The Grand Prize Winner will be flown to the New Orleans for a live reading of their winning Screenplay by professional actors, directed by an industry pro.
Q: Why should I enter this contest?
A: Because your incredible talent will win you a trip to the New Orleans Film Festival, complete with a Producer’s Badge permitting you to attend the Screenwriters Conference panels, movies, exclusive events and parties while rubbing elbows with some of the industry’s top entertainment professionals. It’s one of the best places an up-and-coming screenwriter like yourself can network in the U.S.! Best of all, you will get to have your screenplay table read at the festival by professional actors! This is the opportunity of a lifetime!
Q: How do I enter?
A: Complete the form on the SUBMIT ENTRY page.
Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
A: Paypal and all major credit cards.
Q: Can I mail a copy of my Screenplay, Submission Form and Payment?
A: No, we're sorry. We only accept online submissions and payments at this time.
Q: Should I include my contact information on my title page?
A: Yes. It does not affect judging either way if you forget to include it.
Q: Who will be reading my screenplay/judging the contest?
A: The final panel of judges will be comprised of members of the Los Angeles and Chicago Film Communities, including numerous producers and established writers.
Q: Will you fly me to New Orleans, Louisiana during the New Orleans Film Festival if I win?
A: The respective GRAND PRIZE winner(s) will receive coach airfare and hotel accommodations resulting in a five-night stay.
Q: When will my ‘Table Read’ be scheduled?
A: We will work with the winner to determine an ideal date to the best of our ability. If the final date as selected by TRMS does not work for the winner, TRMS will not provide any cash value matching for the non-accepted airfare and hotel expenses turned down by the winner. We will be as flexible as possible, but the ultimate decision resides solely with TRMS.
Q: How will I participate in the ‘Table Read’?
A: You sit back and relax, watch and listen as Professional actors perform your characters.
Q: Who will I meet at the festival?
A: That is totally up to you. We can't guarantee you'll directly meet the people who will change your career. If you're at the festival, we can guarantee, however with help of the Producers Badge you will receive, at some point in time whether at the conference or during one of the exclusive parties you may be standing right next to a person who could change your career. You've just got to mix and mingle. Learn more about the opportunities of AFF here.
Q: Do I maintain the rights to my screenplay?
A: Absolutely YES, you retain all the rights to your screenplay!
Q: Do I need to submit a Synopsis?
A: No.
Q: Can I submit a screenplay under a pen name?
A: Yes.
Q: Does my screenplay have to be registered?
A: No, but we do recommend registering your work with the WGA West and/or the Library of Congress Copyright office. It's really easy and a VERY smart thing to do.
Q: Do you accept TV Pilots, Web Series or Short screenplays?
A: Yes.
Q: Can Shorts win the GRAND PRIZE?
A:Yes, there is a Short Grand Prize and a Feature/Pilot Grand Prize.
Q: What's the minimum/maximum required page length?
A: Feature - (70 -140 pages), Shorts – (1 - 40 pages) , TV Pilots – 60 pages
Q: Does genre matter in my submission?
A: Yes, after the two Grand Prize winners, the other top 8 are judged based on the best in its genre, as well as the best short and best pilot.
Q: What genres do you accept?
A: All genres are welcome, but not all have their own category to enter. When submitting, please choose the genre category that BEST suits your screenplay!
Q: Can I submit my screenplay in multiple categories?
A: Yes, you can. Each time you submit in each category, you will have to pay the entry fee.
Q: If I make the TOP 100 what elements of the screenplay are taken into consideration during the judging?
A: We are looking for Originality, Story, Dialogue, Description and use and strength of Characters, scripts with their own true voice.
Q: I don't live in the United States; am I still eligible?
A: Yes, but all submissions MUST BE IN ENGLISH!
Q: What happens if I don't live in the United States but win the GRAND PRIZE, will you still pay for my flight?
A: TRMS will only cover a domestic flight at this time. If you live outside the U.S. you will be given the cash equivalent of a domestic flight to apply towards your international flight.
Q: Is an adaptation of a published novel (by somebody else) eligible?
A: You must have the legal rights to adapt the book to enter your screenplay.
Q: Can I make a change to a submission?
A: No. Once you enter, you cannot make changes.
Q: What stops you from taking my idea and developing it yourself?
A: Our panel of judges is comprised of respected industry professionals, and they have no intention of stealing your material. They're actually hoping to find new talent to work with. If you make it to the TOP 100, your work will be seen by these professionals, which in turn gets you one step closer to getting your screenplay produced. You can sit at home and protect your ideas all day long hoping for that one right person to come along. Or you can get your work out there and show us what you've got!
Q: Why should I enter this contest?
