Shore Scripts Feature Screenplay Contest

Contest · 2026Prestige 60/100Feedback included

UK-based feature comp with $5,000 grand prize, mentorship from Debbie Berman (Black Panther, Captain Marvel), and industry circulation.

Official site ↗

Deadlines & fees

EarlyPassed
29 May 2026Europe/London$59
RegularNext deadline
14 Jul 2026Europe/London$69
Final
28 Aug 2026Europe/London$79

Dates and fees checked against the official site 14 Jul 2026.

Key facts

Formats: Feature
Genres: Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Family, Fantasy, History, Horror, Music, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sport, Thriller, War, Western
Page limit: 120 pages
Required materials: PDF of the screenplay · Title page with script title only (no author name)

Open internationally to writers of any age. Scripts must be original or adaptations where the writer owns the underlying copyright. Earnings cap: writers cannot have earned more than $50,000 in screenwriting fees in the 18 months preceding submission (excluding contest awards and non-fiction work). Scripts must be in English. Ideal page range 80 to 120; overages permitted up to 150 pages with a $1 per page surcharge above 120.

Prizes

Grand Prize: $5,000 cash, a mentorship call with Debbie Berman (Black Panther, Captain Marvel, Spider-Man: Homecoming), one-to-one writer development, and circulation of the script to Shore Scripts' industry roster. Second Place: $1,000 plus development support. Third Place: $500 plus development support. Top 10 Finalists also receive development support.

Judging

Three announcement rounds: Quarter-Finalists on 6 October, Semi-Finalists on 13 November, and Winners and Top 10 Finalists on 9 December. Judges include Shore Scripts development staff and external industry readers.

The PreList verdict

Shore Scripts has quietly become one of the more writer-respected mid-tier contests, and for UK and European writers it has a particular pull: it is UK-based, internationally judged, and its winners get circulated to a network of production companies, managers and agents rather than just a press release. The prize money is modest (US$5,000 at the top) but the mentorship attached to recent editions has been genuinely good.

The honest part: it sits a tier below Nicholl, Austin and PAGE in industry recognition, and the maths of any large contest still applies: most entrants get a decline and no notes unless they pay for feedback. The fee ladder is gentler than the majors, US$59 to US$79 by deadline, which makes it a reasonable second entry rather than a replacement for the top tier.

Enter if you want a credible laurel plus circulation without US-major fees, especially if you are outside the US. Skip it if your budget only stretches to one entry this year; spend that on the biggest contest your script honestly fits. The regular deadline is 14 July and the final deadline 28 August, with winners announced on 9 December.

Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 14 Jul 2026

Frequently asked questions

What are the Shore Scripts Feature Contest deadlines for 2026?

The early deadline was 29 May (US$59), the regular deadline is 14 July (US$69) and the final deadline is 28 August 2026 (US$79). Winners are announced on 9 December.

What do winners receive?

A US$5,000 grand prize, with US$1,000 for second and US$500 for third, plus mentorship and circulation of winning scripts to Shore's network of production companies, managers and agents.

Is Shore Scripts good for writers outside the US?

Yes. It is UK-based and open worldwide, and its industry network spans both sides of the Atlantic, which makes it one of the stronger mid-tier options for UK and European writers.