Good writing will be rewarded in the El Paso Community Foundation Plaza Classic Film Festival’s third annual screenwriting contest — including a $500 first prize.

The third Plaza Classic Film Festival Screenwriting Competition is accepting entries through July 3. It will award a $500 first prize, a $250 second prize, and Final Draft 13 screenwriting software to the top two finishers. The first prize winner also receives a consultation with El Paso writer-director Lucky McKee (Poker Face, Old Man, The Woman, May), and a table read of their screenplay.

The contest is open to anyone 18 and older. Entries must be feature-length scripts of no more than 120 pages. There are no genre restrictions. Go to plazaclassic.com/screenwriting or Film Freeway to enter. The deadline is 11:59 pm July 3. Cost is $30 through June 14, $40 from June 15 through July 3. An entrant may receive written feedback, or coverage, for an additional $15.

Screenplays must be uploaded in PDF format only, must be anonymous and include a cover sheet with only the screenplay’s title (name and contact details are on the entry form), a logline, and payment. Entries will be graded on a point system, with a 50-point maximum. Scripts will be awarded up to 10 points each for premise, plot, characters, dialogue, and the script’s prospects.

The top two finishers will be announced before the 17th annual Plaza Classic Film Festival, which is July 18-28, 2024.

The competition is sponsored by Final Draft, Coverfly and the El Paso Film and Creative Industries Commission.

Plaza Classic Film Festival tickets go on sale in June. Passes are on sale at plazaclassic.com/tickets.

For more information call: 915-533-4020, or e-mail: local@plazaclassic.com