Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition
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About
Pittsburgh Shorts and Script Competition has earned a reputation for presenting the best international contemporary short films and scripts in the Pittsburgh region. We are dedicated to the art of short film, which we know starts on the page. That’s why we boost writers through a script competition in partnership with Carnegie Screenwriters where we continually seek out new voices.
We pride ourselves on our reasonable entrance fees, cash prizes, travel assistance, and all-festival and all-conference passes for finalists. The winner of the Script Competition will receive a $500 prize and a 1-hour consultation with a Roadmap Writers executive. All four finalists will have their scripts performed by professional actors at a well-attended staged reading. In addition, all writers who submit a script to the competition receive a free educational webinar of their choice from Roadmap Writers plus a 10% off discount on any additional program at RoadmapWriters.com.
The festival includes after parties, networking opportunities, and other fun events. We also have a filmmakers’ conference with sessions led by industry executives.
The 2024 script competition juror will be Academy Award winning screenwriter, Tom Schulman.
Prices & Deadlines
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Apr 30th
Still Early
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May 31st
On Time
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Jun 30th
Slightly Delayed
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Jul 31st
Better Late Than Never
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Short Script
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$35.00
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$40.00
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$45.00
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$50.00
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Benefits
*Cash Prizes - first place: $500, second place: $250, third place: $150, fourth place: $100.
- *First place winner receives a 1-hour consultation with a Roadmap Writers executive.
- *All four finalist scripts are given a well-attended staged reading performed by professional actors.
- *Synopses of finalist scripts and writers' names are listed publicly on our website and in our program guide.
- *Finalists receive laurels to use in their own marketing.
- *Finalists receive a complimentary all-festival badge including admission to the 2024 Filmmaker Conference.
- *Travel assistance is offered to any finalist who wishes to attend festival.
*Finalists receive free submissions to all future festivals.
Judges
Tom Schulman
Our juror for the 2024 Script Competition is Tom Schulman, writer of Dead Poets Society, for which he received an Academy Award for best original screenplay. Most recently, he wrote and directed Double Down South which had its Pennsylvania premiere at the 2023 Three Rivers Film Festival. Tom’s other screenplays include What About Bob?, Honey, I Shrunk the Kids, Medicine Man, and Holy Man. He wrote and directed Eight Heads in a Duffel Bag, wrote and produced Welcome to Mooseport, and was executive producer of Indecent Proposal and Me, Myself and Irene. Tom previously served on the board of directors and as vice president of the Writers Guild of America, West. He was president of the Writers Guild Foundation, and currently serves on its board.
Announcements
Rules
CRITERIA
Pittsburgh Shorts is open to all screenwriters, including students and professionals in the field.
Eligible scripts must adhere to the following criteria:
- Screenplay submissions must be in English and be 15 pages or fewer. Scripts over 15 pages will not be considered nor will they be read.
Scripts written using any form of artificial intelligence (AI) are prohibited.
Entrant(s) must hold all rights to perform, reproduce, display, and distribute their work.
The work must not have been previously optioned, sold, or produced.
ENTRY FORM
Entrants may submit more than one film or script. Each entry requires a separate submission and fee.
