Every year dozens of talented writers find Hollywood career moment via ScreenCraft’s educational programs, writing competitions, fellowships and events. Want to see your name on this list? See our upcoming deadlines for writing competitions here. Check out our list of recent success stories here:
“Winning ScreenCraft Drama competition has been a significant moment in my career so far. The moment I sat down to write “Borderline” in 2018, it started opening doors for me and turned a few heads. Proves that writing one good script can change everything. I have yet to have my biggest turning point. I do believe that’s still to come.” – Kenyetta Raelynn
“My parents are from Tanzania and I grew up in London, Manhattan and the Virginia suburbs of Washington DC. I typically write about the experiences that are close to my own- stories about Black women, African immigrant women and mothers.
When I originally entered the ScreenCraft Film Fund, I was hoping it would motivate me to keep writing. Deadlines make a big difference in my ability to push through writer’s block.
But when I won, it gave me a huge boost of confidence and allowed my dream of the film to become a reality. I probably would not have made the film if I hadn’t won the ScreenCraft Film Fund. It’s a psychological film about a Black married mother contemplating an abortion….I wondered if it were too niche for a wider audience! But it has since been accepted to film festivals, including the Palm Springs International Film Fest!
The entire experience of writing, getting funding for a story that was in my head and then being on set, watching dozens of people hustle to bring that story to life is surreal, magical, and incredibly exciting!” – Natasha Ngaiza
“For me, it wasn’t about finding my voice, but believing in it. It’s so easy to lose faith in yourself and your ideas in this line of work amidst the criticism, rejections, and influence. I needed to learn to trust myself and find my tribe of people who shared my interests and believed in what I was doing.
With ScreenCraft, it was great to be able to get clear, direct feedback from a skilled reader’s first impression – what’s working and what isn’t, what’s compelling and what isn’t, and their understanding of the story and what elements of it that they really gravitated towards. For me, it was a helpful reminder going into production of what the film was really about.
I’m a naturally competitive person, and I was having a hard time channeling that energy positively and productively, until Jim Cummings of Thunder Road gave me a piece of important advice: he told me I should be competing against my idols and the best version of myself only.
For my most exciting accomplishment, I should say Cannes, but honestly it was showing a rough cut to my Mom and getting her thumbs up.
With Cannes, it was a shock to get accepted – I usually think anything is possible, but it had felt like one of those things that was beyond reach to the point that I almost didn’t bother submitting.
My advice to emerging filmmakers:
Find the stories that keep you up at night – the ones that twist your heart into knots, that you’ll fight your dying breath for. Tell it for the people out there who need it to exist as much as you do, and tell it originally, honestly and truthfully, and I think chances are you’ll have a pretty good film.”
“The biggest turning point in my career was becoming a runner-up in ScreenCraft. I felt like I immediately had someone cheering for me and since I didn’t yet have representation, it gave me a contact that I could talk through my career goals with. Having that encouragement and that support was a great boost for me.
My advice to new writers: don’t think that the first draft of anything has to be perfect or even good. It might take three drafts, it might take ten, but if it’s a story you love, you will find the right way to tell it.” – Mithra Alavi
“I started out wanting to be a graphic designer, specifically working on VFX for title credit sequences. Very specific, I know haha But I was always good at writing in school and it wasn’t until I took a screenwriting class at Dutchess Community College where I discovered how much I loved to write and telling stories.
I know it sounds cliche, but the only thing that’s really ever stood in my way is myself. Always having a bit of “I’m a fraud” symptoms from time to time. I also had some bouts with depression over the years and if it’s one thing that’ll kick you while you’re down, that’s it. There was a period of probably 6-8 months where I didn’t write a single word and really didn’t like who I saw in the mirror. I think it’s important to those who suffer from depression to know they aren’t aren’t alone. There’s a quote from BATMAN BEGINS that I have hanging on my wall: “Why do we fall? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”
Script contests/competitions and film festivals were the most important resources. Each script I submitted to a contest pushed me closer and closer to gaining exposure. Putting your work out there is the best tool, and honestly, ScreenCraft helped get mine out there. My feature, STUCK was a Top 5 Finalist in the ScreenCraft Action contest last year and they worked with me to get it out to agents, managers and producers. They were a great asset!
