Entering its ninth year, Columbia University Blue List Script Competition connects the Film Program’s most talented recent graduates with leading professionals in the world of film and television. The Blue List represents the most esteemed, unproduced screenplays and television pilots written by Film & Playwriting graduates of the Columbia University’s School of the Arts.
Scripts are submitted from recent graduates (up to five years) and are judged by students, faculty, and industry professionals (managers, agents, producers, executives, etc.). Winners of the Blue List will have their scripts hosted on the Black List and be offered some type of mentorship and guidance from the industry readers. A press release is sent out to garner more interest in the winning scripts.
Starting in 2022, the Blue List Script Competition will be sponsored by the curated streaming service, MUBI. We are also pleased to announce alumna Jennifer Lee '05 as the Artistic Director.
Dylan Polacek of MUBI says, “MUBI is proud to support the 2021 Blue List, a competition that gives a platform for success to many exceptional students and screenwriters.”
Jack Lechner, Chair of the Film Program echoes MUBI’s statements, saying “we are thrilled to have the support of MUBI for this competition highlighting the best and brightest scripts from our program.”
“The proliferation of [Film School] lists in support of up-and-coming writers is probably the greatest honor the Black List has yet received. It's only natural that we make the scripts available to industry professionals for free for a limited time via the Black List website to provide an even higher profile stage for them. Columbia was one of the first, and if their alumni track record is any indication, industry professionals would be wise to download and read them on the site immediately."
"I have been consistently surprised at the high level of writing that I have judged the past two years. I have been on the Nicholl Fellowships committee of the Motion Picture Academy to judge scripts and I can say that the Blue List entries I have read are in a class with the best Academy scripts."