2022 JumpStart Competition

2022 JumpStart Writing Competition

This competition is open to both features and TV pilots of all genres.

Roadmap Writers is a leader in screenwriting education and training taught by working industry executives & literary representatives. In just six years, Roadmap has helped over 270 writers get signed to representation with agents and managers. We helped some of last year’s finalists land representation at Paradigm, Echo Lake, 3 Arts, Bohemia Group, Lit Entertainment Group, and REJ Entertainment through our introductions! 2021 JumpStart winner Deborah Puette was signed by Wonder Street.

Since our JumpStart Competition is an excellent way to vet writers, we are starting to market high-scoring scripts before we even announce contest placements! This will help even more writers get their work in front of execs than ever before.

Roadmap is thrilled to have assembled this esteemed judging panel of executives and representatives.

Anvil Pictures I Maddie Breeland, Director of Development
Wonder Street | Austin Aronson, Manager
Gramercy Park Entertainment | Mitchell Bendersky, Manager
Stage 13 | Tom Ishizuka, Creative Executive
MXN Entertainment | Michelle Knudsen, Manager
Kaplan Perrone | Michael Fera, Manager
Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment | Josh Roemer-Ingles, Manager
Anonymous Content | Jelena Jankovic, Assistant
Anonymous Content | Ian McKnight, Coordinator/Assistant

Roadmap’s JumpStart Competition isn’t an ordinary screenwriting contest!

JumpStart is a talent discovery competition with judges who are working industry professionals, including execs and reps.
Roadmap provides ongoing career support for our winners (writers who get into the Top 25 or HIGHER).
Since our prizes don’t expire, we will continue to help promote our winners, i.e. get their material in front of execs and reps for as long as they need... even over several years!

AND, here's a big one — all writers who enter will be automatically in the running for an amazing opportunity:

A GUARANTEED SIGNING WITH KERSEY MANAGEMENT!

ABOUT OUR GUARANTEED SIGNING JUDGE:

ANDREW KERSEY is a literary manager focusing on nurturing unique storytelling voices in film and TV. He worked his way up from production company intern to management/production company heavyweight, 3Arts Entertainment. He left 3Arts for a Universal-based production company to gain experience in development. In 2004, he started Kersey Management.

Client Successes:

His incredibly talented clients work on projects at ABC. Amazon, CW, Disney Channel, Fox, NBC, Netflix, and Nickelodeon.
In 2021, his client's comedy VACATION FRIENDS, starring John Cena and Lil Rel had a huge 3-day weekend opener on Hulu, a record for an original in the streamer's history. A sequel is being fast-tracked.
In 2020, Andrew sold his client's sci-fi spec script, VARIETAL, to Universal with Oscar-nominated super-producer Mike De Luca (THE SOCIAL NETWORK, FIFTY SHADES OF GREY).

This amazing opportunity is included free with your entry. All entrants are in contention for this prize.

From a 2021 winner, recently signed by Wonder Street:

"Winning the Roadmap Writers JumpStart Competition has been a game changer for my career. From day one, Joey and his team worked incredibly hard to get me and my materials in front of powerful players in the industry. As a direct result of their introductions, I've signed a shopping agreement with producers on the project that won and signed with a dream manager at a terrific company. I'm very impressed by and grateful for their hustle."

- Deborah Puette, a Grand Prize Winner of the 2021 JumpStart Competition

ENTRY PRICING & DEADLINES:

ANNOUNCEMENT DATES:

Quarterfinalists | November 4th, 2022
Semifinalists | November 18th, 2022
Finalists | December 2nd, 2022
Winners | December 16th, 2022

*Dates subject to change

Click here to view our complete rules and guidelines

GRAND PRIZE WINNERS:

There will be 2 grand prize winners, one for each category (features and TV pilots).

6x private virtual meetings with industry executives and/or competition judges
A private Month Mentorship with an executive of your choice from Roadmap's list of available execs
Steps 1 & 2 of Roadmap's Career Writer Program (Pitch Prep Program and Marketing Intensive)
5 free Open Pitch Sessions
12 months of Roadmap's "Industry On-Ramp" Program
A 30-Minute Marketing & Strategy Call with Roadmap's CEO
Featured in our JumpStart Competition Booklet, circulated to over 400 execs

See below for our full list of placements and prizes!

JUDGES:

Roadmap is thrilled to have assembled this esteemed judging panel of executives and representatives.

Wonder Street | Austin Aronson, Manager
Gramercy Park Entertainment | Mitchell Bendersky, Manager
Stage 13 | Tom Ishizuka, Creative Executive
MXN Entertainment | Michelle Knudsen, Manager
Kaplan Perrone | Michael Fera, Manager
Odenkirk Provissiero Entertainment | Josh Roemer-Ingles, Coordinator
Anonymous Content | Jelena Jankovic, Assistant
Anonymous Content | Ian McKnight, Coordinator/Assistant
Anvil Pictures I Maddie Breeland, Director of Development

RUNNERS UP (2):

1 feature and 1 TV pilot

3 virtual meetings with industry execs
1 year of Roadmap's "Industry On-Ramp" Program
3 Free Open Pitch Session credits. Choose to pitch to execs or reps
One 60-Minute Group Strategy Webinar with an industry executive
30-Minute Marketing & Strategy Call with Roadmap's CEO
Logline and bio featured in our JumpStart Competition Booklet, circulated to over 400 execs

FINALISTS (10):

5 features and 5 TV pilots

1 virtual meeting with an industry exec
3 months of Roadmap's "Industry On-Ramp" Program
1 Free Open Pitch Session credit. Choose to pitch to execs or reps
One 60-Minute Group Strategy Webinar with an industry executive
15-Minute Marketing & Strategy Call with Roadmap's CEO
Logline and bio featured in our JumpStart Competition Booklet, circulated to over 400 execs

SEMIFINALISTS (50):

25 features and 25 TV pilots

1 month of Roadmap's "Industry On-Ramp" Program
One 60-Minute Group Strategy Webinar with an industry executive
Featured on Roadmap Writers website
Logline and bio circulated to over 400 execs we work with

QUARTERFINALISTS (100):

50 features and 50 TV pilots

One 60-Minute Group Strategy Webinar with an industry executive
Featured on Roadmap Writers website
Logline circulated to over 400 execs we work with