PageCraft and Grey List header

PageCraft & The Grey List Present:

The Screenwriting Lab Contest

Elevate Your Craft in the Italian Countryside

PageCraft, a renowned screenwriting education company with more than 17 years experience helping writers unlock their creative potential and elevate their storytelling craft, and The Grey List, the annual curated showcase of screenwriters over 40, have partnered to launch a one-of-a-kind screenwriting contest designed to support, inspire, and elevate writers of all ages.

Whether you’re sharpening your voice or refining your structure, this is more than just a contest—it’s a chance to win access to a Screenwriting Lab designed to give you an opportunity to grow, connect, and create alongside instructors, mentors and peers who believe in your potential.

This contest opens on June 15, 2026, and is open to both features and television pilots.

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Grand Prize (1)

One exceptional writer will win a seat in the 2027 PageCraft Screenwriting Lab in Orvieto, Italy—a transformational experience that blends creative breakthroughs with the magic of an Italian hill town.

What you’ll get:

  • Vocational training focusing mastery of character and story architecture that you can apply to every script you write
  • Daily sessions packed with proven story development tools
  • One-on-one time with mentors to gain insights, break through blocks, and refine your work
  • Additional sessions with Brad Johnson of Daisy If You Do Productions on your film as a start-up business, focusing on strategies for taking your project into the real world
  • Unstructured writing time to put it all into practice
  • Cultural adventures, new friendships, and a taste of la dolce vita

In addition to free access to the PageCraft Screenwriting Lab in Orvieto, Italy (currently valued at $4400), the winning writer will also receive a stipend to offset the cost of air fare and other expenses.

View of Orvieto, site of PageCraft’s Screenwriting Lab in Italy

Additional Prizes

Finalists (4)

  • The three finalists not selected for our Grand Prize will receive a spot in PageCraft’s 10-week Concept to Pages online workshop (currently valued at $750) — an intensive designed to take a new idea from an initial spark to a strong draft.
  • The three finalists not selected for our Grand Prize will have the opportunity to take advantage of a $500 discount to join the 2027 or the 2028 PageCraft Screenwriting Lab in Orvieto, Italy, subject to availability.

Semifinalists (20)

  • All semifinalists gain entry to a 2027 Online Seminar (Dialog or Structure track, dates to be announced), perfect for focused skill-building.
  • Semi-finalists not selected as finalists will have one year to take advantage of a one-time $100 discount to join PageCraft’s 10-week Concept to Pages online workshop.
  • All semifinalists will receive a PDF copy of Marty Lang’s book, The Self Sustaining Filmmaker. This book provides guidance on how to build an independent, financially sustainable filmmaking career through channels such as crowdsourcing, crowdfunding, and community filmmaking concepts. Through real-life experiences, Marty Lang provides insight on how to use these key concepts through every stage of a film’s lifecycle – from distribution (the stage that should be figured out first), through development, screenwriting, prep, production and post, all the way through marketing and the film’s release.

Quarterfinalists (100)

  • Quarterfinalists will be celebrated across PageCraft and The Grey List social media channels — because recognition matters.
  • All quarterfinalists will have the opportunity to take advantage of a $50 discount on any of PageCraft’s script review services for the project they enter in this contest. The discounted review must be requested before the contest is complete (please refer to the contest timeline, below). Depending on the volume of requests, script reviews may take several weeks to process.

Only 500 Entries Accepted

This is an intentionally intimate contest — we’re limiting submissions to ensure every script gets the thoughtful attention it deserves. So, on June 15, 2026…

Submit your script. Join a community. Elevate your craft.

To Apply

When submitting, you will need the following:

  • Your script logline [500 characters max]. Television writers should submit a logline for the season or series.
  • A story synopsis for your project [2400 characters max]. Television writers should submit a synopsis for the season or series.
  • Why this story matters to you [1600 characters max].
  • Your personal logline or brand as a writer [500 characters max].
  • Your social media handles/links for LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and/or BlueSky.
  • Your email.
  • To have fully reviewed and understood our contest rules, terms, and conditions, available in four tabs near the bottom of this page. By entering the contest, you indicate acceptance of all rules, terms, and conditions.

If you are a selected Quarterfinalist, you will need to submit the first ten pages of your script in order to be considered for the Semifinalist stage. Television writers should submit the first ten pages of their pilot episode.

If you are a selected Semifinalist, you will need to submit a full script in order to be considered for the Finalist stage (PDF file, no more than 125 pages, industry-standard formatting). Television writers should submit the script for their pilot episode.

If you are a selected Finalist, you must make yourself available for a Zoom interview in order to be considered for the Grand Prize.

We look forward to celebrating your work and writing with you in Italy!

This contest opens on June 15, 2026.

Timeline and Announcements

June 15, 2026

Submissions Open

July 11, 2026

Early Bird Entry Fee Deadline – $65

September 5, 2026

Regular Entry Fee Deadline – $75

September 25, 2026

Final Entry Fee Deadline – $90

October 19, 2026

Quarterfinalists Announced

November 1, 2026

Synopsis Submission Deadline for all Quarterfinalists

January 4, 2027

Semifinalists Announced

January 15, 2026

Script Submission Deadline for all Semifinalists

February 8, 2027

Finalists Announced.

February 18, 2027

Zoom interviews of all Finalists complete.

March 1, 2027

Grand Prize Winner Announced

Criteria, Rules, Terms & Conditions

Please review all four tabs in full. All contest participants will be asked to attest that they have done so and that they agree to all our rules, terms, and conditions as part of their contest entry.

