ScreenCraft Family Screenplay Competition

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ScreenCraft

ScreenCraft Family Screenplay Competition

2024

Reads in Coverfly

Active Since 2016

ScreenCraft's industry leading Family-friendly Screenplay Competition has led to winners signing with literary managers and optioning their scripts.

Currently Closed. Subscribe to receive a notification when the next season opens.

About

Family-friendly storytelling that's right for all ages, continues to be at the forefront of box office and television success. Whether you have a great story for kids, a faith-based movie, or a four-quadrant film or TV series, we want to read your script.

ScreenCraft competitions generate impactful results to help you advance in your career. Past family competition winners and finalists have had their work optioned, signed shopping agreements, and have signed with managers at companies like Zero Gravity and Valley Entertainment.

Benefits

THE JURY

The top scripts are considered by our incredible industry jury looking for family projects.

NIKKI TERPILOWSKI

Literary Manager & Founder, Holloway Literary Management

Nikki Terpilowski established Holloway Literary in 2011 and currently has two associates on her team. Some of her achievements in publishing include representing RITA nominated titles, RT Book Reviews Top Picks, starred Publishers Weekly reviewed, Goodreads Choice Awards noms and Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Globe & Mail, Amazon US & UK, iBooks US & UK best-selling authors. In the TV to book space, Nikki represents Daytime Emmy nominee BlackSouthernBelle.com’s Michiel Perry, Food Networks's multi-competition winner Saba Wahid and screenwriter Greg DePaul (Bride Wars, Saving Silverman). Nikki has sold literary projects to Disney, Platform One, Argent Productions, Assemble Media and others. In 2022, Nikki pivoted to managing a small roster of screenwriters and producing TV and film with a special focus on book IP. She is a producer on Hallmark's Haunted Melody Mystery Series with several other romcom and mystery productions in development.

JULIA FRILEY

Director of Development, Walden Media & AFG

Julia Friley is the Director of Development at Anschutz Film Group (AFG) and Walden Media, where she works to create and develop film and television projects that explore humanity’s complexity while being addictively entertaining – and always with a dash of hope thrown in. Since joining AFG in 2020, she has been involved in the creative development and production of Netflix’s beloved series The Baby-Sitter’s Club, the animated underdog adventure Rumble on Paramount Plus, AppleTV+’s record breaking sci-fi feature Finch, and the girl power spooks of A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting at Netflix.

MARLIESE RUCH

Literary Coordinator, Stagecoach

Marliese works closely with Stagecoach literary clients, assisting in the development of their scripts and ideas, and sets key meetings and pitches with high level producers and executives. With an eye toward the kids & family space, she focuses on bringing in IP for their animation and live action clients. Stagecoach clients have staffed on shows such was WEDNESDAY, STAR TREK: STRANGE NEW WORLDS, and ONCE UPON A TIME.

IAN MALONE

VP of Production & Development, Neshama Entertainment

Ian Malone is Vice President of Production & Development at Neshama Entertainment, where he produces original films for a variety of streaming services. He previously worked as an executive producer for Netflix, CBBC, The CW, Nickelodeon, and the CBC, among others. His credits include Degrassi: The Next Generation, the BAFTA Award-winning The Next Step, and films The Manny, Meet The Killer Parents, and Twisted Neighbor. He was nominated for a Writers Guild Of Canada Award for his work on Todd & The Book Of Pure Evil. He lives in Toronto.

THE PRIZES

Grand Prize Winner

The overall Grand Prize winner from either the feature or TV category, will be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top industry producers, agents, or managers.

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

- Personal Introduction to top industry professionals

- Accepted into the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program

- $1,000 Cash

- An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Feature & TV Winners

- $500 cash award

- Accepted into the ScreenCraft Development Program

- Invitation to the Finalist+ Networking and Development Event

Finalists

- A guaranteed meeting with an industry professional

- Invitation to the Finalist+ Networking and Development Event

- Will be considered by producers & managers as part of ScreenCraft's outreach

ADD-ON PRIZE OPPORTUNITY

Mentorship Prize

This optional add-on prize category will identify one winner to learn, workshop, and strengthen their project with guidance from an industry mentor. The mentor will select one writer/writer team that includes this unique add-on benefit with their entry.

