
About Big Break
Final Draft’s Big Break Screenwriting Contest is an annual, international feature film and television screenwriting contest designed to help launch the careers of aspiring writers. Writers who have entered Big Break have had their screenplays optioned, sold, and have secured high-profile representation.
As your partner on your screenwriting journey, Final Draft provides support, generous prize packages, and introduces you to a community of screenwriters in which you can begin to forge meaningful relationships and build your personal network.
Grand Prizes
Grand Prize Winners receive $10,000 in cash, an iPad, career coaching, meetings with renowned Hollywood screenwriters and literary managers, and much more.
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A Trip to Hollywood
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$10,000 Cash
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Dell XPS 13 Laptop
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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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UCLA Extension continued education
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.

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.
Big Break Testimonies
Every year we celebrate 11 Category Winners and 2 Grand Prize Winners. Over 60 past winners have sold scripts, received representation or gone on to professional writing careers.
Award Categories
Feature Awards
- Action/Adventure
- Comedy/Rom-Com
- Diversity
- Drama
- Family/Animated
- Period/Historical/War
- Sci-Fi/Fantasy
- Thriller/Horror
Television Awards
- Diversity
- Half-Hour Pilot
- Hour-Long Pilot
FAQs
What is the Diversity category? Is it for scripts about Diversity issues?
If you are a writer who qualifies for this category you are welcome to submit in both Diversity and non-Diversity categories of the competition. The Diversity category exists to encourage writers who have underrepresented voices in Hollywood to enter the contest. These writers are also welcome to submit their scripts to any of the other categories they are eligible for.