LET'S MAKE IT! Screenwriting Contest
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Let's Make It!
LET'S MAKE IT! Screenwriting Contest
2021-2022
Active Since 2016
LET’S MAKE IT! is a screenwriting contest where the winning screenplay is turned into a movie.
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Currently Closed. Subscribe to receive a notification when the next season opens.
About
⚠️ Please note! ⚠️
We're only accepting screenplays in English or Romanian.
The GRAND WINNER will be offered to have the screenplay produced before the end of 2023.
For all the screenplays submitted during the “Return With The Elixir” Deadline (1-22 June 2022) we will be offering two letters of feedback, from two specialized script readers. But we can't offer feedback letters to screenplays submitted during the other deadlines.
--- About ---
LET’S MAKE IT! is a screenwriting contest where the winning screenplay is turned into a movie.
--- Contest Description ---
Did WE ever dream to have your screenplay produced? Of course! That was the reason to wake up in the morning! So we took our ideas through heaven and hell, wrote them down, took notes and received feedback, applied them and wrote again, until we thought we were ready to face the industry.
We went to workshops, meetings and pitch contests, hoping that a production company will get behind our ideas and produce them. But when, after many failed attempts, we understood that none of the participants were getting picked up, that the production companies where there just for the entrees and small talk, we decided to take the future in our hands.
We gathered all our stories, experience and equipment and started making films!
Did YOU ever dream to have your screenplay produced? Perfect! Let’s make it happen!
Under the umbrella of our production company, mc² film, we are all about transforming your ideas, imagination and the world you created into a real movie, ready to go to the festivals and be shown on the cinema screen!
With short and feature films accepted, screened and awarded at more than 100 film festivals in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Germany, Romania, Cyprus, Canada, Bulgaria, Austria, Australia and many more, we are looking for the next big thing, the screenplay that will catch our eyes, melt our hearts and spark our fire!
--- Contest History ---
LET'S MAKE IT! Screenwriting Contest was founded in 2016 by George Gänaeaard and Horia Cucuta.
6️⃣ - The sixth edition winner is POWERLESS, written by Kevin Dawson, which we will be turning into a feature film in 2022-2023!
5️⃣ - The fifth edition production award was won by OLD FOLKS, written by Corbin Eaton & Martin Hasler, which we will be turning into a sitcom pilot in 2022!
4️⃣ - The fourth edition production award went to THE OTHER SIDE OF CURIOSITY, written by Casey Hagaman, which became a film in March 2022.
More info here: https://filmfreeway.com/tosoc2022
3️⃣.1️⃣ - The third edition winner was KNOW THY PARTNER, written by Paul Weidknecht, and the screenplay became a film in March 2022.
More info here: https://filmfreeway.com/ktp2022
3️⃣.2️⃣ - During the third edition we also discovered THE MANNEQUIN, a screenplay written by Babak Shahidi. We've loved it so much that we decided to start working on it as well, producing a 2D animated film. The rewritten screenplay we've worked on just won the Best Screenplay Award at ABIFF Film Festival.
2️⃣.1️⃣ - AMERICA, written by Ron Riekki, won the second edition and became a film in February 2019. It also became our most successful project, being accepted at 54 film festivals in the United States, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Romania, Italy, Greece, Germany, Cyprus, Canada, Bulgaria, Austria and many more, placing as semi-finalist and finalist numerous times and winning 10 awards.
More info here: https://filmfreeway.com/america2019
2️⃣.2️⃣ - Having had such an amazing collaboration with Ron, we've also produced a second screenplay of his, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TEETH!, a stop motion animated film. The film was finished in July 2020 and is in a real contest with AMERICA, having been already selected in 43 film festivals, all over the world, winning 8 awards in United States, Romania, Columbia, Iran and Poland.
More info here: https://filmfreeway.com/tyfyt2020
1️⃣ - The first edition winner was MOTHERS, written by Luke Anthony Walker, a film which was finished in April 2020. The film has already been accepted at 20 festivals in Taiwan, UK, Romania, USA, Italy, Mexico, India, Belarus, Greece, France, Canada and South Africa and has won Best International Horror Short at Luna Lumen Film Festival in Columbus, OH, United States.
More info here: https://filmfreeway.com/mothers2020
--- Contest Legacy ---
The main goal of LET'S MAKE IT! Screenwriting Contest is to help at least one submitting screenwriter have their screenplay produced into a movie, taken from the script page and projected on the cinema screen. It’s our way to give back, the least we can do to make sure that what we went through, when starting our careers, isn’t just a recurring theme inside the industry.
The second important goal is finding powerful voices and helping make their screenplays better by offering honest and to the point feedback, something we truly appreciate and hunt for on all our projects.
--- Contest Awards ---
Step 1: 9 Category Winners
➡️ 9 CATEGORY WINNERS, one for every category, will be selected and offered two pages of written analysis from at least two of our readers.
