Short scripts are a fantastic way to get your screenwriting feet wet, try a new genre, hone your craft, and get noticed. With so many Oscar-qualifying film festivals, it’s one way to gain recognition at even the highest levels of the entertainment industry!
This year, all winners will be invited to take part in our exclusive Virtual Shorts Lab to help define the next steps in their short film journeys – whether that’s self-producing, crowdfunding, or connecting it with a production company looking for short content. Plus, every entry gets one page of feedback from a professional reader and admission to a crowdfunding webinar!
That’s what we’d call a no-brainer.
Check out our industry jury! These are the folks who have experience bringing compelling shorts to life — and they have the accolades to prove it.
So what’re you waiting for? Send your short script into WeScreenplay now!
Early
Mar 15, 2021
Regular
Apr 15, 2021
Late
May 15, 2021
Final
Jun 15, 2021
Quarterfinalist
Jul 15, 2021
Semifinalist
Aug 15, 2021
Finalist
Sep 15, 2021
Winner
Oct 15, 2021
Emily Best is the founder and CEO of Seed&Spark, a platform built to make entertainment more diverse, inclusive, connected and essential. She has raised millions in investment and crowdfunding, secured large brand partnerships, and built a world-class team for Seed&Spark. In addition to her work at Seed&Spark, she has produced films, series and VR projects that have premiered at Sundance, SXSW, Tribeca and more. Her most recent series, "Fck Yes" Refinery 29 called, "The sex education you wish you had in high school." Emily has taught crowdfunding, pitching and creative sustainability in more than 50 cities around the world - and is now turning her in-person community-building efforts towards virtual efforts to help secure the sustainable future of creators everywhere.
Sean Ursani is the Consulting Producer at Gunpowder & Sky, a fast growing independent global entertainment company, creating premium content unrestricted by format, as well as genre-specific destinations for the streaming generation. He focuses primarily on sci-fi and horror projects under their DUST and ALTER brands. He was previously a Creative Executive working for Gale Anne Hurd's Valhalla Entertainment (THE WALKING DEAD) as well as CBS Films (FIVE FEET APART, SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK). He is a graduate from USC's School of Cinematic Arts.
Vincent Lambe is an Oscar-nominated writer, director and producer from Ireland. He is a double winner of the Young Director Award in Cannes and has been nominated for an Irish Film & Television Academy Award (IFTA). He has also won awards at several international film festivals including the Krakow Film Festival, the Odense International Film Festival, an Emerging Directors Award and a Rising Star Award from Irish Screen America.
Canadian producer and two-time Academy Award nominee Maria Gracia Turgeon co-founded Midi La Nuit with producer/director Annick Blanc. She has produced numerous short films including BROTHERHOOD by Meryam Joobeur (92nd Oscar nominee, Best Canadian Short TIFF 2018, Sundance 2019), THE COLOR OF YOUR LIPS by Annick Blanc (Canadian Screen Awards, Best Fantastic Short – Austin Fantastic Fest 2019), FAUVE by Jérémy Comte (91st Oscar nominee, Sundance Special Jury Award 2018, Telluride 2018), Marc-Antoine Lemire's PRE-DRINK (Best Canadian Short TIFF 2017), HOW TOMMY LEMENCHICK BECAME A GRADE 7 LEGEND Legend by Bastien Alexandre (Tribeca 2018).
GRAND PRIZE: The WeScreenplay Shorts Virtual Lab!
Five winners will be invited to a day of exclusive virtual meetings with industry professionals to talk about the most effective ways to move forward with their short film scripts. For this one-day Virtual Shorts Lab, we’ll explore topics such as securing financing, getting talent and producers attached to your project, tips and tricks for making the most of the festival circuit, and how to balance practical needs with getting your passion project off the ground. The small group setting will allow you to ask questions of creators who have been through it and execs who are looking for short form content. Learn how to get the most mileage out of your short script!
FINALISTS: The top 25 Finalists will win 1:1 mentoring with Seed&Spark’s crowdfunding specialists!
