THE HUMANITAS PRIZES

 
Red graphic with black text: The Humanitas Prizes
 

Since 1974, The Humanitas Prizes have been awarded to honor professional film and television writers whose work exemplifies the art of screenwriting while exploring the human condition in a nuanced, meaningful way. The Humanitas Prizes are presented at an annual fall event where winners receive a trophy and a cash prize.

Past winners include Pachinko, When They See Us, All in the Family, The Handmaid’s Tale, The Last of Us, ER, Hidden Figures, black-ish, Encanto, Good Will Hunting, A Small Light, Lady Bird, In the Same Breath, Women of the Movement, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, El Deafo, St. Elsewhere, The Bernie Mac Show, Orange is the New Black, NYPD Blue, 13th, and many more.

The 2024 Submission Window Closed on April 1.

The next submission window is expected to open in February 2025.

SUBMISSION MATERIALS: 

  • Completed entry form

  • PDF of shooting script with writing credits redacted

  • Writer(s) short bio (200 words or less)

ELIGIBLE CATEGORIES:

  • Drama Teleplay

  • Comedy Teleplay

  • Children’s Teleplay

  • Limited Series Teleplay

  • Comedy Feature

  • Drama Feature

  • Family Feature

  • Documentary

  • Short Film

Please view our FAQ for descriptions of each category. 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS:

  • Humanitas does not consider unproduced or unreleased projects for Humanitas Prizes. 

  • All scripts must have been produced and the final short film, feature film, or television episode, either live action or animated, must have been released in the United States between June 1, 2023 and May 31, 2024. It is not required that the production and/or writer(s) be based in the United States.

  • “Released” is defined here as a festival screening (including screenings/showcases which serve as the culminating event of a professional development program), theatrical distribution, a streaming launch, or broadcast or cable televising of the project. 

  • All submitted material is kept confidential. Nominated material will be submitted to the Writers Guild Foundation Shavelson-Webb Library unless otherwise indicated in the submission form. The library endeavors to collect scripts which represent the best in film/television writing, including those nominated for the Humanitas Prize. Scripts are never photocopied, put online, or otherwise distributed beyond the library. Patrons must visit in-person to read material.

  • There is no limit to the number of scripts writers, studios, and production companies may submit.

  • Submitted material must be written in English. English translations of material originally written in another language will be accepted.

  • Should a writing team be selected, cash prizes will be split evenly amongst the writers.

  • TV movies should be submitted under the Drama Feature, Comedy Feature, or Family Feature categories.

TELEPLAY DETAILS:

  • Categories recognize single episodes, not a full series or a full series compiled into a single document. 

  • To provide context for Humanitas Prize judges, the application form includes an optional section where applicants may add additional story and character information.

  • In Children’s Teleplay, if a program airs two episodes in a half-hour block, each episode is treated as its own script. Combined scripts are not eligible.

  • If episodes from the same series are submitted to two different categories, Humanitas reserves the right to move the submissions to the same category.

FEATURE & SHORT FILM DETAILS:

  • Short film running times must not exceed 40 minutes. Projects longer than this are considered features.

  • Documentary shorts are not eligible for the short film category.

DOCUMENTARY DETAILS:

  • In lieu of a script, documentary entrants must submit digital video content via direct file upload or as a link via YouTube, Vimeo, or other video hosting service. If the link is password protected, please be sure to list the password in the correct field in the application and ensure the link will be active until August 1, 2024.

  • Feature-length documentaries (40+ minute runtime) and individual episodes of docuseries are eligible for consideration.

  • Applicants submitting an episode of a docuseries in the documentary category are able to include additional story information in an optional section of the application form. It is, however, strongly advised that submitted episodes be self-contained experiences which tell a story encompassing a beginning, a middle, and an end.

  • Unless they are submitted separately, Judges will only review one episode of a docuseries. If an applicant provides a link to a full docuseries and does not specify an episode in the application, only the first episode will be viewed.

  • Broadcast news segments, variety show segments, and documentary shorts are not eligible for the short film or documentary categories.

TO SUBMIT:

  • Please submit script and materials via our Awards Force web portal on or before April 1.

  • Applicants interested in paying the submission fee via credit card ought to select the PayPal option at check out. Applicants may also pay by check.

  • Alternative payment via wire transfer or Square can be arranged by contacting Humanitas.

  • Applicants who are contractors submitting the material on behalf of a studio, network, or other entities who will be responsible for paying the entry fees must put Humanitas in touch with the accounts payable contact you will be forwarding the Humanitas invoice to.

  • Unless otherwise agreed to, payment must be received before the project will be eligible for the judging process.

  • A limited number of fee waivers are available for applicants on a first come, first serve basis. If cost is a barrier for entry, please contact Humanitas.

If you have any other questions, please contact Humanitas at info@humanitasprize.org or view our FAQ .

HUMANITAS PRIZES SUPPORT

The Humanitas Prizes were formed in 1974 and have been supported through fundraising efforts overseen by Humanitas's leadership over the course of the program’s history. This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state agency. Submission fees are used to cover administrative costs. Funds raised at the annual The Humanitas Prizes event are used to support this and our other charitable programs.

QUESTIONS?

Please email us at info@humanitasprize.org or use the form below.