$6,000 in Cash + Live Table Read + Consideration for Development
An Unparalleled Table Read Experience
With a professional table read, the Grand Prize Winner will gain insight into their script from a working director and trained actors as it is rehearsed and performed, then showcased for an audience. This is how Oscar-winning writers tighten their story, sharpen their dialogue and fine tune pacing, character and other important elements of their latest projects. Past winners have been staffed, premiered at Cannes and been nominated for an Oscar among other successes.
Six Genre Winners will receive $1000 cash each and meet with an exec from UTA, Gramercy Park, 120E Films, Circle of Confusion and more to be announced.
Consideration for Development
Our trusted partners at Legion M will read the top 4 scripts, and they may be considered for potential development. The winner of FilmScout will get a one-hour general meeting with Legion M Development Executives.
Over the past 6 years Legion M has united more than 35,000 investors and a worldwide community of 150,000+ film and TV lovers to develop, finance and produce a diverse slate of feature films, TV, digital content, consumer products, live events, comic books, podcasts, and more. Some of their projects include DEFIANT, SAVE YOURSELVES, COLOSSAL, MANDY, TOLKIEN, JAY AND SILENT BOB REBOOT and more.
General Meetings with Industry Pros
6 Genre Winners will meet with agents, managers, producers and execs.
This season's industry pros include:
Zach Cox - Manager, Circle of Confusion
Liska Ostojic - Head of Development, 120E Film
Megan Spanjian - Creative Development and Television Packaging, United Talent Agency
Mitchell Bendersky - Manager, Gramercy Park Entertainment
More to be announced soon.
Past Seasons Mentors Have Included Execs From:
Accepting Features, TV Pilots, Shorts & Web Series
in 6 Genre Categories
Action / Adventure
Comedy
Drama
Historical / Biopic
Horror / Sci-Fi
Mystery / Crime / Thriller
Prizes
(Features & TV Pilots)
1 Grand Prize
Winner
(Selected From Genre Winners)
Table Read
Experience a table read of your script with a professional director and actors.
Roundtable with Industry Executives
Participate in a roundtable discussion with the director, actors and industry execs following your table read. Learn More
ISA Development Slate Acceptance
Development Slate writers are championed to top agents, managers and producing contacts. Learn More
Pitch Practice & Guidance
This includes revision notes on the winning script and advice on pitch deck creation. Learn More
Industry Insight
Receive access to our industry contacts' current mandates plus development of a personalized producer outreach plan.
12-Year Copyright
Provided by Creators Vault
Professionally Designed Poster
Plus Genre Winners' Prizes
6 Genre
Winners
(Features / TV Pilots)
$1000 Cash Each
1 General Meeting with an Agent, Manager or Executive
ISA Development Slate Consideration
ISAConnect Membership
12 months full access to the most comprehensive platform for screenwriters Learn More
Script Studio
Copy of the ultimate writer's toolbox, Script Studio
ScreenwriteNOW's "The Episode"
"The Episode" is a consulting package that identifies your blocks, clears the path, gets you focused into your writing rhythm & flow, fast. Learn a technique that clears the underlying issue of writer's block, stress. 2, 1-hour private video chat sessions included. Learn More
8-Year Copyright
Provided by Creators Vault
Consideration for Grand Prize
1 of the 6 Genre Winners will be selected as the Grand Prize Winner
1-Year WrapPro Membership
$150 value provided by The Wrap
Legion M Film
Scout Award
Top 16 Featured on Film Scout
The Top 16 (6 Genre Winners + 10 more) will be showcased on the Legion M Film Scout App.
Top 4 Read by Legion M Development Execs and May Be Considered for Production
Film Scout users will vote on projects based on the logline and synopsis. The Top 4 will then be read by Legion M Development Executives and may be considered for development.
Legion M Film Scout Award
Top winner will receive a one-hour general meeting with Legion M Development Executives.
Prizes
(Shorts & Web Series)
1 Short / Web Series Grand Prize Winner
$750 Cash
Recorded Performance of Your Script with Professional Actors
published on the Curious About Screenwriting Podcast Network
ISA Development Slate Consideration
Script Studio
Copy of the ultimate writer’s toolbox, Script Studio
12-Year Copyright
Provided by Creators Vault
1-Year WrapPro Membership
$150 value provided by The Wrap
Table Read Winner Success
TRMS Winner Staffed By Major Networks
After winning TRMS, Elaine Loh was announced as one of ISA's Top 25 Screenwriters to Watch. She has since been accepted into the HBO Access Writers Program, and staffed on the reboot of Gossip Girl for HBO Max. She was recently promoted to Story Editor on Dynasty for the CW.
