Subscribe
Currently Closed. Subscribe to receive a notification when the next season opens on June 1st.
Aug 1st
Early
Oct 1st
Regular
Dec 1st
Final
Dec 31st
Extended
Killer Shorts
Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition
Season 6
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2019
Rare opportunity to have managers and producers reading your horror short screenplays and short stories.
Subscribe
Currently Closed. Subscribe to receive a notification when the next season opens on June 1st.

About

Got a horror short screenplay or short story? We want to read it.

Our Top 10 finalists will be read by a jury of 
over a dozen literary managers, producers, filmmakers, and absolute horror legendsPrizes include guaranteed industry reads, career consultations, mentorships, increased Coverfly score, a killer trophy, and so much more. Visit our website for more information.


Short Script Coverage is now available! Killer Shorts Short Script Coverage helps screenwriters elevate their script to the next level, while also increasing its Coverfly score! This boost can help place your script on the Red List, where industry professionals discover great talent. Order your Killer Feedback today!

Benefits

This year's jury includes:


  • Kane Hodder - Actor // Stuntman (Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, Jason X, Hatchet I, II & III)
    Xavier Burgin 
    - Director (Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror)
  • Gigi Saul Guerrero - Director // Co-Founder Luchagore Productions (Satanic Hispanics, Culture Shock, El Gigante)
  • Aaron B. Koontz - Producer // CEO Paper Street Pictures (Shelby Oaks, Scare Package I&II, The Pale Door)
  • Scott Stoops - Literary Manager - Good Fear Content
  • Seth M. Sherwood - Screenwriter (Leatherface, Hell Fest)
  • Julian Terry - Filmmaker (Whisper, The Nurse, They Hear It)
  • Chelsea Lupkin - Senior Programmer at Short of the Week // Filmmaker (Flagged, Lucy's Tale)
  • Glenn Cockburn - Literary Manager - Meridian Artists
  • John Zaozirny - Literary Manager // Producer - Bellevue Productions
  • Barbara Crampton - Actress // Producer (You're Next, From Beyond, Chopping Mall, Re-Animator)
  • Jenn Wexler - Filmmaker (The Sacrifice Game, The Ranger, ABC's of Death 2)
  • Sophie Carroll - Programming Manager - ALTER
  • Jason Tamasco  - Producer - Traction Pictures
  • Matthew Dartnell - Literary Manager - Writ Large


The Top 3 Winners Receive:

  1. Circulation and recommendation to our network of Hollywood managers, agents, producers and development executives.
  2. Career consultations with Coverfly's Head of Development & a 60 minute Career Development call with a Stage 32 industry professional.
  3. Access to Robert Mckee's 3 Part Horror Webinar Series, including three 90-minute lessons where McKee teaches the sources of horror, the hidden worlds within reality, and the secret to writing a monster that will terrify your audience.
  4. Final Draft 13 Screenwriting Software.
  5. 1:1 30 minute Crowdfunding Consultation call with Seed & Spark's Head of Creator Success
  6. Waived entry to multiple other contests and festivals.
  7. A skull-shaped typewriter trophy, hand-sculpted and designed by celebrity FX artist Tyler Green (Syfy's Face Off).
  8. Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List.
  9. Killer swag courtesy of Rue Morgue, Fright Rags, Ghoulish Gary, and Horror Pack.
  10. ISAConnect Memberships (6 months, 3 months, 3 months)
    1-Year Premium Subscription to ScriptHop
  11. 1-Year Rockstar Membership to Script Revolution
  12. Plus, our 3rd Place Winner will receive 5 pages of in-depth analysis and actionable advice from The Script Butcher!


Top 10 Finalists Receive:

Finalist Laurels, Final Draft license, 1:1 30 minute Crowdfunding Consultation call with Seed & Spark's Head of Creator Success, Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List, Stage 32 short script coverage from an industry professional, plus, your script will be read by our panel of industry judges.


Semi Finalists Receive:

Semi Finalist Laurels, Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List, Stage 32 Next Level Webinar of your choice, plus your screenplay will be made available by request to potential producers and filmmakers.


