submissions

JFL Montreal “Eat My Shorts” Short Film Competition Taking Submissions

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Just For Laughs and Kevin Hart are holding a short film contest called “Eat My Shorts” that will not only have 5 films screen at the one and only JFL Montreal Comedy Festival in July, but have one filmmaker/team get a development deal through the LOL website/app.

Submission rules/guidelines:
-They’re looking for films that speak to diverse, multicultural, millennial audience
-Total running time must be no less than 3 nor more than 22 minutes in length (including credits)
-All languages will be accepted but subtitles must be in English
-Submission deadline is May 13th.

Best of all, there’s no purchase necessary to enter or win.

Get more details and submit here.

2017 Big Pine Comedy Festival Is Now Taking Submissions

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If you’re looking to do a comedy festival that’s not too far from LA, perhaps look into performing at The Big Pine Comedy Festival in Flagstaff, AZ.

The submissions for stand-up, improv, sketch, and podcasts are now open and fees and deadlines are as follows:

Stand-up
Early Bird Submission: $25 – March 6th to April 2nd
Open Submissions: $35 – April 3rd to May 7th
Late to The Party: $45 – May 8th to June 4th

Improv/Sketch
Early Bird Submission: $35 – March 6th to April 2nd
Open Submissions: $45 – April 3rd to May 7th
Late to The Party: $55 – May 8th to June 4th

Podcast
Submission: $15 – March 22nd to May 7th
Late to The Party: $45 – May 8th to June 4th

Get more details and submit here.

Submissions Are Now Open for 2017 Green Gravel Comedy Festival in Iowa

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Submissions Are Now Open for 2017 Green Gravel Comedy Festival in Iowa

Iowa’s Green Gravel Comedy Festival is returning for May 12th-13th as well as donating their proceeds to both the ACLU and Planned Parenthood.

Comedy in the middle of the country for great causes? Sounds pretty fantastic to us.

Deadline is appropriately scheduled on April 1st.

$15 – Iowa Stand-up Comedians (Must provide verification of Iowa residency or address).
$20 – Podcast Submissions, One-man/woman Shows, Musical Comedy Acts
$25 – Out-of-State Stand-up Comedians

Get more details and submit here.

Brooklyn’s 2017 Cinder Block Comedy Festival Has Earlybird Submissions Now Open

February 17, 2017

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If you’re a comedian and identify as a LGBTQ, person of color, a disabled person, woman or anyone who applied with the Cinder Block Comedy Festival back in 2016, you can apply as an individual, show/group, or sketch to Brooklyn’s Cinder Block Comedy Festival for this year at the nice price of $19.25.

The festival itself will run from September 7th-10th and if you happen to be in or around any of the five boroughs, it might be worth your time to get in at Cinder Block.

These earlybird submission prices are available until March 8th. After that, submissions will be open to everybody up until the final deadline of April 5th.

Get more details and submit here.

Dozens of Literary Agents Are Holding an Open Call for Submissions from Muslim Writers

February 8, 2017

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Dozens of Literary Agents Are Holding an Open Call for Submissions from Muslim Writers

Normalizing those minority groups that are under threat in these turbulent times is one way to push forward against unjust discrimination. More exposure through TV, film, books, etc. of Muslims will properly inform the American people that they shouldn’t be triggered by the words “Muslim” or “Islam”.

So, literary agent Clelia Gore has compiled an growing list of dozens of literary agents from several different literary agents that will take submissions from Muslim-heritage writers.

With that in mind, we’d love to see plenty of Muslim comedy writers, authors, comedians get to write a book and share their story from this opportunity.

See the full list of agents you can look up and contact if you fall into this category here.

2017 Laughing Skull in Atlanta Is Accepting Stand-Up Submissions

January 4, 2017

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Here’s another comedy festival that you might want to get in on if doing stand-up is your thing.