TRMS Winner Gains Representation
Since winning TRMS, Derek Asaff has been signed by Lee Stobby Entertainment and was accepted into the Universal Writers Program. His competition-winning script THE WHEELMAN was optioned to Sony and Original FiIm.
TRMS Winning Short Premieres at Cannes
Denise Meyers Table Read-Winning script, The Dark of Night, directed by Robin Wright and starring Sam Rockwell and Leslie Bibb, is now a film and had its red carpet premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. Meyers also optioned three projects with actor and producer Jay Ellis, who stars as Lawrence on HBO’S Insecure, and his producing partner, Aaron Bergman.
TRMS Winner Hired After Table Read Event
After attending her winning table read, ROTU Entertainment hired Shane Elizabeth to write a script for their VR game and serve as a Script Supervisor during production. She was also hired by Datura Studios to write a biopic feature.
Unparalleled Career Development
As the Grand Prize Winner, you'll be considered for acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate where our team will get you and your script in front of producers, agents and managers. All 6 Genre Winners will also be considered for the ISA Development Slate.
Over 80 scripts from ISA Development Slate writers have been produced, optioned or sold.
Our industry partners include:
Professionally Designed Movie Poster
The Grand Prize Winner will receive a poster of their script for use in lookbooks, pitch packets and more.
Posters for past winning scripts include:
“Winning Table Read…changed the trajectory of my career and amplified my hard work in ways both wonderful and unexpected. I’ve pushed deep into the space where my writing goals have been – I found some amazing representation at Magnet Management and been hired to write two TV movies.”
~R.B. RIPLEY (TRMS NEW ORLEANS)
Deadlines
Mega Early: March 17th
Features/Pilots - $29
Shorts/Web Series - $19
Early: April 7th
Features/Pilots - $39
Shorts/Web Series - $24
Regular: May 5th
Features/Pilots - $49
Shorts/Web Series - $34
Final: May 26th
Features/Pilots - $69
Shorts/Web Series - $39
Announcements
Features & TV Pilots
Quarter-Finalists
June 23rd
Semi-Finalists - Top 100
July 5th
Top 10 of Each Genre
July 26th
Genre Winners
August 16th
Feature/TV Pilot Grand Prize Winner
August 16th
Shorts & Web Series
Top 25
July 5th
Top 10
July 26th
Short Grand Prize Winner
August 16th
- This contest is open to anyone except all employees, judges, directors, associates, and immediate families of the TABLE READ MY SCREENPLAY (TRMS) Contest.
- The writer is under no obligation to participate in the contest and understands that it is not a guarantee or expectation of employment.
- We do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or disability. It is our intention that all qualified submissions be given equal opportunity and that selection decisions are based on script-related factors alone.
- Up to two scripts may be entered on one entry form. Additional scripts can be entered through an additional entry form.
- Promotional discounts offered may only be utilized at the time of submission, and no partial refund for a promotional code may be issued after an entry has been officially submitted.
- Once material has been entered, no substitutions of new drafts or corrections will be considered after 24 hours from original submission time and date have passed. After this time the writer may complete a new entry form and pay the appropriate entry fee to submit a revised version of their script.
- Loglines may be changed once during the competition by e-mailing info@tablereadmyscreenplay.com with a revised logline; the writer must include the Title and Date of the original submission in the body of the e-mail along with the logline.
- Feedback is a separate service with an additional fee, and unless specifically part of a promotion, is not an expected part of any entry. Feedback is in no way tied to contest placement.
- The writer understands that feedback, whether paid or received as part of a promotion, can take 90 days or more to be returned, and may not be received before the end of the contest. TRMS will make all attempts to return feedback as soon as possible.
- TRMS does not provide notes and/or scoring with every entry.
- Grand Prize Winners from previous TRMS seasons may submit again, provided the contest city is not the same for which they previously won, and they must submit a new screenplay to be eligible.
- Previous Shorts Prize Winners may enter a feature/pilot to any contest. If a writer wins the Grand Prize in two cities they may no longer submit.
- Those who have placed as a Top 10 or Category Winner three times with three separate screenplays are ineligible to submit in any future contest season.
