No. The First Wave Deadline (March 2, 2026 to June 5, 2026) already offers the lowest entry fee in competition history, so additional discount codes cannot be applied.

Submissions during this special window are available exclusively on FilmFreeway. After June 5, you may enter through our usual platforms, including our official site.

Anyone in the world, however, writers under the age of 18 years old must have a parent or legal guardian’s permission to participate.

Your screenplay or short story must be in the horror genre or one of its sub-genres such as horror comedy, horror western, horror thriller, horror sci-fi etc. It can be a dramatic piece, as long as elements of horror are there.

Horror may also be defined as Apocalyptic/Post-Apocalyptic, Bizarro, Creature Horror, Dark Fantasy, Extreme Horror, Fabulism, Gothic, Historical, Horror Western, Magic Realism, Noir, Paranormal, Psychological, Retrofuturism, Science Fiction Horror, Serial Killer, Shapeshifter, Shared World, Slipstream, Soft Horror, Supernatural, Vampire, Weird/New Weird, Zombie.

Submissions will be treated equally irrespective of sub-genre by the judges.

THE SCREAM LIST is the premier tracking board for short horror, sci-fi, and thriller screenplays emerging from the Killer Shorts coverage service. Unlike traditional annual lists, entries are added in real time as scripts earn a Recommend or high score, giving industry professionals immediate access to killer material that’s already making our readers scream.

No, unless you purchased additional feedback with your entry. Only projects that have gone through the Killer Shorts coverage process are eligible. For more information, please visit Scream List FAQ.

No. All quarterfinalists receive a second, and in some cases a third, read. Many variables factor into how cuts are made, but scripts recommended by a first-round reader receive no competitive advantage over other entries. The only distinction is that these writers chose to use our short script coverage service in addition to entering the competition. That service can serve as a pipeline to The Scream List, but it does not influence advancement decisions.

Folk horror is simply the theme for our Season 7 artwork. We are still accepting and looking forward to reading all sub-genres of horror, as usual.

As this is a contest for horror shorts only, Horror Short Screenplays must be under 20 pages.

If you are entering the 1 Page Horror Short Category, your script can be a maximum of 1 page.

If you are entering the Short Story (Prose) Category, your story must be no more than 6,000 words.

Yes, you may submit the same script to both categories if it is only 1 page long.

Each category is its own competition with its own prizes. However, you must pay the submission fee for each entry and you cannot submit a script of 2 pages or more to the 1 page category.

No. Killer Shorts will have no involvement in the production of your film, that is solely up to you. We just provide $500 cash (and some discount tools and services) to help. We also recommend doing a crowdfunding campaign to raise additional funds.

That being said, the money is yours to do with as you please, no strings attached.

Even scenes have a beginning, middle, and end. Yes, it can be a moment in time. Horror shorts often are!

Submit your screenplay or short story via the Killer Shorts site, Filmfreeway or ISA.

In previous years, rejection notifications were sent through the now-defunct Coverfly submission platform. Our experience was that these communications were generally not well received, and the same information is now communicated through the official Quarterfinalists announcement on our site. If your script is not listed, it unfortunately did not advance.

Due to the volume of entries we receive, we’re not able to provide individual feedback on scripts that do not advance. Our judging process is competitive and subjective, and many strong pieces simply can’t move forward each round. If you’re looking for detailed notes, we do offer our Short Script Coverage service, where you can receive structured feedback from our readers.

Yes, simultaneous submissions are allowed.

Yes, multiple submissions are allowed.

No. In order to advance in the Short Story (Prose) category, your work must be unpublished anywhere else.

Substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entered material will be allowed with a $5 admin fee through the Killer Shorts site. FilmFreeway users can update their file at any time for no charge. Please proofread your script carefully before submitting. Project updates will not be read for the current round if your original draft was already read. To check if your project was already read, you can email support@killershorts.com. The $5 is an administrative fee and non-refundable.

Yes, please include a title page.

Absolutely. All ownership and rights to the scripts submitted to this contest remains with the original rights holders.

This contest was created for emerging screenwriters. To be eligible, your total earnings for film and TV, produced or un-produced must not exceed $10,000 in the past 12 months. This excludes competition wins and grants.

The screenplay’s IP must be solely owned by the writer or writers of the piece. Writers may adapt real-life or fictional events once it does not impinge on the IP of copyright-holders. So, for example, public domain content or real-life events that are not rights-held would be suitable for adaptation but last year’s chiller would not. Prequels or sequels of any property not solely owned by the writer or writing team are not acceptable for this contest.

Yes, your team can absolutely enter. It’s up to you to split the prize if you win.

No, all submission fees are final.

If your screenplay has been optioned, congratulations, however this will make you ineligible for the contest. If your screenplay is optioned or sold while under consideration by the judges, you must inform the contest.

Our readers will be judging your scripts based on the following: Premise, Originality, Pacing, Characters, Dialogue, and Writing Ability.