Silver Bullet Screenplay Contest
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Age Inclusion in Media (AIM) is proud to announce our Silver Bullet Screenplay Contest, a unique competition designed to discover and promote the work of writers over 40 and to create a more accurate representation of characters over 40; on the page and the screen. Now, we want to bring YOUR story to the spotlight!
AIM champions age inclusion across all media and entertainment platforms through a variety of programs and events that support career, craft, and growth. Silver Bullet is positioned to directly embody our mission by requiring feature film screenplays in one of two criteria for all submissions.
ALL ENTRIES MUST:
- Be written by a writer over the age of 40, OR
- Revolve around a major character who is over 40 years of age
Besides original screenplays, Silver Bullet also allows entries:
- Based on previously published material (i.e. adapted), AND
- Scripts that have been optioned
With our age-empowering criteria as a core focus, Silver Bullet is dedicated to supporting writers over 40 and attract the best stories for a massive, underserved older audience.
Our readers are drawn from an age-diverse pool of development professionals and our industry player judges will read all the finalists on their hunt for the next great script.
Benefits
ALL ENTRANTS will receive a one-page professional rating of the screenplay's major elements, plus a 20% discount on a subscription to WriterDuet Pro and a $50 discount on an annual subscription to Prewrite - a groundbreaking visual screenwriting tool, and lastly, an invitation our live support event (more info to follow.)
Semifinalists and finalists will be announced via email, from which our judges will determine the runner-ups and the GRAND PRIZE WINNER.
GRAND PRIZE WINNER RECEIVES
- Acceptance to the 2021 AIM Residential Fellowship, a 5-day in-person event and a full year of follow-up support (valued at $7,000)
- Career strategy session with Christopher Lockhart, Story Editor at WME
- Coverage, Ink Pro analysis + mark-up (valued at $540)
- Spec Scout in-depth coverage package (valued at $297), plus the potential for lifetime inclusion of the screenplay in their database reserved for scripts with very high ratings
- Admission to one AIM Professional Screenwriting program (valued at $500)
- Invitation to presentation event in Los Angeles (subject to Covid-19 restrictions)
- Script release strategy event with the judges
- Press release and long-term industry circulation
FINALISTS RECEIVE
- Industry circulation
- Admission to one AIM Professional Screenwriting program (valued at $500)
- Coverage, Ink standard analysis (valued at $139)
- One free year membership to Prewrite - a groundbreaking visual screenwriting tool
- Screenwriting e-books from Coverage, Ink
- A lifetime subscription to WriterDuet Pro
Announcements
No announcement dates listed.
Rules
At the program's request, Coverfly will automatically remove your title page for you if you include one when submitting to this program.
Experienced industry readers will make evaluations in the early rounds, and scripts advancing to the final rounds will be assessed by our esteemed judges.
Judging is anonymous primarily based on the emotional impact of the script, and how it was crafted with fundamental components such as concept, structure, plot, theme, characterization, dialogue, pacing, and tone. Writing style and voice are also taken into consideration.
BASIC GUIDELINES
* If a screenplay entry does not contain a major character aged at least 40 years of age, then the writer, or at least ONE of the writing team must be over the age of 40 at the time of submission
* Feature scripts only, between 70 pages and 150 pages
* Entries must be made online in PDF format only
* Entries must be named in this format "Script Name - Firstname Lastname.PDF"
* Cover page must include title, logline, and status of the intellectual property (original, optioned or fan fiction)
* There must not be any identifying information on the cover page or in the script
* No supplemental material is allowed (resumes, cover letters, etc.)
* All entries must be submitted in English and in industry-standard format
* Entrants must be at least eighteen (18) years of age.
* Co-writers are allowed. List each writer's name when registering your script
* We accept submissions from any country
* No restriction on the number of entries any writer may submit. Each entry is a separate fee
* The script/s entered must be unproduced at the time of close of the entry period
* All entrants retain rights to their material
* Entrants may submit revision or redraft but only as a separate entry
* There are no refunds once payment has been processed
OPTIONS AND ADAPTATIONS
* Screenplays under option are eligible. It is the responsibility of the entrant to ensure that a submission is not prohibited by any extant agreement they may have in place. Silver Bullet will not be held liable for any harm or damages sought caused by this
* If an entry is based on preexisting material, or the writer/s no longer control all rights to the entry, they must state this on the application
* Adaptations are permitted if all intellectual rights are secured. The entrant/s must own the rights to exploit the source material in film and TV, or else the source material must be free from copyright
* If no intellectual rights are secured, you may submit "fan fiction" as long as this is stated in your entry
