The LONESTAR FILM FESTIVAL is partnering with J & J RANCH PRODUCTIONS to offer its first annual ‘Book to Film’ Contest. This contest is open to any author in any author who has a book already published in the English language with an ISBN number.
A FREE Zoom session will take place on Saturday, February 10, 2024, at 10:30 AM to learn more about Book to Film, and to help answer questions about this contest. Registration for the session is required by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• The entry deadline is Monday, March 4th, 2024
SPCIFICATIONS
• Fiction & Nonfiction will all be accepted. However, nothing will be accepted in the genres of erotica, picture book, self-help, poetry, and cookbook.
• You cannot enter a book in the contest that contains AI-generated material.
• The author’s ‘book to film’ proposal must be fewer than 2,000 words in length (this length does not include the 3 chapters from your book).
• Work must be original. Any borrowed ideas or language must be appropriately acknowledged.
• Authors must be willing to have their work adapted to film, via a full feature screenplay, but their credit be written in their own names. No anonymous or pseudonymous adaptations will be accepted.
• Authors can only submit one proposal.
Prepare your entry or entries as described in these instructions. If you need help or further instructions on how to draft your proposal, tune into our Webinar on social media in February.
Incomplete or improperly submitted entries will be rejected.
Your proposal should include (in order as detailed below):
• A one sentence log line (log lines shorten your entire story into a one line sales pitch. The best log lines simply say what the character wants, and what they’ll have to do to get it.)
• Your book’s synopsis
• Film comps (minimum of 3) that are similar to what your film would be like
• Target audiences (ages, gender, interests)
• Pictures/Images (stock images) of possible scenes (3 total) that you think could make your proposal stand out from the others
• A description of all your characters (include ideas of actors/actresses that you could see playing these roles)
• You, as the Author, must also tell us why you feel your book would make a great film one day.
• 1st 3 chapters of your book (not counted in the 2,000 word length max)
IMPORTANT:
• When you submit your entry form, you verify that the submitted work is original.
• Save each file as a Microsoft Word file (.doc or .docx) or a .pdf file. Include the title of the piece in the file name.
• Submit your entry as a file attachment in an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
• In the subject line, make sure to type: Book to Film Contest
• The entry fee is $45 and payments must be received within 5 days of your proposal submission in order for your entry to be fully accepted. Payments go to J & J Ranch Productions via Venmo.
*if you do not use Venmo and would like to make other payment arrangements, email us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
FORMAT:
• All multi-page entries must be titled and paginated.
• All entries must have one-inch margins and page numbers.
• Work must be double-spaced unless alternate formatting is an integral part of the story’s aesthetic effect.
• All entries must be submitted in Microsoft Word file (.doc or .docx) or a .PDF file (.pdf). When format is an integral part of the work’s aesthetic effect, a scanned image converted to a PDF document is acceptable.
PROCEDURES AND STIPULATIONS FOR THE LAND PHASE OF THE C Judging Criteria:
• Judges chosen by the LONESTAR FILM FESTIVAL organization and J & J Ranch Productions will determine first, second, and third place in each category, but only the first place winner will be offered a film adaptation script contract from J & J Ranch Productions.
• Work will be judged on imaginative insight, sensitivity to language, the stories ability to be visually appealing on screen, and control of formal elements (e.g. point of view, metrics, character arcs, etc.)
Any direct questions can be submitted to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Stipulations:
• Authors retain the copyright to their submissions. However, authors need to grant J & J Ranch Productions and Lonestar Film Festival the right to reproduce any submission on its website or any other of these organization’s publications regardless of medium of publication. SPONSORING ORGANIZATION
*For more information about J & J Ranch Productions, visit the J & J Ranch Productions at WWW.JJRANCHPRODUCTIONS.COM