Categories, Prizes and Criteria

WE ACCEPT SCRIPTS WITH 1-120 PAGES

 

SUBMISSIONS FOR 2023 CLOSED ON 2 APRIL 2023!

 

Our MAIN FESTIVAL accepts submissions for one-page scripts to features and full-length plays. There are categories to suit all script lengths and budgets.

There's also a unique opportunity to compete for two special S&CO/POSTERITY AWARDS, courtesy of our partnership with POSTERITY ENTERTAINMENT: one for a feature screenplay and another for a full-length stage play, both offering the possibility of route-to-production prizes. These are the jewels in our crown.

We don't separate entries into genres, but into Stage/Audio or Screen entries of varying lengths (and in shorter categories, plays, audio plays/podcasts and screenplays are pitted against one another). Instead, we judge each script on its own merits, whatever the subject matter.

Prices are on FILMFREEWAY (they vary depending on when you enter: the earlier you enter, the less it costs), and categories are:

PRIZES

All Quarter-Finalists, Semi-Finalists, Finalists and Winners will receive laurels, emailed to print or post on social media/websites.

In categories with 27+ pages, winners and runners-up will also receive a licenced copy of FD12, the latter thanks to sponsorship from FINAL DRAFT, producers of the world's industry-leading scriptwriting software.

All winners will leave the Festival on 11 June 2023 with engraved, personalised S&Co trophies (sent, with postage at your cost, if you can't attend). And S&CO/POSTERITY winners - if the standard is high enough - could enjoy career-changing opportunities via talks with us and POSTERITY, and the chance of a direct route to production.

 

SPECIAL CRITERIA - S&CO/POSTERITY AWARDS

S&CO/POSTERITY AWARD: SCREEN

We're looking for original, commercial, marketable feature film concepts, so arthouse,  idiosyncratic or 'worthy' stuff is unlikely to cut it here (though it's welcomed in the  main competition). American accents and vernacular are welcomed, since the US is Posterity's (and everyone else's) biggest audience. Realistically, we're unlikely to select anything too 'parochial', or that requires strong UK accents, and if it's British comedy you'll have to work extra-hard to impress. Keep a keen eye on the budget - aim for £100,000 maximum. The likely winner? A movie with a universal theme that harnesses the Zeitgeist and will sell all over the world.

S&CO/POSTERITY AWARD: STAGE

The winning play will be innovative, immersive and designed for the round, and MUST be full-length and include an interval. We're anticipating a cast of 3 to 8 players and a mix of genders in a staged production that's likely to utilise multi-media and will definitely be original, distinctive, inventive and challenging. Explore, imagine and think outside the box to create an extraordinary and ground-breaking piece of theatre. Although aimed at a primarily adult audience, your cast may include children. Magic, illusions, projections, audio-scapes, aroma-scapes, more? Bring them on - inspire and excite us! 

S&Co's Zanna Cardash (Artistic Director) and Alex Hollister (Lead Script Consultant) will create two shortlists and send Finalists' scripts to Posterity. They, not S&Co, will make the final decision about which scripts will win - if any - and there will be no runners-up.  S&CO/POSTERITY winners will be announced alongside other winners at the Festival.

If a winner is chosen, we will work with Posterity and Winners to develop their scripts with a view to producing a feature film with international distribution; and/or a play with an A-list cast, to be staged in the UK. Winners will also receive a copy of FD12. Please note that wins and production are not guaranteed unless Posterity Entertainment is satisfied that scripts are to the required standard, and contracts are issued and signed. 

 

RESULTS

S&Co will draw up and publish lists of Quarter-Finalists, Semi-Finalists, Finalists and Winners for all categories in the Main Festival.

S&CO/POSTERITY entries will be whittled down to Finalists and Winners only. Submissions that are not selected by judges, or fail to meet required criteria (seen below), will automatically be added to their equivalent Main Festival categories, for an extra chance of being placed.

Whichever category or categories you choose (you can enter as many times as you like), we wish you GOOD LUCK!

 

SCRIPT NOTES

After the festival, in exchange for a nominal £20 admin fee, we'll send judges' notes to any writer who reached the Quarter Finals, Semi-Finals or was a Finalist or Winner. The higher you were placed, the more comments you're likely to see! If you'd like to know what we said, and why you did or didn't progress further, just order your notes.

 

 

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