Current Season Announcements
Jun 1
Quarterfinalist
Jun 29
Semifinalist
Jul 27
Finalist
Aug 17
Winner
Whether your comedy is romantic, dark, slapstick, broad or dry, we want to read your film or TV script! Winners’ projects will be circulated to our wide network of industry professionals, with the goal of setting up the winners with production companies and studios, and introducing the top writers to literary managers and agents.
ScreenCraft has relationships with comedy powerhouses that include 3 Arts, Adult Swim, Netflix, Funny or Die, CBS, Chernin Entertainment, and many more. Our past winners have gone on to sell their scripts to major studios and have been hired by companies like Universal, Amazon, Millennium, AMC, and Apple TV+ to name a few. And over 275 ScreenCraft writers have signed with top management companies and agencies like 3 Arts, Anonymous Content, CAA, WME, UTA, Paradigm, Lit Entertainment, and many more.
Previous Season Jury
Justin Lee
Justin works in development at Lord Miller Productions, the production company of comedy team Chris Lord + Phil Miller, behind such hits as The Lego Movie, 21 Jump Street, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

Emma Broughton
Emma is the Head of Scripted TV for New Regency, the award winning production company of Bohemian Rhapsody and Widows and was executive producer on AMC's The Beast Must Die.
Bre Andrade
Bre Andrade is the Creative Executive at Party Over Here, the production company founded by Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone, named after their former Fox late-night show.
Grey Cusack
Grey has served as a development executive at Columbia Pictures and Hasbro Studios. Her credits include 65 (awaiting release), DUNGEONS & DRAGONS (awaiting release), and SNAKE EYES: G.I. JOE ORIGINS (2021).
Prizes
Grand Prize Winner
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 3 Arts, Adult Swim, Netflix, Funny or Die, CBS, Chernin Entertainment, 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.
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Personal Introduction to top literary managers
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Accepted into the ScreenCraft Development Program
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$1,000 Cash
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An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Runner-Up Prizes
Feature Winner
$500 cash award
Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Finalists
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Pilot Winner
$500 cash award
Accepted into ScreenCraft Development Program
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Previous Successes
Amanda Verwey
Signed with a Manager at MAKE GOOD Content
After winning the 2021 ScreenCraft Comedy Competition and working closely with our partners on the Coverfly Success Team, Amanda was able to sign with a literary manager.
"The team is constantly checking in, asking how they can lift me up, showcasing my work, inviting me to amazing networking events, facilitating pitches and being overall excellent cheerleaders. Now I’m working on a grindhouse feature with Endeavor Content and Flames Ventures. And I sold a short-form series to FX’s show Cake, co-created with artist Jibz Cameron."
Eric Wong
Signed with a Literary Manager at Underground Entertainment after working with the ScreenCraft team.
Congratulations to Eric Wong, Finalist of the 2019 ScreenCraft Comedy Competition, signed with a literary manager at Underground after working with the ScreenCraft team.
"I think one of the biggest hurdles to writing is just carving out the time and mental space to do it regularly and well while still enjoying the process. If you find yourself writing all the time and never doing anything else, your writing (and mental health) are going to suffer and you might grow to hate the project you're working on (which in turn will make it worse). Conversely, if you only talk about writing but are constantly busy with work, and social events, and other commitments, you're a writer in theory not in practice, and you'll never get anything done. So finding that balance, especially early on when I was broke and had no time, was really important for me. When I started applying for script competitions, ScreenCraft's panels of judges really stood out to me. They were filled with big names and people who had major roles at well-known companies, so knowing that the competition wasn't just a random dude in a basement stealing my money made me more interested in applying. Since placing in the Top 10 finals, ScreenCraft has helped a ton in getting meetings set-up and in general championing me and my work (like with this right now)."
Eljohn Macaranas
Attached producer John Shepherd to his feature script 'How the Yellow Mellow.'
Congratulations to 2019 ScreenCraft Comedy Screenplay Contest Finalist, Eljohn Macaranas, who attached producer John Shepherd to his feature script 'How the Yellow Mellow.'
"I was about to give up screenwriting about two years ago. I just wasn’t seeing any markers of success, and I wasn’t loving what I was writing or doing at the moment. I didn’t have a clear identity at that time. My breakthrough moment was somehow landing a spot as a finalist for the 2019 Screencraft Comedy Competition. Around that time, I started realizing that my niche was writing diverse genre comedies. I discovered which aspects of my writing voice worked best and committed to parts of myself. I recently got a producer attached to a funny teen comedy script inspired by my days as my high school’s Asian American club president. We’re sending it out and trying to find it a home, and that’s so exciting! I was drawn to Screencraft after seeing the judge panels. They’re really legit and have some of the most remarkable people in the industry reading your stuff. The competition gave me some confidence about my writing, but the team behind the competitions really check in with you after and help you, too. "
Shiwani Srivastava
Signed with Manager (Affirmative Entertainment) & Agent (Paradigm Talent Agency)
2018 ScreenCraft Comedy Runner-Up, Shiwani Srivastava, signed with literary manager Nicholas Bogner of Affirmative Entertainment and Paradigm Talent Agency after ScreenCraft introduced them.
"I am not based in Los Angeles. I am in San Francisco and I thought the only way to get out there is to start entering contests and see what happens. And because of ScreenCraft, an opportunity did knock. They put me in touch with a manager, like he really understood what I was trying to do with my stories. ScreenCraft put me in touch with a producer and we ended up taking it to a major studio, who expressed interest in my script, which is beyond my wildest imagination. I was so glad that I just kept writing, kept writing, kept writing stories that I believed in. Eventually, everybody has some opportunity, some luck and you have to be ready, and I think ScreenCraft really helped me be ready."