Quarter Finalists Receive:

Quarter Finalist Laurels, Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List, 20% off of Stage 32's Search For New Blood Screenwriting Contest and 5 Coverfly Tokens for use on Coverfly’s free peer-to-peer notes exchange.

1 Page Script Category
We recognize that shorter scripts have a slight disadvantage when it comes to impressing literary managers, so we are thrilled to continue our new ‘1 Page Category’, with prizes geared towards helping you produce a horror micro-short film.

The Best 1 Page Script Will Receive:

  • An all-access 1 year subscription to Stan Winston School, including their Course library by The Masters of FX.
  • Final Draft 13 Screenwriting Software.
  • QWERKYWRITER® Best-In-Class Typewriter Inspired Mechanical Keyboard. 
  • $500 Cash.
  • Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List.
  • 6 Month ISAConnect Membership.
  • 1-Year Premium Subscription to ScriptHop
  • 1-Year Rockstar Membership to Script Revolution
  • A skull-shaped typewriter trophy, hand-sculpted and designed by celebrity FX artist Tyler Green (Syfy's Face Off).


Short Story Category

Publication on Website

Chris Hicks Career Mentorship Call

  • Increased rank on Coverfly’s The Red List.
  • Scrivener Writing Software
  • A skull-shaped typewriter trophy, hand-sculpted and designed by celebrity FX artist Tyler Green (Syfy's Face Off).

More Prize information Coming Soon!

Judges

Get in front of Hollywood judges who love horror shorts and supporting emerging screenwriters.
Bellevue Productions

John Zaozirny

Literary Manager // Producer

Bellevue Productions

John Zaozirny oversees the feature film production slate for Bellevue and the Literary Management Team. His clients' writing and directing credits include COBWEB, INFINITE, PARALLEL, ELI, BAD MATCH, TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE (2022), HEAVY TRIP, OFFICE UPRISING, JOLT, and SPLINTER amongst others.

Barbara Crampton

Actress // Producer

Iconic horror actress and producer known for such movies as SUITABLE FESH, JAKOB'S WIFE, YOU'RE NEXT, RE-ANIMATOR, FROM BEYOND, and CHOPPING MALL.

Kane Hodder

Actor // Stuntman

Kane is best known for his role as horror icon Jason Voorhees in FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VII: THE NEW BLOOD, FRIDAY THE 13TH PART VIII: JASON TAKES MANHATTAN, JASON GOES TO HELL: THE FINAL FRIDAY, JASON X. He is also known for his role as the deformed serial killer Victor Crowley in HATCHET I, II & III.

Xavier Burgin

Director

Xavier Burgin is an Emmy-nominated writer/director from USC Cinema. He's a staff writer on Starz's wrestling drama, Heels. He's written for the WWE, CryptTV, Amazon Studios, The Discovery Channel, and Paramount. He directed AMC Network's Horror Noire, Adult Swim's Juneteenth Holiday Special, and the BET+ series, Giants. Xavier is the dubbing director for Netflix's sumo sports drama, Sanctuary.

Writ Large

Matthew Dartnell

Literary Manager

Writ Large

Literary Manager at Writ Large, Matt primarily works with up and coming writers.

Julian Terry

Screenwriter

Julian Terry is a writer, director, and cinematographer based in Los Angeles. He has directed five short horror films, three of which have been picked up by major studios. His first horror short, The Nurse, won the Annabelle: Creation Contest in 2017, which has since been optioned by New Line Cinema. Whisper, his second short, was made on a super tight budget in one location and has been optioned by Amblin Entertainment. His third horror short, They Hear It, was made as a proof of concept for a feature and was pitched and sold to Legendary.

ALTER // Gun Powder & Sky

Sophie Carroll

Programming Manager

ALTER // Gun Powder & Sky

Sophie Carroll graduated from the University of Warwick, England with a BA in Film Studies. After working at a variety of production companies in production management in London, Sophie joined Gunpowder & Sky and spearheaded the development of their ALTER brand. ALTER showcases innovative horror short films from diverse filmmakers on their platforms and has quickly amassed over 4 million fans since launching in August 2018. Since mid 2020, Sophie has also headed up Filmmaker Management & Curation for Gunpowder & Sky’s Sci-Fi brand DUST.