The biggest turning point was when I signed with my manager, Jon at Housefire Management, after ScreenCraft introduced us. He’s been great, working with me on my scripts and really championing me out in the marketplace. Most recently, I optioned my script, STUCK to Steel Springs Pictures, run by producer, Peter Lawson (SPOTLIGHT, JOHN WICK, SNOWDEN). I’ve been working with Peter and his team to fine-tune the script for next steps to get it into production (fingers crossed!).
Advice to new writers: Not to sound cliche again, but just keep writing. Not everything is going to land, but the more you keep writing and pushing forward, the better writer you’ll become. And find honest people to read your stuff, like a mentor or a few close friends who won’t beat around the bush. You want honest feedback, not just someone blowing smoke up your ass. As Damien Chazell wrote in WHIPLASH: “There are no two words more harmful in the entire English language than ‘good job’.
I can’t thank ScreenCraft enough for championing me as a writer. I worked closely with the ScreenCraft team to get STUCK out there for agents and managers to see. They kept pushing the script forward and were super involved in the entire process. It was a great experience and I highly recommend any and all ScreenCraft competitions. Thank you to the whole ScreenCraft team.” – Rich Van Tine
“I grew up in the picturesque Blue Ridge Mountains of Northern Virginia which I think helped contribute to my love for adventure and fantasy. It’s really difficult not to get beaten down by the “maybes” of the entertainment industry; people don’t slam the door in your face as much as they leave it open a crack and still never let you in.
I was honored that ScreenCraft recognized the kind of writer I wanted to be and facilitated a great experience for me. It was amazing just to know that I was on the right track.
Getting a job as a Writer’s PA is one of the best ways to get to know a community of working writers as well as giving you a chance to show how passionate you are about writing and craft.
It’s wild that an entry level job (gotten when I was 31!) was such a big moment for me, but I think it goes to show that if you apply yourself and are ready to do the work with gusto, things can happen quickly.
Recently, I wrote a freaking episode of television! It was so fun from start to finish and I wrote it with some profound and wonderful other writers that I wildly respect. It was wild reading the recaps and reviews. About a decade ago I was working as a TV/Film Critic for a website and I did a ton of recaps. I have participated in the full spectrum of nerding out over TV now.
If you’re just beginning or not, read a script EVERY DAY. Read stuff you hate, read stuff you love. It’s the best way to start recognizing patterns in storytelling and also understanding what kind of writer you want to be. Also, connections are just as important as your craft. Most people really hate networking, but it’s a muscle to practice like anything else. Every job I’ve ever had that was worth anything was actually through these connections.
Most importantly, especially now, make sure your community has POC and members of the LGBTQ community. Support them, read their stories, and lift their voices up.” – Emily Cheever
“My play is in development. I am gearing up to start my collaborations with 3 Arts. I am headed to LA end of the year as a Robert Mckee screenwriting fellow. I am also on an intensive directing course granted to me by TV director Rachel Feldman (Blue Bloods). Rachel is a true force. Meryl Streep is backing her latest movie on Lily Ledbetter (equal pay). She’s also one of your past ScreenCraft TV pilot finalists—see, we all love ScreenCraft!” – Joanna Pickering
“Originally from Australia, early in my career, I think what was standing between me and my goals was not being able to define those goals clearly. It took me a while to get real clarity of direction. In the very early stages, when you’re thinking about a project’s creative viability, it is really helpful to know that distinctive characters and tone can be as important as a compelling plot or concept.
Ranking in the top five of a ScreenCraft competition is definitely a moment that propelled me forward by giving me confidence about my script – that it was ready to share. The ScreenCraft team have continued to support me and help me feel I’m part of an inspiring screenwriting community. It was surreal to be in the packed cinemas watching the film I wrote and produced screen as part of the Berlinale 2020 and be there when it won the Jury’s ‘Special Mention Prize’. To know your work has resonated with people on the other side of the world as well as local audiences is really rewarding.
