Our Winners Work!

The Fade In Awards deliver by working closely with Grand Prize winners to make sure their contest submission gives them the best chance at launching their filmmaking career. That’s why Hollywood’s A-list buyers and reps call the Fade In Awards one of the best screenplay contests and short film competitions in the world. What’s more, we don’t use third-party readers!

“I owe my success to Fade In. These guys don’t just promise access – they deliver it!” – Frank Baldwin, Your Honor, Cold Pursuit

Welcome to the 29th Annual Fade In Awards.  We’ve developed nine contests for you to choose from, each specifically tailored to the genre or format of your project. Submit a script, web series or short film to the Fade In Awards Horror Competition. With over twenty-eight years experience discovering and mentoring screenwriters and filmmakers, before introducing them to the industry’s top buyers and reps, it’s no wonder our winners have gone on to sign with major Hollywood talent agencies Gersh, IPG, Paradigm, UTA, CAA & WME; write/direct hit feature films and television shows (e.g., The Marksman (2020), Your Honor, The Blacklist, Cold Pursuit (2019), Blades of Glory, Adam, Office Christmas Party, The Switch, If Only) and; be nominated for Academy Awards (Culture).

“After winning [the Fade In Awards], we optioned [our award-winning] script to a prominent producer who had made one of the Speed films. The award gave us motivation and encouragement, which has huge value when starting out.” – Danny Kravitz, The Marksman

The Blacklist Executive Producer/Creator Jon Bokenkamp calls his decision to enter the Fade In Awards, “The most important moment in my career.” “When CBS Studios producer Todd Nelson encouraged me to submit, my inclination was to say, ‘No.’ I remember thinking there was no way I could afford it. But my script Preston Tylk won and got me an [CAA] agent. It was huge for me.” Bokenkamp went on to work with Angelina Jolie and Halle Berry on Taking Lives and Perfect Stranger, respectively.

The Fade In Awards Horror Competition is open to screenwriters and television writers, and filmmakers of both web series and short films. Judges are looking for elevated, high-concept stories, grounded in reality and character-driven, written in a unique voice or filmed with an eye for detail. Genre-benders welcome (e.g., Action-Horror, Supernatural-Horror, Psychological-Horror,  Horror-Comedy, etc.).