LAST CHANCE to enter Big Break!

Extended Deadline ends June 29. Share over $80k in cash and prizes.

Jun 15, 2026

LAST CHANCE for your Big Break!

Is this your big screenwriting career break?

The Final Draft Big Break Screenwriting Contest closes June 29, 2026.

This is your last chance to share over $80,000 in cash and prizes, and kickstart your screenwriting career with meetings with executives, producers and managers. Enter your Film, TV or Short Film script. DID YOU KNOW? You can get feedback on your Big Break Entry. Select feedback when you check out.

Big Break winners and finalists alike have had their screenplays optioned and produced and have secured high-profile representation as well as lucrative writing deals.

ENTER NOW

The Contest That Means Career Success

The coordinators of the contest proactively reach out to industry professionals and introduce them to the writers and the work of the writers who place and/or win the competition. It exposes a writer’s work to industry professionals, including but not limited to, agents, managers, producers and studio/streamer executives, who vet and judge the scripts throughout the process, and exposure is the name of the game when you are starting out”

Jeff Portnoy
Bellevue Productions, 2026 Big Break Contest judge

Benefits & Prizes

2 Grand Prize Award Winners: One Feature Grand Prize and one TV Grand Prize winner will be selected from the 11 Feature Genre and TV Format award winners.

Each Grand Prize Award Winner:

Winners receive the prizes below plus the prizes listed under the Category Winners section.

$10,000 Cash
Apple iPad
Dell XPS Laptop
Roundtrip airfare to Los Angeles plus 3 night hotel accommodation
Admission to one Robert McKee Virtual Story Seminar
1-year subscription to ScriptHop
A one on one 60 minute meeting prep and career strategy session with screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup
Copy of Save the Cat! Story Structure Software and book
Signed copy of The Screenwriter’s Bible by Dave Trottier

Additional prizes for TV Grand Prize winner:

Script Consultation from Jen Grisanti Inc.
One-hour career coaching session with Carole Kirschner to create a personalized game plan for leveraging the contest win.

Each Feature and TV Category Winners Receives:

$1,000 Cash
Final Draft 13
The New York Film Academy - Attend multi-week online immersive program in both film & television writing
5 Career coaching sessions with screenwriting coach Lee Jessup
60-minute webinar with screenwriting career coach Lee Jessup on how to capitalize on your Big Break win
Participation in a 6-Week Teleseminar from Jen Grisanti Inc.
One-year subscription to MasterWriter software
Free Big Break Contest entry for 2027
Script coverage from Big Break readers
A Copy of ‘Save The Cat! Strikes Back’ by screenwriter Blake Snyder
6-month subscription to ScriptHop

Diversity Feature & TV Category Winners Receive:

One-on-one consultation with Erika Alexander of Color Farm Media on development and producing

Short Script Winner Receives:

$5,000 Cash
$2,000 in casting services on Backstage
$200 FilmFreeway credit
Final Draft 13
Free Big Break Contest entry for 2027
6-month subscription to ScriptHop
One year subscription to MasterWriter software

Short Script Finalists Receive:

Short Film Deep Dive Mentorship — Exclusive 6-week mentorship experience with John Trefry and Ramfis Myrthil designed to help standout short scripts become production-ready films built for top festivals like Sundance and SXSW. Learn the pathway from short to feature, with guidance on packaging, budgeting, casting, festival strategy, audience building, crowdfunding, and distribution.
$400 in casting services on Backstage
$100 FilmFreeway credit
$100 credit reimbursement towards one rental on ShareGrid

*Please note: prizes are subject to change