• Pre-register: January 30, 2026 - $30
• Special Entry: March 25, 2026 - $35
• Early: June 5, 2026 - $45
• Regular: September 10, 2026 - $50
• Late: September 25, 2026 - $55
• Extended: October 30, 2026 - $65

Do you accept international entries?

Of course! Many of our former winners and finalists have come from the UK, Australia, Japan ... across the globe. Writers worldwide are welcome to participate in this and any Film Pipeline, Script Pipeline, or Book Pipeline contest.

If my short screened at a fest, is it still eligible?

Yes. As Film Pipeline is not a festival, we don’t have any restrictions on when and where the film was screened or if it received distribution at any point.

What kinds of short films do you accept?

All genres accepted, including experimental work (i.e. "I don't know what this is, but it's brilliant" type shorts). Only restriction is it must be a scripted film.

Can I submit a rough cut?

Yes! Rough cuts are fine to submit. Our criteria is primarily based on the storytelling, the premise, and the directing ability. If you do send a rough cut, please let our coordinator know after submitting so we can take that into account when judging.

Can I submit supplemental material?

Yes. You can email those materials direct to our coordinator. There’s no formatting requirement for supplemental materials, but we’d prefer they be sent as a PDF.

Am I allowed to submit an updated link to the film after registering?

We’ll accept updated materials any time, at no extra fee. We would need to receive the film and all supplemental info by the contest’s final deadline.

Can I submit a private, password-protected video?

If your film is password protected, please include the link in the appropriate field on the registration form, and you can email us the password after registering online.

Contact our contest coordinator with any other questions.