With $200,000 in prizes, the 2013 BISC invites writers to submit feature film proposals and short film scripts for the chance to win expense-paid trips to China, global recognition, and potential financing for production. Visit www.writebeijing.org. The competition’s mission is to open doors to contestants of any nationality, to create compelling cinematic stories centered around Beijing and its rich, multifaceted culture. In doing so, we hope to foster artistic collaboration between China and the US. As the first of its kind, this groundbreaking initiative will set a new model for future culturally collaborative events. The high-profile nature of this competition provides an unprecedented opportunity for gifted US-based writers, and we anticipate strong attention to the competition in both countries. The competition offers US writers a unique opportunity to obtain international recognition. There is no entry fee! Don’t miss out submit now!

Feature Film Competition

Please note: This information on applying to the Feature Film Competition and about its Prizes, and the FAQ below are provided solely as a courtesy for prospective contest participants and is not intended to, and will not, modify or amend the Official Rules.  Please make sure you read the Official Rules carefully as they alone govern this contest.  We may update this information on Applying and the FAQ from time to time. YOU COULD WIN A WEEK IN BEIJING! Submit a 5-11 page proposal for a feature film set in Beijing by April 7th, 2013. FIVE winners will get an expense-paid week in Beijing plus $1,000.  Plus–the FIVE winners will have the opportunity to compete for a $15,000 Grand Prize for a completed screenplay!

• The contest is open to anyone currently living in the U.S., regardless of nationality.  Submissions will be welcome from students, professionals, and everyone else who would like to enter.
• Competition open for submissions March 4, 2013.
• Submissions should consist of a cover sheet with a brief synopsis, and a 5-11 page proposal for a feature film (for a total page count of 6-12 pages).  The proposal can be organized in whatever way the writer prefers, but must convey the complete story  (beginning, middle, end).  The inclusion of sample dialog is strongly encouraged.  The cover sheet and the proposal should be in a single file, with the cover sheet as the first page.  The name and contact information should NOT be present anywhere on the cover sheet or the proposal (this information will be collected separately during the submission process).  For more on the format of proposals, see the FAQ section of this website.
• All proposals must prominently feature Beijing as a location.
• All proposals must be for films that are appropriate for public screening in the U.S. and China.
• All submissions must be written in English.
• Submissions will be accepted beginning on March 4, 2013.  All proposals must be submitted through this website.
• Acceptable file formats are:  Microsoft Word (doc and docx) and PDF.
• There is no entry fee.
• The deadline for all submissions is April 7, 2013.
• After the trip to Beijing, the First Prize winners will each be invited to write a complete draft of a screenplay based on their winning proposals.  These screenplays will be due on August 20, 2013.  The Grand Prize winner will be announced on or about September 20, 2013.
• To travel to Beijing, you will need a passport that is valid until Febuary of 2014 .  We strongly recommend that all entrants make sure now that their passports will meet this requirement.  A Chinese entrance visa will also be required.  The Competition will apply for these visas and pay the required visa application fees, but entrants will need to fill out a visa application which will be sent to them by the Competition.

Prizes & Awards

• 5 First Prizes will be awarded.  Each First Prize will be a 7-day 6-night expense-paid visit to Beijing to attend the award ceremony on June 9, 2013, plus a cash award of $1,000.
• Two groups will travel to Beijing, one going from June 3 to June 10, 2013, and the other going from June 7 to June 14, 2013.   No cash or other substitution for the trip to Beijing will be allowed, and no rescheduling will be possible.
• The First Prize winners will be announced on or about May 20, 2013.
• The First Prize winners will be eligible to compete for a Grand Prize of $15,000.

Prizes & Awards

• There will be 3 First Prize winners and 7  Grand Prize winners.  Winners will be notified on or about May 20, 2013.
• In addition, there will be 100 Early Bird Prizes awarded to submissions received by March 29, 2013.  Each Early Bird Prize will consist of a $100 AMC Theater gift card.  Winners will be notified on or about May 20, 2013.
• The 3 First Prize winners will receive  a 7-day expense-paid trip to Beijing, including round-trip transportantion, hotels, and meals, to attend the Award Ceremony in Beijing on June 9, 2013, plus a cash award of $1,000.
• The 7 Grand Prize winners will receive a 10-day expense-paid trip to Beijing, including round-trip transportantion, hotels, and meals, to attend the Award Ceremony in Beijing on June 9, 2013, plus a cash award of $1,000.  During this visit, their films will be shot in Beijing, with a production budget of $10,000 for each short film.  Because they will be needed in Beijing for the shooting of their films, any Grand Prize winner unable to travel to Beijing will be downgraded to a First Prize winner, and another Grand Prize winner will be selected in that person’s place.
• Two Grand Prize groups will visit Beijing, one from June 3 to June 13, 2013, and the other from June 7 to June 17, 2013.
• First Prize winners who are unable to visit Beijing for the Award Ceremony will receive the cash award of $1,000.  But no cash substitute or rescheduling of the Beijing trip will be allowed.