Grand Prizes
From $10,000 in cash, to a chance to meet with renowned Hollywood screenwriters, these are just a few of the prizes you could win!
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A Trip to Hollywood
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$10,000 Cash
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Honored on stage during our live awards show at Paramount Studios
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General Meeting Preparation with Lee Jessup Career Coaching
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General Meetings with Top Literary Managers
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Breakfast with Screenwriter/Producer Pen Densham
NYFA Scholarship
Co-sponsored by The New York Film Academy, this unique screenwriting fellowship is a merit-based scholarship designed to raise each writer to a higher level of storytelling craft and provide intensive real-world training in the business of Hollywood. Attended only by Big Break finalists, the fellowship is a unique opportunity for winners to build their recent success and further develop their careers.
The Final Draft Awards
Every year we celebrate 11 Category Winners and 2 Grand Prize Winners at our annual awards show. Over 50 past winners have sold scripts, received representation or gone on to professional writing careers.
Our grand prize winners are honored on the stage of our annual awards show at Paramount Studios, Hollywood alongside our New Voice and Hall of Fame honorees.
Award Categories
- Action/Adventure
- Comedy/Rom-Com
- Diversity
- Drama
- Family/Animated
- Period/Historical/War
- Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Thriller/Horror
- Diversity
- Half-Hour Pilot
- Hour-Long Pilot
Judges
Jeff Portnoy
Bellevue Productions
Daniela Gonzales
Circle of Confusion
Jewerl Ross
Silent R Management
Kailey Marsh
Brillstein Entertainment Partners
John Zaozirny
Bellevue Productions
Natalie Covault
Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Scott Stoops
Good Fear
Sonia Gambaro
Pollinate
Brian Spink
Realm
Audrey Knox
The Cartel
Markus Goerg
Heroes and Villains Entertainment
Chris Coggins
Heroes and Villains Entertainment
Zack Zucker
Bellevue Productions
Krista Sipp
First Friday Entertainment
Zach Book
All Trades Content
Chelsea Benson
Echo Lake
Jonathan Hersh
Housefire Management
Matt Dy
LIT Management
Mitch Solomon
Authentic Talent & Literary Management
Jon Karas
Infinity Management
Tony Zequeira
Super Vision
Spencer Robinson
Art/Work Entertainment
Jeff Portnoy
Bellevue Productions
Daniela Gonzales
Circle of Confusion
Jewerl Ross
Silent R Management
Kailey Marsh
Brillstein Entertainment Partners
John Zaozirny
Bellevue Productions
Natalie Covault
Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Scott Stoops
Good Fear
Sonia Gambaro
Pollinate
Brian Spink
Realm
Audrey Knox
The Cartel
Markus Goerg
Heroes and Villains Entertainment
Chris Coggins
Heroes and Villains Entertainment
Zack Zucker
Bellevue Productions
Krista Sipp
First Friday Entertainment
Zach Book
All Trades Content
Chelsea Benson
Echo Lake
Jonathan Hersh
Housefire Management
Matt Dy
LIT Management
Mitch Solomon
Authentic Talent & Literary Management
Jon Karas
Infinity Management
Tony Zequeira
Super Vision
Spencer Robinson
Art/Work EntertainmentSuccess Stories
Myles Reid
2018 Big Break Television Grand Prize WinnerMyles Reid has signed with Jewerl Ross of Silent R Management and has been staffed as the Showrunner’s Assistant on ‘The Lost Boys’ pilot for The CW
Natasha LePetit
2018 Big Break Quarter-FinalistNatasha LePetit’s script ‘The Undertakers Children’ has been optioned by Chayah Masters/ Rumination Road, with Alex Gayner set to direct
Jonathan Barger
2018 Big Break Quarter-FinalistJonathan Barger’s script ‘Station Zero’ has been optioned by Zorg Studios (Paris, London), with Erwan Marinopoulos set to direct
Greta Heinemann
2017 Big Break Feature Grand Prize WinnerGreta Heinemann has signed with Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Productions, who is shopping her script ‘Anatomy of a Breakdown’ alongside UTA
Nancy Duff
2017 Big Break Top-3 FinalistNancy Duff has signed with Jennifer Au of Untitled
She is a participant in the 2018 Universal Writers Program
Nancy’s scripts have placed in the Top 10% of the Nicholl Fellowship and in the Screencraft TV Pilot Launch Contest
Julia Mogerman
2017 Big Break Feature Drama Category WinnerJulia Mogerman has signed with Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Productions
Greg Wayne
2017 Big Break Half-Hour TV Pilot Category WinnerGreg Wayne has signed with Brian Spink of REALM
‘Suicide 21’ placed in the 2018 Tracking Board Hit List
Director Scott Speer is set to helm ‘S21’, with Catapult and Needle’s Eye producing
Nicolas Pinzón
2017 Big Break Feature Diversity Category WinnerNicolas Pinzón has signed with Markus Goerg of Heroes and Villains Entertainment
His screenplays have also placed him as a Semi-Finalist for both the Nicholl Fellowship and Humanitas Carol Mendelsohn Drama Fellowship, and placing him as a Finalist for the Alfred P. Sloan Grant
