First Look Project
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About
Winners Receive:
$15,000 (amongst 6 winners)
industry circulation | long-term development | 1-on-1 career guidance
The 13th Annual First Look Project searches for higher-concept material across six categories of entry:
- Screenplay - Action & Sci-fi, Comedy, Drama, and Horror & Thriller
- TV Pilot - Hour and Half-hour original pilots
One winner in each division receives a share of $15,000, industry circulation, development assistance, and personalized career guidance over the long-term from Script Pipeline’s executive team. A minimum of one runner-up is also chosen for each category.
Supported by Divide/Conquer (M3GAN), STX Entertainment (The Irishman), Bellevue Productions (Eli), Destro Films (Clerks III), and additional Script Pipeline management and producer partners, the competition introduces the winners and runners-up to these and other companies.
Unlike Script Pipeline's Screenwriting and TV writing competitions, entries for First Look are judged on both writing ability and market potential, in addition to the originality of the concept. In other words: for this particular contest, your script could need a bit of refining and still have a great chance to win if we feel the story itself could stand out in the current landscape. Writers will receive extensive feedback post-contest prior to industry circulation, should the script need fine-tuning.
The six First Look winners, with at least one runner-up in each category, receive the following:
- - $15,000 total awarded to winners ($2,500 in each category)
- - Long-term facilitation to Script Pipeline's industry network of producers, agents, and managers seeking features.
- - Development assistance from Script Pipeline's execs on both the screenplay and pitch
- - Additional script reviews and consideration of other material for industry exposure
- - Invitations to private events and Symposium panels hosted by Pipeline
Over $8 million in screenplays and pilots have been sold by Script Pipeline writers as well as numerous scripts produced since 1999, a notable list that includes studio films Stuber by Tripper Clancy (Fox) and Snow White and the Huntsman by Evan Daugherty (Universal). Pipeline Screenwriting finalist Bring Me Back by Crosby Selander sold to Legendary in 2020 for seven figures—one of the all-time biggest spec sales by an unproduced writer. Helen Gaughran's winning horror script Visitation was produced, starring Olivia Cooke (House of the Dragon) and Isla Johnston (The Queen’s Gambit), releasing soon. Several Pipeline writers have made The Black List in recent years, such as Court 17 by Elad Ziv, Cauliflower by Daniel Jackson, and Pure by Catherine Schetina, with the latter two securing the #1 spot. And over the past 25 years, writers have signed with multiple top managers and agents, landing with reps at Bellevue, UTA, Kaplan/Perrone, XYZ Management, IAG, Alibi Management, and more following Script Pipeline development and introductions.
Benefits
Screenplays: No page length restrictions, as long as the script is intended to be a feature film (so 80-120 is a preferred range, but we don't have a minimum or maximum). Mixed genre and animated screenplays are accepted, but writers must submit to only one category with the same script.
If your specific genre isn't listed here, you may submit to the one closest resembling it. For example, Fantasy, Western, and Adventure could fall under Action & Sci-Fi. Or Crime and Mystery scripts could be submitted to Thriller.
TV Hour & Half-hour: pilot scripts in the 30-60 page range (appx.). All genres accepted, including animation, sketch show, off-the-wall genre hybrids ... anything goes.
Industry receiving first look at the winners:
Screenplay
Action & Sci-Fi - Bellevue Productions (Eli)
Comedy - Alibi Management (Stuber)
Drama - Destro Films (Clerks III)
Horror & Thriller – Divide & Conquer (M3GAN)
TV Pilot
Half-hour and Hourlong – STX Entertainment (The Irishman)
AWARDS - SCREENPLAY
Winners (4): December 20th, 2024
- - $10,000 awarded. $2,500 to the winner of each genre category (Action & Sci-Fi, Comedy, Drama, Horror & Thriller)
- - Circulation to select production and management companies for first look, with expanded circulation afterward
Runners-up (4, minimum of one in each category): December 20th, 2024
The Screenplay winners and runners-up receive:
- - Long-term facilitation to Script Pipeline's industry network of producers, managers, agents, directors, and others seeking features.
- - Development assistance from Script Pipeline's execs on both the screenplay and pitch
- - Additional script reviews and consideration of other material for industry exposure
- - Invitations to private events and Symposium panels hosted by Pipeline
AWARDS - TV
Winners (2): December 20th, 2024
- - $5,000 awarded. $2,500 to the winner of each category (Hour and Half-Hour)
- - Circulation to select production and management companies for first look, with expanded circulation afterward
Runners-up (2, minimum of one in each category: December 20th, 2024
The TV Pilot winners and runners-up receive:
- - Long-term facilitation to Script Pipeline's industry network of producers, agents, and managers seeking original pilots and new TV writer clients.
- - Development assistance from Script Pipeline's execs on both the pilot and series pitch or bible
- - Additional script reviews and consideration of other material for industry exposure
- - Invitations to private events and Symposium panels hosted by Pipeline
Writer Success
Announcements
Rules
Please review the following prior to submitting:
- - For both Screenplay and TV, the script must not be under an option or shopping agreement at the time of entry (if it happens after, that's absolutely fine!).
- - The same script cannot compete in multiple categories. Genre hybrids (i.e. an Action/Comedy) can be whatever category the writer chooses.
- - Writers who have sold, optioned, or produced scripts in the past are eligible; however, the material submitted must not have been produced and released as a feature film or TV series at any time before the end of the season.
- - Judging criteria emphasizes both writing ability and concept, unlike our Screenwriting and TV Writing competitions, which are centered almost exclusively on writing ability. Preference may be given to higher-concept material.
- - The material must be wholly original. For adaptations, the story must be in the public domain, or you have retained the adaptation rights.
Email our contest coordinator with any other questions on guidelines or judging criteria.
