2024 Emerging Screenwriter Competition

Submissions are now closed.
Winners will be announced on Saturday, May 11th.

Montclair Film’s EMERGING SCREENWRITING COMPETITION celebrates the work of screenwriters who are in the 8th through 12th grades. The emerging screenwriters’ screenplays represent a wide range of styles and voices that showcase the diverse talents of young people who are using story to express themselves.

The screenplays can be submitted in a variety of genres including Comedy, Drama, Action/Adventure, Sci-fi/Fantasy, and Horror, and will be adjudicated by a jury of screenwriting and filmmaking professionals.

For Screenwriters in Grades 8 – 12

The Perks

• The Grand Prize Winning script will be performed at a table read by actors at the award ceremony.
• Winners will be celebrated at our annual ESC Award Ceremony
• Winners will be acknowledged in a Montclair Film press release and on their website
• Winners in each category receive emailed script consultation from an experienced screenwriter

The Rules

• Short Film or Web Series Pilots will be accepted up to a length of 12 pages (not including the title page).
• Submissions must be submitted as a PDF
• Formatting: 12-point Courier font. 1.5 inch left margin. 1-inch right margin.
  • Scripts must be formatted correctly to be considered. If you did not write your screenplay in screenwriting software (Final Draft, Movie Magic, etc.), consider re-writing it using Writerduet.com or Celtx.com, both of which have free options.
• Each writer may submit no more than two screenplays.
• Scripts may be submitted with multiple genres including Comedy, Drama, Horror — or a genre not listed.
• Awards are determined by the ESC Jury.

For more information contact: Education@Montclairfilm.org