The Launch Pad Prose Competition has led to more than a dozen books published, projects set up at AppleTV, Showtime, and with producers and companies that include Scott Free Productions, Michael De Luca productions, Platform One Media, and Laura Dern’s Jaywalker Pictures.

Manuscript not completed, no problem. Whether you have a ten page short story or a 1,000 page fantasy epic, we want to read it! There’s no need to have a finished manuscript. As long as you have sample pages accompanied by a thorough synopsis, you are welcome to enter! Our readers and judges will review up to 50 pages of every submission, as well as a synopsis for book submissions.

We advocate for all of our Top 100 finalists, working with them to share their work with the right industry members to advance their career. Our prestigious juries of industry members include managers, agents, producers and executives at companies across Hollywood and the publishing industry. We also offer exclusive partnerships and mentorship opportunities to provide as many avenues towards success as possible.

Enter now to join this tradition of Launch Pad success.

JUDGES

Top projects are considered by our incredible industry jury.

AMANDA MARSHALL

Independent Producer

AUDREY KNOX

Literary Manager - Cartel

ERICK MENDOZA

Literary Manager - Grandview

JOANNA MACKENZIE

Agent - Nelson Literary Agency

KATRINA ESCUDERO

Media Rights Manager - Sugar23

MELISSA AZIZI

Producer - Sparkwood Films

MICHAEL CARR

Agent - Veritas Literary Agency

STEVEN ADAMS

Manager/Producer - Alta Global Media

STEVEN SALPETER

President of Literary/IP Development - Assemble Media

TESSA SHAFFER

Literary Manager - Corvisiero Literary Agency

TYLER VENDETTI

Manger of Development - ITV Studios America

VIP PRODUCING PARTNER ADD-ON

We are thrilled to welcome VIP Producing Partner Scott Glassgold, who will be selecting one eligible manuscript or short story to develop.

Scott Glassgold is the founder of Ground Control, a leading entertainment platform specializing in filmed media & publishing. Scott has produced such feature films as Prospect, Hurricane Season and the upcoming Sony Pictures’ HorrorScope. Currently, Ground Control is shepherding numerous high-profile projects including The Dwelling with Michael B Jordan at Amazon, We Used To Live Here at Netflix with Blake Lively and The Occupant at New Line Cinema with Zach Cregger and Roy Lee. Always maintaining an emphasis on emerging filmmakers, Ground Control oversees the Scream Gems Horror Lab for Sony Pictures.

Requires Add-On or Top 10 placement

GUARANTEED DEVELOPMENT ADD-ON

This year we are excited to be working with two Guaranteed Development Partners, Kronicle Media and Shadowboxer Films! Each partner will select one writer or writing team work with on developing their project.

Our first partner is Kronicle Media, started in 2017 by longtime friends, and now business partners Korin Williams and Monique Nash, was imagined with the desire to see more diversity in the film and television industry. They currently oversee a number of projects in various stages of development, including, a drama series inspired by the founding of the iconic Black women’s magazine, Essence; romantic comedies for Netflix and VH-1, and a series adaptation of the book, Shakespeare’s Conspirator written by the legendary Tom Fontana and newcomer Gabrielle Fulton- Ponder for Westbrook Studios. Most recently, they executive produced Crown Media’s first movie under its newly created Mahogany banner, UNTHINKABLY GOOD THINGS, shot entirely on location in Rome, Italy in partnership with ITV Studios’ Cattleya Productions. 

Our second Development Partner is Robert Ballo of Shadowboxer Films. Robert is an active, passionate and creative hands-on filmmaker, having produced over 50 feature films since 2004 all having received domestic and world-wide distribution. At USC’s School of Cinematic Arts (also his alma mater) he was a member of the professional faculty as an Associate Professor of Practice teaching for 20 years. With an eye for great images, he was a member of International Cinematographers Guild as a Director of Photography for 10 years. Currently, he is a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.

Requires Add-On or Top 10 placement

GUARANTEED SIGNING ADD-ON

This year’s Guaranteed Signing partner is management and production company Sandstone Artists, who will select one writer or writing team to sign as a client.

