Fellowship/Mentorship Opportunities For Emerging Screenwriters

Jan 23

*Image by Donatello Trisolino on Pexels*

Each time you finish a script, it feels immensely gratifying. You’ve got this stack of pages in front of you that you’ve put all of your energy and heart into. . . but you have no idea what to do with it. You’re looking to get your start as a screenwriter, but you’re struggling to find a way in. It’s difficult to enter the industry, especially without any professional experience under your belt. A path to consider applying for a writing fellowship or mentorship program. These programs accept writers who are inexperienced and give them a chance to work in the development stage of a series or film. While this list does not include every fellowship/mentorship program available for screenwriters right now, it includes those whose application windows are currently open or will open within this year. It’s important to keep in mind these programs and the entertainment industry, in general, can be extremely competitive. Even if you do not get accepted on your first attempt, it is still valuable to go through the steps of preparing your work and putting it out into the world so you can learn from the process of doing that.

Black List X WIF Episodic Lab

Screenwriting program for writers who are of an underrepresented gender (women, NB/GNC, and/or trans, and others).
Four-week program including script development, pitching, workshopping and classes with established writers and industry members.
Submission package includes an original pilot script.
Application window: Present - July 24, 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Women Write Now Fellowship

Writing program “designed to champion and elevate Black female comedy writers through mentorship, advocacy, production, and exhibition.”
Submission package includes a short film screenplay.
Application window: Opens in August 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Nickelodeon Writing Program

Comedy screenwriting program focused on finding new voices from underrepresented communities.
One-year program where writers work on children and family programming.
Submission package includes an original comedy pilot script and a spec script from their accepted shows list.
Application window: July 1, 2022 – August 1, 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Walt Disney Television Writing Program

One-year program where writers work in TV development on a Disney General Entertainment show and set them up to eventually become long term staff writers.
Submission package includes two original pilot scripts and a personal essay.
Application window: Opens in May 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Viacom CBS Writers Mentoring Program

Focused on supporting emerging writers by familiarizing them with both the technical and interpersonal aspects of the industry.
Eight-month program with a combination of mentoring and networking.
Submission package includes an original pilot, stage play or a short fiction story and a spec script.
Application window: March 1, 2022– May 1, 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Humanitas New Voices Fellowship

Four-month mentorship for both television and feature film writers.
Aims to set up early writers with the tools and skills necessary to eventually succeed as directors, showrunners, and staff writers on projects that explore the human condition in a meaningful way.
Application window: TBD 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Film Independent Episodic Lab

Provides multiple programs to filmmakers and screenwriters.
The Episodic Lab selects 6 to 8 writers and gives them the opportunity to work closely with experienced writers, producers, and showrunners.
Each participant will be paired with a Creative Advisor who will provide them with one-on-one feedback.
Submission packages includes an original pilot script and a series proposal.
Application window: Present - February 11, 2022. For more info, access their website here.

Warner Bros Television Writers’ Workshop

Workshop lets writers work closely with experienced WB writers and executives.
The program’s goal is to prepare writers for the potential of working as a future long term staff writer.
Submission package includes a spec script from their accepted shows list.
Application window: Opens in May. For more info, access their website here.

Inevitable Foundation Screenwriting Fellowship

Provides funding and mentorship to “disabled screenwriters who are creating mainstream stories, which may or may not include disabled characters or be about disability.”
Submission package includes an original TV or feature film script.
Submissions are on a rolling basis. For more info, access their website here.

All opinions expressed in this piece are our own.

Makenzie Hice

Makenzie Hice is a writer who has a passion for storytelling. She loves exploring coming-of-age stories in both films and children’s books. She spends her time reading the works of Shel Silverstein and watching new cartoons to ensure she hangs on to the childhood imagination that drew her to writing in the first place.