Seth M. Sherwood

Screenwriter

Seth M. Sherwood is a Los Angeles based screenwriter, director, designer, and producer. He is a credited writer on Leatherface, and Hellfest and is serving as Co-Executive Producer on season 2 of Light As A Feather for Awesomeness TV & Hulu. He has feature and television projects in development across town.

Good Fear Content

Scott Stoops

Literary Manager

Good Fear Content

Scott is a manager and partner at Good Fear Film + Mgmt, a management and production company best known for producing The Ring franchise, Hangover franchise, History of Violence and many more. They have a first look deal @ New Line (The Conjuring) in features and Universal Cable (Mr Robot) in TV. They represent writers, directors, etc such as David Robert Mitchell who wrote/directed It Follows.

Paper Street Pictures

Aaron B. Koontz

Producer // CEO Paper Street Pictures

Paper Street Pictures

Aaron B. Koontz is President and Founder of Paper Street Pictures, LLC. Notable projects include THE PALE DOOR, Shudder's SCARE PACKAGE I & II, and CAMERA OBSCURA.

Traction Pictures

Jason Tamasco

Producer

Traction Pictures

Jason Tamasco is a Partner and Producer at Traction. Notable projects include BOUND TO VENGEANCE (IFC Midnight), Netflix’s OPENING NIGHT, and Netflix & Univision Networks’ show EL CHAPO.

Gigi Saul Guerrero

Director // Co-Founder

Luchagore Productions

Gigi Saul Guerrero is a Mexican-Canadian filmmaker and actress who has directed 17 short films including gore-fest EL GIGANTE. She directed CULTURE SHOCK for Blumhouse, episodes of The Purge and the anthology horror series Into the Dark.

Short of the Week

Chelsea Lupkin

Screenwriter // Director

Short of the Week

Chelsea Lupkin is a filmmaker and Senior Programmer for Short of the Week. Her horror short credits include Huluween's FLAGGED, and LUCY'S TALE which has been viewed over 3 million times on ALTER.

Jenn Wexler

Filmmaker

Director, THE SACRIFICE GAME, THE RANGER. Producer, DEPRAVED, MOST BEAUTIFUL ISLAND, LIKE ME, PSYCHOPATHS, and DARLING.

Meridian Artists

Glenn Cockburn

Literary Manager

Meridian Artists

Glenn Cockburn is the founder of Meridian Artists and represents a select roster of some of Canada’s most talented writers, directors and producers.

Mentors

The winner of the Short Story (Prose) category will receive a 30 minute, one on one zoom meeting with Chris Hicks, professional screenwriter and author of I Am Not Alone. Chris will answers general questions about the business, how to take your career to the next level, and navigating Hollywood.

Chris Hicks

Screenwriter // Author

Repped by Story Driven and Verve

Chris is the author of I Am Not Alone – the record breaking short story sold to Netflix. Misha Green has attached to write the script, direct and produce. Jessica Chastain attached to star and produce. Simon Kinberg producing. His story “All You Can Eat” is currently in development as a television series by Wonder Worldwide and Big Light Productions. His stories have been read by millions of readers on Reddit’s NoSleep where they are among the most popular stories of all time. As a screenwriter, he made the quarterfinals of the 2022 Nicholl Screenwriting Fellowship and was selected to the 2020 Bloodlist. Chris Hicks is a #killeralum with his script "THE BUTTER STREET HITCHHIKER" coming in 3rd Place in Season 1. Chris is represented by Peter Katz of Story Driven.

Writer Success

Season 5 Top 3 Winners on Coverfly

See Other Placements

Announcements

Feb 24th
Semifinalists
Mar 10th
Finalists
Apr 21st
Winners
competition logo
Website Contact
Season 6

Official Sponsors

Final Draft
Rue Morgue
Script Butcher
Ghoulish Gary
Script Hive
Fright Rags
Coverfly
ISA Network
Filmfreeway
Stan Winston School
ScriptHop
Scrivener
HorrorPack
Seed & Spark
Script Revolution
Qwerkytoys
Stage 32
Robert McKee's Horror Webinar Series