Sandstone Artists is an entertainment company that focuses on talent and literary management as well as film and television production. We take pride in discovering, amplifying, and celebrating the unique talents found in our diverse array of artists. Our unwavering commitment to our clients embodies more than just representation; we diligently nurture enduring relationships, staunchly protect creator rights, and continuously contribute to the forward momentum of the global entertainment landscape. Sandstone Artists’ clients’ works have been produced by globally recognized production companies, including Hulu, Twentieth Century Fox, Quiver, Paramount Pictures, MGM, Millennium, Searchlight, Warner Brothers, ION, Hallmark, and more.

Requires Add-On or Top 10 placement

MENTORSHIP PROGRAM

The best way to learn is by working with experienced professionals who have already navigated that path to success. That is exactly what the Launch Pad exclusive mentorship opportunity is set up to do. These Launch Pad mentors will each select one writer or writing team to give advice on navigating the industry and share their unique perspectives on writing and storytelling. This year's mentors are:

Sara Shepard

Sara Shepard is the author of nearly 40 books, including the #1 New York Times bestselling series, Pretty Little Liars, which aired for seven seasons on Freeform. She has also had two other book series adapted for television, writes and illustrates novels for teens, adults, and elementary age children, and writes and produces for television and podcasts as well. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family.

Dr. Ken Atchity

With more than fifty years’ experience in the publishing world, and over thirty years in entertainment, Dr. Ken Atchity (PhD Yale) has been called a “story merchant”—writer, professor, editor, producer, and literary manager. He’s launched hundreds of books and films, including New York Times bestsellers and Emmy-nominated documentaries. He’s made over 200 film or television deals--with every broadcaster and every studio in Hollywood, and plenty of independent film companies as well. His more than thirty films include The Meg (Jason Statham), The Lost Valentine (Betty White), Angels in the Snow (Kristy Swanson), The Madams Family (Ellen Burstyn), Hysteria (Maggie Gyllenhaal), and Life or Something Like It (Angelina Jolie). He’s published over twenty books of his own, including six for writers at every stage of their careers. Before he left his tenured position at Occidental College to pursue his lifelong mission to bring writers to success in the story marketplace, he was Fulbright professor to the University of Bologna, Italy, Distinguished Instructor of scripts and novels at UCLA Writers Program, and regular columnist for The Los Angeles Times Book Review. He’s a voting member of the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.

Emily Hardy

Emily Hardy is a producer and consultant with more than 8 years of experience working in drama development. Emily was formerly VP of Creative Affairs at Fineman Entertainment under EP Ross Fineman, supporting all development and production including series like THE LINCOLN LAWYER (Netflix), BIG SKY (ABC) GOLIATH (Amazon), with one series ordered in Australia and many more developed at HBO, CBS, ABC, TNT/tbs, AMC and internationally.Emily started as an actor (SAG-AFTRA) and creative producer; she's worn so many hats in Hollywood, she's become a Swiss Army knife for storytelling. To date her proudest achievement is to have mentored and taught story and script development, as well as staging and performance, to incarcerated youth (ages 14-17) at the Juvenile Probation Camp David Gonzales in Los Angeles (now closed) through The Unusual Suspects Theater Company.

Lameese Hassen

Born and raised in the southwest suburbs of Chicago, Lameese came out to Los Angeles five years ago to pursue the entertainment industry. She began as an assistant to Jai Khanna, a former manager at Brillstein Entertainment Partners, under their finance-production company, Oakhurst Entertainment. Lameese is currently a Junior Manager and Executive Assistant to Robert Lazar at Marathon Management.

Requires Add-On or Top 10 placement

PRIZES

2 Grand Prize Winners | (Best Book & Best Short Story)

• Each of the competition winners will be invited to an exclusive yearly virtual event where they will get the chance to meet with and pitch industry professionals from management companies, agencies and production companies in a 1:1 setting. Past participants included MGM, Scott Free, Verve, Bellevue, Lit Entertainment, WME, and more.

  
  

  They will also receive all of the benefits listed below.

Top 10

Everything the Top 50 receive, plus…

• • • - Your work will be read, reviewed and voted on by our esteemed Judges.
  • • - One free entry to any future Launch Pad Competition of your choosing.

Top 50

Everything the Top 100 receive, plus…

• - One year free membership to the Tracking Board.

Top 100

• - Your project and writer profile will be shared and marketed to our extensive industry networks.

• 
  

• For all add-on prizes, regardless of whether the project entered makes any finalist round, your project will still be in contention for that prize until the competition ends.