5th Annual Stage 32 Feature Screenwriting Contest

THE GRAND PRIZE WINNER HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED! SEE BELOW!!!

The best screenwriting competition of the year is back! 

Stage 32's 5th Annual Feature Screenwriting Contest

Winner flown to Hollywood to meet with Gersh, Good Fear Content, Verve, Pathfinder Media, Pense Productions, Elevate Entertainment and more!

All finalists loglines mailed to hundreds of industry executives!

This competition that has launched screenwriting careers is back! Over a dozen of our past winners and finalists have been either signed, optioned, or are now working in the industry! 

Last Year’s Grand Prize winner, Tom Batha, took meetings with executives all around Hollywood, including Robert Downey Jr.'s production company, Team Downey, literary managers at Zero Gravity, Cohen/Torgen Management and Bohemia Group Originals, and film financiers Three Point Capital! 

This year we are welcoming another all-star panel of judges from Gersh, Good Fear Content, Verve, Pathfinder Media, Pense Productions, and Elevate Entertainment! Our judges have sold dozens of spec scripts and some currently represent writers they've found on Stage 32. (see more info below) 

This is why, over the last 5 years, Stage 32’s screenwriting contests have gained a reputation as one of the “most worthwhile screenwriting contests to change your career.”  No other contest provides their winners and finalists with the same level of direct access to industry leading professionals who can take your career to the next level!

And this is our biggest, most inclusive contest of the year.  This contest has produced some of the most sought after material from our finalists and winners. Requests for our finalists scripts have increased year over year and our winners have met face to face with a who’s who of working industry executives and gatekeepers.

No matter what your genre, no matter the size of your project's budget, whether you write indie or studio, small scale or blockbuster, it doesn’t matter. Our judges simply want to find the most talented writers and the more interesting projects from around the world! And this year, it could be you! 

Our grand prize winner will be flown to Hollywood to have in person, one-on-one meetings with all our judges and other executives. ALL of our finalists will have their loglines presented our network of over 500 executives we work with in a private section of Stage 32.

Unprecedented access. Better exposure. More reads. Real success!

What Types Of Scripts Can I Enter?

All genres of feature film screenplays are welcome. 

Feedback Option

For an additional fee of only $49 (50% savings!) you can receive submission coverage from our industry readers on your screenplay. Just check "coverage" upon checkout. Coverage will be returned once the winners are announced.

Grand Prize Winner

The Grand Prize Winner will be flown to Hollywood and sent on private one-on-one meetings with the contest judges from Gersh, Good Fear, Verve, Pathfinder Media, Pense Productions, and Elevate Entertainment!

In addition, Stage 32's executive team will send your screenplay title, logline, writer bio & script synopsis to over 500 development executives, producers, managers & agents who work with Stage 32. If an executive requests the script or a meeting, we will facilitate the delivery.

Second and Third Place Winners

Stage 32's executive team will send out your screenplay title, logline & writer bio to over 500 development executives, producers, managers & agents who work with Stage 32. If an executive requests the script or a meeting, we will facilitate.

You will also receive 2 free Stage 32 pitch sessions, a free Stage 32 Next Level Webinar and a free Stage 32 Next Level Class.

Top 10 Finalists

All Top 10 Finalists will have their screenplay title, logline & writer bio sent to over 500 development executives, producers, managers & agents who work with Stage 32. If an executive requests the script or a meeting, we will facilitate!

Our past contest finalists have either been signed, optioned or had their projects put into development!

• Jonathan Jordan - signed with Verve Talent & Literary Agency and manager Byron Austen Ashley.
• Duane Piedmont - signed with Kaplan-Stahler Agency and Heroes And Villains Entertainment.
• Brittni Brown and Jenna Palermo - signed with Infinity Management International.
• Benji Smith - signed with Meridian Artists.
• Trish MacEnulty - attached producer Gavin Dorman to her script.
• Scott Waldvogel and Matt DeMartini - signed with Gotham Group and APA.
• Frank Ponce - signed with 3 Arts Entertainment and Atlas Entertainment.
• Glenn Forbes - signed with Infinity Management International and optioned by Glider Films.
• Richard Hobley - signed with Paradigm and Goldcrest Films International.

Hear from last year's winner, Tom Batha on his incredible experience winning Stage 32's feature contest:

Here's an update from our 2018 winner Jonathan Jordan:

David Boxerbaum (Feature Contest Judge) - Partner & Agent, Verve

David Boxerbaum is a talent and literary agent and partner at Verve Agency. David has emerged as one of the most prolific spec script sellers in the industry today, with selling almost 2 dozen scripts to studios and production companies in one year. Boxerbaum began his career working for producer Jerry Bruckheimer before moving to the William Morris Agency, and then Endeavor. He spent the last six years as a leader in the literary group at Paradigm.

Jeff Portnoy - Manager, Bellevue Productions

Jeff Portnoy is a literary manager at Bellevue Productions. He was named as one of Variety's New Leading Managers.

Prior to joining Bellevue, Jeff worked at Creative Artists Agency, The Gotham Group, Resolution talent agency and Heretic Literary Management.

