Annual Mental Health
Screenwriting Contest:
WIN $1000 USD
+ Chance to be produced
CONTEST TOPIC:
Open Screenplay has partnered with Layla Care to shed light on the journey of being a student and navigating mental health in the school setting. The university or college setting can be a place of many firsts - first love, first time living away, first time navigating a major life event or traumatic experience or the first time coping with life stresses on your own. We invite you to write a 10-minute or less short film screenplay, and you are free to explore the subject of mental health in a college setting without limitations. Some ideas that could be considered are: What does it look like to be diagnosed with a mental illness while at university? How does being in school create additional challenges for your mental health? What types of grassroots initiatives are you involved in to raise awareness about mental health and stigma on campus? How has your school supported you or fell short to support when you were dealing with a mental health crisis? How has being a student felt more lonely during COVID-19? Share your story with us, to help guide and support others that can relate and see themselves in your story.
**IMPORTANT:
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health challenge, support is available.
Resources:
Kids Help Phone
kidshelpphone.ca
1-800-668-6868
Text: CONNECT to 686868
If you or someone else is in crisis and require immediate assistance, call 911 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Duration
10 minutes or less
Deadlines
Submission Deadline is
Jul 1st, 2022
Contest Entry Fee
GRAND PRIZE WINNER
$1000 USD
License fee cash award
+ Chance to be produced
This contest is free to participate in for all registered Open Screenplay users. Contest begins on Apr 1st, 2022 at 12:00 AM (ET) and ends on Jul 1st, 2022 at 11:59 PM (ET). There are a total of three (3) prizes available to be won as follows: one (1) First Prize consisting of a license fee cash award of $1000 CAD, and in Contest Partner’s sole discretion, the option of production, one (1) Second Prize consisting of cash award of $500 CAD, (1) Third Prize consisting of cash award of $250 CAD. Contest is open to registered Open Screenplay users, excluding residents of Quebec, Canada, who are 13 years of age or older at the time of entry (parental or guardian consent required if entrant is under the age of majority in their jurisdiction of residence at the time of entry). Odds of winning depend on the number and quality of eligible entries received before contest closes. Limitations apply See full rules and entry details.
ABOUT LAYLA
Layla empowers you to take greater control of your mental health, bridging the gap between wanting care and getting it. We're a human-first, tech-powered service that makes it simpler to connect with the right mental health support.
For more information, visit www.layla.care.
Participating is easy! There are two ways you can contribute:
START a new short film screenplay: simply sign in to Open Screenplay and click START SCREENPLAY on the main menu. Choose Every Student Has A Story contest to enter your screenplay into the competition. The screenplay must be completed on openscreenplay.com.
FIND a short film screenplay to contribute to: go to the Find Page and under type, select SHORT FILM and CONTEST ENTRY. Select any short film screenplays with Every Student Has A Story contest's label below it. If the screenplay is public, you can contribute right away. If it’s private, you have to request an invitation to the screenplay.
The screenplay awarded the first prize will be considered for production! The screenplay must be original and must be written on www.openscreenplay.com.
As part of our contest, we are also offering a very special incentive: refer someone and, if they win, you can earn the same amount of money they earn.
Yes, if you refer someone who participates in the contest and their contribution earns them part of a cash award, you will receive an amount of money equal to what they earn.
For example, if you refer one person who earns $50 – you receive $50. If you refer 15 people who collectively earn $1,250 – you receive $1,250