Two things were key for me – 1) embrace uncertainty and 2) don’t wait for an invitation. Just do it.” – Lisa Hoppe
“My advice for any aspiring writer: get lots of feedback before sharing a draft with managers or producers. If someone you respect doesn’t love your script, listen to the feedback and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. There have been many times I’ve thought I should give up and walk away. But a bigger part of me says, shut up, you whiny moron, and keep writing!” – Kelly Beck-Byrnes
“Before entering ScreenCraft, I was completely on the ground floor. Though I had some publishing history in other realms of fiction, I was completely starting out as a screenwriter.
I was struggling to find sources for getting pointed, detailed feedback without paying through the roof and to find resources for navigating the somewhat unclear path from ‘I have an idea for a screenplay’ to ‘let’s get this thing made.’
If you opt for their script feedback, you won’t regret it. Having folks inside the industry who actually know what they’re talking about provide structured feedback is invaluable. I submitted revised versions of scripts based on this feedback, and was able to place in the contest due in no small part to this feedback.
The people who run the contest are genuinely interested in the careers of the folks who rise to the top. A lot of times in life someone sends you an email that says ‘hope we can stay in touch’ and it doesn’t mean much — I’ve had the exact opposite experience. No one does anything completely alone. I could not say more about how helpful ScreenCraft has been in moving me towards my screenwriting career goals. After placing in the top ten for the ScreenCraft TV Pilot contest, I received an offer for representation from an agency!” – Corey Hill
“Working my way up as a young, female assistant in male-dominated environments was not without its challenges. It took me a long time to get to the point where I was actually confident in my writing abilities. It wasn’t until I finished my 17th sample that I could say, ‘Oh, this one’s fun.’ And the thing standing between me and me feeling like I knew what I was doing was years of practice.
ScreenCraft’s screenwriting competitions helped because they were a nice way to gauge how I was progressing as a writer. Also, I come from a TV comedy background and that means that when people meet me, they expect that I can only do TV comedies. Winning ScreenCraft’s Horror Screenplay Competition has been an extremely useful way for me to show people that I have range.
I became a much better writer when I started trusting my instincts. For years, I was just writing what people were telling me to write because I thought it would sell. I didn’t particularly enjoy writing those samples and if I had to guess, I don’t think people enjoyed reading them. Finally, I decided to write the bonkers projects people were telling me were a waste of time and those bonkers projects ended up being the ones that got me jobs. Strangers have now described my brand as ‘Batshit.’
Now, I’m adapting one of my favorite authors for an hourlong pilot. And I just joined the staff of SyFy’s DAY OF THE DEAD and that has been an absolute blast.
My advice to emerging writers: figure out what your weaknesses are and work on them. Do you struggle with jokes? Write thirty jokes a day. Are you uncomfortable in meetings? Practice with friends. The more well-rounded you are as a writer, the more opportunities will present themselves to you.” – Maisie Culver
“I was in the indie filmmaking world where you’re wearing every hat, from writer, director, producer, actor, to craft service runner. I was scraping dollars, nickels, and dimes together to try and get my stories to any audience that I could find who would read, watch, or listen.
ScreenCraft was a game-changer for me, and I would not have had the year I have had if it were not for them. They have, by far, been the best out of any of the screenwriting competitions, festivals, and communities. My eventual manager gave my spec, Katharine to Tesla, Faithfully Yours a read after it placed in ScreenCraft and rallied behind that story. Most recently, my series, which stemmed from a no budget film I posted to YouTube, is in the beginning stages of development and has talent attachments.
Recently, my project granted the Nikola Tesla Presidential Spirit Award from the Nikola Tesla Science Foundation for the same spec that placed in ScreenCraft.
The best advice I can give for any aspiring writer would be to take risks, don’t be afraid to fail, even if it’s not your best work. Write what you are passionate about instead of writing what you think others will readily accept. Who cares, if certain people don’t gravitate towards it. I believe if it’s a good story, the right people will find you.”
“The hardest thing I encountered when first starting out was getting people to read my work. Even then, getting the right people to read it was also hard. I was treating writing more like a hobby or pipe dream because it seemed so hard to get to the place of being an actual professional writer. The second I fully committed to it, things really started to happen for me.
Entering screenwriting competitions can help you if you enter the right ones. I really like ScreenCraft because of the quality of their judges and the opportunity to receive feedback from them. It’s incredibly helpful and my writing has improved because of it. My manager is always encouraging me to enter my work into competitions because it’s a great selling point to be able to use when landing me assignments and deals – but be sure that the competitions are reputable and respected like ScreenCraft!
