Rules and Eligibility

1. Screenplays entered must:
   1. Not include the writer’s or writing team’s name or contact information on any page of the script OTHER THAN the title page. (Note — including a title page with name(s) of the writer or writing team is optional.)
   2. Be submitted in PDF form and must fit all standard screenplay format guidelines. Personal formatting conventions will be accepted but must not intentionally or accidentally alter the page count of the project as determined by the judges. A rule of thumb, if your script is formatted properly and under 120 pages, it will likely not be more than 23,000 words.
   3. Be owned solely by the writer or writing team listed. It may be an adaptation or reimagining of true events or fictional stories. It may not be a sequel to or prequel to any script or movie not owned by the writer or writing team.
   4. Be written in English. However, scripts from anywhere in the world will be accepted.
2. Writer must be 18 years of age or older at the time of submission.
3. To be eligible for the lab, finalists will be invited to answer a prompt that aligns with the Diverse Voices mission. The prompt will be “How does your voice, experience, or story represents a new and diverse perspective for Hollywood?”
4. WeScreenplay claims no ownership nor option on your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remain with the original rights holder(s).
5. Screenplays entered may be in any genre or combination of genres. All will be treated equally and read by an unbiased panel of judges.
6. The following formats will be accepted: Feature screenplay, TV pilot screenplay, or Short screenplay
7. Entrant’s total earnings for screenwriting for either film or tv, produced or unproduced, must not exceed $50,000 in the past 18 months or exceeded $300,000 in the past 10 years. This excludes any prize money from competitions or fellowships and only applies to funds or money earned in exchange for an option or sale of a script, treatment, idea, intellectual property, or other writing for film or television. Money earned from acting, directing, producing, or any other entertainment industry work outside of writing shall not be considered as part of this eligibility criteria.
8. Screenplays submitted must not have been previously sold or produced unless said sale or production was competed with no financial gain to the writer.
9. For a submission to be valid it must be accompanied with the appropriate payment based on the submission deadlines. Any scripts over 120 pages will be charged an extra $1 per page at any deadline.
10. Requesting optional additional written feedback to subsequent rounds of the competition will not impact the scoring of the screenplay or its chances of winning or placing in the competition.
11. All deadlines are at 11:59pm PST on the date listed. Any deadline alteration or promotion of any kind does not make any entry valid for a refund of any kind.
12. Alterations can be re-uploaded via our submissions management platform at coverfly.com for $5.
13. Submission fees are non-refundable. Coupons may not be applied to previously submitted scripts. Coupons deemed for WeScreenplay coverage may not be used for submission to the contest or addition of coverage to any submission unless explicitly stated.
14. There is no limit on the number of scripts a writer or writing team may submit.
15. Prizes are award per script and teams of writers are expected to divide prizes of their own accord. WeScreenplay will send prizes to the winner who submitted the project and will in no way be responsible for how the prizes are distributed among the writing teams.
    1. Only 1 hotel room or comparably priced short-term rental will be provided for writing teams.
16. 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 compared against each other.
17. Scorecards will be distributed to each script within a week of elimination from the competition, but early distribution does not necessarily indicate placement in the contest. Feedback and Coverage will generally be distributed within 2 to 3 weeks following the submission, but this is not guaranteed. We only guarantee that coverage will be provided on or before the semifinalist announcement date.
18. WeScreenplay reserves the right to delay announcements for any reason. Delay may last up to but never more than 90 days. While we do not anticipate any delays, such delays will not alter the standing of any screenplay entry and will qualify no script for a refund under any circumstance.
19. By entering the WeScreenplay contest every entrant is agreeing to all WeScreenplay Terms and Conditions listed and available before checkout. If you disagree with any terms you may not submit to the contest.
20. By submitting to the contest you are releasing your script to WeScreenplay and holding harmless WeScreenplay or any affiliates from any claims, expenses, and liabilities, including but not limited to invasion of privacy, defamation, copyright, libel, trademark infringement, slander, personal property infringement, etc.
21. Any prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit validating their entry into the contest.
22. Any cash prize winners of over $599 who is a United States citizen will be required to file a W-9 before the cash prize is distributed.
23. Grand Prize Mentorship Trip Flight prize is up to $1,000 roundtrip.
24. Former Grand Prize Winners of any WeScreenplay contest may enter so long as it is NOT the same script that won in a previous year. Any other placement (other than winning) in former years does not disqualify the script from being entered again in a subsequent year. New readers and judges evaluate submissions each cycle.
25. No cash will be awarded if winner is under 18 years of age.
26. THIS SKILL-BASED CONTEST IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.
27. Except where prohibited by law, participation in the contest constitutes each entrant’s consent to WeScreenplay 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 a entrants’ information are in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
28. BY ENTERING THE CONTEST YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THESE CONDITIONS. You agree to release and hold harmless Red Ampersand Inc, WeScreenplay, its DBAs, 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.

Please note: All finalists will be asked to answer in roughly 250 words how their voice or experience represents a new and diverse perspective for Hollywood.