The 2017 Laughing Skull Comedy Festival is now accepting submissions until February 14th. 72 comedians will be accepted for one of the South’s most popular comedy festivals.

The regular submission fee is $45, but if you’re reading this, you can use an exclusive Comedy Bureau discount for $30 until Sunday, February 5th. Just use the following promo code “Bureau2017” when submitting.

You’ll find out whether you made it in or not on or before Wednesday, March 1, 2017 and the actual festival will happen on the week of May 1st in Atlanta, GA.

Get more details and submit here.

2017’s Limestone Comedy Festival Is Now Accepting Submissions

January 2, 2017

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2017’s Limestone Comedy Festival Is Now Accepting Submissions

Bloomington, IN’s annual Limestone Comedy Festival has just opened up their submissions for this year to find new stand-up comedians to highlight.

If you’re looking to make your way into the circuit of comedy festivals as a stand-up, you might want to start with Limestone, especially if you live in or around Indiana.

The earlybird fee is $25 until Sunday, February 19th, the regular submission fee is $40 until the final deadline of Sunday, March 12th.

Get more details and submit here.

You Could Win a Chance to Make TruTV’s Next Show with NYTVF and TruTV’s Comedy Breakout Initiative

December 20, 2016

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You Could Win a Chance to Make TruTV’s Next Show with NYTVF and TruTV’s Comedy Breakout Initiative

TruTV is looking for some new blood on their development slate and has opened their doors, partnering with the New York TV Festival, with this Comedy Breakout Initiative that will take in submissions on new formats for their network and pick one creator and project to give up to $25K to develop the idea.

Submissions will run from January 25th, 2017-February 17th, 2017 and finalists will be announced in March and then winners in May.

Get more details and guidelines here.

Oh yeah, best of all, there’s no submission fee.

2017 Gilda’s LaughFest Is Now Taking Submissions for Stand-Up, Sketch, and Improv

December 2, 2016

comedy festival, improv, sketch, stand up, submissions

2017 Gilda’s LaughFest Is Now Taking Submissions for Stand-Up, Sketch, and Improv

Gilda’s LaughFest has taken place annually in Grand Rapids, MI since 2011 bringing headliners and up and comers around the country to Michigan.

This year, the festival will run for a week and a half from March 9th-19th.

You have a shot to perform as they’re taking submissions until December 18th this year. Get details and submit at the link above.

Matt Besser Holding Nationwide improv4humans Improv Contest

December 1, 2016

dcm, del close marathon, improv, improv4humans, long form improv, matt besser, submissions

The winners will get to perform at next year’s DCM.

Across the entire country, one of the founding members of The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and creator of the improv4humans podcast, Matt Besser, is looking for the best improv team around.

If you’ve got a team that can execute in the improv4humans form, then you might have a shot to be flown out to NYC for the world’s most highly regarded improv comedy festival, Del Close Marathon.

Get all the details, deadlines and more for contest4improv4humans here.

2017 LA Film Festival Now Taking Submissions

October 3, 2016

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2017 LA Film Festival Now Taking Submissions

Late deadline is December 16, 2016.

Early deadline is October 28, 2016.
Regular deadline is November 18th, 2016.

The LA Film Festival will be taking submissions for films, both feature and short, and episodic series.

The fees range from $15-$50 for early deadline, $20-$75 for regular, and $25-$100 for late.

Get more details here and please submit some great comedy for next year’s LA Film Festival.

Funny Women Fest LA Is Taking Submissions Until October 14th

September 28, 2016

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Funny Women Fest LA Is Taking Submissions Until October 14th

The festival is set to take place in Highland Park on Thursday, November 30th through Saturday, December 3rd and will help benefit the Downtown Women’s Center.

They’re looking for female performers in stand-up, sketch, improv, storytelling, musical comedy, sketch, short film, and pilot scripts. Fees range from $20-$50 depending on whether you’re submitting as an individual or a group.