➡️ They will also receive cash prizes in the TOTAL of $1500 (offered based on the number of submissions for every category from the previous edition):
$600 - Best Feature Film Screenplay (60+ pages)
$300 - Best Short Film Screenplay (Festival de Cannes length, 6-15 pages)
$150 - Best Short Film Screenplay (16-30 pages)
$100 - Best Sitcom Screenplay (21-45 pages)
$100 - Best One-Hour Drama Screenplay (46-75 pages)
$100 - Best Short-Short Film Screenplay (2-5 pages)
$50 - Best Medium-Length Film Screenplay (31-60 pages)
$50 - Best Webseries Screenplay (20 pages and under)
$50 - Best Micro-Short Film Screenplay (1 page and under)
➡️ They are also contest finalists and will run for the Grand Winner award.
Step 2: The Grand Winner
➡️ The Let’s Make It! GRAND WINNER, selected from the 9 Category Winners, will be offered to have their screenplay produced by the mc² film production company, before the end of 2023.
➡️ They will also receive two pages of written analysis from at least three of our readers.
Step 3: 10 Rising Star awards
➡️ We will randomly select 1 winner (using www.random.org/integers) from all the remaining screenplays that didn't win any prizes and offer to the writer(s) one online meeting of 1 hour, with George and Horia. The chat will contain feedback on the screenplay submitted, but they can also talk about the industry, or reply to any questions the writer(s) want to ask.
➡️ We will randomly select 9 winners (using www.random.org/integers) from all the remaining screenplays that didn't win any prizes and offer them one feedback letter each.
--- Contest Eligibility ---
1) All submitted material must be original, and the sole property of the applicant(s) at the time of submitting.
2) Adaptations are ineligible unless the underlying rights are owned, or the work is in the public domain.
3) Entries must be received on or before the deadlines and payment made in full at time of the submission.
4) All ages are eligible, from any country of the world and there is no limit to the number of materials you may submit.
5) All entries must be in English or Romanian.
6) All entries must be uploaded in PDF format and written in the industry standard format (Courier 12 pt font).
7) It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition.
8) For all the screenplays submitted during the “Return With The Elixir” Deadline (1-22 June 2022) we will be offering two letters of feedback, of at least two pages each, from two specialized script readers. Screenplays submitted during the other deadlines will not be receiving any letters of feedback.
9) Will we be sending all the feedback files before August 31st, 2022.
10) There will be selected 9 CATEGORY WINNERS, one for every category.
11) There will be cash prizes in the total of $1500 for the 9 Category Winners, as mentioned in the Awards & Prizes section.
12) The 9 Category Winners will receive two pages of written analysis from at least two of our readers, before August 31st, 2022.
13) The Let’s Make It! GRAND WINNER, selected from the 9 Category Winners, will be offered to have their screenplay produced by the MC PATRAT FILM production company.
14) At no point will MC PATRAT FILM own the rights to the screenplay. It will forever remain the propriery of the writer(s) submitting it. To allow us to make it, they will sign a release form, giving us the legal rights to make the film during the following three years.
15) The winner of the production award must sign a release form with MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L., during the first two weeks after being sent the release form, which allows MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L. to produce the film, under no direct financial obligations, with no remuneration due for the acquisition of the screenplay, but with a 20% share of the film profit, in case the film made from the script returns profit.
16) If, for reasons above our control (earthquake, wildfires, global pandemic, injury, death etc.), we can't make the film during the initial three years, the Grand Winner will have the choice to allow us yearly extentions, until we produce the film, or will be offered an additional prize of $1000 and be released from any contractual obligations with MC PATRAT FILM.
17) The Let’s Make It! Grand Winner will also receive two pages of written analysis from at least three of our readers, before August 31st, 2022.
18) If the Golden Grand Winner screenplay is not available for production, the Silver Grand Winner will inherit the main prize and we will produce the Silver Grand Winner screenplay.
19) If the Silver Grand Winner screenplay is not available for production, the Bronze Grand Winner will inherit the main prize and we will produce the Bronze Grand Winner screenplay.
20) If none of the Golden, Silver and Bronze Grand Winners are available for production, we will select one of the other category winners for production.
21) In case the Grand Winner is a pilot for a series, besides handling the production of the pilot episode, MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L. will also receive the rights to further develop the series in case TV networks or other companies are interested in funding at least one entire season of the project. In such case, the writer will receive a payment equal with 20% of the sale price, and will continue to be credited as creator for the entire series. We will also negotiate for the writer to be part of the writing team for the entire series, but depending on numerous factors, that might not be possible.
22) Competition judges, readers and employees of the Let’s Make It! Screenwriting Contest or mc² film production company, past and present, and their immediate families, are not eligible to enter.
An event organized by MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L.
CUI: 43171055 / EUID: ROONRCJ40/13245/2020
Sos. Pandurilor 60, Sector 5, Bucuresti, Romania
Benefits
Step 1: 9 Category Winners
➡️ 9 CATEGORY WINNERS, one for every category, will be selected and offered two pages of written analysis from at least two of our readers.
