Competitions

Content Only Available to Members

Competitions

Where Great Stories Find Their Spotlight

Enter the Smug Llama Script Competitions for the chance to win cash prizes and have your project considered for pre-development and production finance pitching. Whether it’s a feature or short film, we’re looking for bold stories and original voices ready to make an impact on screen. Submit your script, get noticed by industry professionals, and take the next step toward bringing your story to life.

Apply for Membership

Enter Competition

Feature Screenwriting Competition

ALL GENRES

OPEN TO ALL

Got a story that deserves the spotlight? Submit your feature-length screenplay to our competition and let your voice be heard. Whether it’s drama, comedy, thriller, sci-fi, or something totally original, we’re looking for standout storytelling, compelling characters, and cinematic vision. Open to writers of all backgrounds and experience levels — if you’ve got the pages, we want to read them.

🥇 Grand Prize Winner — £600 + Production Package (Value £6,000)

Your script doesn’t just win — it gets a future.

💷 £600 cash prize
🎬 Winning script selected as Smug Llama’s Second Feature Film
🧠 Professional Pitch Deck — tailored to your story and market-ready
💼 Full Business Plan — investor-ready documents designed for success
📑 Grant Preparation Support — expert guidance for funding applications
🎥 Production Budget Breakdown — ready for financiers and crew planning
💡 Pitch Opportunity — your project presented to Smug Llama’s Investors’ Corner
🎭 Member Cast & Crew Allocation.

Total development value: £6,000 GBP

EARLY BIRD £30

STANDARD £35

FINAL CALL £40

🎁 More Prizes to Be Announced
We like surprises. Expect extra perks, memberships, and spotlight opportunities as the competition unfolds.

Enter Competition

💷 £600 cash prize
🎬 Winning script selected as Smug Llama’s Second Feature Film
🧠 Professional Pitch Deck — tailored to your story and market-ready
💼 Full Business Plan — investor-ready documents designed for success
📑 Grant Preparation Support — expert guidance for funding applications
🎥 Production Budget Breakdown — ready for financiers and crew planning
💡 Pitch Opportunity — your project presented to Smug Llama’s Investors’ Corner

3 x Semi-Finalists win £50 each plus 1 year Membership to Smug Llama Members website

1. Eligibility

Open to writers aged 18 and over worldwide.
Scripts must be written in English.
Entries must be original works owned solely by the entrant(s).
Co-written scripts are accepted, but prizes will be awarded jointly.

2. Submission Guidelines

Scripts must be in PDF or Word format, properly formatted for film (12pt Courier, standard screenplay layout).
Maximum length: 120 pages.
After purchase, entrants must email their script to scripts@smugllama.com with their name and order number in the subject line. Multiple entries are allowed; each requires a separate entry fee and submission.

Winners are announced February 25th 2026 Awards given During Festival June4-7 2026.
Early Bird Deadline: 13th December 2025
Standard Deadline: 13th January 2026
Final Deadline: 13th February 2026

3. Judging & Selection

Scripts will be reviewed by the Smug Llama reading and development team. Judging is based on originality, storytelling, character development, structure, and screen potential. Shortlisted scripts will be announced on our website and social channels. The winner and finalists will be notified by email.

4. Prizes & Pre-Development Support

Cash prize awarded to the winner.
The winning project will also receive pre-development and production support, which include:

• Professional script coverage and feedback
• Producer consultation sessions
•.Budgeting and scheduling guidance
• Pitch deck and presentation material development
• Introductions for pitching opportunities

*Please note: Pre-development support does not guarantee full production funding. It is intended to prepare the project for pitching and potential investment consideration. Funding is prioritised in numerical order so SLF001 retains priority.

5. Rights & Ownership

Writers retain full ownership and copyright of their work.
By entering, you grant Smug Llama Productions permission to use your name, script title, and logline for promotional purposes related to the competition.
Smug Llama Productions will not claim any rights or ownership of your script without a separate written agreement.

6. Disqualification

Entries may be disqualified if they:
Are plagiarized or infringe on existing intellectual property.
Contain hate speech, discriminatory content, or unlawful material.
Fail to meet submission or payment requirements.

7. Refunds & Deadlines

Entry fees are non-refundable.
Late or incomplete entries may not be considered.

8. Agreement

By submitting your script, you agree to these terms and confirm that all information provided is accurate and that you are the rightful owner of the submitted work.

Short Screenwriting Competition

ALL GENRES

OPEN TO ALL

Got a story that deserves the spotlight? Submit your short film script (up to 30 pages) to our competition and let your voice be heard. Whether it’s drama, comedy, thriller, sci-fi, or something completely original, we’re looking for standout storytelling, memorable characters, and cinematic vision. Open to writers of all backgrounds and experience levels — if you’ve got the pages, we want to read them.

