Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards

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WGA Professional Judges. Real Industry Feedback. Career-Level Insight.

Welcome to the SUMMER 2026 COMPETITION!

You don’t need more opinions.

You need to know:
• what’s working
• what’s not
• what it will actually take to make your script marketable

THIS IS WHERE SERIOUS WRITERS LEVEL UP

Every screenplay is evaluated by working WGA writers and producers using real industry standards.

Not academic notes.
Not generic "check the box" coverage.

Professional analysis designed to move your script closer to production.

WHY WRITERS ENTER
• Judged by working WGA writer-producers
• 1,000+ combined produced credits across our senior judging panel
• Real-world development standards used at the studio level
• Every script receives detailed, actionable feedback
• Select finalists considered for industry exposure opportunities

WHAT YOU GET
• 6–12 pages of detailed, professional screenplay analysis
• Clear identification of strengths and weaknesses
• Specific, actionable rewrite guidance
• Evaluation of marketability and development potential

FOR WRITERS WHO WANT MORE

This isn’t about validation. It’s about getting better.

Because the difference between a good script and a marketable one is rarely talent.

It’s execution.

PREMIUM OPTION
Take it further with a private 90-minute Line Notes and Live Consultation with an award-winning WGA writer-producer.

This is where:
• your pages are discussed in detail
• your questions get answered
• your rewrite strategy becomes clear

THE REALITY : Most scripts don’t move forward because they’re not fully developed, positioned correctly, or meet professional expectations.

This competition is designed to close that gap.

IF YOU’RE SERIOUS

This is where serious writers become market-ready because...

Good scripts don’t get produced. Market-ready scripts do.

Grand Prize for Best Script (Screenplay, TV script, or Short Script) or Best Media (Pitch Deck, Sizzle Reel, Trailer):
• Winning (and selected Finalist) entries go directly to our roster of trusted Hollywood literary managers for consideration of representation. This is the INSIDE TRACK to a professional screen or television writing career.

Best Sizzle Reel, Movie Trailer, or Pitch Deck
• Marquee Placement at The Screening Room to drive online exposure to the industry.
• Free Admission to "Money for Your Movie: Guaranteed", the proven system for raising film financing
• Live Screening & Marketing Analysis with WGA-DGA-SAG Judges

Best Screenplay, TV Pilot, or Short Script
• Live Story Conference with award-wining Senior Level WGA Judge
• Promotional Placement at The Screening Room to drive online exposure to the industry.
• Written Studio-grade analysis
• 4-month InkTip Pro Membership
​•Free listing at MovieBytes.com

• Screenplay contest material submitted to The Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards is accepted via electronic submission only.​
• Submissions must be in PDF file format, the title ONLY indicated in the PDF file name in upper and lower case (not all CAPS). Submissions as Final Draft or Movie Magic Screenwriter files will not be read, scored, or judged, and will be automatically disqualified.
• All prizes must be claimed within 30 days of contest closing or will be forfeited.
• There is no limit to the number of screenplay, teleplay, or short film scripts you may submit as individual entries.
• Maximum acceptable page counts: Screenplay=130. TV Script=70. Short Film Script=40. 
• Submitted script material must be received by midnight of each deadline date and submission fee payment must accompany your material.
• All entry fees are non-refundable; submissions in any file format other than PDF will be disqualified with no refund.
• All material submitted to these screenplay contests must be original, and all rights must be wholly owned by the writer(s).
• Screenplays and scripts must be submitted by the credited writer or an authorized representative. Screenplays and scripts written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers or their representatives, with consent of the other(s).
• All writers must be credited on title page.
• If a screenwriting team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the screenwriter or representative submitting the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing the prize money, with no direction from The Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards Contest administrators, staff, or judges.
• Once submitted, material is promptly assigned to analysts and judges and reading/scoring begins. Revisions, rewrites, addenda, or substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered screenplay or script material require a separate entry and entry fee.
• Multiple entries are accepted. Submitting the same script pages for different levels of analysis is fine. In all cases, each entry or request for varying levels of analysis must be entered individually. When multiple levels of analysis are NOT entered individually, only the highest level of analysis will be provided with no refunds for other analysis services.
• By using our service, you authorize us to use any trusted third-party online and cloud-based services and databases for hosting, managing and/or transmitting your submission file(s), including FilmFreeway.
• All copyright, ownership and derivative rights to the material submitted to The Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards contest(s) remains with the original rights holders and/or author.
• By submitting material to the contest, competing writer gives contest administrators permission to promote the competition, any submitted work and the writer by name and/or image to third parties and in any and all media online or otherwise throughout the world.
• Plagiarized or non-original written materials will be disqualified.
• All scores are final and purely at the discretion of the Senior Judging Panel. No warranties are expressed or implied as to the determination of judges or to the scoring or written analysis of any entry.
• Writer acknowledges that any and all written feedback and analysis commentary is objectively presented and intended to be illustrative, instructive, and helpful in guiding the writer along a professional path. Scores and comments are in accordance with current professional film and television industry standards, but writer accepts them as purely subjective pursuant to the judgment and opinion of the individual reader-analyst and agrees not to request, demand, or suggest alternate, different, or revised written feedback; no guarantees of satisfaction on the part of the writer are expressed or implied.
• Once announced and delivered, all prize package items and taxes are the responsibility of the recipient.

