#Tv pilot script competitions professional

The program takes place over a period of nine months each year, during which Fellows will receive creative and strategic support that furthers their professional ambitions and propels a selected project forward.įellows will receive a $30,000 unrestricted grant and meet bi-weekly with a professional coach. WIF members can apply for membership rates and non-members can apply for $40 per application.īFI Flare x BAFTA in partnership with BFI NETWORK is a professional development programme that showcases and supports six LGBTQIA+ filmmakers each year working in film and television, with opportunities including mentoring, wellbeing and career coaching, festival access and membership to BAFTA’s year-round programme of events.ĭirect support to six emerging and mid-career Black American filmmakers working as writers, directors and/or producers. WIF has an earlier deadline (See November). Lab participants will have their final pilots read by agencies and networks.Īpplicants may enter via the Black List or via Women in Film. The Lab will begin with a weekend-long intensive and then run twice weekly for four weeks and will consist of script development, peer workshopping sessions and Master Classes with established writers and industry executives. Deadlineġst place winner will receive up to $25,000 US

If you see a shadow when viewing the chart on your handheld device, try turning the screen from vertical to horizontal. “New” means that a program is new to this list, but the program itself may or may not be new. “?” means I’m guessing about deadlines based on previous years’ programs.Ĭheck requirements early as some applications will require multiple essays and a lot of time to complete. Many of the dates listed below are from previous years and may not be valid for 2023. Some programs have early, regular, and late deadlines with increasing fees, so you can sometimes save money by entering early.Ĭheck websites for the current deadlines. Programs may be changed, discontinued, or not offered every year. To suggest edits, additions, or deletions, please contact me with the details. Reddit/TVWriting has a well-curated list of TV-related fellowships, along with updates, tips, and resources for applicants.įor additional resources, see the Sundance Inclusion Resource Map and the list here. However, winning one of these for-profit contests may sometimes advance a writer’s career. Many for-profit contests (most of which I don’t list) offer only a very small chance at a monetary prize (in exchange for a hefty entry fee) and maybe a spam press release (deleted, unread, by industry recipients) announcing the finalists/winners. You can also pay for professional reviews from a site like The Black List or hire someone like me to help make your script better.

#Tv pilot script competitions free

If you want to see if your script is competitive before entering, you could consider getting free peer feedback from a site like Zoetrope, reddit, CoverflyX, etc. Some programs (including the Nicholl) offer script feedback, but most don’t. Most programs outside the US are only open to people in those countries/regions. Most programs in the US are open to writers all over the world. It’s usually a waste of time and/or money to enter a first draft. The best opportunities are highly selective and can have thousands of applicants for a handful of slots.

introductions to industry professionalsĪnything that’s free to enter may also be worthwhile, if you qualify.

script feedback and workshopping (more than just written notes).

effective promotion of top scripts, leading to read requests.

industry-recognized validation of script quality that can help a writer get a script read and/or help a writer get represented.

I define “worthwhile” as providing one or more of the following: Here are some thoughts on whether screenwriting contests are worthwhile in general - and why. However, I don’t have personal experience with most of them. This is a list of screenwriting opportunities that I believe are worthwhile.