Comedy & Drama Screenwriting Contest

I received a notice of a screenwriting contest last week that looks worthwhile and want to pass it on: The Search for America’s Newest Scriptwriter Contest. The deadline is March 21, and the prize is $5000 in each of two categories:

1. Comedy: 30-minute comedic storyline

2. Drama: 1-hour dramatic storyline

A nice touch: along with the rules you get a PDF that’s a good tutorial in script formatting for film and television—the margins to use, how to include directions, all that stuff.

Actor Will Smith is part of the organization sponsoring the contest, which includes Overbrook Entertainment/Will Smith, James Lassiter, and the ANA Alliance for Family Entertainment.

Here are some quick facts about the contest: 

• It is being judged by Overbrook Entertainment, the award-winning entertainment production company co-founded by two-time Academy Award nominee Will Smith and acclaimed film producer James Lassiter
• The contest is free to enter
• Two winners will win $5,000, a meeting with Overbrook Entertainment, an opportunity to have their TV script further developed, and an 18-month option agreement on their script
• The contest submissions end on 3/21/13 by 1 p.m. PT
• The contest has two categories: a 30-minute comedy and a 1-hour drama

There’s a short video starring Will Smith that explains the contest in more detail here. I enjoyed it. There are more videos on the website, including advice for writers. 

And there’s a story about last year’s winner here.

Good luck,

Ray