One of the best ways to get your screenplay noticed by Hollywood!

While it’s no secret that Hollywood loves remakes, sequels and spinoffs, it’s perhaps lesser known that Hollywood loves movies based on free intellectual property in the public domain, such as folk tales, fairy tales, mythology and books and plays published before 1923. For example, folk tales, mythology, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Sherlock Holmes, Charles Dickens, famous historical figures – and the list goes on.

It’s no wonder that Walt Disney Studios has produced over 50 films based on stories in the public domain, including Alice in Wonderland, Aladdin, The Jungle Book and many more.

Many recent film and TV re-interpretations of public domain stories include: Titanic, Sherlock Holmes, The Crown, The Borgias, King Arthur, Robin Hood, Troy and many more. That's why ScreenCraft is looking for BOTH Feature and Television screenplays from concepts in the public domain.

More about public domain:

The legal term public domain refers to works whose exclusive intellectual property rights have expired, have been forfeited, have been expressly waived, or are inapplicable. For a more nuanced exploration of the public domain, read this blog post.

The jury for this contest is unbelievable, with some of the best producers in Hollywood who will be reading and considering the finalists for this contest and possibly their future projects:

Greg Hunt

Agent at Independent Talent Group, the UK agency that represents such acclaimed writers as Peter Morgan (Netflix’s THE CROWN, FROST/NIXON and THE QUEEN) and actress Dolly Wells (PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES).

James V. Hart

Award-winning screenwriter of HOOK (directed by Steven Spielberg), BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA (directed by Francis Ford Coppola) and the NBC series CROSSBONES (starring John Malkovich).

Adi Shankar

Creator of The Bootleg Universe, a YouTube channel with over 30 million views which has released several high-profile short films that focus on reinterpreting pre-existing intellectual property (ironically, not in the public domain). Adi has produced features films including DREDD (starring Karl Urban), THE GREY (starring Liam Neeson) and MACHINE GUN PREACHER (Gerard Butler). His TV credits include Netflix’s CASTLEVANIA.

Daniel Bobker

Producer and partner at Bobker/Kruger Films since 2004. The company’s focus is shepherding elevated material and singular filmmaking voices in all genres.  He has produced films including OPHELIA starring Daisy Ridley & Naomi Watts, THE BROTHERS GRIMM starring Matt Damon & Heath Ledger, and THE SKELETON KEY starring Kate Hudson & John Hurt.  His upcoming projects include an adaptation of Dan Simmons’ classic novel SUMMER OF NIGHT at Sony, and a live action/cgi-hybrid reboot of the perennially favorite children’s novel MRS. FRISBY & THE RATS OF NIMH at MGM.

Andrea Dimity

Literary Manager / Producer with clients including Pete Barry who recently sold his spec script MARIAN to Amy Pascal/Sony with Margot Robbie attached. She is currently producing BURN RUN written by Mitch Lafortune that is set up at Thunder Road Pictures. She likes to spend time helping writers with their scripts and careers and she reads finalists for such screenwriting competitions as Austin, UCLA, Cinequest, Page and more. She was also in the film jury for Cinequest this year.

The winner will receive $1,000 cash grant along with introduction to Hollywood literary managers and executives. The goal of this contest is to help writers signed and their projects made into films and TV shows.