Shore Scripts Short Film Fund

Contest · 2026Prestige 55/100Feedback included

Short-script production fund: a US$15,000 grant to produce one winning short screenplay, plus US$4,000 finishing funds.

Deadlines & fees

Fall Season — EarlyNext deadline
20 Aug 2026Europe/London$39
Fall Season — Regular
30 Sept 2026Europe/London$49
Fall Season — Final
30 Oct 2026Europe/London$59

Dates and fees checked against the official site 14 Jul 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: 30 pages
Required materials: Short screenplay PDF, 12-point Courier, title only on cover · Finishing funds: a link to a rough cut or footage that does not require a download

Open worldwide; scripts must be written in English (the winning short may be filmed anywhere, with English subtitles if needed). Each writer or team must not have earned more than US$50,000 in screenwriting fees in the preceding 12 months. All ages may enter, but funds transfer to a legal adult or business account. Past Grand Prize, 2nd Place and Finishing Funds winners are ineligible; proof-of-concept shorts for scripts that won Shore's Feature or TV contests are ineligible. Title only on the cover page.

Prizes

A US$15,000 cash production grant for one short script and US$4,000 finishing funds for one short in post-production, plus free ARRI camera rental, mentorship from producer Maria Gracia Turgeon, a festival strategy package from Tribeca programmer Kimberley Browning, script development and production support, and an Executive Producer credit for Shore.

Judging

Award-winning judges including filmmakers, festival programmers and former winners choose the Grand Prize; the Shore team chooses the Finishing Funds winner. Rounds run to Semi-Finalists, Finalists and Winners.

The PreList verdict

This is the rare screenwriting prize that ends with a film. The Short Film Fund pays a US$15,000 production grant plus US$4,000 in finishing funds to actually make the winning short, with kit support and mentorship attached. For a short-form writer, that beats any laurel: you end the process with a produced film you can send to festivals, not just a certificate.

The honest part: one script gets made per season, so the odds are steep, and the fee ladder (US$39 to US$59) is money down on a long shot. Production also means surrendering some control: your short becomes a collaboration, which is the point but not for everyone.

Enter if you have a short script that is genuinely producible at this scale, visual and contained, and you would rather see it made than win a certificate. Skip it if the script is really a feature audition piece; enter it somewhere the script itself is the product. The fall season opens on 15 July, with deadlines on 20 August, 30 September and 30 October 2026.

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

Frequently asked questions

What does the Short Film Fund winner receive?

A US$15,000 cash production grant plus a US$4,000 finishing funds grant, with equipment support and mentorship through the production of the winning short.

When can I enter?

The fall 2026 season opens on 15 July, with an early deadline of 20 August (US$39), regular of 30 September (US$49) and final of 30 October (US$59). A spring season runs each year on the same fee tiers.

What kind of scripts win?

Shorts that can actually be produced at the fund's budget level: contained, visual stories rather than sprawling spectacle. If your short is really a calling card for a feature, a script-first contest may serve it better.