Make a short film in Showrunner Studio set in the Gossip Goblin universe and compete for $15,000 in the best film category alone

Showrunner Studio, the AI filmmaking platform from Fable, has partnered with the Gossip Goblin IP to run a branded short film competition with a $20,000 total prize pool. The brief is specific: every film must open with a client sitting down in a Ripper Doc's chair, then take the story wherever the filmmaker chooses within the Gossip Goblin universe. Films can run anywhere from two to twenty minutes, giving creators room to tell something with genuine narrative weight.

This is a brand-challenge format, meaning Showrunner is both the required tool and the competition host, and the Gossip Goblin intellectual property provides the world. That combination makes it narrower in scope than an open AI film festival, but the cash prizes are correspondingly serious. A $15,000 first prize for best film is substantial for a competition in this space, and four additional categories spread a further $5,000 across screenplay, visuals, performance, and audience vote.

What you submit

Your film must be made entirely inside Showrunner Studio. It must run between two and twenty minutes. It must carry the official Gossip Goblin competition watermark, which the platform presumably applies or provides during the submission process. There is one firm pre-submission rule worth noting: you cannot post your film to social media before you have submitted it through the official entry route. The entry page is at showrunnerstudio.com/gossip-goblin.

Prize structure

- Best Film: $15,000
- People's Choice: $2,000
- Best Screenplay: $1,000
- Best Visuals: $1,000
- Best Performance: $1,000
- Total pool: $20,000

All prizes are stated as cash. The People's Choice category suggests a public voting component, though the mechanics are not detailed on the aggregator page. Check the official entry page for confirmation of how votes are counted.

Terms worth reading

The official rules are hosted at the Showrunner Studio entry page rather than the aggregator listing, so a full read there is essential before you submit. A few points to clarify when you visit: the licence Fable or Gossip Goblin takes over submitted films, whether winning entries remain your intellectual property or are assigned to the brand, and any obligations around promotion or attribution after the competition closes. Because this is a branded challenge using a third-party IP, it is reasonable to expect that your film will incorporate elements the brand owns, and terms may reflect that. No entry fee is published on the listing, but verify this on the official page before assuming free entry.

The social media embargo prior to submission is a firm rule. Posting your film publicly before submitting would likely disqualify your entry.

Deadline and entry

The submission deadline is 15 December 2026. No cutoff time or timezone is stated on the listing, so treat the end of business on 14 December as your working deadline to avoid any last-minute technical issues. The competition is online and open internationally, subject to any eligibility restrictions on the official rules page.

Apply and read the full rules at the official Showrunner Studio entry page.

Source: https://aifilmcontests.com/contests/gossip-goblin-showrunner-competition-2026