Finding the right manager was huge. It’s important to find representation that gets you and your voice instead of just signing with anyone just to have a rep. I love my managers because they get me and my writing. They’re two very strong women that fight for me and are a constant source of encouragement and are honest with me which can be a hard thing to come by in this business.
The single coolest thing that has happened to me is pitching my project to Sam Raimi and having him come on as a producer!
Advice to other writers – just keep writing. This business has very high highs and very low lows. Things can turn on a dime and change for the better or worse so fast so it’s important to just keep churning out material no matter what. If you’ve hit a wall and can’t seem to generate anything new, go back and look at some of your old stuff and fix the problems. Just don’t give up. Don’t let the business and politics of it all get the better of you. Things aren’t always fair but that’s life.
And don’t be a dick. It’s easy to pass on a dick writer and just like, why be a dick? It’s not like we’re curing cancer here – were telling stories and what we do is important but it’s so important to have a sense of humor and not take yourself too seriously.
The great thing about being a writer is that we can do it anywhere, at anytime. We don’t need a camera, a stage, or material to do our job…we create the material. It’s a blessing but it’s also a curse because I’m always thinking I should be writing. It’s like having homework for the rest of your life but when I get into it and hit that stride where everything is flowing, I don’t feel like I should be doing anything else. Those moments are what makes the heartache that this industry can throw at you, all worth it. Strive for that feeling and the only way to get there is to just keep writing! ”
“After becoming a finalist in the ScreenCraft Fellowship, I was interviewed about my work (not just a single script) and where I see my career going. This showed me that ScreenCraft is serious about helping writers who have potential. Even though I wasn’t chosen as a ScreenCraft Fellow, they championed my writing to the right people and I landed an amazing manager at Zero Gravity soon after. So thank you to the entire crew at ScreenCraft.” – Tom Radovich
“Entering screenwriting competitions helped me on so many levels. I started to believe in myself and the dream. On a professional level, if a competition has a good reputation, and you make it to the Finalist rounds, you become a compelling writer who has something to bring to the table.
My script got noticed by a producer; he didn’t want my screenplay, but he liked my style. He asked if I’d be interested in writing for his anthology project. This producer now has some exciting buyers at the table.
ScreenCraft introduced me to other finalists with their Finalists Facebook group – it’s excellent fun supporting each other and watching everyone grow. Then there is the ScreenCraft Writer’s Summit; as a finalist, this was a once in a lifetime experience. I had the opportunity to drink margaritas with legendary Steven DeSouza and chat with inspiring David Rabinowitz, who had just won an Oscar. Once you’re a finalist with, you become part of their writer family; they genuinely invest their time in your growth and success.”
“I’m a veteran of the film festival and screenplay competition circuit and 2019 was the first year I submitted to broader writer’s competitions with my first Graphic Novel. Now that I can concentrate on graphic novels I have three more in my publication pipeline. I was thrilled when I was referred to Harry Markos, whose Markosia imprint is the UK’s largest Indie Graphic Novel publisher. He was keenly enthusiastic, and when I saw the caliber and breadth of his published titles, I was eager to do business with him.” – Ken Mora
His advice to writers: “Keep at it, and never discount the power of even incremental progress. Write, rewrite, and submit your work to the highest caliber competitions. Every writer tends to swing between thinking their work is great, or absolute crap – only a competitive arena with qualified judges will give you an honest sense of your story’s true quality. It’s a great temptation to have too many irons in the fire or to donate your talent to projects by other creators instead of concentrating on your own. Remember, there’s only so much of your precious focus to go around – use it wisely.”
“We had been writing our entire lives and produced a few well-regarded shorts, but the project we submitted was our first feature screenplay. After placing with it, we spoke to some representation and got a taste for how that side of the business works. It gave us greater confidence and motivation to get cracking on more projects. Be realistic about where your material sits in the marketplace. It can be expensive so pick wisely which contests you enter. Make sure there’s genuine prizes or industry recognition. That’s where ScreenCraft sets itself apart from other contests. They have top tier industry connections that will get you noticed if your work is good enough.” – Mike & Brien
Watch the trailer for their film here!
