You've probably spent months—maybe years—staring at a blinking cursor until your eyes felt like they were vibrating. Then, finally, you type "FADE OUT." Now what? Most writers immediately start looking for a way in, a door that isn't locked by a high-walled agency or a "no unsolicited material" policy. This is where the Big Break Screenplay Contest enters the conversation. It’s one of those names that carries a lot of weight in the industry, mostly because it’s backed by Final Draft. You know, the software almost every professional writer uses until they get fancy and switch to Highland or Fade In.
But let's be real. The contest circuit is a minefield.
There are thousands of "competitions" out there that are basically just digital paperweights designed to take your $50 entry fee and send back a "better luck next time" email. Big Break is different, but it’s not magic. It doesn’t guarantee you’ll be the next Greta Gerwig or Jordan Peele just because you placed in the Top 10. It’s a tool.
What the Big Break Screenplay Contest Actually Is
The Big Break Screenplay Contest has been around for over two decades. That kind of longevity matters in Hollywood. If a contest folds after three years, its winners' list is basically a graveyard of broken dreams. But Final Draft’s flagship competition has a track record of actually getting people into rooms.
The structure is pretty standard. You’ve got your feature film categories—Drama, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Comedy/Rom-Com, Family/Animated, and Action/Adventure—and your TV categories, which usually split between half-hour pilots and hour-long pilots. They also do a "Diversity" award and an "International" award.
The judges aren't just interns at a production company. They tend to pull in managers from places like Circle of Confusion or Lit Entertainment. These are people who are actually looking for clients, not just people looking for an excuse to drink free wine at an awards ceremony.
The Financial Reality of Entering
It isn't cheap. If you miss the early bird deadline, you’re looking at significant cash. And if you want "feedback"? That’s an extra fee.
Honestly, the feedback is hit or miss. Sometimes you get a reader who deeply understands your subtext and gives you a roadmap for your next draft. Other times, you get someone who clearly skimmed the second act and suggests you add a "lovable sidekick" to your gritty noir thriller. You have to take it with a grain of salt. If you’re entering just for the feedback, you might be better off hiring a dedicated script consultant.
But you aren't entering for the notes. You're entering for the title.
The Myth of the Overnight Success
We love a good Cinderella story. We want to believe that someone wins the Big Break Screenplay Contest, gets a call from Steven Spielberg the next morning, and has a three-picture deal by Friday.
That basically never happens.
What actually happens is much more "business-casual." You win or place in the Top 10. A manager sees your logline in the winner's announcement. They ask to read the script. They like it, but they don't love it. But they like your voice. They ask, "What else do you have?"
If you don't have a second script ready, you’ve just wasted your "big break."
Take a look at past winners like Adam Kolbrenner’s clients or people like Ben Hicks. They didn't just win and sit on their laurels. They used the win as a talking point to get meetings. The win is the "social proof" that you aren't just another person with a MacBook and a dream; you’re someone who survived a gauntlet of 10,000 other scripts.
Why Category Choice Can Kill Your Chances
People get clever with their genres. Don't.
If you have a sci-fi movie that is secretly a family drama, decide what it really is before you click submit. If you enter a "Family" script that has a scene with a decapitation, the readers in that category are going to tank your score immediately.
The Big Break Screenplay Contest readers are looking for scripts that fit the "box" of their category while still feeling fresh. It’s a weird paradox. You have to give them something they recognize, but in a way they’ve never seen. If you’re writing a Rom-Com, it better have the "Meet Cute" and the "All Is Lost" moment, but if it feels like a Hallmark movie from 1998, you’re dead in the water.
The "Final Draft" Connection
Because this is a Final Draft production, the prize packages usually include a bunch of tech and software. That’s cool, I guess. But if you’re entering a screenwriting contest, you probably already have the software.
The real prize is the trip to Los Angeles (assuming the world isn't in a state of chaos) and the meetings. The "Awards Gala" is one of the few places where an unproduced writer can stand in a room with industry heavyweights and not feel like they’re trespassing.
