Submission deadline
The next call for submissions will open on June 11, 2013 after an announcement at the Banff World Media Festival, with a deadline of August 16, 2013.
What is Script to Screen?
Script to Screen is a writer-oriented development program funded by Movie Central and delivered by the National Screen Institute.
The program is designed to provide emerging and established screenwriters with the financial and creative tools to develop audience-friendly feature film concepts.
The program will identify up to five gifted writers and help shape their ideas from the early stages of development through to a polished, production-ready script with viable market interest.
Movie Central would like to encourage writers to submit family feature film proposals. To support this initiative, one of the five awards will go to a family-oriented project.
Please note: the call is only open to the first 200 complete submissions. Keep an eye on this page to track where we are at with the number of submissions.
How it works
Successful applicants will receive a development advance of up to $50,000 which will be spread across the treatment, first draft and final draft stages.
The development process will span a year from the signing of the agreement to a polished script.
Writers need to submit their creative materials at each phase to a representative from Movie Central and NSI for creative feedback and approval before moving to the next phase.
Only projects that demonstrate progress and potential will, at the discretion of Movie Central and NSI, advance to the next phase.
Throughout the development phase writers will report to and be mentored by Melissa Kajpust, director of programming at the National Screen Institute.
During the final development phase writers will receive assistance in creating market interest. Movie Central and NSI will work with the writers towards attaching producers and distributors for those who do not already have them attached.
Movie Central shall be granted a first right of negotiation with respect to any production based upon all or part of the script funded under the program.
What we look for
When reviewing submissions we’re looking for top-quality, audience-friendly, entertaining, unique and dynamic projects that will be a hit with Movie Central viewers.
Eligibility
The fund seeks to identify talented writers who have demonstrated their creative abilities in the craft. Both union and non-union screenwriters are welcome to apply.
Submission requirements
- Completed application form
- Logline
- Synopsis. No more than one page. Must include the ending.
- 12 to 15 page treatment (a treatment is a scene-by-scene description of the screen story written in prose with little or no dialogue). Treatments over 15 pages will not be considered.
- 3 to 5 page sample scene or scene sequence from the story. Must be written in standard screenplay format.
- Writer’s CV
- Applications must be submitted as one PDF document. This means you must combine the separate documents (logline, synopsis, treatment, sample scenes and writer’s CV) into one PDF.
Guidelines
- Concepts must be the original work of one writer, or the collaborative work of two writers, and must be written in English.
- Concepts must be feature in length (with a minimum final running time of 75 minutes).
- Projects must be narrative (experimental or documentary films are not eligible).
- The applicant must be a Canadian citizen or landed immigrant.
- All genres are acceptable.
- Applicants may only apply with one project.
- Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible.
- All applications must be complete and received on or before the day of the deadline to be eligible for consideration.
- Incomplete applications will not be considered.
- The selection committee’s decision is final.
- The project must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, standards and policies including any requirements in respect of broadcasting and intellectual property, and it will not infringe upon any public or private rights and will not otherwise contravene any civil and criminal laws in effect.
- The funding is available in the form of a development advance and is to be reimbursed on the first day of principal photography.
Timeline
- Call for submissions opens June 11, 2013
- Deadline for submissions is August 16, 2013 at 4 p.m. CT
- Five selected applicants will be notified in mid-November 2013
- Course culminates January 15, 2014
Questions
All questions should be emailed to script2screen@nsi-canada.ca