- If two or more of a writers scripts place in the same prize category, they will be eligible for only one set of those prizes.
- International writers are eligible to participate in the contest, as long as their participation is not prevented by law in either country.
- Adaptations from other works are permissible provided the writer has written permission to adapt the work from the original source.
- Adaptations of works in the public domain are permissible, however the writer assumes all responsibility assuring copyright status.
- Collaborative work is eligible; the writers are responsible for the distribution of the contest prize(s). Only one pass and airfare & hotel for a single writer will be awarded to the Grand Prize Winner.
- Writers under the age of 18 years old must have parent or legal guardian’s permission to participate.
- The script and any related materials must not be in a current option agreement, and/or may not have been previously sold or produced for profit.
- The writer understands and accepts without reservation that they are an independent contractor and that the contest administrators and sponsors are not responsible for withholding any taxes or payments on prize money to any government agency, at any level, be it local, state, or federal.
- The writer understands that it is their sole responsibility to register material with the U.S. Copyright Office and/or with the Writers Guild of America West or the appropriate agency in his/her country.
- The writer must retain at least one copy of the submitted material and understands that any material we receive cannot and will not be returned under any circumstances.
- Script Length Guidelines: Feature – (70 – 120 pages), TV Pilots – (10 – 70 pages), Shorts – (1 – 45 pages), Web Series Pilots (1-20 pages)
- Scripts longer than recommended length will still be considered for the contest and will not be disqualified.
- If a screenplay is submitted for feedback and is over 120 pages, an additional service fee of $1 per page will apply; the writer will be invoiced separately for the fee. If the writer does not wish to pay an additional fee, the Feedback Reader will be instructed to read the first 120 pages only.
- All entries must be received by Final Deadline. TRMS reserves the right to extend the contest deadline up to 90 days.
- TRMS is not responsible for late, lost, unacceptably formatted, corrupt, or incorrect submissions, and may not be able to honor such entries.
- The writer may submit their screenplay to any other person, contest, producer, agent, publisher, and/or organization.
- The writer retains all rights to their screenplay, subject to the terms and agreements contained herein.
- The writer assures that to the best of their knowledge they have the legal right to submit it for judging to TRMS.
- The writer understands that their logline and/or screenplay will be reviewed by ISA and TRMS employees and/or our panel of Industry Judges for evaluation. The writer also understands that any one of these employees or judges may have been or may be exploring ideas similar to those contained in scripts they read, and hereby waives any claim that TRMS, its employees or judges may have misappropriated any ideas or portions of their submission logline or script.
- No agreement for compensation, other than the TRMS prizes listed, has been implied.
- Confirmation of entry will be received once a script is submitted with an entry form and completed with an entry fee through our payment vendor. The writer must provide a valid e-mail address with entry; if an email address should change after submission, it is the writer’s responsibility to let us know.
- The writer understands that the ISA and TRMS will be free to use their name, likeness and voice for advertising or promotional purposes without additional consideration, should the writer make it past the first round.
- All winners agree to give permission to the ISA, TRMS and other sponsors for associated contest audio and video recordings of the Table Read and other events to be used on websites and social media platforms.
- TRMS reserves the right to award a cash prize at its discretion. The Winner is under no obligation to accept the associated prizes but will not be awarded or owed a cash replacement upon electing not to move forward with prizes offered.
- TRMS may develop a series or documentary style program based on the inner workings of the contest and the production resulting there from. TRMS reserves the right to contact the writer with offers to participate in any such production. The writer is under no obligation to participate therein.
- All Grand Prize, Top 10 and Semifinalist choices are made at the express decision of TRMS, and once made are considered final. The writer agrees to accept without reservation the decisions rendered by the judges.
- There are no refunds for submissions at any time for any reason.
- TRMS has the right to change or add to the prizes at any time, without notice, and/or substitute prizes of equal or lesser value.
- Additional rules may be amended at the sole discretion of TRMS.
- By submitting to this contest, your email address will be added to the contest database as well as the International Screenwriters' Association newsletter for weekly updates, contest promotions and other notifications. You may unsubscribe at any time.
- It is our full intention to fulfill all prizes as posted. However, due to any unlikely “force majeure” event (whether an act of God or otherwise), we reserve the right to update or edit prizes in our sole and absolute discretion, including, without limitation, the right to move any prizes and/or packages to an online format.
- By selecting ‘I have Read and Understand the Contest Rules’ on the entry page and submitting, the writer agrees to all of these rules.