An innovative new film and TV script competition that emphasizes the art of the rewrite launched this week courtesy of two Hollywood veterans — a longtime literary manager turned script consultant and a well-known music and film producer Michael Patterson.
The organizers behind the Finish Line Script Competition know that rewriting your screenplay or TV pilot is an essential and increasingly important part of the writing process.
After you submit your screenplay or pilot to the competition, a seasoned script consultant can, if you choose, give you comprehensive development notes, after which you can resubmit your improved draft.
This may continue for as many drafts as you choose until the competition’s deadlines in order to simulate the way writers navigate the intricate development systems at studios, networks and production companies.
One writer will win the Grand Prize, while two others will receive runner-up prizes. The competition will also make a donation to the winner’s choice of charity.
The Prizes
Grand Prize
- The Grand Prize winner will receive $1500 as a cash prize.
- The Grand Prize winner will have their script sent to any actor, director, producer or studio of their choice. Anyone at all. We guarantee that person will receive your script for consideration but we cannot guarantee they will pursue it further. We want to help you get access and we will back the winner to that degree.
- The Grand Prize winner will either meet in person, Skype or speak via phone to up to 15 industry professionals ranging from literary managers, agents, development execs and producers. Please click on our mentors tab for full list.
- The Grand Prize winner will receive free consultation from our script consultants for a year.
- The Grand Prize winner will receive $100 to spend at The Writer’s Store online.
- The Grand Prize winner will receive a year long membership to International Screenwriters Association’s CONNECT, which links them to networking opportunities, industry information and screenwriting jobs around the world.
- The Grand Prize winner will have free and complete access to our knowledge, advice, support and help as they get their script out into the maze that is the entertainment industry.
- And…..as a cherry on top, as we’re all living in a world that needs as much love as possible, a percentage of the earnings from the competition will be donated to the winner’s favorite charity.
First Runner Up
- The First Runner Up will receive free consultation from our script consultants for a year.
- The First Runner Up will receive $75 to spend at The Writer’s Store online.
- The First Runner Up will receive a year long membership to ISA’s CONNECT, which links them to networking opportunities, industry information and screenwriting jobs around the world.
Second Runner Up
- The Second Runner Up will receive $50 to spend at The Writer’s Store online.
- The Second Runner Up will receive a year long membership to ISA’s CONNECT, which links them to networking opportunities, industry information and screenwriting jobs around the world.
The current list of mentors for the competition include Karen Barna (SVP Business & Legal Affairs, Bold Films), literary manager Evan Corday (Cartel Entertainment), writer-director Paul Cotter (“Bomber”), literary agent Elizabeth Dench (Dench/Arnold), Jim Donnelly (SVP Comedy Development, Universal Television), producer Neal Edelstein (“The Ring”), writer-producer Bryan Goluboff (“The Affair”), Korin Huggins (Head of TV, Will Packer Productions), Damani Johnson (co-producer on “Major Crimes”), literary manager/producer Brad Kaplan (Primary Wave), Isaac Katz (Development Exec, Tribeca Prods.), Sam Lavender (Senior Creative Executive, Film 4), Jack Leslie (President of Production, The Donner’s Company), screenwriter Cathryn Michon (“A Dog’s Purpose”), literary agent Melissa Orton (ICM Partners), Broken Road partner Sean Robbins (“Paul Blart: Mall Cop”), literary agent Ryan Saul (APA), literary manager/producer Sidney Sherman (Rosa Entertianment) and Mr. X, a former agent at the Gersh Agency.
The Finish Line Script Competition accepts entries via online submission platform FilmFreeway.com. The early bird deadline for the competition is March 7, while the regular deadline is June 20 and the late deadline is Aug. 8. Winners will be announced on Sept. 28.
You can follow the writing competition on Twitter, and more information can be found online by clicking here.