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Launch Pad
Launch Pad Pilot Competition
2020
Coverfly-exclusive
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2014
Featuring a jury of industry professionals from top companies. The Launch Pad Pilot competition has led to dozens of writers staffed on hit shows for Netflix, CBS, NBC and more.
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About

Launch Pad Competitions have led to more signings, success stories and careers than any other screenwriting competition out there.

With more than 450 writers signed, 165 projects set up, 70 writers staffed and 180 appearances on annual best-of lists, The Launch Pad Competition has firmly established itself as the premier hub for Hollywood to discover fresh voices, new ideas, and talented writers.

We advocate for all of our Top 100 finalists, working with them to develop compelling bios and loglines, and sharing their work with the right industry members to advance their career. 


MENTORSHIP PROGRAM - ADD ON
The best way to learn is by working with experienced writers who have already navigated that path to success.  That is exactly what the Launch Pad exclusive mentorship opportunity is set up to do. This year’s mentors are:

Ahmadu Garba
Ahmadu Garba placed as a finalist in the 2015 Launch Pad Feature competition with his script AUGUSTUS. Since then, he has kept his success rolling by serving as writer on numerous series such as HAPPY! on Syfy, THE SINNER on USA, and the upcoming adaptation of the podcast DR. DEATH. In addition, he co-wrote the indie Drama/Musical SHINE and he recently sold futuristic drama series NIGERIA 2099 to AMC.

Kendra Chanae Chapman
Kendra Chanae Chapman is a writer and producer who was most recently a story editor on EMERGENCE for ABC. She was also a staff writer on DESIGNATED SURVIVOR for Netflix. Prior to that, Kendra developed and executive produced AVANT-GUARDIANS, a 7-episode web series that was awarded Best Drama/Dramedy Short Form at the New York Television Festival and featured at the American Black Film Festival and LA Film Festival 2018. Kendra is also producing a short film, 19 WEEKS, with Cinestar and producer Liz Destro (CAKE, THE BUTLER, SMILF).

Sylvia L. Jones
After traveling the country to cover the 2016 presidential primary elections for ABC7Chicago, long-time journalist Sylvia L. Jones decided to leverage her comprehensive knowledge of the city’s politics to help launch Showtime’s THE CHI and USA’s SUITS spinoff, PEARSON. She then wrote for season two of the CBS All Access thriller, TELL ME A STORY. Sylvia most recently wrapped as a writer on Ava DuVernay’s new anthology series, CHERISH THE DAY for OWN TV. Sylvia also developed and wrote the upcoming feature biopic, THE CLARK SISTERS: FIRST LADIES OF GOSPEL about the legendary gospel singers, with Queen Latifah, Missy Elliott, and Mary J. Blige as executive producers on the project.

GUARANTEED OPTION - ADD ON
This year’s guaranteed option partner is Bad Idea, the production company behind the Netflix series EL CHAPO and TIJUANA as well as the films THE BAD GUYS starring Glen Powell and Mekenna Melvin, and DEADTECTIVES starring Chris Genre and Martha Higareda. Bad Idea will offer a paid option to one project from this year’s competition. 

GUARANTEED SIGNING - ADD ON
Joining as a guaranteed signing partner this year is Artillery Creative, a management company which has signed multiple writers out of the Launch Pad Competitions in previous years, and set up Launch Pad projects at Paramount, NBC, UCP, HBO and CBS. Artillery Creative will sign at least one writer from this year’s competition. 

FEEDBACK NOTES
In the same spirit as our mentorship program and our commitment to helping writers improve, we are thrilled to offer our Feedback Notes Program to provide 1-2 pages of in-depth notes on your competition entry. Select the notes at checkout to get insight on the story, characters, writing and marketability of your script. 

Benefits

The Top 10 finalists will have their scripts read by this distinguished jury:

  • Adrian Garcia (Recon Literary)
  • Brooklyn Weaver (Energy Entertainment)
  • Daniela Gonzalez (Circle of Confusion)
  • Dash Aiken (Romark Entertainment)
  • Jake Wagner (Alibi Entertainment)
  • Jason Tamasco (Bad Idea)
  • Jay Marcus (State Street Pictures)
  • Jewerl Ross (Silent R Management)
  • Kasey Muraszko (Paradigm Talent Agency)
  • Matt Dy (Lit Entertainment)
  • Sam Schulte (Millennium Films)
  • Sonya Gauthier (Woolf + Lapin)
  • Tom Carter (Artillery Creative)
  • Varun Monga (Kaplan Stahler Agency)
  • Will Deasey (Zero Gravity Management)


Top 100 Finalists

Your project will be announced on our sites and via press release and industry newsletter via The Tracking Board, Launch Pad, and our partners to more than 100,000 readers and industry members worldwide.