We’re pleased to announce that we have a new partnership with Seed&Spark, a crowdfunding platform with the lowest fees, the highest campaign success rate in the world (80%), and a track record of setting filmmakers on a path to success. Crowdfunding is not a stop-gap funding measure; it’s a tool in your professional arsenal to take control of your career.
ALL ENTRIES: In addition to our FREE feedback, every entry comes with admission to a live webinar — CROWDFUNDING TO BUILD INDEPENDENCE with Seed&Spark, which will take place in the summer of 2021. Learn how to have a successful crowdfunding campaign…and career! You’ll learn how to find your audience, structure your crowdfunding campaign, pick the right goal and incentives, and more.
Check out more of our Writer’s Successes.
After placing as an Honorable Mention in the 2020 Shorts Contest, WeScreenplay connected Shaun & Jay with an Oscar-nominated short filmmaker and prepped them for meetings with reps. They've signed with one of the top agencies in Australia, and their short is now in pre-production!
“WeScreenplay has been instrumental in our career, their coverage was exactly what we needed to strengthen our resolve. Otherwise, we would still be fumbling around the intricacies of the industry, lost and without the tools required to bang down the door. Their dedication, support and insight is unique and something to celebrate. There is no doubt in our minds that without WeScreenplay we would not be in the exciting position we are. “
After winning the Fall 2020 Diverse Voices Competition, WeScreenplay set Junot up with numerous meetings with literary reps. After fielding multiple offers, he signed with manager Cameron Cubbison at Zero Gravity and agent Halle Mariner at APA!
“WeScreenplay gave me inspiration and encouragement. It just takes one person to believe in you to help you get a running start. WeScreenplay filled those shoes, and I’m grateful. The world is hungry for fresh news in the form of story, and you as the artist are their chosen messenger. Your story and voice are worth it. WeScreenplay treated us all with care, support, and insight. My first reader’s notes were the most helpful, actionable notes I’d ever received.”
After winning the Fall 2020 Diverse Voices Competition, WeScreenplay set up Elise with a general at UCP. Shortly after the Diverse Voices Lab, Elise got staffed on CANDY for UCP/ Hulu, starring Elisabeth Moss.
“Diverse Voices was an incredible experience, and one that I’m very happy to have had. Sarah Eagen and the staff at WeScreenplay put a lot of (very appreciated) work into creating a lab that would prepare us for the next step in our careers, while encouraging us and doing anything they could to help move us forward. Once you’re part of the WeScreenplay family, it feels like they are truly rooting for your success and do what they can to help you achieve it. “
After winning the Fall 2020 Diverse Voices Competition, WeScreenplay set Jason up with numerous meetings with literary reps as part of the Diverse Voices Lab. After fielding multiple offers, he signed with manager Allison Hartel at 3Arts, and his winning pilot BROOKLYN PANSY is currently being packaged and produced by Zero Gravity.
“I didn’t know if I or what I had written was ‘enough’. I had never taken a meeting. I had no idea how to package and present myself. I was 100% a total newbie and the Lab changed all of that. I can’t thank WeScreenplay enough. Your supportive, individualized care and attention toward each writer is unique and incredibly special. It has absolutely changed the course of my life and career.”
A FREE, 1-page mini-version of our phenomenal coverage from the entry’s first round judge, including their scores!
*Note: You can upgrade your free Judges Notes to the full, 4-page Classic Notes for an additional $55!
A new reader and another full read for every script that makes it to this round.
*Note: You can upgrade to include Judges Notes for $49.99!
Another new reader and another full read for every script that makes it to this round … and you are welcome to submit an updated version of your script for only $5.
All scripts that make it to this round will be read internally by the WeScreenplay team as well as by our industry jury. Scores will not be provided for this round, as judging will be discussed privately.
The top scripts selected by the Judges and WeScreenplay team! We’ll be reaching out to the winners to invite them to attend our exclusive Virtual Shorts Lab.