Fade in Awards

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Fade in Awards Now in its 30th year, the FADE IN AWARDS deliver. But my script Preston Tylk won and got me an ICM agent. And yes, ladies, we have female alumni as well!

Now in its 30th year, the FADE IN AWARDS deliver industry recognition, career-making mentoring and unprecedented direct access to hundreds of Hollywood agents, managers, executives and producers. Established in 1996 by accredited writers and producers, the Fade In Awards have proven, year after year, that when it comes to establishing emerging artists within the Hollywood entertainment community, all it takes is a solid support network to begin your career as a working filmmaker. Fade In accepts screenplays, teleplays, short films and web series to compete in nine separate award categories – action, comedy, horror, sci-fi, thriller, true story/biopic, shorts and pilots – from aspiring writers and directors worldwide. Fade In then works with its finalists to bring their projects up to professional standards before making key industry introductions. Hollywood’s top agents, managers and producers have become accustomed to requesting Fade In’s award-winning material. Executive Producer/Creator/Writer Jon Bokenkamp (The BlackList) calls his decision to enter the Fade In Awards, “The most important moment in my career.” “When CBS Studios producer Todd Nelson encouraged me to submit, my inclination was to say, ‘No.’ I remember thinking there was no way I could afford it. It was huge for me.” Bokenkamp went on to work with Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry on Taking Lives and Perfect Stranger, respectively. Other notable Fade In alumni include Josh Gordon and Will Speck (Office Christmas Party, The Switch, Blades of Glory), Max Mayer (Adam, The West Wing), Matthew Healy (Clay Pigeons) and Frank Baldwin (Hard Powder). Grand Prize award-winners Colleen Schukei and Heather Petersen want you to know “The Fade In Awards deliver! Of all the contests to enter THIS is the one. We can’t say enough about the amazing staff who took us under their wing, and prepared us to enter the professional world of screenwriting. We also received invaluable notes that went through our script – line by line – to get it ‘market ready.’ We have now landed a producer and look forward to taking the next step.”

Grand Prize winners are flown to Los Angeles to attend the Hollywood Pitch Festival, where they will meet with their choice of 200 buyers and reps. First-prize finalists receive a five-hundred dollar cash prize and 20 submissions at Greenlightmymovie.com, Hollywood’s Official Submission Platform.. Second-place finalists receive a $250 cash prize and 15 submissions at Greenlightmymovie.com. Enter today. You’re just a submission away from being discovered!

One submission. A serious shot at cash, recognition, VIP access, and industry visibility.Screenwriters & filmmakers! The...
11/03/2026

One submission. A serious shot at cash, recognition, VIP access, and industry visibility.

Screenwriters & filmmakers! The 31st Annual FADE IN AWARDS is now open.

You wrote the screenplay. The short. The web series. You rewrote it. Then rewrote the rewrite. You stared at page 47 at 2:13 a.m. and briefly considered becoming a florist.

But here you are. And so is the work.

For more than three decades, the Fade In Awards has helped emerging writers and filmmakers get in front of the people who can actually move a project forward. Past winners have signed with UTA, CAA, WME, Gersh, and Paradigm — and gone on to make #1 box-office films and television (and win Oscars) that exist outside their Google Drive.

Enter for your chance to win:
• Cash prizes
• A VIP pass to the 2027 Hollywood Pitch Festival
• One-on-one industry mentoring with Next-Level Scribe | Screenwriting Experts
• Submission opportunities through Greenlightmymovie
• Exposure to 3,000+ buyers and industry reps

Your project has done enough sitting quietly on your desktop. Give it a next act.

Enter now at FadeInAwards.com
Link in bio.

Only 2 more days to go! 🏆 One lucky participant will win a Craft a Killer Logline session. Time to work a little magic.W...
10/30/2026

Only 2 more days to go! 🏆 One lucky participant will win a Craft a Killer Logline session. Time to work a little magic.

Welcome to THE COMPARISON SPELL, Challenge 10 of .

“It’s unlike anything you’ve ever seen” is a tough movie to picture. Give us two we know — and a reason yours is different.

What does each title help us imagine?

The tone? The world? The central conflict?

Finish this sentence:
“It’s [title] meets [title], but [the original angle that makes this your story].”

Drop your comparison spell in the comments. Make the twist your own.

Remember to tag 👉 31st Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script

Important Reminder…Only 3 more days to go!  Answer the last 3 prompts to stay in the running to win a Craft a Killer Log...
10/29/2026

Important Reminder…

Only 3 more days to go! Answer the last 3 prompts to stay in the running to win a Craft a Killer Logline session with a Next-Level Scribe | Screenwriting Experts mentor.

Welcome to THE CHANGELING, Challenge 9 of .

The audience thinks they’ve figured it out. How unfortunate for them.

