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ScreenCraft
ScreenCraft Animation Competition
2021
Coverfly-exclusive
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2019
We welcome FAMILY GUY showrunners Richard Appel and Alec Sulkin as Grand Jurors! Past finalists and winners have signed with literary managers and secured shopping agreements.
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About

Animation is certainly having its moment and is even more prevalent as a storytelling format in current pandemic times. Throughout the decades, animation has had a celebrated place in Hollywood’s history - and as one of the industry’s foremost writer discovery programs, ScreeenCraft is excited to help launch new screenwriters’ careers with this annual competition specializing in animated film and TV screenplays. The judges and readers are specifically interested in stories and voices that are especially well-suited for animated content. Our judges are looking for TV pilots, short scripts and feature screenplays. 

ScreenCraft’s past winners have gone on to sell their scripts to major studios and have been hired by companies like Universal, Netflix, Amazon, Millennium, CBS and many more. ScreenCraft’s winners are also highly sought after by literary managers and agents who are open to signing to new writer clients. Over 100 ScreenCraft writers have signed with top management companies and agencies like 3 Arts, Anonymous Content, CAA, WME, UTA, Paradigm, Lit Entertainment, and many more. 

Benefits

THE JUDGES

Whether you’re writing a family-friendly animated movie or an adult-oriented animated series, our judges are seeking great scripts with fresh voices.


HENRY SELICK  
BAFTA, Annie-Winning, Oscar-Nominated Director and Writer

Henry Selick is the creative force behind the award-winning animated films THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS, JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH, CORALINE and more. He is writing and directing the upcoming stop-motion film WENDELL AND WILD with Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key.



LINDSAY DORAN

Producer, Executive and Story Consultant

Oscar-nominated Golden Globe and BAFTA-winning Producer, Studio Executive and Story Consultant, Lindsay Doran is renowned as The Script Whisperer® for her work on blockbuster animation films THE LEGO MOVIE, SPIDER-MAN: INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE, THE MITCHELL’S VS. THE MACHINES on Netflix and more. Producing credits includeSTRANGER THAN FICTION, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, NANNY MCPHEE and more.

 

BRYAN DAVIDSON

Director of Animation Development, Skydance Animation

At Skydance Animation, Bryan Davidson oversees animation development, such as upcoming LUCK, SPELLBOUND and THE SEARCH FOR WONDLA. Prior to that he was Senior Creative Executive for Disney Animation, where he developed titles including WRECK-IT RALPH, TANGLED, ZOOTOPIA and FROZEN.

 

SHARON BORDAS

President, Mindshow Animation

Sharon Bordas is President of Mindshow, a CG animation company that merges video game technology, visual effects, and machine learning. Mindshow’s first production is Mattel’s Enchantimals©, which had over 81M views on YouTube. Mindshow received an Emmy nomination for interactive media in 2020. Bordas was formerly VP of Scripted Series at Lifetime Television, and has more than 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry.


THE PRIZES

On top of all top scripts being read by this incredible jury, the winners will receive prizes and industry outreach. Dozens of ScreenCraft winners have signed with managers, sold their scripts, option projects, been staffed, or been hired for open writing assignments. Check out some of the success stories here.


Grand Prize Winner

The overall grand prize winner in either feature, TV or short category will be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary managers who are looking for talented emerging Film & TV screenwriters.

 

The top 3 winners’ project info and log lines will be circulated and recommended to our network of over 60 Hollywood managers, agents, producers and development executives.

 

ScreenCraft has a proven track record for getting writers signed with managers, agents, and staffed in writing rooms.

  • Personal Introduction to top literary managers

  • Accepted into the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program

  • $1,000 Cash

  • Complimentary Badge for the 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit 

  • Lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro

Feature Winner

  • $500 cash award

  • Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program

  • 50% off 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit

  • Lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro

Pilot Winner

  • $500 cash award

  • Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program

  • 50% off 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit

  • Lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro

Short Winner

  • $500 cash award

  • 50% off 2022 ScreenCraft Virtual Summit

  • Career Consultation

  • Lifetime subscription to Arc Studio Pro

2023 Winners on Coverfly

See Other Placements

Announcements

Oct 6th
Semifinalists
Nov 3rd
Finalists
Dec 8th
Winners

Rules

At the program's request, Coverfly will automatically remove your title page for you if you include one when submitting to this program.

  1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only, between May 1, 2021 and July 31, 2021.
  2. Entry fee for each screenplay is 
    • $49.50 until the early deadline on May 31, 2021
    • $69.50 until the regular deadline on June 30, 2021
    • $79.50 until the final deadline on July 31, 2021
  3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback after an entry is submitted will not be accepted.
  4. Feature screenplays, TV Pilots, and Short scripts can be submitted to the competition. Any submission longer than 120 pages will incur a $1 per page overage fee for each page over 120. 
  5. Feature screenplays longer than 150 pages will not be eligible.
  6. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
  7. Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59PM Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable.
  8. All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
  9. Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s). All writers must be credited on the title page.
  10. If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the person who submits the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing the prize money.
  11. Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with a $5 reentry fee through Coverfly. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.
  12. It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition, however we do not require registration.
  13. Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required.
  14. ScreenCraft claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.