Best screenwriting contests to supercharge your career in 2020.

Many screenwriters got their big breaks from winning one of the best screenwriting contests. But there are so many out there it can be hard to know which are duds and which might kick-start your career.

Not all screenplay contests are created equal. From what we’ve seen over the years, there are actually very few that are worth mentioning in a query letter. Or that can open any doors.

Rather than spending a small fortune sending your screenplay off to a dozen competitions, do some thorough research and be super-selective on which ones you enter.

Below you’ll find the top ten, very best screenwriting contests in 2020 we believe can actually advance your career.

And don’t forget to download our free Screenwriters’ Calendar which lists all the screenwriting competitions below, as well as the best festivals, fellowships and labs.

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Best screenwriting contests #1: Nicholl Fellowship.

Generally regarded as one of the top three best screenwriting contests in the world. Up to five writers each win $35,000 fellowships from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Be warned: it does seem to favor drama. Place highly in the Nicholl, though, and be prepared to buy a new cell phone after your old one melts from all the industry heat.

Deadlines and entry fees.

• Early: March 6, 2020 ($45 entry fee)

• Regular: April 9, 2020 ($60 entry fee)

• Late: May 1, 2020 ($85 entry fee)

Contest prizes.

• Up to five $35,000 fellowships are awarded each year to promising new screenwriters.

• From the program’s inception in 1986 through 2017, $4.265 million has been awarded to 166 writers.

Check out the Nicholl Fellowship >>

Best screenwriting contests #2: Austin Screenwriting Competition.

This screenwriting contest continues to open doors by creating a networking system for new writers to further their career within the industry.

Industry professionals recognize the Austin Film Festival as one of the best screenplay contests in 2020, with representatives from agencies and production companies participating in the judging process.

Past judges include Focus Features, Lightstorm Entertainment, CAA and more.

Deadlines and entry fees.

Features, Teleplay and Shorts

• Early: March 27, 2020 ($45 entry fee)

• Regular: April 17, 2020 ($60 entry fee)

• Late: May 15, 2020 ($70 entry fee)

Contest prizes.

• Cash prizes of $2,500 (Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature), $1,000 (Narrative Short, Dark Matters Feature, Comedy Vanguard Feature), $500 (Narrative Student Short, Animated Short, Documentary Short

• Reimbursement (up to $500) of round-trip airfare to attend AFF>

• Reimbursement of hotel accommodations at an AFF hotel (up to $500)

• AFF Typewriter Award

• The winning films in the Narrative Short, Documentary Short, and Animated Short categories are eligible to be nominated for an Academy Award.

Check out the Austin Film Festival >>

Best screenwriting contests #3: ScreenCraft Screenplay Contest.

What makes ScreenCraft one of the best screenwriting talent-discovery organizations around is the fact that entrants have a wide range of genre-specific competitions to choose from when submitting their script.

These include action/adventure, drama, comedy, horror, family-friendly and more. This means the prizes and readers are much more focused and in tune with the writers’ sensibilities, and each Hollywood jury is tailored to the genre.

The annual ScreenCraft Screenwriting Fellowship accepts feature film screenplays and TV pilots. It’s an effective program at launching careers of emerging screenwriters.

Past winners have gone on to sign with agents at CAA, WME and UTA write for Netflix, Blumhouse, CBS and Millennium Entertainment. Winners and finalists of ScreenCraft’s competitions have come from all over the world.

Deadlines and Entry Fees

Rotating throughout the year. Click the link for full information.

Contest Prizes

Each ScreenCraft genre-specific contest is unique, but all of them feature cash prizes and career-launching introductions to entertainment industry professionals.

Check out ScreenCraft’s many screenplay competitions here >>

Best screenwriting contests #4: Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest.

This is an annual, international feature and television screenwriting contest designed to launch the careers of aspiring writers, hosted by Final Draft. Big Break rewards screenwriters with over $80,000 in cash and prizes, including a trip to Los Angeles and A-list executive meetings.

Winners and finalists alike have had their screenplays optioned and produced and have secured high-profile representation as well as lucrative writing deals.

Deadlines and entry fees.

• Early: April 30, 2020 ($45 entry fee)

• Regular: June 25, 2020 ($55 entry fee)

• Late: July 9, 2020 ($65 entry fee)

• Last Chance: July 30, 2020 ($75 entry fee)

Contest prizes.

• Two Grand Prize winners are flown to Los Angeles and introduced to producers and executives AND receive a NYFA Fellowship.

• Over thirty past winners have sold scripts, received representation, or gone on to professional writing careers.

Check out the Big Break Screenwriting Contest >>

Best screenwriting contests #5: Slamdance Screenplay Competition.

This is one of the best screenplay contests around as it has a history of highlighting talented, independent screenwriters and introducing them to the industry.

The Slamdance screenplay competition consists of four categories—feature, horror, short and teleplay/webisode.

The top three scripts in the first two categories receive passes to the Slamdance Film Festival, $2,500 in legal services and membership to the WGA’s Independent Writers Caucus.

Deadlines and entry fees.

• Early: April 6, 2020 ($50 entry fee)

• Regular: June 8, 2020 ($60 entry fee)

• Late: July 20, 2020 ($75 entry fee)

• Final: July 27, 2020 ($75 entry fee)

Contest prizes.

• A total of cash prizes of $16,000.

• Grand Prize winner will receive $8,000 in cash.

• Winners of the Feature, Horror, TV Pilot and Short categories will receive $2,000 in cash, each.

Check out the Slamdance screenplay competition >>

Best screenwriting contests #6: Page Screenplay Contest.

Over the years the Page Awards have become widely recognized as one of the most important screenwriting competitions. It’s become one of the premiere sources for new writing talent within the Hollywood community and worldwide.

Each year dozens of top producers, agents, and development execs judge the contest and read the winning screenplays.

Many of the winning writers have landed script assignments, secured representation, and signed option agreements on their work. And many now have movies and television shows in production, on the air, and in theaters.

Deadlines and entry fees.