NYC Midnight Screenwriting Challenge
Contest · 2026Prestige 42/100Feedback included
Global prompt-based contest: short screenplays against tight deadlines over three rounds, with feedback on every entry.
Deadlines & fees
Closed for this cycle
The 2026 challenge (the 23rd annual) finished with final round results on 29 July 2026, and no 2027 dates have been published. It has run every calendar year without a gap, always in three rounds, with entries closing in February and final results landing late July or August. The early-bird entry deadline falls in the first week or two of January, which is the moment to watch. One caution: the start date has moved earlier every single year (24 March 2023, 15 March 2024, 21 February 2025, 13 February 2026), so treat February as the shape rather than assuming a repeating date.
Dates and fees checked against the official site 10 Aug 2026.
Key facts
- Formats
- Short
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Family, Fantasy, History, Horror, Music, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sport, Thriller, War, Western
- Page limit
- 10 pages
- Required materials
- Original short screenplay PDF within the round's page limit · Submitted via the NYC Midnight portal during the assigned window
Open to screenwriters worldwide. Writers are placed in randomly assigned groups and given a genre, subject and character prompt each round, and retain all rights to their work.
Prizes
Over US$14,000 in total cash and prizes, with US$5,000 to first place, plus screenwriting software and an industry consultation in the prize package.
Judging
Three rounds: Round 1 (8 days, up to 10 pages), Round 2 (3 days, up to 7 pages) for the top five per group, and a Final Round (24 hours, up to 5 pages) for the top three per group. Judges provide written feedback on every submission; a peer review forum is also available.
The PreList verdict
This is less a contest than a writing gauntlet. You are assigned a genre, a subject and a character, then write to a hard deadline across three tightening rounds: eight days for ten pages, three days for seven, then twenty-four hours for five. Judges give written feedback on every single submission, you keep all rights to everything you write, and a share of the entry fees goes to charity.
The honest part: this is craft and community, not industry access. More than 1,300 writers took part in the 2026 edition, and while the pot runs above US$14,000 with US$5,000 to first place, no manager is reading your second-round entry. If what you want is representation, an option or a produced credit, you are holding the wrong instrument.
Enter if you write better under pressure, want genuine deadline practice, or have stalled on a long project and need something that forces pages out of you. The 2026 edition ran from February to June with final results announced on 29 July 2026, and the next edition has not yet been dated.
Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 7 Sept 2026
Frequently asked questions
How do the rounds work?
Three rounds against tightening deadlines: eight days for a ten-page screenplay, three days for seven pages, then twenty-four hours for five. Each round assigns a genre, subject and character to a randomly allocated group.
Do I get feedback, and do I keep my rights?
Yes to both. Judges provide feedback on every submission, there is a community forum for peer reviews, and writers retain all rights to their work.
Is it open now?
No. Registration for the 2026 edition has closed and final results were announced on 29 July 2026. The next edition has not been dated.
Is your script right for NYC Midnight Screenwriting Challenge?
Upload your screenplay and The PreList scores how well it fits this contest: genre, format, eligibility and readiness, before you spend anything.
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For organisers
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