Do you have a dynamic short story?
As seen in Variety:
This short story challenge is open to original short stories of any genre that can captivate the reader in no more than 50 pages.
The winning short story will be granted a prize of $7000!
Projects From Josephson Entertainment
How It Works:
Josephson Entertainment, the production company behind Disney’s ENCHANTED franchise and FOX’s long-running drama series BONES, is partnering with Roadmap Writers to launch a dedicated competition to identify commercial short stories to bring to market for television or feature film adaptation. A grand prize of $7000 will be awarded to the winner.
- Authors can submit exclusively on the Roadmap Writer's website. Submissions open now through June 14 th, 2024.
- The stories submitted should be no longer than 50 pages and can be of any genre.
- In addition to the short story, authors are requested to submit a 1-page personal statement that expresses their personal brand, why they applied, and the inspiration for their short.
- There is no limit on the number of submissions, but every entry requires a separate submission fee.
- All submissions are final.
- The winner of the $7000 grand prize will enter into an option with Josephson Entertainment for a period of 24 months. They are only optioning the short story with any further development of said story to be done independent of the writer.
Pricing & Deadline:
Submit opens: May 6th, 2024
Submission Deadline: June 14th, 2024 | $35
deadline is 11:59 pm PT
Winner Announcements:
Quarterfinalists | July 22nd, 2024
Semifinalists | August 19th, 2024
Finalists | September 9th, 2024
Grand Prize Winner I October 14th, 2024
*dates are subject to change*
About
ROADMAP WRITERS
Founded by Joey Tuccio and Dorian Connelley in 2016, Roadmap is an L.A.-based screenwriting education and training platform that is dedicated to writers seeking a guided path to professional success in film and TV. Led by working executives, managers, agents, producers, writers, and other industry professionals, their classes take place exclusively online and are designed to empower writers to elevate their craft while expanding their network. Roadmap has helped over 390 writers sign with representation to date, while guiding some directly toward work in the industry. Writers signed through the program to the likes of Kaplan/Perrone, Echo Lake, Good Fear, Anonymous Content, 3 Arts, Artists First, Industry Entertainment, Fourth Wall Management, and CAA, with some going on to staff on shows like Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies (Paramount+), Reacher (Amazon), Fubar (Netflix), The Flash (CW), We Were Liars (Amazon), and The Resident (Fox).
JOSEPHSON ENTERTAINMENT
Josephson is currently producing the feature musical adaptation of KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN, starring Jennifer Lopez and Diego Luna. The film, based on the 1993 Broadway Musical, is written and directed by Bill Condon. Josephson has also acquired the rights to David King's gripping historical account “The Trial of Adolf Hitler,” with an eye to develop the critically acclaimed novel into a limited series.
Judging:
Josephson’s development executives Christian Bersani and Kelsi Fleming will serve as the jury for the competition; an initiative overseen by the company’s Founder Barry Josephson and the company's President, D. Matt Geller. Josephson Entertainment also annually supports The Austin Film Festival by giving out a writing fellowship in film and television.
Rules:
Scoring
Submissions will be judged by independent industry experts based on the following criteria. The below explanations of each criterion is by no means an exhaustive list, but just an example of some of the questions readers and judges consider in each category. Some criteria may not pertain to all genres/sub-genres.
Premise/Concept
Is it unique/original? Is it a new spin on a familiar story? Does it include a unique perspective from its protagonist? Do the actions and obstacles advance the story?
Characters
Are the characters well developed? Is their purpose or struggle clearly identifiable? Do they have a clear and complete arc? Are they multi-layered? Are the characters relatable or accessible to the reader?
Story
Is the story compelling? Does it serve to drive the characters and events forward in a meaningful way? Does it emphasize a deeper theme? Does the story explore new ideas? Is the story timely? Does it touch on things that are part of the zeitgeist?
Structure
Does the story have a clear beginning, middle, and end? Is it clear where the main plot turns are?
Voice/Style
Does the writer use interesting word choice and sentence structure? Do they have a unique way to view and relay what’s happening in the story? Does the writer present/have a unique perspective?
Marketability
Is this a project which meets today's market demands?
Why Should I Enter?
Roadmap Writers has helped over 390 writers and authors get signed, staffed, optioned, hired, and produced. We are excited to bring that same focus on finding vetting talent for this competition.
Having short stories that can be adapted into features, TV shows, and other visual means is becoming an increasingly popular option for sourcing talent. With a grand prize of $7000 and an option agreement, the Josephson Entertainment + Roadmap Writers Short Story Competition provides a unique avenue through which to have your material further developed.
What Do I Submit?
Submit a short story of no more than 50 pages along with your logline, bio, and 1-page personal statement, via the submission link above. All entries are final and no substitutions will be allowed.