3 Easy Tips That Will Give You a Better Chance in Screenwriting Contests

Elliot Grove founded Raindance Film Festival in 1993 and the British Independent Film Awards in 1998, starting with what he calls a simple question: "Can you make movies without any experience, any training, or any money?”

Raindance is the U.K.’s largest independent film festival. Around 90% of the films screening in competition are debut features, and they prioritize first- and second-time filmmakers.

Grove has produced over 700 short films and seven features, written three books that became industry standards, and also has a PhD in film education. He's someone who knows what he wants to see on the pages of a screenplay.

Lots of us are entering script competitions in the hopes of getting discovered or produced, and we’ll take any advice we can to help stand out. A couple of years ago, Grove spoke with CELTX and gave the following advice.

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Give Your Script a Unique Title

Grove says that before submitting any script, you should check if your script’s title matches an existing movie title. If the answer is yes, change the title.

A quick Google search can save you from looking like you didn’t do your homework. Plus, having a distinctive title gives your script its own identity from the moment someone sees it on a coverage list or in a submission pile.

Be Entertaining From the Start

Your script needs to engage readers from the first line and keep them hooked until the end.

In my work, I always try to have something happen on page one, whether it’s a unique image, a surprising line, or a bit of action that sets the tone. Sometimes that first page is all a reader will give you—so come up with a hook that will make them keep going.

This doesn’t mean you need explosions right away. It could be a character doing something unexpected, dialogue that reveals conflict, or even just an intriguing visual that makes the reader curious about what comes next. The key is establishing momentum immediately.

Broadly, if you don’t have some drive or clear direction in your story, the reader has no reason to keep going. It should be clear early on what your characters are working against and where they’re going. Their struggles are what create the connection to the reader.

Grove reminds us that audiences remember emotion more than images, so write strong emotional scenes and avoid obvious or on-the-nose dialogue. Use subtext to convey meaning, allowing the audience to read between the lines.

Avoid Over-Explaining

Generally, you don't want to explain the way the script should be shot or how the actors should act. For some readers, these directions are going to stick out like a sore thumb when we should be focused on your story instead.

Those types of things can be inferred from what your script focuses on visually, how your characters speak, and the rhythm and pacing of the scene. Let the story and emotions speak for themselves without heavy-handed exposition or direction.

Trust your reader to understand what you’re trying to convey. If a character is angry, show it through their actions and dialogue rather than writing something like, "EXTREME CLOSE-UP on John’s fists. CUT TO a reaction shot of his angry face. The camera slowly zooms in. He’s furious." Boo!

If you want a close-up on someone’s reaction, make that moment important enough that any director would naturally want to focus on it. Your job as a screenwriter is to tell the story, not direct the movie on paper.