RULES:

• Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only, between September 1, 2019 and November 30, 2019.
• Entry fee for each book is $59 until the early deadline on September 30, then $79 until the final deadline on November 30.
• Optional feedback is available separately via our consulting service here.
• Books must be a minimum of 10,000 words and a maximum of 150,000 words. Books over 150,000 words may be submitted, but even in the later rounds the book will only be read up to 150,000 words.
• Writers may also submit a logline or synopsis with their submission.
• Entries must be in English.
• There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit for consideration.
• 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.
• All submitted material must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
• Material must be submitted by the author. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s). All writers must be credited on title page.
• 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.
• Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material are allowed. Please see your confirmation email for instructions and link to update your draft via Coverfly.
• It is recommended that original material be registered with the US Copyright Office before submitting to any competition, however we do not require registration.
• Contact info may be included on the cover page of the file, however it is not required.
• All ownership and rights to the material submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders until and unless other agreements are made.

ELIGIBILITY:

• All writers at least 18 years of age are eligible.
• All persons from anywhere in the world are eligible; however the material submitted must be in English or Mandarin Chinese (occasional dialogue in other languages is acceptable, if subtitle translation is provided).
• All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
• There are no requirements as to when the material was written.
• Material and intellectual property must be wholly owned and submitted by the writer(s).
• Material should be submitted in standard format, font, spacing and margin.
• We have no preferences regarding title page content. Title and name of writer would suffice.
• Adaptations are ineligible unless the underlying rights are owned by the writer or the underlying work or source material is in the public domain (such as a mythology or publications before 1923).
• Books longer than 150,000 words will only be read up to 150,000 words.
• All material must be submitted electronically in PDF format.

The winners will be chosen based on the following criteria: (i) originality; (ii) plot/story structure; (iii) characterization; (iv) visual inventiveness; (v) overall impression; and (vi) co-production viability. The winners and top finalists may be contacted by interested industry representatives, such as managers, agents or producers. Entrants may be required to submit further information to assist in the judges’ verification of eligibility. Any entrant may be deemed ineligible at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft. 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. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time.

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 work submitted to this contest. All ownership and rights to the material submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders until and unless other agreements are made.

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 an entrants’ information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

REFUND POLICY

All entries are non-refundable.

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 LLC, ScreenCraft.org, its subsidiary, parent and affiliated companies, Prize contributors, judges, 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 material 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.