Tease the moment that makes us rethink everything. Give us the detail that makes our theory fall apart.

Need a starting point? “The audience thinks [apparent truth] — until [cryptic clue or turning point] makes them question [what they took for granted].”

Drop your tease in the comments and remember to tag 👉 31st Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script

writingchallenge

Only 3 Days Until the Early Deadline!31st Annual FADE IN AWARDSTrue Story/Biopic CompetitionEarly Deadline: October 31, ...
10/27/2026

Only 3 Days Until the Early Deadline!
31st Annual FADE IN AWARDS
True Story/Biopic Competition
Early Deadline: October 31, 2026

Real life rarely bothers with structure. Fortunately, you’re allowed to do a rewrite.

The Fade In Awards True Story/Biopic Competition welcomes aspiring writers with screenplays, teleplays, short films, and web series based on true stories or inspired by real events.

Put your project in the running for:

- Cash
- A VIP 2027 31st Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script Pass
- submissions
- A Mentor Session
- Your project marketed to over 3,000 buyers & reps
- You’ve already lived through the research. Submit before the early deadline and save.

👉 Fadeinawards.com or via FilmFreeway

Our Winners Work!

Deadline Alert!Submit & Save. Only 10 Days Left...31st Annual Fade In AwardsTRUE STORY / BIOPIC COMPETITIONEarly Deadlin...
10/21/2026

Deadline Alert!

Submit & Save. Only 10 Days Left...

31st Annual Fade In Awards
TRUE STORY / BIOPIC COMPETITION
Early Deadline: October 31, 2026

The Fade In Awards True Story/Biopic Competition welcomes screenplays and teleplays based on true stories, plus web series and short films inspired by real events. Your life. Someone else’s life. That thing nobody talks about at Thanksgiving, which is, naturally, the only thing worth talking about.

Prizes Include:

2027 VIP Pass to
Cash Awards
Next-Level Scribe | Screenwriting Experts Mentor Session
Greenlightmymovie Submissions
Your project marketed to over 3,000 Buyers & Reps

Our winners work!
Submit Now 👉 fadeinwards.com

Welcome to THE MONSTER – Challenge 4 of  .Who or what stands in your protagonist’s way?Be specific!Finish this sentence:...
10/17/2026

Welcome to THE MONSTER – Challenge 4 of .

Who or what stands in your protagonist’s way?

Be specific!

Finish this sentence:
“Standing in my protagonist’s way is _____, which prevents them from ______ by ______”

Drop your monster in the comments.
Make us worry for your protagonist.

Don’t forget to tag 👉 31st Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script

Screenwriters welcome to THE GHOST – Challenge 3 of  .What wound, secret, fear, or past failure haunts your protagonist?...
10/15/2026

Screenwriters welcome to THE GHOST – Challenge 3 of .

What wound, secret, fear, or past failure haunts your protagonist?

No actual ghost required. Emotional damage will do.

Finish this sentence:
“My protagonist is haunted by ____ which leads them to ____.”

Drop their ghost in the comments.

Don’t forget to tag 👉 31st Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script

Your protagonist wants something. Peace. Power. Their ex’s Netflix password.But what do they want badly enough to make a...
10/13/2026

Your protagonist wants something. Peace. Power. Their ex’s Netflix password.

But what do they want badly enough to make a terrible decision?

Welcome to THE COVET – Challenge 2 of .

Finish this sentence:
“My protagonist wants ___ so badly, they’re willing to ___.”

Drop yours in the comments. Give us a goal worth making a mess over.

Don’t forget to tag👉 30th Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script

CHALLENGE  #1: THE HOOKYou get one sentence. Can you make us want more?Tell us who it’s about, what they want, what stan...
10/10/2026

CHALLENGE #1: THE HOOK

You get one sentence. Can you make us want more?

Tell us who it’s about, what they want, what stands in their way, and the irony that makes your story stand out.

Drop your hook in the comments. Let’s hear what you’re conjuring. 🔪

Remember to tag 👉 30th Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script

🎃 Welcome to  : 11 Days to a Killer Pitch!Starting tomorrow, we’re dropping 11 bite-sized daily prompts to help you shar...
10/09/2026

🎃 Welcome to : 11 Days to a Killer Pitch!

Starting tomorrow, we’re dropping 11 bite-sized daily prompts to help you sharpen your hook, raise the stakes, define your characters, find your comps, and nail your 30-second pitch.

No rewriting 110 pages. No exorcising your entire third act. Just small, focused steps to make your story impossible to ignore.

🕸️ Share your answers in Stories, comments, or Reels.
🎃 Tag 30th Hollywood Pitch Festival | Sell Your Script and use so we can follow your progress.

🏆 Bonus: One lucky participant will win a Craft a Killer Logline session

Day 1 drops tomorrow. Bring the script you’ve been avoiding. It’s time to give it a killer pitch. 🩸

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