What are the competition entry dates and when will you announce the winners? The competition starts on 1st Jan 2012 and closes 18th May 2012.Early Deadline is 1st Jan / 18th April 2012Late Deadline is 19th April / 18th May 2012Quarter Finalists Announced - 18th June 2012 (50 entries) Semi Finalists Announced - 2nd July 2012 (20 entries) 5 Winners Announced - 9th July 2012 Order of Top 5 Winners Announced - 31st July 2012

How much does it cost to enter? £25 ($38approx) Early Deadline (between 1st Jan - 18th April) £35 ($54approx) Late Deadline (between 19th April -18th May 2012)

Why should I enter? How will you help me? The main purpose of Shoreline Scripts is to get the best scripts made. The prizes are really secondary to this goal. At any point during the competition, if we feel the script and time is right, we will send it with our full backing to a producer or company that we have a strong relationship with. Before we do so, we will contact the writer to ensure that they are happy for us to proceed. The writers information will be passed onto the producer and all further correspondence will be made between them and the writer. Becoming one of the winners will give the writer international prestige, and in itself draw industry interest. The money helps the writer continue writing, whether it's on a part time or full time basis. Ultimately though, what every writer wants is to see their words spoken on the big screen. Shoreline Scripts has extremely strong and diverse industry ties, therefore making it an important competition for any writer to enter in order to get their work read and made.

Who reads my script? We have a select few individuals who read our scripts up until the Semi Final stage. They have read for the likes of: Lionsgate, Paramount, Vertigo Films, Working Title and many other companies. Each reader is given a fifteen page document that covers all aspects of the script reading process and what is expected of them. The scripts that make it through to the Semi Final stage are solely read by the Shoreline Scripts team. The top five are chosen, then we decide on the final three to be sent to our judges. The judges vote in order of their top three: one being their favourite script, three their least. The Shoreline Scripts team will collectively vote for their top three also. Each script will be allocated points. If placed first by a judge they will receive one point, if placed third, their least favourite of the finalists, they will receive three points. The script that receives the lowest number of points overall will win the competition, the second lowest will place second and then the third. Shoreline Scripts decide the fourth and fifth places.

How do I enter? Go to the Enter page. Fill out the information and upload your script and confirm your details. Once we have received your script and payment, we will email you to confirm it has been processed. We prefer to receive scripts as a PDF format, although we do accept: Final Draft, MovieMagic, .doc, .rtf and .txt files. Click to learn how to create PDFs in Final Draft and MovieMagic.

Do I need to submit any other information along with my script? Just the genre. Why? So we can send it to readers who are most interested in that genre. That way each script gets the best chance possible.

I don't live in the UK, can I still enter? Yes. Anyone can enter from anywhere in the world. However the script must be in English.

How do I receive the money if I win? Does it matter that I don't live in the UK? We will pay your winnings straight into your bank account using PayPal. It doesn't matter where in the world you are, you will get exactly what the exchange rate is.

How does the reading process work? Once your script has been submitted we will log it on our system and send you a confirmation email to let you know we have received it. We will then send it to one of our script readers who has most interest in that given genre. They will be looking at: Premise, Structure, Characterization, Dialogue, Originality and Marketability when they read your script.

If my script is below 80 pages, or above 120, will I be disqualified? No. If it's under or over by a long way then it may be the case that we get in touch with you to let you know whether we can or cannot accept it. If it is a long way over then there may be an additional fee which we will discuss with you.

Can I submit an adaptation? If it's your own book, play, etc, that you want to adapt, and you own the rights, then adapt away. Also, it's fine if the material is out of copyright.

Can I submit more than one script? Yes. You can submit as many scripts as you wish. You will just need to go through the same steps that you did with the first.

Can a writing team enter? It doesn't matter how many writers there are, you can still enter. If you are one of the cash prize winners we can pay it into one account, or split it into two. If there are more than two writers, then you will need to share out the winnings on your side.

What information do you need on the title page? The script name, your name, email address and phone number. These will be used to contact you if you are shortlisted or a winner. Your details will never be passed onto any outside party. We use a select few trusted readers, so your script and information will be held in the strickest confidence.

What sort of scripts are you looking for? The script can be about anything. It's all about the quality of the writing. We take into account the Premise, Structure, Characterization, Dialogue, Originality and Marketability.

How will I know when you have received my script? The email you receive from Paypal will be notification of your successful submission. Because of the number of entries this year, we are no longer able to send personalized emails to each writer.

Once the competition has closed, we will email everyone who has entered with all the announcement dates.

What happens if I option or sell my script off my own back, or through the help of Shoreline Scripts, before the end of the competition? Great news! However, you will no longer be eligible for the competition or be entitled to get your entry fee refunded.

Will Shoreline Scripts ever have any rights or percentage over my script? No. You wrote it, it's yours. We will never have any rights over your work.

Can I enter my short script or teleplay? Unfortunately at the moment we do not accept shorts or TV scripts. This may be something that changes in the future. Please sign up to our Mailing List to get all the updates.

Do you offer a script reading and analysis service? We don't at the moment. It is something we have talked about, but we want to get it right. We don't feel a one page report is in-depth enough to really help a writer. A four page script report costs around £70 from a good company. We want to find a happy medium where the readers can help the writers as much as possible with their analysis, whilst making it financially viable for all concerned. Again, sign up to our Mailing List for more info about this.

My script isn't copyrighted. It doesn't need to be. But if you feel more comfortable doing so, you can do here, here and here.

What credit cards do you accept, and how do I know that it is safe? We accept all major credit cards. Our online payment system is through PayPal who handle millions of sites worldwide.

How will I be informed of competition developments? All applicants will be informed via email of the Quarter, Semi, Finalists and Winners. They will also be on the website.

What are the rules? You can read our rules here.

Why can't I enter if I have earnt over £20,000 from screenwriting in the past? Because this competition is about helping upcoming screenwriters break in and establish themselves in the industry.

Do previous prizes I have won in other screenwriting competitions count towards that total? No.

Can I enter my script into other competitions at the same time? You can enter as many competitions as you like.

Any other questions please email us - contact@shorelinescripts.com