2024 Fiction Podcast Script Competition Deadlines
Early Bird Deadline: March 22
Regular Deadline: April 19
Late Deadline: May 24
Extended Deadline: July 6
For this competition, we’re looking for ongoing, original, serialized stories. Writers can submit up to three episodes 3-30 pages in length of their series with the overall content of the story not going longer than 90 pages. Writers should also include a series outline, detailing the events of the remaining episodes in the series.
As with all of our competitions, we’ll focus the judging criteria on story: plot, structure, characters, dialogue and concept, while additionally taking into consideration the elements of storytelling that are unique to a purely acoustic medium.
Remember those horrible analogy and comparison questions on the SAT test from high school? (“BLADE is to ICE SKATE as WHEEL is to ROLLER BLADE”?) Well, the fiction podcast is to the radio play what streaming TV was to the Teleplay. The ability to binge watch a show changed the nature of the story.
Here are some examples to get you inspired: Homecoming; Limetown; Welcome to Night Vale; and others!
Creating a Fiction Podcast Script isn’t about starting from scratch. If you have a play, teleplay or screenplay, you’re already almost there! Take the time to tweak it for this new medium. Whether you submit with us or not, getting your script ready for this space is only going to help your career.
And the podcasting fun doesn’t stop there. Join us at our Conference for exclusive podcast tracks, panels, roundtables, and more! Buy your badge now!
Please Note: Austin Film Festival does not waive entry fees. AFF believes waiving entry fees hurts the integrity of the competition. The same rules and entry fees should apply to all applicants so no one script is favored over another. In a similar respect, AFF does not invite scripts to be in competition. Only scripts that are submitted will be considered for competition.
Fiction Podcasting is in an amazing place right now, and AFF’s new competition is an incredible opportunity for storytellers of all stripes…Having our script for The Amelia Project reach the finals, gave us that extra push we needed to launch our show. We learnt from some of the most innovative audio dramatists out there, workshopped our script and our pitch, and had BBQ and beers with likeminded and inspiring people who have now become good friends. I’m so thrilled Øystein and I submitted The Amelia Project to AFF. It’s opened doors for us, taught us a ton, and made us think big. I loved every minute of it.
– Philip Thorne, 2017 Podcast Finalist for The Amelia Project
More Questions?
For general questions check out our FAQ and Rules.
For questions regarding submissions and special inquiries, please email our new Screenplay Department Manager: Grace Donaldson – scriptdirector@
For questions regarding reader inquiries and opportunities, please contact our Script Competitions Manager: Cynthia Cano – scriptmanager@