I entered a screenplay contest hoping for a little recognition—and left with a life-changing question: 'Have you ever thought about directing?' Spoiler alert: I hadn’t. But thanks to Kinolime, their blind submissions, and a pitch meeting that turned into a career pivot, I’m now prepping to direct my first feature film. Turns out, all you need is a script, a little courage, and someone who sees your potential before you do.

Breaking into the world of screenwriting can feel like trying to pitch a rom-com to a room full of cynics—it’s an uphill battle riddled with rejection, self-doubt, and coffee stains on your latest draft. But what if there was a competition that didn’t just dangle the dream of Hollywood glitz, but actually put its money where its script is? Enter Kinolime.

A day at Kinolime as writer Adam Hampton visits New York City for the first time to sign his option agreement. See the signing process, meet the team, and get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes at Kinolime.

Kinolime is thrilled to announce "The Waif" as the winner of our inaugural screenplay competition. This gripping tale, penned by talented screenwriter Adam Hampton, beat out over 600 other submissions to claim the top spot.

The round of 30 has ended and the judges take their proverbial seats. Join us in looking forward to the next phase of the competition, and read about how it all works.

To help you better understand how this system works, we’ve put together a concise overview of how to participate, what goes into your scores, and how to maximize them. Additionally, we'll share some valuable tips along the way.

We've heard you loud and clear! In light of plenty of requests from our new and growing Kinolime community, we have decided to provide more time for polishing those scripts by extending the submission deadline to April 4th.