Screenwriters Lab
WHAT IS THE SCREENWRITERS LAB?
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Film Independent's Screenwriters Lab is an intensive five-week program running two to three evenings a week in Los Angeles in August and September. The Lab is designed to help screenwriters improve their craft, develop their voices as writers, and take their current scripts to the next level. During the Lab, Fellows receive feedback on their scripts from the Lab instructor, outside advisors, and the other writers in the program. A secondary goal of the program is to help advance the careers of the Lab Fellows by introducing them to film professionals who can advise them on both the craft and business of screenwriting. Lab Fellows have one-on-one meetings with established screenwriters, producers, and other industry professionals who act as advisors on the Fellows' projects. |
Key Information:Deadline: 2 March 2010
Application fee: $75 Application: closed Contact: Jennifer Kushner 310.432.1275 or JKushner@filmindependent.org Got questions? Labs FAQ |
A maximum of ten projects are selected for the lab. Writing partners are welcome to apply as teams.
All applicants to the Screenwriters Lab will receive written coverage on their submission regardless of acceptance.
Notification of acceptance will be sent via email in June.
Screenwriters Lab Fellows receive:
- A one-year membership with Film Independent
- A pass to the Los Angeles Film Festival
- Year-round support from Film Independent
- Lab fellows are eligible to join the Indie Writers Caucus of the WGAw.
Past Screenwriters Lab projects include Suzi Yoonessi's Dear Lemon Lima, (2009 Los Angeles Film Festival), Beth Schacter's Normal Adolescent Behavior (2007 Tribeca Film Festival), Scott Prendergast's Kabluey (2007 Los Angeles Film Festival), Minh Nguyen-Vo's Buffalo Boy (Vietnam's entry to the 2007 Academy Awards), and V. Prasad's Ocean of Pearls.
Past instructors include Meg LeFauve (producer, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys), Jeff Kleeman (UA/MGM), Mardik Martin (co-writer, Mean Streets, Raging Bull), Jeff Stockwell (Bridge to Terabithia, The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys), Barbara Turner (Georgia, The Company), and Lee David Zlotoff (Spitfire Grill).
Past guest speakers include Doug Atchison (Akeelah and the Bee), Mike Binder (The Upside of Anger), Scott Frank (The Lookout), Rian Johnson (Brick), Karen Moncrieff (The Dead Girl), Diana Ossana (Brokeback Mountain), Howard Rodman (Savage Grace), and Eric Roth (Forrest Gump).
HOW TO APPLY
To be eligible, applicants must submit the online application form, including a cover letter explaining one's interest in the Screenwriters Lab, one feature-length script, a logline and short synopsis of the script (no more than two pages), bios of other key people attached to the project, if any, and a non-refundable application fee (checks should be made payable to Film Independent).
Documentary, short film, and television projects are not eligible to apply.
WHAT SELECTION CRITERIA ARE USED IN EVALUATING SCREENWRITERS LAB SUBMISSIONS?
Film Independent is looking for well-written, compelling, independent screenplays that have gone through at least one complete draft yet are nonetheless not fully polished. The Lab is structured to support writers who are still creatively engaged in the writing of the script and are at the point where they would welcome and benefit from feedback and discussion about their work. Writers are accepted into the program to work on the specific screenplay with which they apply.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO PARTICIPATE IN THE PROGRAM?
Aside from the application fee, there is no tuition to attend Film Independent's Talent Development Programs.
Film Independent offers the Filmmaker Labs as an intensive program in which writers, directors, and producers can develop their craft as well as their projects. We ask that once completed, films that have been supported by the Labs include the end credit "Developed with the help of the Film Independent Filmmaker Labs" with the Film Independent logo.