🥇 Grand Prize Winner — £250 + Production Package (Value £2,000)

Your script doesn’t just win — it gets a future.

💷 £250 cash prize
🎬 Winning script selected for Smug Llama’s short film slate.
🧠 Professional Pitch Deck — tailored to your story and market-ready
💼 Proposal Sheet for production.
🎭 Member Cast & Crew Allocation
📑 Grant Preparation Support — expert guidance for funding applications
🎥 Production Budget Breakdown — ready for crew planning
💡 Full assistance to finance film as a Smug llama Production.

Total development value: £2,000 GBP

EARLY BIRD £20

STANDARD £25

FINAL CALL £30

🎁 More Prizes to Be Announced
We like surprises. Expect extra perks, memberships, and spotlight opportunities as the competition unfolds.

Enter Competition

💷 £250 cash prize
🎬 Winning script selected as Smug Llama’s Second Feature Film
🧠 Professional Pitch Deck — tailored to your story.
💼 Full Business Plan — investor-ready documents designed for success
📑 Short Film Grant Preparation Support — expert guidance for funding applications
🎥 Production Budget Breakdown — ready for financiers and crew planning
💡 Pitch Opportunity — your project presented to Smug Llama’s Investors’ Corner

3 x Semi-Finalists win £25 each plus 1 year Membership to Smug Llama Members website

1. Eligibility

Open to writers aged 18 and over worldwide.
Scripts must be written in English.
Entries must be original works owned solely by the entrant(s).
Co-written scripts are accepted, but prizes will be awarded jointly.

2. Submission Guidelines

Scripts must be in PDF or Word format, properly formatted for film (12pt Courier, standard screenplay layout).
Maximum length: 25 pages.
After purchase, entrants must email their script to scripts@smugllama.com with their name and order number in the subject line. Multiple entries are allowed; each requires a separate entry fee and submission.

Winners are announced February 25th 2026 Awards given During Festival June4-7 2026.
Early Bird Deadline: 13th December 2025
Standard Deadline: 13th January 2026
Final Deadline: 13th February 2026
3. Judging & Selection

Scripts will be reviewed by the Smug Llama reading and development team. Judging is based on originality, storytelling, character development, structure, and screen potential. Shortlisted scripts will be announced on our website and social channels. The winner and finalists will be notified by email.

4. Prizes & Pre-Development Support

Cash prize awarded to the winner.
The winning project will also receive pre-development and production support, which include:

• Professional script coverage and feedback
• Producer consultation sessions
•.Budgeting and scheduling guidance
• Pitch deck and presentation material development
• Introductions for pitching opportunities

*Please note: Pre-development support does not guarantee full production funding. It is intended to prepare the project for pitching and potential investment consideration. Funding is prioritised in numerical order so SLS003 retains priority.

5. Rights & Ownership

Writers retain full ownership and copyright of their work.
By entering, you grant Smug Llama Productions permission to use your name, script title, and logline for promotional purposes related to the competition.
Smug Llama Productions will not claim any rights or ownership of your script without a separate written agreement.

6. Disqualification

Entries may be disqualified if they:
Are plagiarized or infringe on existing intellectual property.
Contain hate speech, discriminatory content, or unlawful material.
Fail to meet submission or payment requirements.

7. Refunds & Deadlines

Entry fees are non-refundable.
Late or incomplete entries may not be considered.

8. Agreement

By submitting your script, you agree to these terms and confirm that all information provided is accurate and that you are the rightful owner of the submitted work.

Judges

Additional judges will be joining the panel over the forthcoming weeks.

Script Competition Q&A's

We’ve compiled answers to our most frequently asked questions below. If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out via our chat support or email us at hello@smugllama.com

f it’s written for a screen and packs a story punch — we want it. Features & shorts, for this specific round of competitions. Comedy, horror, sci-fi, social drama — surprise us. We’re not chasing trends; we’re chasing great storytelling.

Absolutely. Got a stack of brilliance? Send them in. Each script just needs its own entry and fee so our readers can give it the proper attention (and coffee budget).

Winners snag cash prizes, industry exposure, and genuine development opportunities. Top scripts may also be considered for production through Smug Llama Productions — because we don’t just celebrate good stories, we make them happen.

Original work only — no adaptations, AI experiments, or fanfiction (as fun as that might be). Properly formatted, English-language scripts in PDF form are perfect. Co-writers are fine — just make sure everyone’s credited.