ScreenCraft TV Pilot Script Competition
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ScreenCraft
ScreenCraft TV Pilot Script Competition
2022
Coverfly-exclusive
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2015
Winners and finalists have signed with 3Arts, Management 360, CAA, Verve, Zero Gravity, and more. Plus, ScreenCraft winners have been staffed for shows at Netflix, Amazon, Apple TV+, The CW, ABC, Paramount+ and many more.
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About
"TV is where writers get to tell interesting stories. Because writers, for the most part, run television." - Vince Gilligan
ScreenCraft knows that the best place to tell your stories in the way that you want to tell them is television. Our TV Competition has a prolific history of getting writers signed, staffed, and developing their own projects - it's one of ScreenCraft’s most prestigious programs. And this year, we've added three seasoned showrunners to our program who will pick one writer each to mentor. The showrunners will help the chosen writers develop their craft and guide them toward career success in their writing journey.
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 ScreenCraft Television Jury
Get in front of the folks who create the TV you love.
Director of Development, AMC Network - Crystal Holt
As Director of Director of Development & Scripted Programming at AMC Networks, Crystal Holt works on AMC shows such as REBEL, THE TERROR, FEAR THE WALKING DEAD, WALKING DEAD: WORLD BEYOND and CREEP SHOW in addition to shepherding new scripted works for AMC Television.
Vice President of Comedy Development, 21st Century Fox - Edwin Chung
Edwin Chung oversees comedy series for broadcast and streaming, and the upcoming reimagining of THE WONDER YEARS with Lee Daniels for ABC, and IMMIGRANT starring Kumail Nanjiani for Hulu, among others. He was previously SVP at Legendary Television, on LOST IN SPACE for Netflix, CARNIVAL ROW for Amazon, and more. Beginning at NBC, Chung worked on THE OFFICE, 30 ROCK, COMMUNITY, CHUCK, HANNIBAL and more. He was named to the top 35 entertainment industry executives under age 35 by The Hollywood Reporter.
Director of Development, Hillman Grad Productions, Rocio Melara
Rocio Melara is a development executive at Hillman Grad productions (Lena Waithe's company), dedicated to championing diverse voices and bringing under-represented stories to life. A first-generation Salvadorian American and LA native, Rocio worked for Mad House Entertainment, Di Bonaventura Pictures, and Ben Stiller’s Red Hour. She’s currently producing TWENTIES for BET and developing new projects for Film and Television.
Emmy & WGA-nominated TV Writer and Executive Producer, Yahlin Chang
Yahlin Chang is an Exec. Producer and Writer for THE HANDMAID’S TALE, awarded the HUMANITAS Prize in 2020 and nominated for multiple Emmys, WGA and PGA awards. Past credits include ER, SUPERGIRL, DIRTY SEXY MONEY, SHADES OF BLUE, ED and more. She graduated from Yale magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and was a writer, reporter and cultural critic for Newsweek.
Career support that goes beyond just a prize.
The overall grand prize winner, the one-hour winner, and the half-hour winner will be welcomed to the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program and receive individualized consulting regarding your portfolio and career goals, develop a personalized plan of action for your writing career, and receive introductions with one or more top Hollywood literary managers, execs, or producers who are looking for talented emerging Film & TV screenwriters.
The top 3 winners’ project info and log lines will be recommended in a targeted way to our network of 100+ Hollywood managers, agents, producers and development executives with mandates that match your writing and voice.
ScreenCraft has a proven track record for getting writers signed with managers, agents, and staffed in writing rooms.
Showrunner Mentorship Program
This year, the ScreenCraft TV Pilot Competition has added a mentorship program. In addition to the ScreenCraft chosen prize winners of the competition, these three seasoned showrunners will each pick one writer from the competition to mentor. The showrunners will help the chosen writers develop their craft and guide them toward career success in their writing journey.
These show-runners have created some of the most popular television currently on air and streaming, faced many of the challenges that emerging writers will face, and are ready to help guide the next generation of TV writers. ScreenCraft is thrilled to bring this unique opportunity that no other competitions is offering.
Sean Crouch
Sean Crouch started as an assistant in the TV drama world, learning from the Showrunners of LAW AND ORDER and VERONICA MARS, then writing on CBS's NUMB3RS for the entire six-year run. He has also written/produced on UNFORGETTABLE, HELIX and DOMINION, was Co-Ep on the final season of THE 100 for the CW and showrunner on the Fox hit, THE EXORCIST, and Season Two of the Amazon horror Anthology LORE.
A fan of Sci-Fi and Horror, he loves genre storytelling, speaking to emerging writers and a good joke.
Alexandra Cunningham
Alexandra Cunningham is the creator, showrunner and executive producer of DIRTY JOHN on Bravo, based on the hit LA Times podcast of the same name. Cunningham began her television career writing for NYPD BLUE, and has since written and produced such shows as ROME, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, BATES MOTEL, AQUARIUS and CHANCE starring Hugh Laurie on Hulu.
A long time fan of drama and crime genre in television, she’s reluctant to pigeon-hole typical “villains” and “heroes,” and looks for the personal motivation behind people's actions.
