A MESSAGE FROM OUR TEAM
While 2020 gave us lemons, our community of writers gave us lemonade. We are in awe of our community of writers who have continued to inspire us with their creative, touching, and especially humorous screenplays through out this difficult time.
For 2021, well, we hope to continue to provide you with a welcome reprieve from the monotony of Zoom calls and sweatpants. And to give you something other than a vaccine to look forward to, we've announced our list of confirmed contest for 2021. So when people ask you what your plans are for this year, just send them a link to this page! Happy Writing!
Join us as we #WriteABetterWorld.
Current and Upcoming Contests
2nd Open Topic Short Film Contest
Short Film (10 min)
We are delighted to announce our calendar of contests for 2021! Below is a list of the contests that have been confirmed so far for the year, but this is by no means a complete list. We will be announcing additional contests through out the year with even more exciting topics, and more chances to be paid and produced. We know that 2020 has been a tough year for all of us. But hopefully it has given us time to reflect on what is most important so that we can come together in 2021 and #WriteABetterWorld.
TV Pilot Open Topic
TV Pilot
The changing landscape of entertainment and the growth of The changing landscape of entertainment and the growth of streaming services has placed us firmly and happily in the midst of the golden age of television. And with format limitations quickly disappearing, TV writers are free to write and explore with boundless creativity and originality. We invite you to write a pilot episode for a TV series that leaves audiences wanting more and setting aside entire weekends to binge-watch every episode. The topic is open, just be sure to follow the rules and guidelines. Happy Writing!
Collaborative Feature Film
Feature Film
If Orson Welles didn’t have Herman Mankiewicz would we have had Citizen Kane? If Martin Scorcese never met Nicholas Pileggi would we have Goodfellas and Casino? If Seth Rogan didn’t have Evan Goldberg would we have ever met McLovin? Needless to say that the right chemistry between collaborators can yield magic on the screen. That’s why we invite you to find your great writing partner or partners, the Damon to your Affleck, and collaborate on a feature film together. You choose the genre, subject matter, and whether it’s public or private. Just make sure you work with at least one collaborator, and write it using our guided process (sorry folks, no uploads allowed for this one).
Public Short Film II
Short Film (10 min)
Collaborators rejoice! Back for the 2nd consecutive year is our Public Short Film Contest! What is a “Public” Screenplay you ask? It is a screenplay started on Open Screenplay and open for all to collaborate on. . And now, collaboration has gotten easier and more fun than ever with our newly launched Write With Me feature and our Messenger. We're challenging you to write a Public Short Film screenplay with a minimum of 2 other writers in addition to yourself. You can choose any topic and genre. Just make sure you follow the guidelines! Happy Writing!
Past Contests
One Room Challenge
Short Film (10 min)
From classics like Rear Window and 12 Angry Men, to acclaimed recent films like Coherence and Devil, films set in one room pose an interesting challenge: a story has to unfold with a beginning, middle, and end - all taking place in one room. We pose the same challenge to you: write a compelling and inventive screenplay that is set in a single room.
The Impact of Technology on Love & Dating
Short Film (5 min)
To swipe right or to swipe left? As technology rapidly disrupts the social fabric of our communities and cultures, some are finding themselves more and more alone, struggling to connect. Has technology robbed us from the serendipity of falling in love? Perhaps it has made it easier to match with our soulmates? Or has it only served to feed our insatiable egos, making us fall in love with ourselves?
Public Short Film
Short Film (5 min)
We all know you can write alone, but do you have the writing chops to collaborate with multiple writers? Yup, we're challenging you to write a Public Short Film screenplay with a minimum of 2 other writers in addition to yourself. Working with others on a screenplay can be fun, engaging and yield unexpected results. Just ask the Cohen brothers, Damon & Affleck or David Benioff & D.B. Weiss. For our contest, you can choose any topic and genre. Just make sure you follow the guidelines! Happy Writing!
1st Feature Film Contest
Feature Film
Tired of writing short films? This is your chance to show your storytelling and screenwriting chops in the big league format of the feature film. You choose your genre, you choose your topic. All we ask is that you adhere to our guidelines, collaborate, have fun, and keep it at 120 pages or less.
Arab Stories: Debunking Arab Myths
Short Film (5 min)
For decades, the mainstream media in the West has systematically stereotyped and vilified people of Arab origin. Such degradation of an entire people ultimately leads to their dehumanization. It is time to correct this narrative and dispel the various myths and stereotypes that have long unjustly followed this rich and diverse community.
The World After COVID-19
Short Film (5 min)
What lessons are there to be learned from this pandemic? How will they shape our lives and our livelihoods? Will we come out of this as a more united, resilient, and enlightened world? Can we stay positive and find joy, levity and connection among the angst and isolation? As we approach the unknown together, what stories of heroism will emerge?
Layla Mental Health
Short Film (5 min)
Open Screenplay has partnered with Layla to shed light on a critical topic that impacts all of us: mental health. What does it look like to live with mental illness? What steps do you take to overcome challenges and thrive? How can positive mental health communities be formed? What does mental health advocacy look like? How does the current system or societal structure help or fail people living with mental health challenges? Tell us a mental healthy story and help us change lives for the better.
Launch Contest
On January 15th 2019, Open Screenplay launched with its first short film screenwriting contest. The contest was open to all genres and screenplays were required to be 10 minutes or less. The contest was a resounding success attracting 5000+ writers. The winning top five screenplays represent diverse genres and diverse writers. The winning screenwriter who won the $2,000 prize and a production deal was Maddison Tebbutt for The Arrears. Madison was also awarded a private session with Golden Globe nominee and Open Screenplay Advisor Richard Kletter. The second prize winning script is Foundation, was a public screenplay collaboratively written by three writers who had never met before, namely: Katlynn Sverko, Ross Lang, and Christopher Kerr. The third prize winning script is Forbidden Beasts by Tina Marie Singh. The winners were selected by an advisory board of Hollywood film executives and award-winning screenwriters.