15th Annual short script contest

15th Annual American Gem Short Script Contest

& short story contest

(presented by Filmmakers Magazine / Write Brothers)

Championing Emerging Artists

Short Story Contest & Short Script Writing Contest

Short Script Contest / TV Writing Contest | Treatment Contest | Short Story Contest

Launch Your Screenwriting Career Today. Enter Top Short Script Contest Now! American Script Writing Contest is judged by Hollywood's Leading Film & TV Exec's who search for Top Scripts & Writers.

To make Hollywood more accessible than ever before to more aspiring screenwriters, American Gem Short Script Writing Contest: presented by Filmmakers Magazine and Write Brothers, is forming strategic alliances with the powers that be in Film, TV and Literary Publishing Industry Exec's in search of talent, manuscripts, TV scripts and short scripts.

This is the 15th annual American Gem Short Script Contest & Short Story Contest.

Short Script & Short Story Writing Competition Categories

SHORT SCRIPTS | SHORT STORIES | SHORT TV SCRIPTS | TELEVISION
PILOTS OR EXISTING | SITCOMS | TV SHOWS | REALITY SHOW ON TV OR THE
WEB | TREATMENT*** | DIGITAL OR WEBSERIES | GAME SHOWS ETC.

1. SHORT SCRIPT  and TV SCRIPT (new or existing show) 
2. SHORT STORY.

***If treatment entry makes the quarterfinalist round a short script will be required and submitted within two weeks from the date of the announcement.

Short Story and Short Script Writing Awards & Prizes

Top 10 SCRIPTS (including short stories) to be READ by
Leading Hollywood Television Producers, Publishing Houses,
Development Executives, Management Companies & Agents for Representation,
and/or Production Consideration and/or or Publication.

01) GRAND PRIZE WINNER (from all submissions)

A) 1000 (USD) + 
B) a copy of screenwriter or Dramatica Pro by Write  Brothers +
D) Emerging Artist Award Certificate for Best script of the Year +
E) an Official Selection laurel*

02) ELITE PRIZE WINNER - SHORT SCRIPT OR TV SCRIPT

A) $250 (USD) + 
B) a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter by Write Brothers +
D) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for best or 2nd best short script****
E) an Official Selection laurel*

03) ELITE PRIZE WINNER - SHORT STORY

A) $250 (USD) + 
B) a copy of Dramatica Pro by Write Brothers +
D) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for best or 2nd best short story****
E) an Official Selection laurel*

04) DIAMOND PRIZE WINNER - SHORT SCRIPT OR TV SCRIPT

A) $150 (USD) + 
B) a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter by Write Brothers +
D) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for 2nd or 3rd best Script****
E) an Official Selection laurel*

05) DIAMOND PRIZE WINNER - SHORT STORY

A) a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter by Write Brothers***** +
B) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for 2nd best or 3rd best short story****)
C) an Official Selection laurel*

06) PLATINUM PRIZE WINNERS - SHORT SCRIPT OR TV SCRIPT

A) $50 (USD) + 
B) a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter by Write Brothers +
D) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for 3rd or 4th place****
E) an Official Selection laurel*

07) PLATINUM PRIZE WINNERS - SHORT STORY

A) a copy of Movie Magic Screenwriter by Write Brothers***** +
B) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for 3rd or 4th place****
C) an Official Selection laurel*

08) PLATINUM PRIZE WINNERS - ONE HOUR, NEW OR EXISTING

A) Emerging Artist Award Certificate* for 3rd Best Script in a category
B) an Official Selection laurel*

11) 10 RUNNERS-UP

A) an Official Selection laurel**

****Placement will depends on the grand prize winner - If short script, TV script or short story)

*****It will depend on whether there is a second best short story winner. If not the prize will go to the short script or TV category.

Testimonials

“We at Write Brothers are extremely happy to be partnered with American Gem in their quest to find the American Gem Short Screenplay Competition.”

                                --Chris Huntley, Vice President—Write Brothers

I want to say that we have been in initial contact with Fox regarding Frijolito, Go! and would like to thank you very much for opening that door. 

Tony Mosher and Mitch Larson

Angela's Decision," has been produced in Australia by award-winning director Mat King. It is now making the film festival rounds in 2007. It has received a Gold ACS Award for Best Cinematography from the Australian Cinematographers Society. It received Honorable Mention in the George Lindsey UNA Film Festival for Best Feature. One of the film's songs, "Run To Nowhere," composed by Christopher Slaski, was a finalist in the Garden State Film Festival's film music competition. And it's on to the Phoenix Film Festival next. Hopefully, this is just the beginning for the film. (In some festivals it is considered a short and in some it's a feature due to its length of 48 minutes.) Thank you for your competition. It really does mean a lot to screenwriters to receive recognition, which in my case resulted in getting the script produced.

