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ScreenCraft
ScreenCraft Horror Competition
2025
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2013
“The industry’s #1 horror screenplay contest.” – IndieWire. Our jury is scary good, featuring talent reps from Zero Gravity, Gersh, Energy Entertainment, and more!
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About

The horror genre has timeless appeal - it’s been a mainstay in movie theaters, streaming and tv for hundreds of years. We’re looking for the newest voices with compelling stories to tell. 

The ScreenCraft Horror Competition has a long history of creating success for our winners and finalists, many of whom have gone on to sign with companies like Bellevue Productions, Kaplan Perrone, Affirmative Entertainment, Zero Gravity, Story Driven, and more.

All finalists will meet with a member of the jury and be invited to an exclusive Finalist+ workshop on how you can best position yourself and your writing to the industry. 

Benefits

THE PRIZES

Grand Prize Winner

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

ScreenCraft's genre specific relationships include companies like Blumhouse, Netflix, HBO Max, AMC, and over 150 other 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.


They'll receive:

  • • Personal Introduction to top industry professionals
  • • Accepted into the Writer Development Program
  • • $1,000 cash award
  • • 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 Writer Development Program
  • • An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Finalists

  • • An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
  • •  Guaranteed Meeting with an Industry Professional

VIP Mentors

We are thrilled to be joined by three VIP Mentors for this year's competition: writers and producers Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen along with producer Scott Glassgold of Ground Control, who will host a Q&A together for the ScreenCraft Horror Competition Finalists!

Anna Halberg

Writer, Director, and Producer

Anna Halberg is a Japanese American who has worked with many of the industry’s leading film and television studios including Walt Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Brothers, Amblin and Lionsgate. This year, Anna has 3 feature films being released – “DISTANT” (Amblin / Universal), a sci-fi thriller starring Anthony Ramos and Naomi Scott, which she produced. “HOUSE/WIFE” (Netflix), a suspense thriller starring Alice Braga, which she co-wrote and executive produced. And “TAROT” (Sony), a horror movie starring Jacob Batalon (“SPIDER-MAN”) and Avantika (“MEAN GIRLS”), which she co-directed, co-wrote, and executive produced.

Spenser Cohen

Writer, Director and Producer

Spenser Cohen has worked with many of the industry’s leading film and television studios including Walt Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Brothers, Amblin and Lionsgate. This year, Spenser has 3 feature films being released – “DISTANT” (Amblin / Universal), a sci-fi thriller starring Anthony Ramos and Naomi Scott, which he wrote. “HOUSE/WIFE” (Netflix), a suspense thriller starring Alice Braga, which he co-wrote and executive produced. And “TAROT” (Sony), a horror movie starring Jacob Batalon (“SPIDER-MAN”) and Avantika (“MEAN GIRLS”), which he co-directed, co-wrote, and executive produced.

Ground Control

Scott Glassgold

Producer

Ground Control

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.

Jury

Get in front of Hollywood judges who love great horror!
Gersh

Lyra Tan

TV Literary Coordinator

Gersh

Lyra Tan works in the TV Lit department at Gersh, the major literary and talent agency who represents award-winning talent and filmmakers such as Sam Elliot, Anna Paquin, Sam Rockwell, J.K. Simmons, Mark Hamill, and John Goodman.

Zero Gravity Management

Rodrigo Moscoso

Creative Executive

Zero Gravity Management

Rodrigo Moscoso is a development executive with Zero Gravity Management, a management and production company behind hit features and series such as Ozark, The Accountant, and Honest Thief. Previously, he worked for The Radmin Company on major projects such as Marvel's Moon Knight and The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.

Inclusion Management

Sandra Avila

Partner and Manager

Inclusion Management

Sandra Avila is a partner and manager at Inclusion, a literary and talent management company. Prior to that, she worked at Showtime Network for seven years where she ran the Latino Filmmaker Showcase and worked on shows including, DEXTER, BARBERSHOP, RESURRECTION BLVD AND QUEER AS FOLK.

Energy Entertainment

Angelina Chen

Manager

Energy Entertainment

Angelina Chen is a literary manager at Energy Entertainment, Brooklyn Weaver’s company. Energy Entertainment represents screenwriters, directors and book authors. Some of their company’s credits include RUN ALL NIGHT, OUT OF THE FURNACE and the TV show EXTANT. Being a minority, Angelina’s focus is particularly on minority and LGBTQIA+ writers/directors, with an emphasis on AAPI clients. Prior to Energy Entertainment, Angelina was an asst at Management 360. Before Management 360, Angelina was at an asst at CAA in the talent and literary departments. She graduated from UCLA with an undergraduate degree in political science and also attended USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program for graduate school in producing.

Scott Schulman

Literary Manager

Schulman Management

Scott Schulman is a literary manager and producer whose clients have sold, created, and staffed on major series like The Umbrella Academy, UnREAL, and Dear White People.

Add-On Development Partner

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

Kegan Schell

Manager

Navigation Media Group

Originally from upstate New York, Kegan studied film production at Full Sail University before moving to Los Angeles to pursue a career in entertainment. He began working for Chuck and Rebecca Roven at Atlas Entertainment, assisting on the DC Superhero Films Suicide Squad, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Wonder Woman. From there, Kegan joined Echo Lake Entertainment, where he swiftly rose through the ranks and was promoted to Manager in the Literary Department. Kegan spent six years at Echo Lake before joining Navigation Media. As a member of the Navigation team, Kegan continues to be a passionate advocate for queer and underrepresented talent, especially in the horror and genre space, aiming to bring new perspectives to the Hollywood stage.

Writer Success

2025 Quarterfinalists on Coverfly

See Other Placements

Announcements

Jan 8th
Semifinalists
Feb 5th
Finalists
Feb 26th
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. 1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.
  2. 2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.
  3. 3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.
  4. 4. 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.
  5. 5. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
  6. 6. 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.
  7. 7. All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.
  8. 8. 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).
  9. 9. 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).
  10. 10. 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.
  11. 11. 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.
  12. 12. 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.
  13. 13. 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. 
  14. 14. 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.
  15. 15. In the event a juror, partner organization, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, ScreenCraft will make its best effort to secure a replacement. ScreenCraft is not responsible for the failed delivery of any prize package by a juror, sponsor, or partner organization.
  16. 16. ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.
  17. 17. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.


See ScreenCraft Website for Full Rules and Eligibility