More info coming soon
Nov 27
Quarterfinalist
Jan 8
Semifinalist
Feb 5
Finalist
Feb 26
Winner
We are thrilled to be joined by three VIP Mentors for this year's competition: writers and producers Anna Halberg and Spenser Cohen (TAROT) along with producer Scott Glassgold of Ground Control, who will host a Q&A together for the ScreenCraft Horror Competition Finalists!
Anna & Spenser have worked with many of the industry’s leading film and television studios including Walt Disney, Netflix, Paramount, Sony, Universal, Warner Brothers, Amblin and Lionsgate. This year they have 3 feature films being released – TAROT (Sony), DISTANT (Amblin / Universal), HOUSE/WIFE (Netflix)
Scott Glassgold is the founder of Ground Control, a leading entertainment platform specializing in filmed media & publishing. Scott has produced several horror-centric films including TAROT, BLINK, HORRORSCOPE and PROSPECT. Ground Control also oversees the Scream Gems Horror Lab for Sony Pictures.
More info coming soon
Signed with a literary manager at Affirmative Entertainment
"I didn’t go to film school and, especially at the beginning, I was super nervous about sharing my work. ScreenCraft was the first writing competition I submitted to, and I’ve continued to do so for several projects because they consistently work with amazing readers who give in depth, actionable notes. The quality of the feedback has just been incredibly valuable for bettering my craft and taking my scripts to the next level. Sometimes I feel like the path to a successful writing career is this weird, nebulous mystery, and it can be pretty intimidating trying to set an effective course. Which is why I sing such high praises about ScreenCraft’s writer development team!! They have this wonderfully hands-on approach that helps clarify how to take actual steps towards your goals. From strategizing on game plans, to answering questions and concerns, to connecting me with other finalists, I’ve just felt super supported throughout. They even got my script read by a number of reps, and facilitated a meeting with the manager that I’m now repped by. I’m just feeling super grateful — it’s been such a whirlwind experience, and ScreenCraft has really gone above and beyond in advancing my career. I can’t thank them enough."
Signed with a literary manager at Bellevue
"When I made the finals (and eventually won) the 2022 ScreenCraft Horror Competition, that completely changed the game for me. Being accepted into the ScreenCraft Development Program, I was given the privilege of getting to work one-on-one with amazing folks who have put my name and work out to some incredible players in the industry, from reps to production companies I am looking to work with. This resulted in me finding my manager, Jeff Portnoy at Bellevue Productions, as well as getting me meetings with production companies who I am in talks with to produce my first feature. Having people like the folks at ScreenCraft champion your work takes a massive load off your plate as a writer, and allows you to keep working on your art while also getting it in the right hands of people who can actually get it produced."
Signed with literary manager
"ScreenCraft first caught my attention with their focus on hosting screenwriting competitions for each specific genre and format, rather than lumping them all into Feature or TV like most other competitions. In my experience, competing against thousands of scripts across every genre often results in quality genre scripts getting left behind. So, when I saw ScreenCraft’s Horror competition, a genre I primarily write in, I knew I had to submit my work. The ScreenCraft team helped me formulate a solid query letter template for my script submissions, while also preparing me for the right mentality to be a working writer. The single biggest benefit though, has to be ScreenCraft pairing me with my mentor, producer Jim Klock. Jim read my Horror/Western Pilot STRANGE FLESH and took me under his wing, which resulted in invaluable notes, critical professional feedback, paid writing assignments, and an introduction to my current management team at Sandstone Artists."
Signed with literary managers at Kaplan Perrone
"I just focus on the work; that's what I can control, and that's what I like doing. I didn't focus on getting reps or selling a specific project or becoming a showrunner right out of the gate. I've always just wanted to learn as much about the process of actually making something, from idea to broadcast, as possible. It helps combat the impostor syndrome! I came to ScreenCraft just at a turning point in my career: I had recently been staffed for the first time and had a pilot script that had attracted the attention of managers. I was faced with decisions and opportunities I'd worked for for years, and was terrified of wasting them! The ScreenCraft team offered incredible support choosing the reps I have and adore today. I've been totally blown away by ScreenCraft. They actually want to help writers."
Signed with Manager at Bellevue Productions.
"ScreenCraft really helped when I was seeking representation. Being new to the industry, it was good to have a team to offer insight on the representation process. Outside of that, I’ve found Screencraft’s Q&A’s very informative and inspirational."
Signed with a literary agent at Claire Best & Associates
"At the time I had only written and directed a small indie feature and was not repped in the USA. Australia (at the time) looked down upon genre films and TV shows and Amazon were demanding I pay extra for international shipping (we went back and forth - ultimately I lost). So I started to write the films and TV shows I wanted to see but wasn't allowed to make them. Having ScreenCraft recognise my work absolutely helped to boost my career and give me the motivation I required to keep my head down and write and just stick with it. Writing is what I really love to do more than anything else... well... directing too, but that's only because I'm just a little crazy. Every day I try to get 3-4 pages down. No matter what (Thanks C. Robert Cargill) and just try to have 1-2 screenplays banked at the end of each year. I hope that one will get picked up one day and I can finally buy that standing desk that Amazon keeps advertising to me. But I should probably just keep my head down and write."
October 19 | by Ken Miyamoto
Welcome to the story den of horror, scares, and the macabre. Most writers are often asked, "Where do you get your ideas from?" A majority...
April 29 | by Valerie Kalfrin
Horror films are known for relentless evils like supernatural curses, ghosts, and ghouls, plus blood, gore and screams—but that’s not what really gets under our...
July 30 | by Ben Larned
One rarely comes across a consistently, satisfyingly scary work of fiction, whether literary or cinematic, that breaches 2 hours or 300 pages. Once the genre...
April 24 | by Ben Larned
Getting scared is cool again. With the current visibility of high-class horror films, the genre has found new life, and ScreenCraft’s horror screenplay contest provides...
More info coming soon
The reading and judging of the scripts will be based on the following criteria:
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.
Development Add-On Selection:
Criteria for Winners and Finalists:
More info coming soon