Overview

The SPEC BLK Page to Screen Showcase is an adaptation-focused initiative created to spotlight Black speculative fiction stories with strong potential for film, television, and emerging media.

The showcase is a separate initiative within the SPEC BLK Convening. General attendees are not required to submit to or participate in the showcase.

Submission Dates

Early Submission Period

June 9, 2026 – June 30, 2026
Submission Fee: $40

Regular Submission Period

July 1, 2026 – August 15, 2026
Submission Fee: $55

Finalists Announced

September 15, 2026

Grand Prize Winner Announced

Live during the SPEC BLK Page to Screen Showcase at the inaugural convening.

Submissions may close early if the submission cap is reached.

Submission Requirements

Each submission must include:

Teasers longer than 3 minutes may be disqualified or reviewed only up to the 3-minute mark.

Accepted Formats

Accepted teaser/trailer formats may include:

The teaser does not need to be a fully produced short film. It should clearly communicate the tone, world, premise, and adaptation potential of the story.

Submission Link Deadline

You do not need to have your teaser/trailer link ready at the time you register for the SPEC BLK Page to Screen Showcase.

If you are registering now but your video link is not ready yet, simply type “PENDING” in the link section of the submission form. A copy of your submission response will be sent to the email address you provide, and you will be able to return to edit your form and add your YouTube or Vimeo link later.

All final teaser/trailer links must be added to your submission form by:

August 15, 2026 at 11:59 PM ET

Earlier submissions are encouraged, but all links must be accessible by the deadline in order to be reviewed.

Eligibility

The showcase is designed to center and elevate Black speculative fiction storytellers and stories with strong page-to-screen potential.

Stories rooted in Black speculative traditions, perspectives, futures, memory, imagination, and worldbuilding are strongly encouraged.

Submissions may be based on:

Other Eligibility

The SPEC BLK Page to Screen Showcase is open only to individuals who are:

SPEC BLK reserves the right to request proof of eligibility at any stage of the review, finalist, or prize process.

Void where prohibited by law.

Rights & Ownership

Creators retain all rights to their submitted work.

SPEC BLK does not claim ownership of any submitted project, story, concept, characters, trailer, teaser, script, book, manuscript, or intellectual property.

By submitting, creators grant SPEC BLK permission to:

This permission is limited to promotion, review, event programming, and showcase visibility.

Submission Fees

Submission fees are non-refundable.

Submission fees help support administrative review, showcase operations, finalist awards, event programming, and related production costs.

Early Bird ticket purchases for the SPEC BLK Convening do not automatically include showcase submission fees unless otherwise stated.

Current Early Bird Ticket Holders

As a courtesy, attendees who purchased an Early Bird ticket prior to the official Page to Screen Showcase announcement may receive one complimentary showcase submission code.

This courtesy applies only to early bird buyers who purchased before the showcase submission details were publicly released.

Finalist Selection

Five finalists will be selected.

Finalists will be announced on September 15, 2026.

Finalist selection may consider:

Selection does not guarantee production, representation, distribution, publishing, financing, or option agreements.

Prizes

Grand Prize Winner

The Grand Prize Winner will receive:

Four Finalists

Four additional finalists will each receive:

Prize payments may require completion of tax documentation.

Event Attendance

Selected finalists will receive complimentary access to the SPEC BLK Convening. Attendance is encouraged but not required. Finalists will be notified of winner results whether or not they are present at the Convening. 

General attendees are not required to submit to the showcase.

Submitting to the showcase does not automatically include general event admission unless the submitter is selected as a finalist or otherwise notified by SPEC BLK.

Public Posting & Hashtags

YouTube or Vimeo links may be public or unlisted.

Public posting is encouraged for creators who want to take part in the broader showcase visibility campaign, but it is not required and will not influence judging or winner selection.

SPEC BLK must have access to the submitted link for review and judging purposes. If selected as a finalist, your teaser/trailer will be included in the live Page to Screen Showcase.

Suggested hashtags:

#SpecBlkPageToScreen
#PageToScreenShowcase
#BlackSpeculativeFiction

Judges & Evaluation Process

The SPEC BLK Page to Screen Showcase will be reviewed by a minimum of three judges with experience or professional insight in areas such as speculative fiction, publishing, film, television, libraries, media, adaptation, storytelling, or creative industry development.

Judges will be announced at a later date. SPEC BLK reserves the right to add additional judges, reviewers, or advisors as needed during the review process.

Submissions will be evaluated using the following criteria:

Judging decisions are final. Selection as a finalist or winner is at the discretion of SPEC BLK and its judging team. In the event of a tie or scoring concern, SPEC BLK may use additional review, discussion, or advisory input to determine finalist and winner placement.

Refund Policy

Submission fees are non-refundable.

If the showcase is canceled by SPEC BLK, submitters will receive either a refund of the submission fee or credit toward a future SPEC BLK initiative.

If the convening is postponed, showcase submissions may be transferred to the rescheduled date.

Disqualification

SPEC BLK reserves the right to disqualify submissions that:

Statement on AI Use

SPEC BLK is committed to centering human authorship, creative ownership, and ethical storytelling.

For the Page to Screen Showcase, submitted projects must originate from the creator’s own original story, concept, characters, and creative vision. Creators are responsible for ensuring they own or control the rights to all submitted materials, including any visuals, music, voiceover, artwork, footage, or other media used in their teaser/trailer.

SPEC BLK does not prohibit the use of common creative tools used in editing, design, sound, accessibility, or production support. However, submissions that rely primarily on generative AI to replace original authorship, misrepresent creative ownership, imitate living artists without consent, or use copyrighted material without permission will be disqualified and submission fees will not be refunded.

Creators should be prepared to disclose any use of generative AI in the development of submitted visual or audio materials.

SPEC BLK does not claim ownership of submitted works. Creators retain all rights to their stories and intellectual property.