That’s not a pretty good deal especially considering you’re helping an LA foundation that deals with women overcoming homelessness.

Again, the submission deadline is Friday, October 14th, 2016 at midnight.

Screen Junkies Is Having an Open Casting Call for Their New News Channel

September 20, 2016

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Screen Junkies Is Having an Open Casting Call for Their New News Channel

Any of you have an unfiltered take on film and television and feel pretty confident about it on camera?

Well, the film and TV culture giant known as Screen Junkies, the folks responsibly for the Emmy nominated, satirical Honest Trailers series, are launching a whole brand new channel that’s dedicated to entertainment news and are looking for members of this Screen Junkies news team.

They’re holding an open casting call and all you need to do is make a video on how you would cover a breaking entertainment news story. Get submission details at the link above.

We’re guessing a lot of our readers might fit the bill for this.

MoveOn.Org Is Putting on a Trump Comedy Contest, “Laughter Trumps Hate”

August 13, 2016

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MoveOn.Org Is Putting on a Trump Comedy Contest, “Laughter Trumps Hate”

It’s free to enter, they’re accepting submissions for sketch, stand-up, and Trump impressions, and there is a cash prize for the winners as well as the potential “to be invited to participate in other comedy projects or events as part the Laughter Trumps Hate Task Force.”

The deadline is Wednesday, August 17th at midnight PDT.

BitTorrent’s New Discovery Fund Is Offering $2500-$100K to Artists for Marketing and Distribution

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BitTorrent’s New Discovery Fund Is Offering $2500-$100K to Artists for Marketing and Distribution

If you know how the entertainment biz works, you might be well aware that one of the major elements that keeps something ‘indie’ as opposed to ‘mainstream’ is a budget for marketing and distribution. Often times, indie comedies that get lauded over and over at film festivals will have limited runs in art house cinemas around the country, but would rarely, if ever, find their way to your local multiplex simply because there is no budget to reach further with the movie.

BitTorrent is looking to turn the tides in this regard with their newly launched Discovery Fund initiative that is empowering artists to be able to reach further than their limited resources of favors and grassroots campaigning can afford them.

Based on the scope of the project and if they’re into it, they’ll offer up $2500-$100,000 to boost the marketing and distribution of an artist’s work with the artist maintaining the rights to the work itself.

This includes anyone who can fit under the description of “awesome storytellers and outside voices”, which is well within the umbrella of comedy.

Sounds pretty good, right?

Find out more details at the link above.

Remember, You Can Apply to Comedy Binge for $5 Because You’re a Comedy Bureau Reader

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Remember, You Can Apply to Comedy Binge for $5 Because You’re a Comedy Bureau Reader

The very first online live comedy festival, Comedy Binge, is giving our readers a nice discount to apply to perform. Since you’re reading these words, that includes you.

Just make sure to enter the promo code ‘bureau’ at the checkout.

Comedy Binge Is Offering a Special $5 Application Fee for Comedy Bureau Readers

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Comedy Binge Is Offering a Special $5 Application Fee for Comedy Bureau Readers

Currently, if you want to apply to Comedy Binge, the first live online comedy festival, it costs $25.

However, the fine folks at Comedy Binge are allowing you fine folks that keep your tabs open to The Comedy Bureau to apply for $5 until the deadline on August 31st. All you have to do is be sure to enter the promo code “bureau” at the checkout.

Looks like learning how to spell ‘bureau’ will literally pay off now.

Comedy Binge, the First Online Live Comedy Festival, Is Now Taking Submissions

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Comedy Binge is a live comedy festival that will be live streaming all of their performances and shows, while putting them on in Atlanta, GA on Saturday, October 29th.

They are now taking submissions until Wednesday, August 31st.

You can more details how you can join this groundbreaking festival here.

Des Moines’ Beast Village Comedy Festival Is Now Taking Submissions

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Deadline is July 31st.

