Deadline: 7 April 2008 (early); 5 May 2008 (final)

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION
The application is in PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it. Click here for a free download of Adobe Reader.

WHAT IS THE SCREENWRITERS LAB?

Film Independent's Screenwriters Lab is an intensive seven-week program running two evenings a week in Los Angeles in July and August 2008. The Lab is designed to help screenwriters improve their craft, develop their voice 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 participant's projects.

A maximum of ten projects are selected for the lab. Writing partners are welcome to apply as teams.

Screenwriters Lab Fellows receive:
A one-year membership with Film Independent
A pass to the Los Angeles Film Festival (Westwood Pass)
Year-round support from Film Independent
Lab fellows are eligible to join the Indie Writers Caucus of the WGAw.

Past Screenwriters Lab projects include 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 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 (Reign Over Me, The Upside of Anger), Scott Frank (The Lookout, Minority Report), Rian Johnson (Brick, The Brothers Bloom), Karen Moncrieff (The Dead Girl), and Eric Roth (Munich, Forrest Gump).

HOW TO APPLY

To be eligible, applicants must submit a completed application form, cover letter explaining one's interest in the Screenwriters Lab and status of their project, one feature-length script, a logline and short synopsis of the script (no more than two pages), resumes/bios of other key people attached to the project, if any, and an application fee (checks should be made payable to Film Independent). Documentary projects are not eligible to apply.

All applicants to the Screenwriters Lab receive written coverage of their submitted scripts, regardless of their acceptance into the program.

The Screenwriters Lab is sponsored by the Writers Guild of America, West.

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 projects that have been supported by the Labs, once they are made, contribute �% (.0025) of their production budget calculated after the first $1,000,000, with a cap on the amount to be paid to Film Independent not to exceed $25,000. These contributions will be used to fund future labs.

Film Independent also asks for the end credit "Developed with the help of the Film Independent Filmmaker Labs" to be run along with the Film Independent logo.

DEADLINES AND FEES

Early Deadline: 7 April 2008 (postmarked)
$35 Film Independent Members
$55 Non-members

Late Deadline: 5 May 2008 (postmarked)
$55 Film Independent Members
$75 Non-members

If you would like your script returned to you, include SASE

You will be notified via email as to whether or not you have been accepted into the program by June 18, 2008.

DOWNLOAD APPLICATION

The application is in PDF format and you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open it. Click here for a free download of Adobe Reader.

For more information, please contact Filmmaker Labs Associate, Jennifer Kushner, at 310.432.1275 or JKushner@filmindependent.org.

2007 Screenwriters Lab Participants

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