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The True Story jury includes production companies, studios and literary managers behind some of the best true story entertainment out there, including The Wolf of Wall Street, King Richard, Woman of the Hour, Monsters, and many more.

Contest opens in 4 days

From Hit Man and Monsters to Killer of the Flower Moon, true story screenplays are dominating the industry, captivating audiences and winning awards. The demand for authentic, powerful storytelling is at an all-time high, making this the perfect moment to share your story.

Past finalists and winners of this competition have optioned their scripts, signed shopping agreements, and signed with literary managers.Hundreds of ScreenCraft writers have signed with top management companies and agencies like CAA, Anonymous Content, Bellevue Productions, WME, UTA, and many more

Jury

Jonathan Kolkey

Coordinator, Film at Netflix
Netflix has built a strong reputation for producing gripping thriller content inspired by true events, capturing audiences with its blend of real-life drama and suspense. Responsible for bringing us iconic entertainment including The Crown, When They See Us, Mindhunter, The Spy, and many more.

Fidan Manashirova

Senior Director of Scripted TV Development, Westbrook Studios
Westbrook Studios, founded by Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, creates impactful and diverse content across film, television, and digital media. Notable projects include King Richard and Bel-Air, showcasing their commitment to high-quality, resonant storytelling. As part of Westbrook Inc., the studio emphasizes innovation and cross-platform storytelling to inspire global audiences

Dan Kavanagh

Manager of TV Development, Vertigo Entertainment
Vertigo Entertainment is a production company known for bringing true stories and compelling narratives to life on screen. Led by Roy Lee, the company has produced acclaimed projects such as The Departed, inspired by the real-life story of Boston’s Winter Hill Gang and its infamous informant. Their dedication to true stories is further showcased in their recent film Woman of the Hour, which portrays the unsettling true events of a serial killer’s appearance on a 1970s game show. 

Sleena Wilson

VP of Film & TV, Black Bear Pictures
Black Bear Pictures is a production company known for its focus on high-quality, thought-provoking films and series that often draw from true stories and compelling narratives. Founded by Teddy Schwarzman, the company has gained acclaim for projects like Sing Sing, Nyad, Dumb Money, Guy Ritchie’s The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare, and The Imitation Game. 

Joel Gotler

Manager/CEO/Producer, IPG
Intellectual Property Group (IPG) is a prominent literary management company specializing in book-to-film/TV adaptations. The company has successfully managed the film rights and adaptations for notable properties including "The Wolf of Wall Street," "Lincoln Lawyer," and "Mr. Popper's Penguins."

Prizes

Grand Prize

The overall grand prize winner in either feature or TV category will be welcomed to the Writer Development Program and receive personal introductions and phone calls with one or more top Hollywood literary manager(s), producers, or industry exec. who are looking for talented emerging Film & TV screenwriters.

The top 3 winners’ project info and log lines will be circulated and recommended to our network of over 150 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.
Personal Introduction to industry professionals
Accepted into the Writer Development Program
$1,000 Cash
An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry
Mentorship Meeting with Grand Prize Mentor Nicolas Gonda

Runner-Up Prizes

Feature Winner

$500 cash award

Accepted into the Writer 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

TV PILOT WINNER

$500 cash award

Accepted into the Writer Development Program

An exclusive invitation to a Finalist only workshop to position yourself and your writing to the industry

Contest opens in 4 days

Previous Success Stories

See More Successes

Filup Molina

Signed with manager at Bellevue

"Television and Film are, of course, my true dreams, and so certainly my goal is to bring my complex Latin characters to those mediums. Though, when I say complex so many times, I feel like it may lose its potency. I want the entire world to meet and fall in love with hispanic characters who are brilliant. And dummies. Billionaires. Or homeless. Sexy. Dumpy. Incredibly religious. 100% atheists. All of it."

Mary Egan

Signed an option agreement

"I chose to submit to ScreenCraft because a guy I went to college with had been placed in the Public Domain/True Story contest so I knew that there was a contest out there for exactly the kind of script I was writing! The company found my script on Coverfly because of its higher rating because I won the ScreenCraft contest. I’ve been working with the ScreenCraft team to reach out to managers and producers and expand my network in Hollywood. I am currently seeking representation and the ScreenCraft team has been a big help with that."