Ivan Tsang
Signed with Manager at 3 Arts Entertainment
Ivan Tsang placed as a finalist in the ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship and was the grand prize winner of the 2019 Comedy Screenplay Competition. Subsequently he has signed with literary manager Jermaine Johnson at 3 Arts Entertainment!
"I’m absolutely overwhelmed by the support I got from the ScreenCraft team. After my plays were named Finalists, ScreenCraft contacted me and has provided on-going advice, mentorship, and support ever since. Tom at ScreenCraft worked for months sending out my material and discussing who he thought may be right for representation. This industry can feel incredibly elusive and cold, especially for playwrights trying to break-in but the ScreenCraft team changed that. I can’t believe that without even winning a contest, they invested so much time and energy into promoting my writing. Getting a foot in the door felt impossible for so long, but today, I am thrilled to have found my first rep. ScreenCraft is the real deal; you won’t find anyone more passionate or committed to helping emerging writers. If you are wading through the sea of screenwriting contests wondering which ones are worth it, there is no one I’d recommend more than Screencraft. I’ll never be able to say thank you enough!"
Ian Southwood
Signed with a Literary Manager at Recon Literary
Ian won the 2018 ScreenCraft Comedy Screenplay Competition and went on to be invited to Coverfly‘s Rep Week program which introduced him to literary manager Adrian Garcia, with whom he signed.
"I once wrote a script and sent it to my previous rep. “It’s a comedy,” I said. She disagreed. “Parts of it are funny, I guess, but I wouldn’t call it a comedy.” The “I guess” was the real kicker. Apparently she wasn’t even sure the parts she thought were funny were funny. I entered the script in a couple screenwriting contests and won both. For comedy. "
Lisa Hoppe
Accepted into Berlin Film Festival and won a Special Mention Award
After placing in the top 5 of the 2017 ScreenCraft Comedy Competition for her project H IS FOR HAPPINESS, Lisa Hoppe went on to produce the film, which was recently won Special Mention at the Berlin Film Festival.
"Two things were key for me – 1) embrace uncertainty and 2) don’t wait for an invitation. Just do it. Ranking in the top five of a ScreenCraft competition definitely propelled me forward by giving me confidence about my script. The ScreenCraft team have continued to support me and help me feel I’m part of an inspiring screenwriting community."
As Featured in
New Add-on Prize Opportunity
The ScreenCraft First Look Bootcamp
With Manager & Producer Ari Lubet of 3 Arts Entertainment
The ScreenCraft First Look Bootcamp is a new optional add-on prize category that will grant one eligible writer the opportunity to learn and strengthen their project with guidance from an industry professional. This unique add-on benefit is separate from the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition prizes and placements.
We welcome manager and producer Ari Lubet of 3 Arts Entertainment (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Broad City) who will select one writer/writing team with an outstanding concept from the ScreenCraft Comedy Competition to receive guidance and feedback on how they can best position their project for success. Over the course of 12 months, this will include personalized meetings, notes, strategy suggestions, and more.
Only projects submitted to the ScreenCraft Comedy 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.
Comedy Articles
Lessons on Comedy Writing from 'Insecure' Writer Phil Augusta Jackson Apr 27 - "Write it down. All of it. The half idea. The full idea. The play. The pilot. Whatever it is, just write it down. Every time you write, you’re sharpening the iron." What is the most… ...
Rules & Info
- Rules
- Eligibility
- Selection Criteria
- Additional Legal
- Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.
- Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.
- Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.
- Entries may be any length -- the standard 1/2 hour is between 20 - 40 pages, and the standard hour long is between 40 - 70 pages, and the standard feature is between 85 - 120 pages. Any script submission longer than 120 pages will incur a $.50 per page overage fee for each page over 120 if it does not include feedback and $1 per page if the entry does include feedback.
- There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
- 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 owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.
- 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).
- 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 any prizes awarded as they deem fair (whether there is a cash value or not).
- 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.
- 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.
- Contact info may be included on the cover page of the screenplay, however it is not required. ScreenCraft uses Coverfly to manage submissions and automatically removes cover pages before scripts are read by the judges.
- 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.
- 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.
- ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.
- ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.
- 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.)
- 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).
- All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
- The material may have been written at any time.
- Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin.
- We have no preferences regarding title page content. Title and name of writer would suffice.
- 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.
- ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.
- Prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and proper tax documentation before prizes are released.
- 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.
- 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.
The reading and judging of the scripts will be 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. Selected Finalist scripts are read by the industry jury who votes for their favorite scripts at their sole discretion.
ScreenCraft Bootcamp Selection:
- Only writers who submit to the competition and include this add-on at the time of entry are eligible to be considered for this prize opportunity.
- The winner of this prize will be selected solely by the specified industry professional. The selected winner of this prize will engage with the specified industry professional in an educational development capacity.
- Being selected as the winner of this prize does not constitute or guarantee representation by the industry professional or the company they work for.
- The approach and manner in which the industry professional and winner interact is at their discretion. ScreenCraft will have no involvement in the process beyond facilitating an introduction.
Criteria for Winners and Finalists:
- 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 as a Finalist or Winner at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft.
- All recognition, placements, and winners are chosen 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 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.
- 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 entrants' information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
- REFUND POLICY: All entries are non-refundable.
- SITE TERMS OF SERVICE. All ScreenCraft Terms of Service apply in addition to these rules and eligibility criteria.
- 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.
- ENTRY CONDITIONS AND RELEASE: BY ENTERING THE CONTEST YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THESE CONDITIONS. You agree to release, indemnify 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). The governing law is California.