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Oscar-nominated screenwriter of CAPTAIN PHILLIPS and THE HUNGER GAMES, Billy Ray joins as our Grand Juror as well as actor, director, & producer Joe Manganiello!

More info coming soon

Accepting TV and Feature Scripts

In partnership with The University of Georgia M.F.A. program in Film, Television, and Digital Media, we welcome Oscar-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director Billy Ray (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, THE HUNGER GAMES, GEMINI MAN) as our Grand Juror. Additionally, Billy will host an exclusive interactive lecture for this year's finalists!

We also welcome actor, director, and producer Joe Manganiello (MYTHIC QUEST, LOVE, DEATH & ROBOTS) as a Grand Juror. Joe will host an exclusive Q&A conversation with this year's finalists.

ScreenCraft's Action & Adventure competition has consistently led to writers signing with literary reps at companies including Bellevue Productions, Rascality Entertainment, Kersey Management, Citizen Skull, Greenlit Management and more.

So whether it’s a pressure cooker moment, a ticking clock, or saving the world from destruction, we're looking for scripts that can keep us on the edge of our seats.

Grand Juror

In partnership with:

We welcome Oscar-nominated screenwriter, producer, and director Billy Ray (CAPTAIN PHILLIPS, THE HUNGER GAMES, GEMINI MAN) as our Grand Juror. Additionally, Billy will host an exclusive interactive lecture for this year's finalists!

Grand Juror

We welcome actor, director, and producer Joe Manganiello (MYTHIC QUEST, LOVE, DEATH & ROBOTS) as a Grand Juror.  Joe will host an exclusive Q&A conversation with this year's finalists.

A Note To Entrants And Those Considering Entry During The WGA Strike:
At ScreenCraft, we stand in solidarity with the Writers Guild of America and its efforts to ensure fair compensation for writers.

ScreenCraft has publicly committed to pausing the sharing of writers’ work with struck companies and, if needed, coordinating with finalists and winners to see what alternate outreach they are comfortable with.

We’re all hoping the strike will be over soon, but if it isn’t, ScreenCraft will offer alternatives, postpone announcements, or otherwise work with writers to ensure they’re staying within the rules of the WGA strike.

Jury

KURT CONNER

Director of Development, Ubisoft
Kurt Conner is a Development Executive with over 10 years of experience in all facets of the Film & Television Industry. He got his start on the Film Development track at Paramount Studios where he worked closely with Bad Robot on films such as 10 CLOVERFIELD LANE and THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX. He then went on to work with Seth Gordon on the Netflix show ATYPICAL. Now, at Ubisoft Film & Television he serves as the Director of Development across both Film & Television, where he oversees creative development and strategy for various original and IP-based projects.

JEREMIE GUIRAUD

Development Executive, ROAR
Jeremie is a development and production executive. A French citizen, he grew up in Cannes where he attended the Cannes Film Festival every year. Jeremie started his career working for leading tech companies such as Google/Youtube and Linkedin and transitioned to the film and TV industry after moving to Los Angeles. Prior to joining ROAR Jeremie worked for Bridge Media Partners, a production and management company that produced the SYFY show “Blood Drive”, for producer Glenn Williamson on the feature “23 Steps” and for Lotus Entertainment.

JAKE MCCONNELL

Coordinator, Limelight
Prior to joining Limelight in 2021, Jake McConnell received his B.A. from Northeastern University in Media and Screen Studies followed by an MFA in Film and T.V. Production from UCLA's Producer's Program. He has previously worked for the San Francisco 49ers, Amazon Web Services, and Akamai Technologies in video production roles. When not reading scripts, Jake can often be found scuba diving off the coast of LA.

ERIC BORJA

Literary Manager, Writ Large
Eric Borja is a literary manager at Writ Large managing screenwriters, directors and authors. His clients include David M. Booher (Canto), C. Adele Williams (Oh My God, Yes!) and Chris Ryall (Locke + Key). He has extensive experience in all aspects of the entertainment industry including production, development, film finance, and business operations. He began his career in the production offices of studio movies like The Departed, and American Gangster. He transitioned to development and film finance at Groundswell Productions and finance/operations at Illumination Entertainment.

ANDREW BERGAMO

Creative Executive, The Donners' Company
During his career Andrew Bergamo has developed stories for some of the most recognizable franchises in the world. After first cutting his teeth as a development intern at Marvel Studios, he moved over to The Donners’ Company where he worked his way up to become a creative executive, aiding in the development of films and shows from the X-Men cinematic universe, Lethal Weapon franchise, and The Goonies among other original IP.

