BlueCat TV Writing Competition

2026 Rules & Guidelines

Cash Prizes

Awards

Every script submission will receive a complimentary written analysis.

$2,000There will be two winners: Hour Pilot and Half-Hour Pilot.

$2,000Both winners will receive $2,000 each.

All cash prizes will be disbursed 30 days after the winners are announced.

Who Can Enter

All submissions must be original, and the sole property of the applicant(s).
All ages are eligible.
Must be in English.
Hour Pilot scripts must be between 45–100 pages.
Half Hour Pilot scripts must be between 1–45 pages.
There is no limit to the number of entries you may submit.
Pilots that have been submitted to any competition or contest prior to June 1st, 2023 are not eligible.
You may submit a script once. You may not submit the same script more than once.
All script entries must be uploaded in PDF format.
Under absolutely no circumstances will substitutions of either corrected pages or new drafts of the entry script(s) be made. Scripts will not be returned.
Competition judges, readers and employees of the BlueCat, past and present, and their immediate friends and families are not eligible to enter.
Previous winners of the BlueCat are not eligible.
Scripts, including outlines, treatments, pitches, log lines or any developmental material related to the script, that has previously won any contest, competition, grant, lab, fellowship, mentorship, reading or award of any kind, are not eligible.
Past and present scripts consulted on through Gordy Hoffman’s consultation service or the BlueCat workshops are not eligible.
Past USC and UCLA students of Gordy Hoffman are not eligible.

Revise & Resubmit

Your script is eligible for resubmission. Resubmission allows you to revise your script and resubmit it to BlueCat.
Each entry is considered a stand-alone submission. Your resubmitted script will not replace your original entry.
Resubmissions will receive script analysis.
Entrants can select a previous reader, a new reader or no preference. If your previous reader is no longer available, you can request a new reader or a refund.
Each script may be resubmitted twice.
Script titles cannot be changed upon resubmission. The author(s) must meet all eligibility requirements.
Resubmissions will open after the first analyses are sent—all entrants will be notified.

Key Dates

Deadline	Date	Hour Pilot	Half-Hour Pilot
Opening	January 6th	$50	$40
Early	February 3rd	$50	$40
Regular	March 3rd	$60	$50
Final	April 7th	$70	$60
Late	May 7th	$80	$70
Resubmission	June 2nd	—	—

Feedback Timeline

All analysis provided to the entrants is complimentary.

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