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The LAUNCH Kicks Off Second Year of Collegiate 'Million-Dollar Screenplay Competition'

by ScreenCraft on January 31, 2019

The search for the next generation of great screenwriters continues with second million-dollar screenplay competition. The LAUNCH Million Dollar Screenplay Competition, powered by Coverfly,  has announced it will begin accepting global submissions for its second million-dollar screenplay competition on Friday, February 1st through Tuesday, April 30th, 2019.

Once again, The LAUNCH will be looking for original screenplays with captivating stories, unique voices and honest emotion in any genre. The international competition is open to students over the age of 18 who are enrolled in an accredited two-year, four-year college/university or graduate program. Like last year, in an effort to make the competition accessible to as many students as possible, The LAUNCH will be subsidizing a greater portion of all submission fees this year. Screenplays received during the kick-off month of February will be granted a reduced entry fee of $20. Additional information about the competition, rules of entry and submission guidelines can be found by visiting www.launchscreenplay.com.

Jason Shuman

Zachary Green

Co-founded by Zachary Green (Spartan), Jason Shuman (Rebel in the Rye, Lone Survivor) and philanthropists Chuck and Marni Bond, the Top 8 winners will split $100,000 in education grants and other prizes, with the top 3 gaining representation at APA and Valor Entertainment and the grand prize-winning screenplay produced by Zachary Green and Jason Shuman as a feature film, with a budget of approximately $1 million.

Read: Interview with Jason Shuman and Zachary Green of The LAUNCH: Million Dollar Screenplay Competition


The announcement comes on the heels of the success of The LAUNCH’s first competition, in which USC student Stanley Kalu’s screenplay, The Obituary of Tunde Johnson won the grand prize and was produced at the end of 2018, with Steven Silver, Nicola Peltz and Spencer Neville starring in the feature helmed by Emmy-Award winning director, Ali LeRoi. Emphasizing Green and Shuman’s dedication to promoting diversity, the production employed a cast and crew of over 100 people in the Los Angeles area and was comprised of over 50% people of color and/or women.“Last year’s competition was incredible for so many reasons. We were blown away by the talent of the writers, and could not be more pleased to have The LAUNCH returning for 2019,” said Green. “We are excited to read more screenplays that give a voice to this generation and are looking forward to selecting the winner this year.”

The LAUNCH Million Dollar Screenplay Competition is proud to partner again this year with technology leader Coverfly, who will seamlessly manage screenplay submissions, professional readers, and the evaluation and scoring process to determine the finalists. The LAUNCH also counts ScreenCraft, Save the Cat!® and Final Draft as official partners for 2019.

In addition to Green and Shuman, the 2019 judges’ panel will consist of an array of respected industry professionals including:

  • Award-Winning Casting Director Barbara Fiorentino
  • Screenwriter/Producer Eduardo Cisneros
  • Writer/Director/Producer Ali LeRoi
  • Actor/Producer Caitlin Mehner
  • Producer/Author/Educator Dr. Madeleine Sherak
  • APA Agent Chris Ridenhour
  • Co-Founding Partner & Principal at Valor Entertainment Carlos Bobadilla
  • and Stanley Kalu, screenwriter and first Grand Prize winner of The LAUNCH Million Dollar Screenplay Competition.

 

If you place in this competition, there's a big chance you'll have a successful screenwriting career. Learn how to train yourself to be ready for screenwriting success with this free guide.


About The LAUNCH

The LAUNCH Million Dollar Screenplay Competition is a first of its kind competition co-founded by Zachary Green and Jason Shuman and philanthropists Chuck and Marni Bond, to find the next generation of great screenwriters from around the world. The LAUNCH is awarding $100,000 in education grants, with the grand prize winner having his or her screenplay produced as a feature film with a budget of approximately $1 million.  For more information please visit www.launchscreenplay.com.

Co-Founders Jason Shuman and Zachary Green said:

“We thank our wonderful donors for bringing The LAUNCH to fruition. Never before has a screenwriting competition focused solely on students, not only awarding large grants, but guarantying at least $1 million dollars to produce the winning screenplay as a feature film. Our goal is to motivate as many students as possible to pursue their writing dreams.”

Jason Shuman is a writer and producer with an impressive slate including over 20 motion pictures grossing more than $500 million worldwide, and over 100 episodes of television produced. Past projects include: Darkness Falls, The Messengers, Bangkok Dangerous, the critically acclaimed Lone Survivor, Rebel In The Rye, Little Black Book and Daddy Day Camp.

Zachary Green is an entrepreneur and film producer with extensive experience in brand storytelling with brands such as McDonald’s, Toys R Us, Warner Bros., Paramount, and more. He is collaborating with Jason Shuman on a slate of feature films and a handful of television shows, which are in various stages of development and production. Currently, Green and Shuman are producing the heist/thriller Panthers, and action/thriller Spartan.


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