Prizes

Grand Prize

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

ScreenCraft's genre specific relationships include companies like, 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.
Personal Introduction to industry professionals
Accepted into the ScreenCraft Writer Development Program
$5,000 Cash
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Virtual interactive educational lecture hosted by writer Billy Ray
Personalized written feedback and a 30 minute call with a juror

Runner-Up Prizes

Feature Winner

$500 cash award

Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program

An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Virtual interactive educational lecture hosted by writer Billy Ray

Personalized written feedback and a 30 minute call with a juror

FINALISTS

An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Virtual interactive educational lecture hosted by writer Billy Ray

Exclusive Q&A conversation with Joe Manganiello.

Personalized written feedback and a 30 minute call with a juror

TV PILOT WINNER

$500 cash award

Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program

An exclusive invitation to a Finalist+ workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Virtual interactive educational lecture hosted by writer Billy Ray

Personalized written feedback and a 30 minute call with a juror

More info coming soon

Previous Success Stories

See More Successes

Joshua Flanagan

Signed with a literary manager

"I write in just about every genre -- some might say too many but they'd be WRONG -- so I love that ScreenCraft’s array of lovely, genre-specific competitions lets you attack the contest circuit with surgical precision. It’s easy to get jaded with screenplay contests – you sorta think, even if you WIN… maybe you walk away with a laurel JPEG (low-resolution) and some vague notion of “heat.” ScreenCraft’s support -- as both a finalist and winner (cue air horn) -- set the absolute standard. From broader industry overviews to hands-on guidance with cover letters and career strategy, ScreenCraft [was] crucial for me in deciding how to leverage interest and success, and signing with my first manager."

Sierra Hall

Signed with Kersey Management

"I loved the idea of different genre competitions. Comedy sci-fi scripts aren’t up against epic western dramas, giving both genres the chance to shine! We had a strategy meeting and I got some good tips on follow-up with producers and managers. To be honest, the biggest benefit from Screencraft was the feedback on my projects. It was concise, encouraging and so, so helpful. The feedback I got from Screencraft was some of the best I received and instrumental in taking my work to the next level. "

Gianmarco Giacomelli

Signed with a literary manager at Citizen Skull and optioned two TV projects to different production companies

"After I’d written and produced my first short film, I had no idea what the next step should be. So I just kept writing - features and a TV pilot - and kind of randomly submitting them to various festivals and competitions haha. The path felt very murky and uncertain, until I was accepted in to the AFI Conservatory for my MFA in Screenwriting. After I’d finished at the AFI Conservatory and was interviewing with managers and sending my projects out to production companies, there was a string of rejections that were hard to digest. I did a lot of research and looking around online to figure out which competitions were worth submitting to - ScreenCraft kept coming up as one of the good ones. I think it’s helped me in two main areas: 1) knowing when a script is ready to show and when it needs work; and 2) external validation and a pat on the back which helps as motivation to keep going!"

Emily Womelsduff

Signed with a literary manager

"I've never before had the kind of hands-on coaching that I've received from Screencraft. Multiple people were emailing me, Zooming with me, setting up generals, sending along my script, and helping me pivot and re-strategize when dead ends occurred. I think what sets Screencraft apart is their genuine desire for the long-term professional development of their writers. It's not just introducing a writer to one person, then abandoning them and moving on to the next winner. They stay with you, even years later, to help you succeed. As a result of introductions by Screencraft, I now have an incredible manager, David Binns, of Rascality Entertainment."

Nicole Ramberg

Signed with Manager at Zero Gravity Management

"I was really drawn to ScreenCraft specifically because of the genre-specific competitions. So many competitions will categorize your script as either “drama” or “comedy,” and when you have a genre script, it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. Needless to say, I was thrilled when I realized that ScreenCraft had an Action & Adventure competition. I entered hoping I’d maybe get some recognition, maybe get some contacts. I never expected to win. And when I did, ScreenCraft seriously opened so many doors for me."

Kevin Bachar

Signed with Manager at Zero Gravity Management

"Winning ScreenCraft’s Action/Thriller genre was amazing and set me on a pretty wild ride that led to meetings at Bad Robot and Donner Productions, and gaining a literary manager at Zero Gravity. But the coolest thing was that one of the judges for the contest was Steven De Souza, the writer of DIE HARD. That means he read my work and liked it!! That’s why you enter a contest – Yippy-ki-yay!"

As Featured In

ADD-ON PRIZE OPPORTUNITY

This optional add-on prize category will grant one eligible writer the opportunity to learn, develop, and strengthen their project with guidance from an industry professional. This unique add-on benefit is separate from the ScreenCraft Action & Adventure Competition prizes and placements.

We welcome Creative Executive, Andrew Bergamo of The Donners' Company who will select one writer/writing team with an outstanding concept from the ScreenCraft Action & Adventure Competition for development guidance, including notes, strategy suggestions, and more.

Only projects submitted to the ScreenCraft Action & Adventure Competition AND that select this add-on are eligible for consideration in this category. Additionally, all projects that place in the Top 10 of the competition will automatically be considered.

