From an original field of over 2,600 writers around the world and after three intense rounds of competition, we finally have a winner! And, a very familiar winner at that. Congratulations to Alex Sutton (Prague, Czech Republic) for winning the competition for the second year in a row with his final round screenplay, "JACK". Alex and 89 other finalists were challenged to create a short screenplay no longer than 5 pages based on the open genre, a disappearance (subject), and a trainer (character). Congratulations to the top screenplays listed below and thanks to everyone for participating! TOP SCREENPLAYS HM = Honorable Mention #1 - ''JACK'' by Alex Sutton LOGLINE - Fitness android Jack has but one job: help people keep in shape. Problem is, with the disappearance of his regular clientele, that purpose becomes a lot harder to fulfill.

#2 - ''Dummy'' by Andrew Kaberline LOGLINE - When CPR dummies start disappearing, one trainer embraces a sudden change in his home life.

#3 - ''Rip Chord'' by M. Rowan Meyer LOGLINE - An Audio Specialist at the FBI lends her ears to a bizarre case of mass disappearance.

#4 - ''Prone to Mistakes'' by James Mountain LOGLINE - A sheriff shows a new deputy the ropes when their search for a missing suspect goes horribly wrong.

#5 - ''Working Out A Mystery'' by Jackson Brueheim LOGLINE - Leanne and Gary use a time machine to solve a mystery for their true crime podcast. Only to discover an unpleasant revelation.

#6 - ''The Runner'' by Annabel Wigoder LOGLINE - A Jewish athlete turns to her running coach to escape the brutal regime of Nazi Germany.

#7 - ''Hope Is the Feathered Thing'' by Deb Medsker LOGLINE - A frantic mother scours the house for her son's beloved toy, a plush stand-in for the loss of something more.

#8 - ''A Break in Routine'' by Dashiell Combs & Matthew Sprosty LOGLINE - A former Air Force instructor has become defined by his habits.

As he loses his routine, he begins to lose himself.

#9 - ''Pear of Hearts'' by Evan Squire LOGLINE - Yumi, a young Japanese girl, learns a secret family talent.

#10 - ''The Exuberant Lady Arabella III'' by Ciaran Canning LOGLINE - In the Western Territories, three bandits encounter an eccentric showman and his talented canine companion.

#HM - ''Sparks Flying'' by Mary-Margaret Winters LOGLINE - A witch trains her young apprentice to catch and deliver sparks of creativity. When sparks start disappearing, will the witches be able to dispel troublesome figments of imagination?

#HM - ''Lost and Found'' by Frankie Lee LOGLINE - When a shoe disappears down the back of a closet, he finds a new meaning to life.

#HM - ''The Mascot Academy'' by Michael Lin LOGLINE - A gladiator, a crocodile, and an egg must withstand the intense pressure that is the world's most prestigious school for mascots. All bets are off on who cracks first.

#HM - ''The Escape Artist'' by Ciara Wardlow LOGLINE - An insect wrangler and a PA race against the clock to find an escaped tarantula on a film set.

#HM - ''Meat-Sombre'' by Amanda Huelse LOGLINE - Gabi deletes her dating app. COMPETITION LINKS: 1st Round: Kickoff Email / Assignments / Results 2nd Round: Kickoff Email / Assignments / Results Final Round: Kickoff Email Rules: Official Rules & Participation Agreement The participants helped to donate over $5,000 to global charities currently dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to learn more. The 17th Annual Screenwriting Challenge is a competition open to screenwriters around the world. There are 3 rounds of competition. In the 1st Round (April 17-25), writers are placed randomly in heats and are assigned a genre, subject, and character assignment (see examples of past assignments here). Writers have 8 days to write an original short screenplay no longer than 12 pages. The judges choose a top 5 in each heat to advance to the 2nd Round (June 11-14) where writers receive new assignments, only this time they have just 3 days to write an 8 page (maximum) short screenplay. Judges choose a top 5 in each heat from the 2nd Round to advance to the 3rd and final round of the competition where writers are challenged to write a 5 page (maximum) screenplay in just 24 hours (July 17-18). A panel of judges review the final round screenplays and winners are selected to share in thousands in cash and prizes. Sound like fun? Join the competition below... Never written a screenplay before? Click here to check out an article going over the basics. Registration is now closed. There will be many more exciting challenges in 2020, so make sure to join our mailing list or follow us on facebook or twitter to be the first to know when they are announced. Thank you and stay safe! While we send e-mails at the beginning of each round to all registered writers, many times e-mails go to junk mail folders, spam, or are blocked by servers for unknown reasons. We recommend that everyone marks their calendars with the start dates of each round, especially the first challenge at 11:59PM EDT on April 17th, 2020 so that you know when to expect an e-mail. Use the "Add to Calendar" buttons below to add to your calendar! 1st Round: April 17-25, 2020 Add to Calendar 2nd Round: June 11-14, 2020 Add to Calendar 3rd Round: July 17-18, 2020 Add to Calendar Not only does every writer receive feedback from the judges for each screenplay submitted, but a special review forum is available for the participants to submit their screenplays for review from fellow writers throughout the competition. During the Screenwriting Challenge 2019, there were over 2,700 comments made on the 220+ screenplays submitted on the forum. Click here to visit the forums.

Melinda L.

San Diego, USA “I love this contest. I got to write ghosts, history, a little action-adventure, and an ending that makes me happy in the best bittersweet way.”

Philip L.

London, GB “Just put mine in. Loved the challenge of working up something at speed, with given elements. Best of luck all.”

Cierra M.

Soddy Daisy, USA “Let's just say.. that was SUPER fun! And SUPER challenging.”

Alexi W.

Minot, USA “YES! Finally got it done for round one! Absolutely loved the challenge, because it got me thinking about stories I would not have even considered writing otherwise. Thinking about writing down the info for the other heats in this round to practice with later. Good luck, everyone!”

Melinda T.

Perth, Australia “Submitted! How exciting! Loved the challenge of this”

Sean D.

Laezonia, ZA “I had immense fun stretching different parts of my writing brain to find something fun and a touch ludicrous for Comedy/Chain Letter (or Email)/Piano Player... Best of luck to all!”

Melissa M.

Rockport, USA "I just submitted my screenplay for the 1st round of the competition and WOW!! That was super fun...and it's not just a clever name--it truly was a challenge!"

Ko M.

Los Angeles, USA “Got mine in with 3 minutes left on the clock! Hopefully the judges can overlook a few missing comma's and typos because it's pretty solid, otherwise. It's amazing what a deadline does for productivity. You're all winners in my book!"

Marissa P.

Greene, USA “I've never written a mystery before! What a challenging, fun exercise (and a great break from my finals!)”

Nick C.

Sacramento, USA “Whatever happens, I really like what I came up with despite not being familiar with fashion design or pregnancy. Best of luck to all!”

Kim W.

Bridgnorth, GB “Being a male retired boxer was so much more fun than being a female retired Legal Practice Manager. Enjoyed that immensely! Thanks.”

Karl A.

Bellevue, USA "Love writing Sci-Fi when you don't have to worry about budget constraints. Great fun!”

Beth S.

Bradenton Beach, USA “This was so much fun!”

Scotty-Miguel S.

Los Angeles, USA “That was intensely fun (and intensely CHALLENGING - which I assume is why they call it that).”