Four top writing contests
You’ve done it! You finished your original TV pilot script. Wow. It feels awesome. It feels like you’re going to burst if someone doesn’t read it right now and tell you how amazing it is. What can you do?
Enter it in a TV pilot contest!
Here are four top TV pilot contests. These contests are very different from each other. That’s one of the things I love about television; it’s open to different tastes and voices. One size does not fit all. Check out these contests and see if one speaks to you.
Austin Film Festival TV competition
I love Austin! And Austin loves creatives. If you get a chance, go to the Austin Film Festival. Even better – go there as a competitor. You’ll meet lots of folks. And if your TV pilot script gets you into the semi-finals or the finals, lots of folks will want to meet you. The prize money is $1,000 plus airfare reimbursement, but the big bonus is the festival access.
Humanitas New Voices
The Humanitas New Voices competition offers a $7,500 prize and matches winners with an industry mentor. This is an amazing way for new writers to work on their craft and build relationships within the industry.
Scriptapalooza TV writing competition
Scriptapalooza has been around for more than 20 years. It has a track record. The prize money isn’t high at $500. However, being able to say your script made it through the gauntlet of readers is an endorsement. If you win or place in Scriptapalooza, reps will take notice.
TrackingB TV pilot contest
The TrackingB TV pilot contest is the youngest and most commercial contest on this list. It’s also the most expensive to enter. However, it boasts a success story – finding a pilot script that was put to series within eight months of winning the contest. That script was Mickey Fisher’s Extant, which led to a show starring Academy Award winner Halle Berry. Extant ran for two seasons on CBS. It launched Mickey Fisher’s career. If you’ve got a commercially-viable TV series, you may want to check out the TrackingB TV pilot contest.
Make no mistake – winning any of these of these contests can launch your career. The entertainment industry is equal parts talent, determination, persistence, and luck. It’s all about getting your stellar script in front of the right eyeballs at the right time. So write an undeniable script and get your work out to the world.
Cheers!