Andrew Bergamo

Creative Executive - The Donners' Company
At The Donners' Company Andrew Bergamo has helped develop stories for some of the biggest franchises of the past decade. After first cutting his teeth as a development intern at Marvel Studios, he moved over to The Donners’ Company where he quickly worked his way up to become a Creative Executive, aiding in the development of films and shows in the X-Men cinematic universe as well as the upcoming Lethal Weapon 5 among several other projects.

Action & Adventure Articles

Read More Articles
'Speed' Screenwriter Graham Yost on the Beauty of 'Contained, Sustained' Action Screenplays

'Speed' Screenwriter Graham Yost on the Beauty of 'Contained, Sustained' Action Screenplays

September 9 | by Al Horner

The trick to great action? Contain and sustain, says Speed screenwriter Graham Yost. “People called it Die Hard on a bus. And I loved Die Hard,”...

Action, Reaction, Consequences: Exploring Your Hero's External ARC

Action, Reaction, Consequences: Exploring Your Hero's External ARC

July 28 | by Ken Miyamoto

What is a character's external arc, and how can screenwriters ensure that their protagonist has a great one? Character arcs can be an intimidating subject...

​​Everything You Need to Know About Artifacts of Attraction

​​Everything You Need to Know About Artifacts of Attraction

September 1 | by Britton Perelman

We all know what it’s like to be completely and utterly obsessed with something.  Maybe it’s a particular pen that fits just right in your...

Rules
Eligibility
Selection Criteria
Additional Legal
  1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.
  2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.
  3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.
  4. TV pilots may be any length -- however the standard 1/2 hour is between 20 - 40 pages, and the standard hour-long is between 40 - 70 pages. Feature screenplays must be a minimum of 75 pages and a maximum of 150 pages. Any submission longer than 120 pages will incur a $1 per page overage fee for each page over 120.
  5. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
  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. 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. 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. 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 the prize money.
  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. 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. Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required.
  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. 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. In the event a juror, partner organization, mentor, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, ScreenCraft will make its best effort to secure a replacement.
  16. ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.
  17. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.
  1. All writers at least 18 years of age are eligible. However, 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.)
  2. 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).
  3. All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
  4. There are no requirements as to when the material was written.
  5. Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin.
  6. We have no preferences regarding title page content. Title and name of writer would suffice.
  7. 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.
  8. Prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and proper tax documentation before prizes are released.
  9. 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.
  10. Scripts or projects based on underlying material not owned by the writer are accepted as samples, so long as the script itself is indisputably written by the writer and that the script does not contain any plagiarism.
  11. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

The winners will be chosen based on the following criteria: 

  • Voice
  • Concept
  • Story
  • Structure
  • Characters
  • Dialogues
  • Genre Conventions

In addition to the scoring criteria for the script, ScreenCraft may conduct interviews and send questionnaires to learn more about the entrant, their voice, perspective, and goals to help identify the winning projects. Top scripts are ready by the industry jury who votes for their favorite scripts at their sole discretion.

Mentorship Selection:

  1. Only writers who submit to the competition and include this add-on at the time of entry or who make it to the Top 10 of the competition, are eligible to be considered for this prize opportunity.
  2. The winner of this prize will be selected solely by the specified industry professional(s). The selected winner of this prize will engage with the specified industry professional(s) in an educational development capacity.
  3. The approach and manner in which the industry professional(s) and winner interact is at their discretion. ScreenCraft will have no involvement in the process beyond facilitating an introduction.

Criteria for Winners and Finalists:

  1. The winners and top finalists may be contacted by interested industry representatives, such as managers, agents or producers. 
  2. Entrants may be required to submit further information to assist in the judges’ verification of eligibility. 
  3. Any entrant may be deemed ineligible as a Finalist or Winner at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft. 
  4. All recognition, placements, and winners are chosen at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft.
  5. 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. 
  6. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. REFUND POLICY: All entries are non-refundable.
  4. SITE TERMS OF SERVICE. By entering this competition, the user agrees to all ScreenCraft Terms of Service in addition to these rules and eligibility criteria.
  5. 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.
  6. 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).
  7. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.

Stories with Adrenaline

NO TIME TO DIE
headline_top gun maverick
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
BULLET TRAIN
LOVECRAFT COUNTRY
PAN'S LABYRINTH
AMERICAN GODS
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Open Competitions

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WRITER RECOMMENDED FEEDBACK

Olin Fregia

Having ScreenCraft read and review my screenplay was like holding up a newborn to a stranger and asking, "What do you think of my baby? "Too many fingers, not enough toes." They were honest and TRUE. Painful at first, but if it enhances my baby's beauty, then, so be it. Changing a baby's diaper only makes the baby better to hold. When I think about it, isn't that what bringing "baby" to the screen is all about, making it huggable? Your baby is in good hands with ScreenCraft. Now, I've got a few diapers to deal with. I can do this. Thanks, ScreenCraft.
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