Stephanie Stanley

Signed with a manager

"Winning the ScreenCraft Fellowship with my pilot KILLERS opened so many doors with an amazing group of executives, producers, showrunners, and reps. The Fellowship and the ScreenCraft team undeniably provided a nitro boost of professional momentum that has been invaluable to me and led directly to finding an awesome new manager, Reg Tigerman!"

As Featured In

True Story Articles

Read More Articles
A Million Screenplay Ideas from the Public Domain

A Million Screenplay Ideas from the Public Domain

May 7 | by Andrew Schwartz

January 1st, 2019 – a day dubbed “Public Domain Day” by originators Wallace McLean, a public domain activist, and Harvard Law professor Lawrence Lessig –...

Character-First Story Structure

Character-First Story Structure

July 17 | by Ross Hartmann

The Hero's Journey gives us a solid story structure template. It tells us where our characters should go and who they should meet along the...

How to Master Creative Liberties in True Story Screenplays

How to Master Creative Liberties in True Story Screenplays

April 6 | by Ken Miyamoto

How can screenwriters find the right balance of truth and creative liberties when writing screenplays that are either based on or inspired by true stories?...

Rules
Eligibility
Selection Criteria
Additional Legal
  1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only.
  2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and checkout form. No coupon or discount is applicable on a previous entry.
  3. Optional feedback from a professional reader may be requested at the time of entry. Requests for feedback can be done through Coverfly.
  4. 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.
  5. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
  6. 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.
  7. All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works in the public domain, so long as the script itself is indisputably written by the writer and that the script does not contain any plagiarism.
  8. 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).
  9. 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).
  10. 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.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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. 
  14. 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.
  15. In the event a juror, partner organization, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, ScreenCraft will make its best effort to secure a replacement. ScreenCraft is not responsible for the failed delivery of any prize package by a juror, sponsor, or partner organization.
  16. ScreenCraft reserves the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time.
  17. ScreenCraft reserves the right to amend these rules at any time.
  1. 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.)
  2. 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).
  3. All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
  4. The material may have been written at any time.
  5. Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin.
  6. We have no preferences regarding title page content. Title and name of writer would suffice.
  7. 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.
  8. Prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and proper tax documentation before prizes are released.
  9. By entering the competition, user acknowledges their eligibility for the competition. ScreenCraft may verify all eligibility requirements at the finalist stage of the competition and before distributing any prizes.
  10. Former Grand Prize or Category Winners of the competition may enter so long as it is NOT the same project that won in a previous year. Any other placement in previous years does not disqualify the project from being entered this year. 

The reading and judging of the scripts will be based on the following criteria: 

  • Voice
  • Concept
  • Story
  • Structure
  • Characters
  • Dialogue
  • 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.

 

Criteria for Winners and Finalists:

  1. The winners and top finalists may be contacted by interested industry representatives, such as managers, agents or producers. 
  2. Entrants may be required to submit further information to assist in the judges’ verification of eligibility. 
  3. Any entrant may be deemed ineligible as a Finalist or Winner at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft. 
  4. All recognition, placements, and winners are chosen at the sole discretion of ScreenCraft.
  5. 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 may result in disqualification. 
  6. We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time.
  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. REFUND POLICY: All entries are non-refundable.
  4. SITE TERMS OF SERVICE. All ScreenCraft Terms of Service apply in addition to these rules and eligibility criteria.
  5. 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.
  6. 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.

INSPIRATIONAL SCRIPTS

TITANIC
BEING THE RICARDOS
HIDDEN FIGURES
ALICE IN WONDERLAND
THE WOLF OF WALL STREET
JANE EYRE
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WRITER RECOMMENDED FEEDBACK

Kevin Gibson

Incredible feedback! The analyst was so thorough, they found subtext in my script I hadn't even (consciously) considered. Really thoughtful and encouraging. Thanks, ScreenCraft!
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