A: Because your incredible talent will win you a trip to the New Orleans Film Festival, complete with a Producer’s Badge permitting you to attend the Screenwriters Conference panels, movies, exclusive events and parties while rubbing elbows with some of the industry’s top entertainment professionals. It’s one of the best places an up-and-coming screenwriter like yourself can network in the U.S.! Best of all, you will get to have your screenplay table read at the festival by professional actors! This is the opportunity of a lifetime!
Q: How do I enter?
A: Complete the form on the SUBMIT ENTRY page.
Q: What forms of payment do you accept?
A: Paypal and all major credit cards.
Q: Can I mail a copy of my Screenplay, Submission Form and Payment?
A: No, we're sorry. We only accept online submissions and payments at this time.
Q: Should I include my contact information on my title page?
A: Yes. It does not affect judging either way if you forget to include it.
Q: Who will be reading my screenplay/judging the contest?
A: The final panel of judges will be comprised of members of the Los Angeles and Chicago Film Communities, including numerous producers and established writers.
Q: Will you fly me to New Orleans, Louisiana during the New Orleans Film Festival if I win?
A: The respective GRAND PRIZE winner(s) will receive coach airfare and hotel accommodations resulting in a five-night stay.
Q: When will my ‘Table Read’ be scheduled?
A: We will work with the winner to determine an ideal date to the best of our ability. If the final date as selected by TRMS does not work for the winner, TRMS will not provide any cash value matching for the non-accepted airfare and hotel expenses turned down by the winner. We will be as flexible as possible, but the ultimate decision resides solely with TRMS.
Q: How will I participate in the ‘Table Read’?
A: You sit back and relax, watch and listen as Professional actors perform your characters.
Q: Who will I meet at the festival?
A: That is totally up to you. We can't guarantee you'll directly meet the people who will change your career. If you're at the festival, we can guarantee, however with help of the Producers Badge you will receive, at some point in time whether at the conference or during one of the exclusive parties you may be standing right next to a person who could change your career. You've just got to mix and mingle. Learn more about the opportunities of AFF here.
Q: Do I maintain the rights to my screenplay?
A: Absolutely YES, you retain all the rights to your screenplay!
Q: Do I need to submit a Synopsis?
A: No.
Q: Can I submit a screenplay under a pen name?
A: Yes.
Q: Does my screenplay have to be registered?
A: No, but we do recommend registering your work with the WGA West and/or the Library of Congress Copyright office. It's really easy and a VERY smart thing to do.
Q: Do you accept TV Pilots, Web Series or Short screenplays?
A: Yes.
Q: Can Shorts win the GRAND PRIZE?
A:Yes, there is a Short Grand Prize and a Feature/Pilot Grand Prize.
Q: What's the minimum/maximum required page length?
A: Feature - (70 -140 pages), Shorts – (1 - 40 pages) , TV Pilots – 60 pages
Q: Does genre matter in my submission?
A: Yes, after the two Grand Prize winners, the other top 8 are judged based on the best in its genre, as well as the best short and best pilot.
Q: What genres do you accept?
A: All genres are welcome, but not all have their own category to enter. When submitting, please choose the genre category that BEST suits your screenplay!
Q: Can I submit my screenplay in multiple categories?
A: Yes, you can. Each time you submit in each category, you will have to pay the entry fee.
Q: If I make the TOP 100 what elements of the screenplay are taken into consideration during the judging?
A: We are looking for Originality, Story, Dialogue, Description and use and strength of Characters, scripts with their own true voice.
Q: I don't live in the United States; am I still eligible?
A: Yes, but all submissions MUST BE IN ENGLISH!
Q: What happens if I don't live in the United States but win the GRAND PRIZE, will you still pay for my flight?
A: TRMS will only cover a domestic flight at this time. If you live outside the U.S. you will be given the cash equivalent of a domestic flight to apply towards your international flight.
Q: Is an adaptation of a published novel (by somebody else) eligible?
A: You must have the legal rights to adapt the book to enter your screenplay.
Q: Can I make a change to a submission?
A: No. Once you enter, you cannot make changes.
Q: What stops you from taking my idea and developing it yourself?
A: Our panel of judges is comprised of respected industry professionals, and they have no intention of stealing your material. They're actually hoping to find new talent to work with. If you make it to the TOP 100, your work will be seen by these professionals, which in turn gets you one step closer to getting your screenplay produced. You can sit at home and protect your ideas all day long hoping for that one right person to come along. Or you can get your work out there and show us what you've got!
(If you have posted a Writing Gig, please click the red GIG REQUESTS button to view your submissions. If you are a writer and want to be considered for the TOP 25, you must be an ISAConnect Member)