Shore Scripts Short Film Fund
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About
The Shore Scripts Short Film Fund offers screenwriters and filmmakers an opportunity to have their short film scripts financed and produced.
Our Award-Winning Judges including former Fund winners will decide this season’s Grand Prize Winner.
The Fall Season of the 2023 Short Film Fund will award production financing for a new short film.
● Grand Prize Winner - A Cash Grant of $15K and support to take your short screenplay into production. Free camera equipment rental from ARRI Rental for the duration of production in any country that they operate.
● Plus, the Grand Prize Winner will receive Festival Strategy consultancy with KIMBERLEY BROWNING (Filmmaker & Festival Programmer - Tribeca, Catalyst Content Festival, Production Advisor - Tribeca Untold Stories feature program).
● 2nd Place Prize - A Cash Prize of $1000 and feedback on their script from one of our esteemed Judges, plus the offer of script circulation to our roster and free access to our private Facebook screenwriting community.
● Both Winners will win a call with Oscar-nominated producer MARIA GRACIA TURGEON where they can discuss their script and screenwriting career next steps.
● Top 5 Finalists – will receive feedback on their scripts from one of our esteemed Judges, in addition to these prizes:
● Top 15 Finalists – will have the opportunity to have their scripts read by members of our Industry Roster and Directors.
● New for 2023 SFF2! Semi-Finalists - will receive free access to our private Facebook screenwriting community.
Our Short Film Fund is for screenwriters and/or directors who want to see their short film script produced and create a calling card to help them progress in the industry. As an emerging writer, getting a script produced is a transformative career milestone that can open new opportunities and help you pitch your stories to producers, managers, and agents.
The Fund accepts submissions from writers and filmmakers who have a script they wish to direct or wish to have Shore Scripts attach a director and crew to take the project through into production. We also accept submissions from short film projects in production seeking finishing funds.
All scripts must be in English. The Fund welcomes submissions from screenwriters and filmmakers from around the world. We accept short scripts, web series pilots, animations, and proof-of-concept shorts for TV series and Features. The production can be filmed in any country and any language. For foreign language films, the finished film will need to have English language subtitles
We can offer end-to-end support from script development to post-production and release. Grand Prize winners will receive production mentorship from Oscar-nominated producer Maria Gracia Turgeon and a personalized festival strategy from Tribeca festival programmer Kimberley Browning.
We do not seek to obtain any rights over your script or the resulting film at any time. For those who take the funding, we ask for a production company credit and access to promotional material from the produced short film project to promote the film and the fund in the future.
Our previous 18 funded short films have played at some of the top film festivals in the world, including Tribeca, BFI London, Austin, Cannes, Encounters, Palm Springs, and many others. Our writers have gone on to gain representation, sold screenplays, and been staffed on TV shows as a direct result of entering.
READ MORE ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE SHORT FILM FUND: https://www.shorescripts.com/historyoftheshortfilmfund/
Plus, every writer who enters receives a FREE 18-page booklet on HOW TO GET YOUR SCREENPLAY PRODUCED.
Benefits
- Grand Prize Winner - A Cash Grant of $15K and support to take your short screenplay into production. Free camera equipment rental from ARRI Rental for the duration of production in any country that they operate.
- Plus, the Grand Prize Winner will receive Festival Strategy consultancy with Kimberley Browning (Filmmaker & Festival Programmer - Tribeca, Catalyst Content Festival, Production Advisor - Tribeca UNTOLD STORIES feature program). This includes a comprehensive evaluation and notes during post-production, as well as a film festival submission strategy and planning session to create a plan that helps navigate the festival circuit and support the filmmaker's goals and career development. And receive a Free Online or In-Person All Access Badge to HollyShorts 2023.
- 2nd Place Winner - A Cash Prize of $1000 and feedback on their script from one of our esteemed Judges, plus the offer of script circulation and free access to our private Facebook screenwriting community
- Both Winners will have the opportunity to discuss their scripts and career next steps with Oscar-nominated producer MARIA GRACIA TURGEON and receive a Free Screenwriting Book of their choice from Michael Wiese Productions.
- Top 5 Finalists – will receive feedback on their scripts from one of
our esteemed Judges, in addition to these prizes:
- Top 15 Finalists – with your permission, your script will be sent to our Judges, Directors, & specially chosen members of our Industry.