I’ve talked to several semi-finalists who said the biggest benefit wasn't the "win" itself, but the networking with other writers in the Top 10. Hollywood is a game of who you know, and sometimes your fellow "losers" in a contest end up being the people who hire you three years later when they get a staff writing job.
Is Your Script Actually Ready?
Most people enter way too early.
They finish a third draft, feel a rush of dopamine, and spend $70 to enter the Big Break Screenplay Contest. Big mistake.
A "finished" script is usually draft seven or eight. It has been read by people who aren't your mom. It has been polished until the dialogue doesn't sound like a textbook. If you haven't reached the point where you're sick of looking at your own characters, you probably aren't ready for a major competition.
The competition is fierce. You aren't just competing against hobbyists. You're competing against people who have been "close" for years, people who have had options but no greenlights, and people who write for eight hours a day.
Navigating the Deadlines
The deadlines are a bit of a moving target, but they generally follow a standard seasonal flow.
- Early Bird: This is the cheapest. It's usually in the spring. If you're confident in your script, enter now.
- Regular: Mid-summer. Most people enter here because they're procrastinators.
- Late/Last Chance: Late summer/early fall. This is where Final Draft makes its money. The fees jump significantly.
If you're rushing to meet a late deadline, you're probably not turning in your best work. Don't let the ticking clock force you into submitting a sloppy draft. There’s always next year. Seriously. The contest isn't going anywhere.
The Significance of the "Top 10"
Getting into the Top 10 of the Big Break Screenplay Contest is arguably more important than actually winning the top spot.
Why? Because managers look at the Top 10 lists like a shopping catalog. They might find the winner's script too "artsy" or too expensive to produce, but the person who placed 4th might have a tight, $5 million horror script that is incredibly sellable.
In the eyes of the industry, being a "Finalist" in Big Break is a legitimate credential. You can put that in your query letters. You can put that on your IMDb Pro page. It helps clear the first hurdle of "Can this person actually write a coherent scene?"
Common Pitfalls for Applicants
I see it every year. Writers think they can "game" the system. They write something specifically for what they think the judges want.
Bad idea.
The judges change. Trends change. By the time you write a "prestige biopic" because you think that's what wins, the industry has moved on to "elevated slashers." Write the story you actually care about. That passion is what makes a script stand out from the thousands of "technically proficient but boring" entries that flood the Big Break Screenplay Contest every season.
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Another mistake? Ignoring formatting.
It sounds petty, but if your script has "widows and orphans" or weird margins, it signals to the reader that you’re an amateur. Since it's a Final Draft contest, they expect you to know how to use the software. Use the "Reformat" tool. Check your page count. If your feature is 145 pages, you’re basically asking the reader to hate you before they finish the first act.
Actionable Steps for Your Entry
If you're serious about the Big Break Screenplay Contest, stop thinking about it as a "contest" and start thinking about it as a product launch.
- Perform a "Table Read" first. Gather a few friends, buy some pizza, and make them read your script out loud. You will hear every clunky line and every pacing issue. It’s painful, but necessary.
- Polish the first ten pages. Most readers decide if a script is "good" or "bad" by page ten. If your hook isn't in by page five, you're already in trouble.
- Get a "Coverage" check. Before you pay the contest fee, pay a reputable coverage service (like The Black List or a private consultant) to give you a cold read. If they find major plot holes, fix them before Big Break sees them.
- Double-check your category. Don't put your "Dramedy" in the "Comedy" section if it only has two jokes. You’ll get penalized for "tonal inconsistency."
- Prepare your "Marketing Materials." If you make the Top 10, people will ask for your logline, your bio, and your "pitch." Have these ready before you enter.
Winning a contest is a marathon, not a sprint. The Big Break Screenplay Contest is a prestigious platform, but it’s just one piece of the puzzle. Keep writing. Keep submitting. And most importantly, keep your expectations grounded in the reality of a very crowded, very loud industry.
The industry doesn't owe you anything for a win, but it will give you a seat at the table. What you do once you're sitting there is entirely up to you. Focus on the craft, ensure your script is undeniably professional, and use the momentum of a placement to push into the next phase of your career.