Gena Ellis

My journey with American Gem has done so much for helping me realize my own dream. I feel like I can make it, writing for a living... After I completed The Gardener, I felt that the script actually had a voice. I researched online for the best short screenplay contest. You guys are it!

Musa Jackson

American Gem’s intentions are genuine. Few contests honor the short script form the way they do. They don’t present themselves as a “fly-by-night” kind of organization by any means. And to have the chance to compete and have your short produced is too good to pass up.

Angie M. Comer

Notification

Notification date: 1st round qualifiers notified on October 31st.

Eligibility

    CONTEST RULES

• This contest is open to anyone (world wide) except all employees, directors, associates, the immediate families of American Gem, FilmMakers.com, Write Brothers, all the affiliates and/or sponsors.
• You have supplied truthful and accurate information in your entry form.
• The material that you have submitted is yours, you own full copyright, free and clear of any interests, and the material is original to you.
• You understand that many stories and ideas are similar in some ways, and although many stories or ideas are different, they may share a common theme.
• All entrants agree that neither the judges, the sponsors. the partners or the affiliates mentioned on the filmmakers.com site or any other site/publication, in association with said contest, will be held responsible for any and/or all disputes between you and American Gem Literary Festival.
• The script/entry must have title page containing: the title, author's name, E-mail address, phone number and home address. 
• Students who qualify for the discount entry fee must supply a letter from the head of the film/writing department and/or equivalent declaring such status, include with entry a copy of a valid student ID Card, at the time of entry, and submit via email as an attachment, along with entry.
• All submitted material must be written in the English language.
• Multiple entries are permissible, but each entry must be accompanied by an Entry Form and an entry fee.
• Once material has been entered, no substitutions of new drafts or corrected pages will be considered. You may submit a revised draft of your script, short story, synopsis or novel as a new submission, fill in an entry form and pay the appropriate entry fee.
• Adaptations from other works are permissible provided you have the writer's written permission to adapt the work.
• Adaptations of works in the public domain are permissible.
• Collaborative work is eligible, but each must fill and sign an Entry Form individually. The writers are responsible for the distribution of the contest prize (s).
• Writers under the age of 18 years old must sign the Entry Form and have a parent or guardian sign the Entry Form.
• NO REFUNDS for any reason; entry fees are nonrefundable. Failure to adhere to the Contest rules will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee.
• American Gem Literary Festival reserves the right to extend the deadline.
• Contest applicants must accept without reservation the decisions rendered by the jurors and no correspondence nor discussion will be entered into.
• Make your payment online.
• Applicant must not have won a fellowship or writing contest that includes a “first look” clause.
• Writer understands and accepts without reservation that he/she/ is an independent contractor and American Gem/Write Brothers are not responsible for withholding any taxes or payments to any government agency, at any level, be it state, local or federal.
• Writer understands that it is his/her sole responsibility to register Material with the U.S. Copyright Office and/or with the Writer’s Guild of America or the appropriate agency in his/her/your country.
• You have retained at least one copy of the submitted material, and you understand that all material we receive cannot and will not be returned under any circumstances.

MANUSCRIPTS (SHORT STORIES)

• Short stories must not have been previously published.
  • "Published" means a work of fiction or non fiction that has been published or distributed, in part or whole, in paper or electronic format or in any other medium, EXCLUDING, self-published works.
• Short Story submitted must not have been previously optioned or sold to market or to a film producer. It is preferable if the manuscript has not yet been adapted to screenplay.
• Short story manuscript submission must be no longer than 50 pages, double-spaced, to a maximum of 12,500 words.
• A double-spaced and neatly typed copy of the manuscript (digital) with pages numbered consecutively from beginning to end.

Format and Length

• Short Script must be in industry standard format, in English, and must be no less than 2-29 pages in length and no longer than 65 pages. Font must be 12-point Courier, Courier New or Courier Final Draft. Short Story rules and guidelines can be found here: www.filmmakers.com/contests/short/short_story/ 

• Treatment must be in industry standard format, in English, and must be no longer than 35 pages. Font must be 12-point Courier, Courier New or Courier Final Draft.  If treatment reaches the quarterfinals a script will be required and submitted within two weeks from announcement of said round; submission fee will apply, $29 or $35, depending on length of script (based on said treatment).

• Short story manuscript submission must be no longer than 50 pages, double-spaced, to a maximum of 12,500 words.