“I can say, with 100% honesty, that my entire life changed after winning. Before winning, I was in Richmond, Virginia. Next thing I knew, I was taking generals at all these companies I would’ve never dreamed of stepping foot into – Bad Robot, Scott Free, Appian Way. None of that would’ve happened without winning. Now that I’ve signed with 3Arts, I can safely say that wouldn’t have happened without screenwriting contests.” – Sean Collins-Smith
“After winning, I immediately got meetings at Bad Robot and Donner Productions, which is pretty damn amazing! Winning ScreenCraft’s Action/Thriller genre was amazing and set me on a pretty wild ride that’s led me to gaining a literary manager at Zero Gravity. But the coolest thing was that one of the judges for the contest was Steven De Souza, the writer of DIE HARD. That means he read my work, and thought it was worthy of winning the top spot. Let me write that again – the screenwriter of DIE HARD read my script and liked it!!!! That’s why you enter a contest – Yippy-ki-yay-mother%&*#er!” – Kevin Bachar
“This is my first script, so I was brand new! I’d always wanted to write, but hadn’t put myself out there yet. So taking the step to open my work up to contests was a vulnerable one. I was nervous but every round of feedback and round announcement when I progressed was exciting. I’ll never forget the call when I found out I won 2nd place! My kids swarmed me in a hug, they were so proud! I’m glad they saw my try for something new and succeed. After winning, I grew confidence and a thicker skin. I spoke with a producer from my jury who was generous and encouraging, and found my manager whom I adore, as well as the producers who are developing my script into a feature. It is truly a lifelong dream realized. My advice: Do it. Put yourself out there. It is NEVER too late. Share your work, take the feedback, make it better. No one can ever stop you if you just keep going. But if you never start, you’re stopping yourself.
I’d recommend ScreenCraft to anyone to hone their skills, work on receiving feedback, and finding support and connections in the industry. The ScreenCraft staff and judges are amazingly kind, and their website and emails are a great source of education. What a precious resource for screenwriters starting in the industry!” – Nicole Cohen, screenwriter based in Virginia, USA
“My career really took off when I became a finalist in ScreenCraft’s Pilot Launch and Fellowship Competitions. The ScreenCraft team is extremely supportive and make it clear that they’re always willing to help with advice, industry introductions, and anything else that an emerging writer would possibly need to succeed. I always recommend their competitions to writers looking to break in.” – Annie Nishida
“The Australian industry is a tough one to break into and I really struggled to get my work in front of anyone. After gaining notoriety through the ScreenCraft competition, I gained much more confidence in my work. After winning ScreenCraft, I had people championing my work and creating opportunities that had been unattainable before. It led me to write more and be calm and collected in the meetings that came out of it.” – Georgina Love
“Before entering the ScreeCraft Screenwriting Fellowship, I was in full preparation mode for the past few years. Everyone talks about developing an impressive body of work and finessing your writing skills before knocking on industry professionals’ doors, and everyone is absolutely right about that. But that’s only one part of the skill set that a screenwriter should be developing.
Between constantly writing screenplays and reading scripts, books, comics, etc… and developing a growing network of support filled with fantastic filmmakers of all sorts, I was also on a different kind of journey trying to find my own inner bat: my identity as a person and as a writer in relation to my community and the film & TV industry. I believe that being a good writer gets the door opened for you, but finding your inner bat gets you the conversation.
For quite a bit of my adult life, placing in a prestigious screenwriting competition such as ScreenCraft’s Screenwriting Fellowship was the goal. During the spectacular whirlwind that is the ScreenCraft fellowship, the ScreenCraft team introduced me to my manager from Think Tank Management, as well as setting the fellows up with meetings with some of the biggest studios and the most influential people in the film and television industry.
This experience has genuinely filled me with so much gratitude and humility, and I am now more driven than ever to keep pushing forward. What hasn’t changed however is my passion for storytelling and my crippling addiction to coffee.
The idea is that this industry is by its very nature a cooperative space. What ScreenCraft does is facilitate the process in which you introduce yourself to the crowd, but what you say and how you go about it comes back to you.” – Elie Choufany
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