Status: Accepting Submissions
The mission of the American Zoetrope Screenplay Competition is to find and promote new and innovative voices in cinema. The competition considers feature-length film scripts, as well as pilot scripts for television/streaming services. Every script is read closely by a select handful of professional readers, and the American Zoetrope staff and Francis Ford Coppola choose a winner from among the ten finalists.
The winner will receive a grand prize of $5,000.
The winner and nine finalists will be considered for representation by the agencies CAA, Circle of Confusion, Energy Entertainment, Exile Entertainment, the Gersh Agency, ICM, Oasis Media Group, the Radmin Company, UTA, and William Morris Endeavor. Their scripts will be considered for option and development by the production companies American Zoetrope, Anonymous Content, Cats & Dogs Productions, Double Hope Films, Forward Movement (an ARRAY Company), Fox Searchlight, Groundswell Productions, Icon Films, IFC Films, Jean Doumanian Productions, Lionsgate, LIT Entertainment Group, Lleju Productions, Number 9 Films, Oasis Media Group, Pretty Pictures Productions, Roserock Films, Sony Pictures Classics, Verisimilitude, and Working Title Films.
DEADLINES:
The EARLY-BIRD DEADLINE is July 17, 2023, at 11:59:59 p.m. PST. The FINAL DEADLINE is September 5, 2023, at 11:59:59 PST.
RESULTS:
One winning script and nine finalists will be announced on February 12, 2024. Semi- and quarterfinalists will be announced at the same time.
RULES, DETAILS, AND QUESTIONS:
Before you enter the competition, please read the Official Rules. Answers to commonly asked questions can be found on our FAQ page. With further questions, please email contests@zoetrope.com.
Thanks for your interest, and good luck!
Agreement
By selecting the Accept box beside each of the statements below, and then the I Agree button at the bottom of the page, you indicate that you (and all co-entrants, if applicable) agree with the following statements.
| I/We agree to the accuracy of the information submitted. | |
| I/We have read all of the Official Rules, understand, have complied and will continue to comply with these rules. | |
| I/We understand that failure to adhere to the Official Rules and/or this Agreement will result in disqualification and forfeiture of entry fee. | |
| I/We agree that the material submitted is my/our original work and that there are no disputes regarding the ownership of the submission. | |
| I/We acknowledge that my/our submission to the American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest vests no rights in the submission in American Zoetrope. | |
| I/We agree to hold American Zoetrope, its affiliates and their employees, agents, owners, directors and/or shareholders (the "Indemnified Parties") harmless from and defend them against all claims, demands, losses, costs, damages, judgments, liabilities and expenses (including attorney's fees) arising out of or in connection with any and all claims of third parties, whether or not groundless, based on any stories submitted to the American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest or on any screenplay developed out of such stories. | |
| I/We acknowledge and agree that the relationship between me/us, as a contestant, on the one hand, and American Zoetrope, on the other hand, is not a confidential, fiduciary, or other special relationship, and that my/our decision to provide my/our screenplay submission to American Zoetrope for purposes of the contest does not place American Zoetrope in a position that is any different from the position held by members of the general public with regard to elements of my/our screenplay submission or other material that are not legally protectable. | |
| I/We understand and acknowledge that American Zoetrope and its affiliated companies have wide access to ideas, stories, screenplays, and other literary materials, and that new ideas are constantly being submitted to it. I/We also acknowledge that many ideas or stories are similar to each other and different ideas and stories often relate to one or more underlying themes. I/We further agree that American Zoetrope and its affiliated companies do not now and shall not have in the future any duty or liability, direct or indirect, vicarious, contributory, or otherwise, with respect to the infringement or protection of my/our copyright in and to the screenplay submission. | |
| I/We agree that the burden of obtaining U.S. copyright or otherwise protecting any proprietary interests in the material, if I/we wish to do so, rests entirely with me/us. | |
| I/We understand that, if my/our screenplay places in the top ten, American Zoetrope will send the screenplay to the agencies listed in the Official Rules and that American Zoetrope shall bear no responsibility with respect to the copyright protection of my/our screenplay at such agencies. | |
| I/We understand that, if my/our screenplay places in the top ten, American Zoetrope will request my/our permission to send my/our screenplay to the agencies listed in the Offical Rules. | |
| I/We agree, if my/our screenplay is ranked in the top ten, to let American Zoetrope use my/our name/s in press or other materials related to the Contest. | |
| I/We agree that I am/we are eligible for the American Zoetrope Screenplay Contest, and that I/we will notify American Zoetrope if I/we become ineligible prior to the conclusion of the Contest. | |
| I/We agree that, to the best of my/our knowledge, all of the statements herein are true and correct. |
| Date | Entry Fee | Time Remaining | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Deadline | Monday, July 17 | $40 | |
| Submission Deadline | Tuesday, September 5 | $50 | |
| Winners Announced | Monday, February 12 |