Eligibility Rules

  1. All writers at least 18 years of age are eligible. However, a writer who has a) earned more than $50,000 (or equivalent currency) from professional writing services for film or TV in the preceding 12 months, or b) earned more than $500,000 (or equivalent currency) from professional writing services for film or TV in the preceding 10 years is not eligible. (Contest winnings not included.)
  2. All persons from anywhere in the world are eligible; however the material submitted must be in English (occasional dialogue in other languages is acceptable, if translation is provided).
  3. All material submitted to other competitions or contests are eligible for this contest.
  4. The material may have been written at any time.
  5. Material should be submitted in standard screenplay format, font, spacing and margins.
  6. All material must be submitted electronically as a PDF. If the file cannot be read PageCraft and the Grey List will not judge the submission.
  7. Prize winners may be required to sign an affidavit of eligibility and proper tax documentation before prizes are released.
  8. Scripts or projects based on underlying material not owned by the writer are acceptable, so long as the script itself is indisputably written by the writer and that the script does not contain any plagiarism.
  9. Scripts or projects created through the use of any generative software such as AI are ineligible for this competition.
  10. The Grand Prize winner is responsible for having a valid passport and for being available and able to travel internationally.
  11. By entering the competition, users attest to their eligibility for the competition based on the criteria above. PageCraft and The Grey List may verify all eligibility requirements during the competition and before distributing any prizes.

Selection Criteria

Winners will be chosen based on the following criteria:

  • Voice
  • Concept
  • Story
  • Structure
  • Characters
  • Dialogue

In addition to the scoring criteria above, PageCraft and The Grey List will conduct interviews at the Finalist stage to learn more about the entrants and their voice, perspective, and goals to help identify the winning project. Jurors vote for their favorite scripts at their sole discretion.

Any entrant may be deemed ineligible as a Finalist or Winner at the sole discretion of PageCraft and the Grey List. All recognition, placements, and winners are chosen at the sole discretion of PageCraft and the Grey List.

Finalists may be required to sign and return within seven (7) business days of receipt an Affidavit of Eligibility and a Release and Indemnification, as well as proof of valid passport and any other documents that the contest or any partner may require before receiving prizes. Failure to respond to the initial notification within ten (10) days or return of notification may result in disqualification.

We reserve the right to amend these rules at any time.

Contest Rules

  1. Submissions are accepted via electronic submission only. All submissions must be made in PDF format.
  2. Entry fees are as listed on the site and submission form. Any discounts that may be offered are not applicable on submissions already made.
  3. One-page synopses will be solicited from the Quarterfinalists. Failure to submit a synopsis by the specified deadline renders a contestant ineligible to participate further.
  4. Full scripts will be solicited from the Semifinalists. Failure to submit a full script by the specified deadline renders a contestant ineligible to participate further.
  5. Finalists will be asked to participate in a Zoom interview within ten days of the finalist announcement, with available timings to be determined by PageCraft and The Grey List. A contestant who does not make themselves available is ineligible for the Grand Prize.
  6. Failure to adhere to the specified word and character limits renders an entry ineligible for consideration. Full scripts, which will be solicited from the selected semifinalists, cannot be over 125 pages in length and must be in industry standard formatting. Entries that do not adhere to these standards will be ineligible for consideration. In the event of an entry being deemed ineligible, no refunds will be given.
  7. There is no limit to the number of projects you may submit.
  8. Entries must be received on or before the deadline dates by 11:59pm Pacific Time, and submission fee payment must be made in full at time of the submission. All entry fees are non-refundable, regardless of the eligibility of the submission.
  9. All submitted material must be owned by the writer(s), however the material may be based on other works not owned by the writers.
  10. Material must be submitted by the writer. Material written by writing teams must be submitted by one of the writers, with consent of the other(s).
  11. If a writing team is chosen as a winner, prizes will be given to the person who submits the project. Each team is responsible for dividing or sharing any prizes awarded as they deem fair.
  12. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting. Resubmissions will incur the full entry fee.
  13. It is recommended that original material be registered with the WGA or The Library of Congress before submitting to any competition; however we do not require registration.
  14. Contact information must be included on all submitted materials.
  15. Neither PageCraft nor The Grey List claim any ownership or option on your work. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.
  16. The decision of the judges will be final and cannot be contested in any manner. There is no score on a scorecard that guarantees advancement to the next level; advancement will be based on all scores in the competition.
  17. In the event a juror, partner organization, or prize partner is no longer able to serve in their specified capacity, the contest will make its best effort to secure a replacement. The contest is not responsible for the failed delivery of any prize package by a juror, sponsor, or partner organization.
  18. PageCraft and the Grey List reserve the right to substitute any prize for a prize of approximate equivalent value.
  19. The amount of the travel stipend offered to the contest winner will be up to $3,000. The actual amount will be determined at the sole discretion of PageCraft and the Grey List, and will vary based on prevailing market costs and the winner’s place of residence. This stipend is not considered part of the Grand Prize value for the purposes of paragraph 18, above.
  20. To participate in the PageCraft Screenwriting Lab in Italy or PageCraft’s Concept To Pages workshop, prize winners must adhere to all applicable PageCraft terms and conditions, including PageCraft’s Code of Conduct. PageCraft reserves the right to remove any participant from any program in the case of non adherence to any part of these terms and conditions. In such an event, PageCraft and the Grey List are not responsible for any costs incurred by a participant, nor are they responsible for replacing the prize or providing an alternate prize.
  21. Quarterfinalists are eligible to request a $50 discount from regular PageCraft prices on script feedback services. This offer must be claimed by the final date of the contest (the date our Grand Prize winner is announced). Contestants must submit the script for evaluation and pay for the feedback within 14 days of invoice, and should note that PageCraft’s normal turnaround times may be delayed due to competition volume.
  22. PageCraft and The Gray List reserve the right to change deadline and announcement dates at any time, as well as the right to amend these rules at any time.