has signed with Magnet Management
• 2014 Drama category winner Peter Wulff has signed with Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Productions
• 2013 Half-Hour Pilot Winner Nicholas Anthony was hired as a writer for CBS‘ 'The Inspectors'