Ben Cory Jones
Television Writer and Producer Ben Cory Jones uses his unique perspective and comedic sensibility to highlight untold stories. Currently serving as a consulting producer on BET's GAMES PEOPLE PLAY, he's previously written on WGN’s UNDERGROUND, ABC's CHASING LIFE, and Amazon’s HAND OF GOD. Jones co-created and executive produced the BET comedy series, BOOMERANG and produced the Netflix feature film STEP SISTERS with Lena Waithe.
A longtime advocate for underrepresented writers of color and LGBTQ+ storytellers, in 2020 he launched a TV Writing Workshop, The Writers Room.
Plus Prizes for Winners
Grand Prize Winner:
Introduction to a literary exec, manager, or producer, $1,000 cash prize, complimentary ScreenCraft Summit Badge, and consideration by the jury and mentors.
Hour-Long Prize Winner:
$500 cash prize, complimentary ScreenCraft Summit Badge, and consideration by the jury and mentors.
Hour-Long Prize Winner:
$500 cash prize, complimentary ScreenCraft Summit Badge, and consideration by the jury and mentors.
Writer Success
Announcements
Nov 5th
Quarterfinalists
Dec 10th
Semifinalists
Jan 12th
Finalists
Feb 9th
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
- TV pilots may be any length -- however the standard short pilot is between 1 - 20 pages, the standard 1/2 hour is between 20 - 40 pages, and the standard hour long is between 40 - 70 pages. Any pilot script submission longer than 70 pages will incur a $.50 per page overage fee for each page over 70 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 $5 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.
- All writers at least 18 years of age are eligible.
- A writer who has earned more than $50,000 (or equivalent currency) from professional writing services for film or TV in the preceding 12 months or $500,000 (or equivalent currency) from professional film or TV in the proceeding 10 years is not eligible. (Contest winnings not included.)
- All persons from anywhere in the world are eligible; however the material submitted must be in English (occasional dialogue in other languages is acceptable, if subtitle translation is provided).
- All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
- There are no requirements as to when the material was written.
- Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin.
- We have no preferences regarding title page content. Title and name of writer would suffice.
- All material must be submitted electronically as a PDF. Broken files or non-PDF files may be accepted, but if the file cannot be read ScreenCraft will not judge the submission.
- Prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and proper tax documentation before prizes are released.
- By entering the competition, user acknowledges their eligibility for the competition. ScreenCraft will verify all eligibility requirements at the finalist stage of the competition and before distributing any prizes.
- The winners and top finalists may be contacted by interested industry representatives, such as managers, agents or producers.
- Entrants may be required to submit further information to assist in the judges’ verification of eligibility.
- Any entrant may be deemed ineligible as a Finalist or Winner at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft.
- All recognition, placements, and winners are chosen at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft.
- Finalists may be required to sign and return within seven (7) business days of receipt a notarized Affidavit of Eligibility and a Release and Indemnification and proof of valid passport and any other documents that ScreenCraft or any other partner may require before receiving prize payment. Failure to respond to the initial notification within ten (10) days or return of notification will result in disqualification.
COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP: ScreenCraft or any other partner, employee or agent associated with this contest claims no ownership nor first right of option to any original screenplay submitted to this contest. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders until and unless other agreements are made.
PUBLICITY: Except where prohibited by law, participation in the contest constitutes each entrant’s consent to ScreenCraft and its agents’ and contest sponsor’s use of entrants’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or personal information for promotional purposes in any media, worldwide, without further payment or consideration. All uses of a entrants’ information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
REFUND POLICY: All entries are non-refundable.
SITE TERMS OF SERVICE. By entering this competition, the user agrees to all ScreenCraft Terms of Service and Coverfly Terms of Service in addition to these rules and eligibility criteria.
DATA MANAGEMENT AND PRIVACY. Entries for this competition are managed on the submission platform Coverfly, and ScreenCraft (a d/b/a of Red Ampersand, Inc) uses other data management tools, including but not limited to, Google Services and Amazon Web Services, to securely manage your data. ScreenCraft is not accountable for any data hacks (internal or external) or user errors that may release scripts or writer data unintentionally.
ENTRY CONDITIONS AND RELEASE: BY ENTERING THE CONTEST YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THESE CONDITIONS. You agree to release and hold harmless ScreenCraft, ScreenCraft.org, its subsidiary, parent and affiliated companies, Prize contributors, judges, screenplay readers, Sponsors, and any other organizations responsible for administering, advertising or promoting the Contest, and every one of their respective members, directors, employees, agents and representatives (collectively, the “Released Parties”) past and present from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, including but not limited to damages and negligence to property and persons, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, slander, libel, violation of right of publicity, copyright, infringement of trademark or other intellectual property rights relating to a participant’s Entry, participation in the Contest and/or acceptance or use or misuse of Prize; provided however, that such release will not apply to any commercial exploitation of the script by a Released Party in violation of your rights under applicable copyright law; and (c) indemnify, defend and hold harmless the ScreenCraft.org and its Sponsor, agents and employees from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities (including reasonable attorneys fees) relating to an entrant’s participation in the Contest and/or entrant’s use or misuse of Prize. Employees of ScreenCraft and their immediate families are ineligible to participate in this contest. Any such submission will be immediately disqualified. ENTRY TO THIS CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED or restricted by any Federal, State or Local law. Voided entries will be refunded. Recipients’ eligibility will be verified before the grant is awarded and the winner may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility. By entering the contest, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s).
ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.