Jeff’s clients include Samuel Franco & Evan Kilgore who wrote KEEPER OF THE DIARY, which is set up at Fox Searchlight with Weimeraner Republic Pictures producing, as well as MAYDAY 109, which is set up at Thunder Road Pictures with Flynn Picture Company producing; Ben Bolea, who wrote THE MISERABLE ADEVNTURES OF BURT SQUIRE ABOARD THE HORN HIGH YO!, which is set up at LD Entertainment with Kim Zubick producing; Josh Golden, who wrote ROAD TO OZ, which is set up at New Line Cinema with Flynn Picture Company producing; Mark Townend, who wrote CONTINGENCY PROTOCOL, which is set up at Broad Green Pictures with Bellevue Productions, Storyscape Entertainment and Weed Road Pictures producing; Michael Schatz, who wrote THE WOMAN WITH RED HAIR, a 2016 Black List script which is currently being packaged by Berlanti Productions; Mark Mavrothalasitis, who wrote VERTICAL for Alcon Entertainment, as well as WOLF IN THE WILD, which is set up at Awesomeness Film; Jorge Rivera, a staff writer on the Fox series A.P.B.; Matt Saracusa, who wrote CIRCLEVILLE, which is set up at Endgame Entertainment; Matt Leslie & Stephen Smith, who wrote THE HARROWING, which is set up at Cinelou Pictures with Jeffrey Reddick (FINAL DESTINATION) producing, as well as SUMMER OF ‘84, which appeared on the 2016 Blood List; Michael Salomon, who wrote SURVEILLANCERS, a half-hour comedy pilot set up at Warner Bros. TV Studios with Intrigue Entertainment and Quadrant Pictures producing; Chris Devlin, who wrote THE WRETCHED EMILY DERRINGER, a 2015 Black List script which is being directed by Adria Petty; and Andrew Zilch, who wrote A CROOKED SOMEBODY, which was directed by Trevor White and starred Rich Sommer, Clifton Collins Jr., Ed Harris, Amy Madigan and Joanne Froggatt.

Originally from Massachusetts, Jeff received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Film Production from Point Park University in Pittsburgh and studied Film and Television writing at UCLA Extension.

Jake Wagner (Judge) - Manager/Producer, Alibi Management

Jake Wagner is one of the top selling spec script managers of the last decade, having sold the largest spec script in history, SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN. He is the owner of Alibi Management, and formerly was with Good Fear Film + Management and Benderspink. Jake’s clients have written some of the most popular recent horror films including POLAROID, CRAWL, .

Jake began studying screenwriting and film while a student at the University of Michigan. Jake began his career as a manager at Energy Entertainment, before moving to BenderSpink, and later Good Fear.

Jake enjoys working with writers, who have fresh, original stories to tell. Writers who are not afraid to put in the hard work that it takes to mold an idea into a screenplay that can sell and get produced.

Daniel Toth (Feature Contest Judge) - Literary Agent, Gersh

Danny Toth is a Literary Agent at the Gersh Agency, representing writers, directors, and other content creators. Prior to joining Gersh, Danny worked at Participant Media and Legend Group Studios

Raquelle David (Judge) - Producer and Literary Manager, Lit Entertainment

Raquelle David is a Producer and Literary Manager with Lit Entertainment, a full-service Talent and Literary Management firm in Los Angeles, California. Hailing from Sydney, Australia, Raquelle has a ten year career spanning both television and feature production.

Raquelle David has worked across independent film and television as a producer as well. Her multiple film credits have garnered a number of accolades including nominations for Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Australian Academy Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Award and the Screen Producers Australia Award. Raquelle previously worked for Goalpost Pictures, Seven Network, Screen New South Wales in Australia and Rhombus Media in Toronto, Canada, under the tutelage of producer Niv Fichman (THE RED VIOLIN, ENEMY, BLINDNESS).

Christian Sander (Feature Contest Judge) - Director of Development, Pense Productions

Christian Sander serves as Director of Development for Pensé Productions, maintaining industry relations with emerging talent. He produced the feature length college comedy, Dean Slater: Resident Advisor, which is currently in distribution through Cinedigm. In 2015, he created the Bracket Reel series for Red Bull Media House. Christian has produced, shot, and edited content for GrindMedia, Yahoo!Sports, and Newschoolers.com.

Prior to Pense Production, Christian worked in development for for Neal Moritz, producer of the Fast and the Furious franchise, and for prolific film and TV producer Jerry Bruckheimer. He also worked in Sony Pictures across several divisions including film production, digital marketing, publicity, and international television divisions before joining Pensé.

Christian earned his degree in Motion Picture Production from Loyola Marymount University.

Alex Creasia - Manager & Producer, Pathfinder Media

Alex Creasia is an Literary Manager and Producer at Pathfinder Media. He represents writers and directors around the globe focusing on all formats of TV, Film, books, podcasts and digital. Recently his company merged with UMedia an international finance and production services company to become their US branch. Alex recently produced the indie thriller, STILL which was sold to The Orchard. His next film ONLY, a sci-fi drama, is set to premiere in the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival. Alex got his start in the Hollywood industry at Universal Pictures, CAA and Ryan Murphy Productions on such shows as GLEE and American Horror Story. He went to college in San Francisco studying Film and TV business. Alex Creasia is a veteran of the US Marine Corps where he traveled the world as a Combat Cameraman.