Official Rules

01Sponsor

The Verticals For Good Micro-Series Challenge (the “Challenge”) is sponsored by Proof Of What’s Possible, Inc. (“Sponsor”), 9663 Santa Monica Blvd., Suite 1435, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. Contact: havilah@verticalsforgood.com.

02Eligibility

• Open to individuals worldwide who are 18 or older at the time of entry, except where prohibited by law.
• Entries may come from an individual or a team of up to three people. Every team member must meet these requirements.
• One entry per individual or team. A person may not appear on more than one entry.
• All materials must be written in English.
• Employees and contractors of Sponsor, the judges, and their immediate family and household members are not eligible.

03Challenge Period

The Challenge opens October 1, 2026 and closes Friday, October 30, 2026 at 8:59 PM Pacific Time (the “Deadline”). Sponsor’s systems are the official clock. Late entries will not be accepted.

04How to Enter

1. Register at www.verticalsforgood.com to receive the source material.
2. Submit at www.verticalsforgood.com/submit before the Deadline, providing: your name and email address; working title; track; genre; logline; and a link to one shared folder containing the three PDFs described in Rule 5.
3. The folder link must be set to “Anyone with the link can view,” with no password, sign-in or expiration. Files must remain available and unchanged until the winner is announced.
4. Submissions are final. Entries cannot be revised, replaced or withdrawn and resubmitted after submission. Duplicate submissions may be disqualified.
5. There is no fee to enter.

Entries that are late, incomplete, inaccessible, password-protected, or altered after submission may be disqualified.

05Entry Requirements

Tracks. Each entry must declare one track:

• Track A: Direct Adaptation. A structural adaptation of the book’s narrative, characters and central scenes, reimagined for vertical episodes.
• Track B: Thematic Reimagining. An original story, in any genre, built around one or more of the book’s themes, without following its literal plot.

Format. A serialized vertical micro-series of 10 to 12 episodes, each 1 to 3 minutes long. Any genre is welcome.

The three PDFs:

1. Full script. All 10–12 episodes (1–3 minutes each), in standard screenplay format.
2. Series bible. 1–3 pages covering tone (the series’ emotional flavor, for example heartfelt comedy or tense thriller); visual language (how it looks on a phone screen: color, settings, camera style and recurring images); and audience fit (who will watch it, where, such as TikTok, ReelShort or Instagram, and why they’ll keep swiping to the next episode).
3. Pitch document with three labeled sections: Synopsis (the full series arc, 500 words or fewer); Character bios (2–4 main characters with name, age, personality and core motivation, 500 words or fewer total); and Source Engagement Note (200–300 words on the passages or themes from Rewriting A New History that inspired the entry).

Logline. One sentence, 250 characters or fewer, entered on the submission form.

06Original Work and AI Use

Each entry must be original work prepared specifically for this Challenge, not previously produced, published or awarded, and must not infringe anyone’s rights.

Entrants may use AI tools for supporting tasks: research, outlining, brainstorming, proofreading and formatting. The core creative and narrative work (scene construction, dialogue, character development and plot structure) must be the entrant’s own original human authorship. This matters because, under current U.S. Copyright Office guidance, work generated substantially by AI is not eligible for copyright protection. Sponsor may request drafts, notes or other evidence of process to verify human authorship and may disqualify any entry that does not meet this rule.

07Source Material License

Registered entrants receive a digital copy of Rewriting A New History: A Spiritual Path to Audacious Authenticity and Healing by Havilah Malone (the “Source Material”). Sponsor grants each entrant a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to read and reference the Source Material solely to prepare an entry for this Challenge. The license ends when the Challenge closes or the entrant is disqualified or withdraws, whichever comes first. Entrants may not share, reproduce, distribute or publish the Source Material. All rights in the Source Material remain with the author.

08Judging

Entries are judged by Havilah Malone and a panel of industry judges named by the Sponsor using the 100-point rubric below. All entries are judged on the same scale; the track an entry declares changes only what judges look for within each category.

In a tie, the entry with the higher Structure & Episode Craft score ranks higher; if still tied, the higher Concept & Hook score. Judges’ decisions are final.

09Prizes

Winner (one): $2,000 USD; the winning script featured at the LA Vertical Drama Market, November 5–7, 2026; and consideration for the Verticals For Good writer roster. Attendance at the Market is not required, and no travel or lodging is provided.

Runner-ups (two): One 1-on-1 coaching session each, with either Roberta Sparta (Sparta Productions) or Kay Ross (Story Math), as assigned by the Sponsor, plus consideration for the writer roster.

Team entries: Prizes are split evenly among team members unless the team designated a different split at registration.

Terms: The cash prize is paid by bank transfer, PayPal or Zelle within 30 days after the winner returns signed eligibility and rights paperwork. Winners are responsible for any taxes and may be asked for a W-9 (U.S.) or W-8BEN (outside the U.S.). Prizes are not transferable. Sponsor may substitute a prize of equal or greater value, and may decline to award a prize if no entry meets a minimum score of 60 points.

10Winner Announcement and Verification

The winner is announced live at the LA Vertical Drama Market, November 5–7, 2026. All entrants are notified of the results by email after the Market, at the address used to register. The winner must sign an affidavit of eligibility and the rights assignment in Rule 11 within 7 days of notice, or an alternate winner may be selected.

11Rights in Entries

Winning entry. The winning script, series bible, pitch document and related materials (the “Winning Work”) are a work made for hire for Sponsor under the U.S. Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 101. To the extent they are not, the winner irrevocably assigns to Sponsor all right, title and interest in the Winning Work, including all copyrights, in exchange for the prize, and agrees to sign any further documents reasonably needed to confirm this.

All other entries. Because every entry is a derivative of the copyrighted Source Material, non-winning entrants may not publish, produce, sell, option or otherwise commercially use their entry without Sponsor’s written consent. Entrants may keep a copy and share it privately as a writing sample (for example, with agents, managers or prospective employers), but may not post it publicly.

Review license. By entering, each entrant grants Sponsor and the judges the right to read, copy and store the entry for judging and Challenge administration.

12Publicity

Except where prohibited by law, winners and runner-ups agree that Sponsor may use their name, likeness, city and country, biography, and their series title and logline to announce and promote the Challenge, without further compensation.

13Privacy

Information submitted is used to run the Challenge and to send Challenge-related emails from Verticals For Good. Entrants can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email. Sponsor does not sell entrant information.

14General Conditions

• Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, inaccessible or misdirected entries, or for technical failures of any kind.
• Sponsor may disqualify any entrant who tampers with the entry process, violates these rules, or submits content that is defamatory, obscene, infringing or otherwise inappropriate.
• To the extent permitted by law, entrants release Sponsor, its officers, the judges and partners from any liability arising from participation in the Challenge or acceptance or use of a prize.
• These rules are governed by the laws of the State of California, and any dispute will be resolved in the courts of Los Angeles County, California.

15Changes and Cancellation

Sponsor may modify, suspend or cancel the Challenge if fraud, technical problems or circumstances beyond its control affect its administration. Any material change will be posted on this page. Void where prohibited.

16Contact and Winners List

Questions about these rules: havilah@verticalsforgood.com. To request the name of the winner, email the same address after November 7, 2026.