JJ Bailey
2017 Big Break Hour-Long TV Pilot Category WinnerJJ Bailey has signed with Markus Goerg of Heroes and Villains Entertainment
His one-hour long drama ‘Vanishing Point’ was the winner of the WeScreenplay Drama TV Pilot contest
Rowan Wheeler
2016 Big Break Television Grand Prize WinnerRowan Wheeler has signed with UTA
Alexis Perkins
2016 Big Break Feature Grand Prize WinnerAlexis Perkins signed with Stagecoach Entertainment and agent David Rubin at Gersh
Matt Katzenberger
2016 Big Break Family Category WinnerMatt Katzenberger signed with Entertainment Lab
Julia Cooperman
2016 Big Break Hour-Long TV Pilot WinnerJulia Cooperman has been staffed on USA Network’s TV series ‘Colony’
‘Phantasmagoria’ won the Bronze Award for TV Drama Pilot in the PAGE International Screenwriting Contest and placed her as a semi-finalist in the 2016 Tracking Board Launch Pad Pilot Competition
She has also placed as a semi-finalist in the 2016 ABC / Disney Writing Program
Paul Jarnagin
2016 Big Break Top-5 FinalistPaul Jarnagin signed with Universal Writers Management
‘The Other Star Wars’ earned 4th place in the 7th Annual StoryPors International Screenplay Competition
His writing projects have placed him as a Quarter-Finalist in the Nicholl Fellowship and as a Top 50 Semi-Finalist in Cinequest
Nick Watson
2015 Big Break Half-Hour TV Pilot Quarter-FinalistNick Watson has signed with Abrams Artists Agency
He is now a full-time staff writer on the animated sitcom ‘Final Space’ for TBS
G.W. Freund & Daniel Bonjour
2015 Big Break Feature Grand Prize WinnersG.W. Freund & Daniel Bonjour signed with Brillstein Entertainment Partners
Eric Buchman
2015 Big Break Television Grand Prize WinnerEric Buchman signed with Mitch Solomon at Magnet Management and continues to write for NBC’s ‘Blindspot’ and has since been promoted to co-producer
Paula Sabbaga
2015 Big Break Hour-Long TV Pilot FinalistPaula Sabbaga signed with Brian Spink of REALM
Paula worked on ABC’s ‘Nashville’, The CW’s ‘The Messengers’, Freeform’s ‘Guilt’, and was the writer’s assistant on CW’s ‘The 100’
Joseph Greenberg
2014 Big Break Sci-Fi/Fantasy Category WinnerJoseph Greenberg sold his script ‘Man Alive’ to 20th Century Fox for Noah Hawley of Fargo to direct
‘Man Alive’ also made the 2016 Black List
James Barclay
2014 Big Break Top-5 Sci-Fi/Fantasy FinalistJames Barclay signed with Magnet Management
Derek Asaff
2014 Big Break Hour-Long TV Pilot WinnerDerek Asaff signed with Derrick Eppich of Lee Stobby Entertainment
Peter Wulff
2014 Big Break Drama Category WinnerPeter Wulff signed with Jeff Portnoy of Bellevue Productions
Nicholas Anthony
2013 Big Break Half-Hour TV Pilot WinnerNicholas Anthony was hired as a writer for CBS’ ‘The Inspectors’
Submission Rules
Fees & Deadlines
*Dates reflect deadlines for electronic submissions of scripts. All entries must be electronically submitted by midnight (PT) on their respective deadlines.
FAQs
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Since I shouldn't include my personal information in the body of my script or on the title page, how do I remove or clear the title page?
For instructions on removing your title page, click here. -
What is the Diversity category? Is it for scripts about Diversity issues?
This category is specifically for underrepresented writers and diverse voices. The story itself does not have to be about Diversity issues. When submitting, you can select the Diversity category and the actual genre of your script. -
Do I retain the rights to my screenplays after submitting to the Big Break Contest, whether or not I win?
Yes, you retain all rights until you choose to sell or option your screenplay and/or teleplay. -
Would you accept a screenplay that is an adaptation of a published book, where the writer has contractually optioned the movie rights to the book?
No, the source material for an adaptation must be written by the screenwriter entering the contest. -
Can I submit multiple screenplays and/or teleplays during one contest year?
Yes, you may enter as many different scripts as you wish. Each script must be submitted as a separate entry. -
Is coverage provided?
The Big Break is a rewards-based contest and offers cash, prizes and Hollywood meetings for the winner — no feedback or coverage. -
Do I retain the rights to my screenplays after submitting to the Big Break Contest, whether or not I win?
Yes, you retain all rights until you choose to sell or option your screenplay and/or teleplay. -
Who will be reading and judging my screenplay?
Our readers are professional script analysts who carefully evaluate each entry and sign confidentiality agreements to ensure that your work is protected. After screenplays are narrowed to finalists, a panel of notable industry professionals conducts the final judging to determine the winners. These jury members represent award-winning writers, producers, and A-list executives. A current list of our judges can be found here.
