Write a Screenplay!

Screenwriters! Austin Film Meet’s Short Film Challenge focuses on producing high-quality, narrative short films and your screenplay could be next!

What kind of screenplays are you looking for?

We seek short screenplays of any genre designed to be produced by our small crew with small casts of locally-based actors for almost no budget using only in-kind resources, community support and collaborative creativity for production. We want compelling stories with interesting, dynamic characters who have clear objectives and emotional conflict. We want characters that audiences love. We want to show, not tell. We love stories that make people feel a little better about the world, humankind and ourselves. You can do this!

How many pages/actors/locations do you want?

For the Short Film Challenge, we want short narrative screenplays of any genre ideally not exceeding 8 pages, although you may submit longer screenplays. Shorter screenplays have a higher likelihood of being produced. A good guideline is the 12 point rule: Count each page, actor and location as 1 point and do not exceed 12 points. Less is definitely more!

Is there anything you do NOT want?

In an effort to keep our projects safe to produce, easy to promote, and not too complicated, we prefer to avoid a few things: 

Political propaganda or campaigning. Excessive or gratuitous on-camera violence. Overtly sexual content or extraneous sexual nudity. Dangerous stunts or complicated fight scenes. Complicated or time-consuming special effects. On-camera real-life explosions or actual fires - candles excluded. Cussing, offensive language or messages of hate – we are spreading love here, people!

Please don't feel discouraged. There are plenty of original stories that need to be told that do not involve any of the above. YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Anything else I should consider?

Some things are acceptable but require special attention or extra effort beyond the standard shooting process. We call these "SPECIAL THINGS" and encourage filmmakers to keep them limited to ONLY ONE special thing. If your screenplay has more, it's ok, but less is better.

Examples of Special Things:

Child actors. Animals. Realistic weapons. Specialized vehicles. Specialized or hard-to-find locations. Airplane or train or moving bus. Shooting inside a moving vehicle - parked vehicles are fine. Simple fight scenes or stunt. Scenes that require lots of extras. Elaborate costumes, prosthetics, or special effects makeup. Complicated or time-consuming visual effects.

How do I know if my screenplay is being considered by a Director or Producer?

If your screenplay is selected, you will be contacted by a Producer and/or Director who may ask you to make changes. You are not required to make any changes, but since filmmaking is a collaborative art form, we encourage you to remain open-minded. After the Writer, Producer and Director, complete changes and agree on a final screenplay, Pre-production can begin.

I submitted a screenplay a while ago. Is it still being considered?

Yes! Screenplay submissions remain in the database indefinitely until selected. If you wish to withdraw your screenplay from consideration, please email me@austinfilmmeet.com.

If my screenplay is made, can I sell it or make it myself?

You may produce or sell any version of your script that is significantly different from the version that Austin Film Meet produces.

Anything else?

By submitting your screenplay, you agree to the following:

You are the sole owner and creator of the submitted content.
Austin Film Meet may share that screenplay with our members and Short Film Challenge participants.
You will withdraw your screenplay should it become optioned or scheduled for production not in our program.
Austin Film Meet may perform a table read of your screenplay.
Austin Film Meet may use your screenplay for educational purposes.

What do I need to submit my screenplay?

You will need to include a log line, a list of characters with short descriptions, number of locations and your PDF screenplay. Be sure to include a title page with your contact info. Please submit your screenplays via the button link below or go here.