Competition presented by: Creative Screenwriting Magazine
The information included in on this page was provided by James Sarantinos, Editor in Chief, Creative Screenwriting Magazine, on June 8, 2020.
Competition Information
| Competition Name | Creative Screenwriting Unique Voices Screenplay Competition |
| Competition Website | https://contest.creativescreenwriting.com |
| Contact Information | submissions@creativescreenwriting.com |
| Competition Type | Contest |
| The information included on this page was provided relative to: | 2020 |
Entry Dates and Fees
Tentative submission dates for fall 2020:
| Opens for Entries | August 13, 2020 |
| First Submission Period | August 13, 2020 to September 15, 2020 |
| Second Submission Period | September 16, 2020 to October 13, 2020 |
| Final Submission Period | October 14, 2020 to December 3, 2020 |
Announcement Dates
Tentative announcement dates for the fall 2020 submissions:
| First Announcement | January 14, 2021 |
| Second Announcement | February 18, 2021 |
Type of Scripts Accepted
| Feature-length | Features: 80 to 120 pages Scripts that fall outside the requested page count will not be disqualified, but extra pages may not be read. |
| Teleplay Pilot | Original pilots only (half-hour or one-hour): 30 to 70 pages. Scripts that fall outside the requested page count will not be disqualified, but extra pages may not be read. |
Type of Genres Accepted
| Feature-length Genres are judged separately for the entire competition. | All genres accepted. Genre-specific judging categories: •Action/Adventure •Comedy •Drama •Family/Holiday/Young Adult •Mystery/Crime •Historical/Biopic •Horror/Thriller •Sci-Fi/Fantasy •Sports •Western |
| Teleplay Pilot Genres are judged separately for the entire competition. | All genres accepted. Genre-specific judging categories: •Action/Adventure •Comedy •Drama •Family/Holiday/Young Adult •Mystery/Crime •Historical/Biopic •Horror/Thriller •Sci-Fi/Fantasy •Sports •Western |
Advancement Tiers
| Semifinals | Top 25 scripts in each category/genre |
| Finals | Winner in each category/genre |
| Grand-Prize Winner | One Grand-Prize Winner |
Advancement Notifications
| Entrants | Advancement notifications are sent directly to entrants via email. |
| Public | All winners (Writer and script title) are published on the competition website according to genres. |
Awards and Prizes
| Promotion | Winners’ loglines are circulated among industry professionals and also have the potential to be added to the development slate of Creative Screenwriter LLC. |
| Cash Prize | Cash prize is included. |
Judges
| Judge Credentials | Judges are pre-screened and trained with test scripts. |
| Judges Seeking New Writers or Material | Competition judges are not seeking new writers or material. |
Judging Process
| Script assignment | Scripts are assigned to judges based on the judge’s genre preference. |
| Judge knowledge of script prior to reading | Judges are provided with a script’s genre and logline prior to reading. |
| Script qualities the competition looks to advance | Unique voices — something the industry hasn’t seen before. |
| Judging Criteria This criteria is the same for every round of competition. | Action/Description Character Dialogue Plot Premise/Hook Originality Format/Proofreading Structure Pace Marketability |
| Reading Page-Count Requirement | Judges are required to read scripts in their entirety during every round of the competition. Exception: Scripts that exceed the requested page count will not be disqualified, but extra pages may not be read. |
Submission Information
| Required materials | Script, writer contact information, logline, genre. Logline and genre are provided to a script’s judges. |
| Submission Pathways | ISA website: networkisa.org |
| Rights | Entrants retain all rights to their entered script and other submitted materials. |
Script Eligibility Requirements
| Page Length | Features: 80 to 120 pages Teleplay Pilots: 30 to 70 pages Scripts that fall outside the requested page count will not be disqualified, but extra pages may not be read. |
| Adaptations | Accepted if the writer owns the entire, unencumbered rights. |
| Based on True Events | Accepted if in the public domain. |
| Script purchases, options, production, etc. | Scripts that have been sold, produced for a profit, or are currently under option are not eligible. |
| Copyright | Not required. |
| WGA Registration | Not required. |
| Additional Terms | • Scripts must be the original work of the author(s) and may not be encumbered by any third party. • Novels, short stories, stage plays, treatments, synopses, reality show concepts, and/or spec scripts for existing TV series are not eligible. Your script must be an original screenplay or teleplay. |
Writer Eligibility Requirements
| Age Restrictions | Must be legally allowed to enter into contracts. |
| International Submissions | Accepted. |
| Multiple Writers | Accepted. Writers decide prize distribution. |
Written Critiques
| Critique Name | Reader Feedback Types: First 20 Pages General Deep Dive |
| Fee | First 20 Pages = $30 General = $65 Deep Dive = $99 |
| Purchase Opportunity | Critique can be purchased when entering the competition. |
| Receipt | Critique will be sent to entrant within 90 days of entry/purchase. |
| Length of Critique | First 20 Pages = 1 to 2 pages of notes: $30 General = 2 to 3 pages of notes: $65 Deep Dive = Up to 5 pages of notes: $99 |
| Number of Critiques | One per purchase. |
| Critique Contents | Comprehensive comments. |
| Scores | Critique does not include scores. |
| Critics | Scripts are evaluated for written critiques separately from the competition by Script Readers and therefore the written critiques entrants received are not written by their competition judges. A critic’s individual credentials are not included with the critique. Critics are not seeking new writers/material. |
Screenplay Competitions 