Eligibility:
• All screenwriters, without regard to professional or amateur status, age, gender, race, ethnicity, country of origin, native language, political orientation, or sexual preference are eligible.
• The screenplay, television script, or short film script material submitted must be in English.
• All screenplay, television script, or short film script material submitted to other competitions or contests is eligible.
• There are no limitations or restrictions as to date of authorship of submitted screenplay, television script, or short film materials.
• The screenplay, television script, or short film script material submitted must not be encumbered by any obligation to, or option held by, any third party prior to entering the screenplay competition.
• Screenplay, television script, or short film script material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margin. PDF files only.
• No limitations regarding title page content. Title and name of screenwriter and contact information on cover page is recommended.

The Santa Barbara International Awards senior judging panel includes working entertainment industry professionals; third party companies, organizations, studios, agencies, or management professionals with which they are affiliated are not sponsors of this contest nor are they responsible for its policies, procedures, systems, or operations. Winner announcements will be made within a reasonable period of time following the conclusion of each quarterly submission deadline, generally within 30 days. While judges and administrators are dedicated to the anonymity of submitting writers and work to maintain the highest levels of fairness throughout the reading and judging process, there is no guarantee whatsoever as to the scoring, outcome, or publicity of any submission. We reserve the right to amend contest rules at any time.

COPYRIGHT AND OWNERSHIP
Neither Butterfly Beach Media Inc., The Santa Barbara International Awards LLC nor any other partner, employee or agent associated with these competitions claim any ownership in any original material submitted to us. All ownership and rights to the material submitted remain with the writer claiming authorship of the scripted material. Writer assumes all copyright liability and duties to protect same at any given time.

PUBLICITY
Submission of written materials establishes each writer's consent to The Santa Barbara International Awards to the use of entrants’ names, likenesses, photographs, and/or personal information for promotional purposes. By entering this contest or any others with whom The Santa Barbara International Screenplay Awards is affiliated, you agree to receive email marketing messages and updates relative to this contest and any affiliated sources and providers from us. You may opt out/unsubscribe from those messages and marketing protocols at any time simply by letting us know at info@santabarbarascreenplayawards.com.We will honor any request to keep the identity of any writer private upon written request. Writers' names will be posted on or website and in media announcements as they are written on any entry forms; misspellings, upper-lower case, punctuation will be replicated as entered (it is suggested that accurate spelling and appropriate use of upper and lower case in first and last names be used). Script titles should not be entered in all capital letters.

REFUND POLICY
Once a script is submitted, administrative processes commence; therefore all fees submitted are non-refundable upon submission of material to any competition period.

SUBMISSION CONDITIONS AND RELEASE
Writers submitting to The Santa Barbara International Awards agree to release and hold harmless The Santa Barbara International Awards LLC, its subsidiary, parent and affiliated companies, judges, screenplay readers, sponsors, and any other organizations responsible for administering, advertising or promoting your submission of material, against any and all claims, expenses, and liability, and to indemnify, defend and hold harmless the The Santa Barbara International Awards and its owners, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims, expenses, and liabilities. SUBMISSION OF MATERIAL IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED or restricted by any Federal, State or Local law. Voided submission fees will be refunded.

NO WARRANTIES
• All assessments, critiques, criticisms, or analyses of submitted material are provided subjectively based upon objective standards as they are applied to the writing submitted and under consideration.
• No warranties are expressed or implied as to the utility, value, or accuracy of statements written or spoken by our reader-analysts with regard to material submitted to us by writers, customers, or contest entrants.
• Comments provided by judges, readers, administrators, or other writers are based upon personal opinion only and do not reflect the opinions of management; management assumes no responsibility for the academic, creative, professional, economic, or emotional impact or consequences of the opinions we provide.
• Submitting writers agree to hold harmless against claims of any and every kind, each and every employee, independent contractor, reader, analyst, system administrator, or officer of the company in perpetuity.
• Material submitted to the competition is solely at the risk of the individual registering, entering, or offering written material for scoring, analysis, judgment, or commentary.
• Once submitted material has been accepted into the competition, it is promptly read, reviewed, analyzed, critiqued, scored, or commented upon by agents, employees, representatives, or management of the company, and no refund of the entry fee will be made.

LIMITED ROLE: The role of The Palm Springs International Screenplay Awards and Butterfly Beach Media, Inc. is limited to forwarding winning material to select managers who have expressed interest in reviewing winning material. We make no guarantees regarding their response or engagement, and we do not participate in or assume responsibility for any future communication or relationship between writers and managers.

Entrant also agrees to Stage32.com terms and conditions.