➡️ They will also receive cash prizes in the TOTAL of $1500 (offered based on the number of submissions for every category from the previous edition):
$600 - Best Feature Film Screenplay (60+ pages)
$300 - Best Short Film Screenplay (Festival de Cannes length, 6-15 pages)
$150 - Best Short Film Screenplay (16-30 pages)
$100 - Best Sitcom Screenplay (21-45 pages)
$100 - Best One-Hour Drama Screenplay (46-75 pages)
$100 - Best Short-Short Film Screenplay (2-5 pages)
$50 - Best Medium-Length Film Screenplay (31-60 pages)
$50 - Best Webseries Screenplay (20 pages and under)
$50 - Best Micro-Short Film Screenplay (1 page and under)
➡️ They are also contest finalists and will run for the Grand Winner award.
Step 2: The Grand Winner
➡️ The Let’s Make It! GRAND WINNER, selected from the 9 Category Winners, will be offered to have their screenplay produced by the mc² film production company, before the end of 2023.
➡️ They will also receive two pages of written analysis from at least three of our readers.
Step 3: 10 Rising Star awards
➡️ We will randomly select 1 winner (using www.random.org/integers) from all the remaining screenplays that didn't win any prizes and offer to the writer(s) one online meeting of 1 hour, with George and Horia. The chat will contain feedback on the screenplay submitted, but they can also talk about the industry, or reply to any questions the writer(s) want to ask.
➡️ We will randomly select 9 winners (using www.random.org/integers) from all the remaining screenplays that didn't win any prizes and offer them one feedback letter each.
Announcements
Jul 20th
Category Winners
Jul 22nd
Grand Winners
Rules
1) All submitted material must be original, and the sole property of the applicant(s) at the time of submitting.
2) Adaptations are ineligible unless the underlying rights are owned, or the work is in the public domain.
3) Entries must be received on or before the deadlines and payment made in full at time of the submission.
4) All ages are eligible, from any country of the world and there is no limit to the number of materials you may submit.
5) All entries must be in English or Romanian.
6) All entries must be uploaded in PDF format and written in the industry standard format (Courier 12 pt font).
7) It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition.
8) For all the screenplays submitted during the “Return With The Elixir” Deadline (1-22 June 2022) we will be offering two letters of feedback, of at least two pages each, from two specialized script readers. Screenplays submitted during the other deadlines will not be receiving any letters of feedback.
9) Will we be sending all the feedback files before August 31st, 2022.
10) There will be selected 9 CATEGORY WINNERS, one for every category.
11) There will be cash prizes in the total of $1500 for the 9 Category Winners, as mentioned in the Awards & Prizes section.
12) The 9 Category Winners will receive two pages of written analysis from at least two of our readers, before August 31st, 2022.
13) The Let’s Make It! GRAND WINNER, selected from the 9 Category Winners, will be offered to have their screenplay produced by the MC PATRAT FILM production company.
14) At no point will MC PATRAT FILM own the rights to the screenplay. It will forever remain the propriery of the writer(s) submitting it. To allow us to make it, they will sign a release form, giving us the legal rights to make the film during the following three years.
15) The winner of the production award must sign a release form with MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L., during the first two weeks after being sent the release form, which allows MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L. to produce the film, under no direct financial obligations, with no remuneration due for the acquisition of the screenplay, but with a 20% share of the film profit, in case the film made from the script returns profit.
16) If, for reasons above our control (earthquake, wildfires, global pandemic, injury, death etc.), we can't make the film during the initial three years, the Grand Winner will have the choice to allow us yearly extentions, until we produce the film, or will be offered an additional prize of $1000 and be released from any contractual obligations with MC PATRAT FILM.
17) The Let’s Make It! Grand Winner will also receive two pages of written analysis from at least three of our readers, before August 31st, 2022.
18) If the Golden Grand Winner screenplay is not available for production, the Silver Grand Winner will inherit the main prize and we will produce the Silver Grand Winner screenplay.
19) If the Silver Grand Winner screenplay is not available for production, the Bronze Grand Winner will inherit the main prize and we will produce the Bronze Grand Winner screenplay.
20) If none of the Golden, Silver and Bronze Grand Winners are available for production, we will select one of the other category winners for production.
21) In case the Grand Winner is a pilot for a series, besides handling the production of the pilot episode, MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L. will also receive the rights to further develop the series in case TV networks or other companies are interested in funding at least one entire season of the project. In such case, the writer will receive a payment equal with 20% of the sale price, and will continue to be credited as creator for the entire series. We will also negotiate for the writer to be part of the writing team for the entire series, but depending on numerous factors, that might not be possible.
22) Competition judges, readers and employees of the Let’s Make It! Screenwriting Contest or mc² film production company, past and present, and their immediate families, are not eligible to enter.
An event organized by MC PATRAT FILM S.R.L.
CUI: 43171055 / EUID: ROONRCJ40/13245/2020
Sos. Pandurilor 60, Sector 5, Bucuresti, Romania