- New for 2023 SFF2! Semi-Finalists – will
receive free access to our private Facebook screenwriting community.
Writer Success
Announcements
Rules
* Scripts should be within 2-30 pages. Writers can exceed the recommended limits by up to 30 pages, with an additional fee of $1 per page.
* You are free to set your script anywhere in the world.
* We welcome submissions from all countries. All scripts must be written in English. The winning short(s) can be filmed in any country.
* We accept foreign language films (as long as the script is in English). The finished film will need to have English language subtitles.
* You do not need to be a screenwriter to enter, however, whoever enters the script must have the prior approval and agreement to do so from the writer(s).
* We accept Short Scripts, Animations, Web Series, and Proof of Concept Shorts.
* We accept scripts for short films that have already been filmed or are in the process of production and require additional Finishing Funds. Submissions for Finishing Funds must be entered as standard but with the Format marked as "In Production Film". Then include a password-protected link to a Vimeo or Youtube location where we can view your work-in-progress film in the 'Comment to Reader' text box provided.
* Previous Short Film Fund applicants may apply, including Finalists. Grand Prize and 2nd Place Grant winners are ineligible.
* You may enter the same script that has been submitted to the fund previously.
* All ages can enter.
* We accept all genres. It's absolutely fine if your script is a combination of multiple genres or sub-genres. If that's the case, use the Coverfly Genre dropdown to indicate the main genre on your submission, and make a note of other Genres, and any other information you feel will be relevant to the reader in the Comment to Reader field.
* Please only include the Script Title on the cover page.
* You may submit as many scripts as you wish.
* All submitted screenplays must be the writer's original work, or they own the copyright.
* If a writing team enters, then both/all writers must consent.
* The Winner's filmmaking team will have the final call on cast, crew, and edit. Shore Scripts will ask to see the audition tapes of the lead character(s) before they are cast.
* To help the environment, we only accept electronic submissions.
* Each writer, or writing team, may not have earned more than $50,000 in screenwriting fees in the preceding 18 months. This clause is in place to help us support emerging talent. (Contest & Fellowship awards and writing fees received outside of fiction screenwriting do not count toward this total).
* Shore Scripts staff and associates are unable to enter this fund.
* You may enter a newer draft of an already submitted script. There will be a small fee involved. You may re-enter your script through the Resubmission page.
* Scripts should be formatted at size 12 Courier.
* We prefer scripts to be sent as a PDF file.
* The winners consent to Shore Scripts using their name, script title, and any other relevant information for promotional purposes on their website. This will be used to inform other contestants and the media of the results. We will also be unrestricted in how and where we promote the finished film.
* The winners agree to cut a trailer for Shore Scripts to use on their website and other promotional platforms.
* If Shore Scripts helps a writer gain representation, option, sell, or have his/her screenplay produced, then we are entitled to state this on our website and on any other platforms whenever we see fit.
* The decision of Shore Scripts is final. By applying to this fund each participant agrees to hold Shore Scripts, our judges, and sponsors immune from any competition disputes, claims, liabilities, and expenses.
* If the writer wishes to direct his or her script, then it will be given serious consideration. A previous portfolio of work will help in making this decision.
* Shore Scripts will be listed as one of the 'Production Companies" on the project and also receive an 'Executive Producer' credit. The Shore Scripts logo will need to be added to the end credits.
* The budget will either go through Shore Scripts or be transferred to a freelance producer or production company.
* We are open to working with filmmakers known to the winner. We will also consider co-productions and additional funding from outside sources.
* By entering you authorize Shore Scripts to use any trusted third-party online, cloud-based, and email services and databases for hosting, managing, and/or sending/transmitting your submission file(s).
* Shore Scripts are flexible as to the production dates of the winning project(s). However, if said projects haven’t been filmed within 12 months of our winner’s announcement, Shore Scripts has the discretion to transfer the funds to another submitted project. If the project has been filmed but not completed within 18 months of our winner’s announcement, Shore Scripts has the discretion to take over and complete the project internally.
* Please note that our sponsor ARRI may not be able to supply equipment if the project is to be filmed in a country where they do not operate. Production will also need to cover any logistics and costs of getting camera equipment to the set.
Please contact us at contact @ shorescripts.com
if you have any questions. Thanks.
ALL THE INFO: https://www.shorescripts.com/rules-faq/#sff-rules