• A double-spaced and neatly typed copy of the manuscript (digital) with pages numbered consecutively from beginning to end.

Permission

• By entering this contest and in the event you are declared a finalist (top twenty-five), you understand and accept that we will be free to use your name and likeness for advertising or promotional purposes without additional consideration.

• If you are a finalist you agree to give FilmMakers.com the permission to post on its web site, your script's synopsis, excerpts as well as interview with your photo.  

• All contest participants agree with the following:

• The winner of the short screenplay competition grants American Gem and/or its assigned representative, all rights to the finished film and provide a waiver of so called "moral rights". and

• American Gem and/or its assigned representative will be the producers of the winning screenplay.

• If your screenplay wins you may be called upon to write further revisions.

• American Gem will do its best to produce the winning short screenplay within 18 months from the date of the winner announcement.

• If American Gem is unsuccessful in producing the film within this time delay it will be up to the writer to extend the deadline. In the event the writer fails or refuses to grant the extension, and as a goodwill gesture, American Gem will pay the writer $250 and all rights to the production of script will revert back to the writer without further consideration or claim by either party.

• You may submit your screenplay (manuscript) to any other person, contest, producer, agent, publisher, and/or organization.

Entry Fees

If Submitted by:

Early Deadline: April 30th

• Entry fee per short screenplay if 19 pages or less Pay $35  (U.S.) (students: $19**)

• Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 20-29 pages Pay $39 (U.S.) (students: $21**)

• Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 30 to 45 pages $45 (U.S.) (students: $25**)

• Entry fee per treatment if 10 pages or less pay $25  (U.S.) (students: $15**)

• Entry fee per treatment if 11-20 pages Pay $27 (U.S.) (students: $17**)

• Entry fee per treatment if
  21 to 30 pages pay
  pay $27 (U.S.) (students: $17**)

• Entry fee per short story if 20 pages or less (up to 5,000 words) pay $21 (U.S.) (students: $15**)

• Entry fee per short story if 21 pages or more (from 5,001 up to no more than 12,500 words) pay $25 (U.S.) ($18 to students**)

Regular Deadline: May 31st

• Entry fee per short screenplay if 19 pages or less pay $38 (U.S.) (students: $21**)

• Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 20 to 29 pages pay $41(U.S.) (students: $23**)

• Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 30 to 45 pages pay $41(U.S.) (students: $23

• **)

• Entry fee per treatment if 10 pages or less pay $28  (U.S.) (students: $17**)

• Entry fee per treatment if 11 to 20 pages pay $31 (U.S.) (students: $19**)

• Entry fee per treatment if 21 to 30 pages pay $31 (U.S.) (students: $19**)

• Entry fee per short story if 20 pages or less (up to 5,000 words) pay $23 (U.S.) (students: $17**)

• Entry fee per short story if 21 pages or more (from 5,001 up to no more than 12,500 words) pay $27 (U.S.) ($20 to students**)

Late Deadline: June 30th

Entry fee per short screenplay if 19 pages or less pay $44 (U.S.) (students: $23**)

Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 20 to 29 pages pay $47 (U.S.) (students: $25**)

Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 30 to 45 pages pay $49(U.S.) (students: $2

8

**)

Entry fee per treatment if 10 pages or less pay $32  (U.S.) (students: $19**)

Entry fee per treatment if 11 page to 19 pages pay $35 (U.S.) (students: $22**)

Entry fee per treatment if 21 to 30 pages pay $39 (U.S.) (students: $25**)

Entry fee per short story if 20 pages or less (up to 5,000 words) pay $26 (U.S.) (students: $19**)

Entry fee per short story if 21 pages or more (from 5,001 up to no more than 12,500 words) pay $29 (U.S.) ($22 to students**)

Final Deadline: July 31st

• Entry fee per short screenplay if 19 pages or less pay $47 (U.S.) (students: $26**)

• Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 20 to 29 pages pay $49 (U.S.) (students: $29**)

• Entry fee per short screenplay/TV script if 30 to 45 pages pay $52 (U.S.) (students: $2

  8

  **)

• Entry fee per treatment if 10 pages or less pay $35  (U.S.) (students: $21**)

• Entry fee per treatment if 11 to 19 pages pay $39 (U.S.) (students: $24**)

• Entry fee per treatment if 21 to 30 pages pay
  pay $35 (U.S.) (students: $22**)

• Entry fee per short story if 20 pages or less (up to 5,000 words) pay $28 (U.S.) (students: $22**)

• Entry fee per short story if 21 pages or more (from 5,001 up to no more than 12,500 words) pay $31 (U.S.) ($25 to students**)

** To qualify as student proof is required.

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