You and your project will be featured in both our individual Launch Pad Competition Booklet, as well as our Annual Launch Pad Alum Booklet, both of which are shared with our industry network and beyond, including agents, managers, producers, executives and other creatives seeking new material and clients.

You will receive a free 1-Year Membership (or extension) to The Tracking Board.


Top 10

Everything the Top 100 Finalists receive, plus...

You and your project will be showcased individually to agents, managers, executives, and producers who are looking for new clients, new projects, and new writers.

Your work will be read, reviewed, and voted on by each of our esteemed judges.

You will receive 1 free entry into any future Launch Pad Competition of your choosing.


Grand Prize | 3 Winners Selected

Everything the Top 10 receive, plus...

You will be invited to our annual Launch Pad Party celebrating you and the other Launch Pad Winners of the year. This will be an exclusive industry event centered on showcasing and honoring you and your work, while also introducing you to agents, managers, executives, producers, and other creatives. This is a private guest list event tailored toward our winners from the year, and including some of our previous judges, mentors, partners and past Launch Pad Alums.

Writer Success

Because of the program, I was reached out to by multiple managers who had read my work!
brit wigintton
2020 Top 50
Signed with Thomas Carter at Artillery Creative
The Launch Pad Pilot Competition and its diligent team helped "Angels of War" to gain visibility and traction. I am grateful for the opportunities provided to competition winners to meet with various industry reps and producers.
Natalie G. Bergman
2020 Winner
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Coverfly Program Insights
Coverfly vets all programs on its platform, but not every program is right for every writer. Program Insights help you decide where to submit your work.

2025 Winners on Coverfly

Top 1%
A Small Town Murder Mystery
TV Script  · Thriller  · 60 Pages
Carly just accepted a ride-along to be Sheriff-for-a-Day in Storyville, IA, where not everything is as it seems. After a series of murders, the townsfolk refuse to let their "acting sheriff" leave. She must solve the murders as they happen ... weekly. Carly is stuck in a Small Town Murder-Mystery. A new type of procedural.
by Joshua Henaman 8 Accolades Other
Joshua Henaman
North Hollywood, CA
Originally from Iowa, Josh writes stories that blend the fantastical with the working class. That’s it, that’s who he is. Midwestern to his core. He creates tales of the everyman and puts ‘em through a gauntlet of vampires, serial killers, dragons, and aliens. Josh loves to take the ordinary and inject it with something that's never been tried befor...
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Top 1%
Final Girl F*ck*ry
TV Script  · Horror  · 38 Pages
Mel's trained to be a Final Girl her entire life-- and she gets her chance when her agnostic preacher father takes her to summer camp. Stakes heat up when they realize their ill-fated family trip is fated to begin the Apocalypse.
by Sophie Mutiara Nova 7 Accolades
Sophie Mutiara Nova
Valencia, California
Final Girl fanatic Sophie Mutiara Nova is a queer, half-Indonesian, SLE-diagnosed Writer-Director. (Writing Fellow of the ACEX TV Initiative, Finalist of the Emmy's TV Academy Foundation Directing Program). Their TV series have won the Launchpad Pilot Competition, ScreenCraft Horror Competition, and many others; their film work's screened in festi...
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Top 1%
Carrying On
TV Script  · Comedy  · 32 Pages
Unable to keep up with caring for her two kids, recently-widowed Sara Rios accepts help from the last person she would ask: her estranged mother.
by Chris Leyva 2 Accolades
Chris Leyva
Columbus, OH
Chris Leyva is a neurodivergent writer who is often called “super nice.” He was raised by Jesus Christ Superstar and Walt Disney. It took him by surprise to find his home in Columbus, Ohio after growing up in Albuquerque, NM in a Mexican/Puerto Rican household. In his comedies, Chris asks big questions in meaningful ways and is driven by a hopefulne...
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Announcements

Sep 4th
Top 50s
Sep 25th
Top 10s
Oct 23rd
Winners
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