LISA ALFORD

Development Executive - Johnson Production Company

Lisa Alford is a development executive at Johnson Production Group. Prior to joining Johnson Production Group, Lisa worked at TriStar television where she specialized in identifying IP that supported TriStar’s mission to feature diverse, authentic characters and champion underrepresented voices. Lisa came up at Sony Pictures Television where she worked as a production coordinator in the Television Movies and Miniseries department and in the writers room on the WGN hit series OUTSIDERS. In her current role, Lisa shepherds projects from the concept phase through story development, production, and post.

Only projects submitted to the ScreenCraft Family Competition AND that select this add-on are eligible for consideration in this category. Additionally, all projects that place in the Top 10 of the competition will automatically be considered.

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 2%

Rustic Inn

TV Script · Comedy · 33 Pages

A conceited teenager must learn to think outside of herself when her parent’s divorce plucks her out of her old money world and throws her into a poor small town with her newfound family.

by Mattie Bayne 1 Accolade

Mattie Bayne

Verified WGA Member

Los Angeles, CA

Mattie Bayne is a comedy writer and director from Baltimore, Maryland. Most recently, she was a story editor on the second season of ABC’s NOT DEAD YET. Previously, she was a staff writer on Disney Channel's RAVEN'S HOME and a program writer in the Disney General Entertainment 2022 Writing Program. Mattie is a graduate of the University of...

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Top 2%

ELEANOR OF ELLENDALE OF EARTH

Feature · Comedy · 120 Pages

The most under-appreciated single mom in the world helps humorously inept aliens from outer space save Earth from takeover by sinister aliens.

by Hunter Ridgway 5 Accolades

Hunter Ridgway

Washington, DC

Hunter Ridgway is Chief of Staff and Senior Policy Advisor to Congressman Matt Cartwright (PA-08), member of the House Appropriations Committee and Democratic Leadership team. Prior to that, Hunter served on the staffs of four other members of the House and Senate, as well as the House Appropriations Committee and Budget Committee. Hunter is also ...

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Top 2%

The Dodo

Feature · Adventure · 110 Pages

A biologist searches Madagascar for the long-extinct dodo bird, while an animal trader hunts the same prize. His mission becomes a dangerous rescue when his daughter unexpectedly joins and gets lost in the wild.

by Norman Ho and Edison Leung 1 Accolade

Norman Ho

Halifax, NS, CA

Man Long "Norman" Ho is an award-winning writer and director from Nova Scotia, Canada. His debut short film, Spud Island? (2022), was nominated for Best Documentary (Social/Political) at the Yorkton Film Festival. He received acclaim for his short story I Beg Your Pardon, which won the IRSA Newcomers to Canada Award at the 2022 Island Literary Award...

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Announcements

Jan 31st

Quarterfinalists

Feb 21st

Semifinalists

Mar 20th

Finalists

Apr 17th

Mentorship Winners

Apr 17th

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.

Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.

Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.

Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.

Entries may be any length -- the standard 1/2 hour is between 20 - 40 pages, and the standard hour long is between 40 - 70 pages, and the standard feature is between 85 - 120 pages. Any script submission longer than 120 pages will incur a $.50 per page overage fee for each page over 120 if it does not include feedback and $1 per page if the entry does include feedback.

There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.

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.

All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.

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).

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 any prizes awarded as they deem fair (whether there is a cash value or not).

Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed for a limited time with a $6 reentry fee through Coverfly. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting.

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.

Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required. ScreenCraft uses Coverfly to manage submissions and automatically removes cover pages before scripts are read by the judges.

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.

The decision of the judges will be final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the next level as advancement will be based on all scores in the competition.

ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.

ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

For a full list of rules and eligibility please visit ScreenCraft.

Website Contact

2024