The Beast Village Comedy Festival, set in Des Moines, Iowa’s East Village, is getting set for its 2016 edition running from September 29th to October 1st.

They are now accepting submissions to perform, from which they will end up selecting 45 comedians to bring into the festival. Note that these spots don’t offer pay or cover travel expenses, but they will have complimentary meals, drinks, parties, and more.

If you’re interested in, the submission fee is $15 until July 4th, then $20 after that.

Get more details and/or submit here.

Just a Friendly Reminder About Our Open Submission Policy

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At The Comedy Bureau, we always strive to highlight great comedy that might not get seen by a good number of people otherwise.

Thus, we’re always open to having stuff sent to us whether it be a sketch, web series, podcast, short film, live show, book, movie, album, TV show, essay, art installation, festival, etc. etc. for consideration to be featured at the site like we did for Derek Sheen’s fantastic album Tiny Idiot.

NOTE: we are still solely based in LA as of this time. So, live show listings/coverage tends to skew towards the Greater Los Angeles Area. However, we’re still game for big, one-off, and/or annual events like festivals, tours, and the like around the country such as Bridgetown or even the world (Eddie Izzard’s Force Majeure, Comedy Central International Festival, Edinburgh Fringe)

Please send all submissions to thecomedybureau@gmail.com. Apologies in advance if it takes us awhile to get back to you as our staff is on the small-but-mighty side.

The 2016 Big Pine Comedy Festival Is Now Open for Submissions

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Big Pine, Flagstaff, AZ’s comedy festival is returning for another year and another round of discovering whatever comedy gems they can find. This time around, paid accommodation and more spots are up for grabs.

They’re considering stand-up, sketch, and improv performers for shows running from Thursday, September 22nd-Saturday, September 24th.

The early deadline is Sunday, May 15th and costs $25 for stand-up and $30 for sketch and improv teams. Submit here.

Cleveland’s Accidental Comedy Fest Is Now Taking Submissions

February 23, 2016

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Deadline is June 15th.

This will be the fifth year that the Accidental Comedy Fest in Cleveland takes place and you have a chance to be part of what is becoming a Cleveland comedy institution.

The festival is set for Fri. Aug. 26th-Sun. 28th.

They’re accepting submissions for everything including stand-up, sketch, improv, podcast, specialty show, etc.

If you’ve got $30 and you’re interested, go and submit here.

DCM 18 Is Now Taking Submissions

February 16, 2016

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If you ever get to be a part of the renowned Del Close Marathon, we suggest that you take it.

The Del Close Marathon is a literally non-stop weekend in NYC celebrating the legacy in improvisational comedy of Del Close. Shows will start June 24th and go all the way through June 26th (that includes shows in the afternoons, mornings, and past midnight).

So, if you’re interested in submitting a show for DCM 18, do so here.

Here’s a Free Stand-Up Contest Where You Could End Up Performing on Daytime Talk Show “The Real”

February 8, 2016

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You could perform on The Real as well as a chance to open up for Loni Love in Vegas.

Have a two minute clip of original, daytime TV appropriate material? You can enter it into Loni Love’s Laugh Off and potentially get your first TV credit by performing on The Real. The deadline is Feb. 14th (Valentine’s Day) and it’s free to enter.

Find out more details and submit here.

2016 Broke LA Festival Taking Submissions for Comedy

January 22, 2016

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(via Tumblangeles)

SUBMISSIONS open January 14th until February 26th, 2016.
EARLY SUBMISSION DEADLINE: February 14th, NO FEE Submission.
LATE SUBMISSION DEADLINE: $10 fee, February 26th

The Broke LA Festival used to be cleverly called Brokechella, but is still aiming to giving a festival experience to those not willing to drop the coin on venturing out to the desert for an entire weekend to mostly trip on drugs and kind of listen to live music.

The festival is set for Apr. 23rd and they are taking submissions for comedy, which should be convenient to all of you that live in LA.

Get details and submit here.