ACADEMY NICHOLL FELLOWSHIP IN SCREENWRITING
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
INFO: Each year, the Academy Nicholl screenwriting competition awards up to five fellowships to amateur screenwriters. Fellowship winners are invited to participate in awards week ceremonies and seminars in November and expected to complete at least one original feature film screenplay during the Fellowship year.
AWARD: $35,000 Fellowship
DEADLINE & SUBMISSION FEES:
- Late Submission – May 2, 2016 by 11:59pm PST ($85 entry fee)
Film Independent
INFO: The Film Independent Screenwriting Lab is an intensive four-week workshop that meets two to three evenings a week in Los Angeles every September and designed to facilitate each writer’s unique voice through the development of a single feature project. Through personalized feedback from experienced industry professionals and other writers in the program, Screenwriting Fellows will gain the tools to revise and refine their scripts for production.
The Screenwriting Lab also helps to further the careers of its Fellows by introducing them to film industry veterans who can offer guidance on both the craft and business of screenwriting. Each Screenwriting Fellow will be paired with a Creative Advisor, with whom they’ll work one-on-one and in Lab sessions to further develop their project over the course of the program.
SUBMISSION FEE: $45 for Film Independent Members; $65 for non-Member
DEADLINE: May 2, 2016 (Members-only)
filmindependent.org/labs-and-programs/screenwriters-labS
ASIAN AMERICAN FEATURE FILM FELLOWSHIP
Sundance Institute
INFO: The Asian American Fellowship aims to further the presence of Asian American voices in independent film by supporting a writer or writer/director on the development of their feature screenplay through participation in a Sundance Institute Screenwriters Lab, Screenwriters Intensive, or Creative Producing Summit.
Writers or writer/directors developing their first or second narrative feature film and of Asian-American descent or with significant themes and/or characters relating to the Asian American experience in their screenplay are eligible to apply.
Please visit the website for more information, including lab dates and locations.
DEADLINE: May 3, 2016 (6:00pm PST)
sundance.org/programs/feature-film#AsianAmerican-Application
2017 JANUARY SCREENWRITERS LAB
Sundance Institute
INFO: The Screenwriters Lab is a five-day writer's workshop that gives independent screenwriters the opportunity to work intensively on their feature film scripts with the support of established writers in an environment that encourages innovation and creative risk-taking. Through one-on-one story sessions with Creative Advisors, Fellows engage in an artistically rigorous process that offers them indispensable lessons in craft, as well as the means to do the deep exploration needed to fully realize their material.
The 2017 January Screenwriters Lab will take place January 15-20, 2017 at the Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah. 12 projects are chosen every year.
DEADLINE: May 3, 2016
ALICE JUDSON HAYES WRITING FELLOWSHIP
Ragdale Foundation
INFO: The Alice Judson Hayes Writing Fellowship is an annual award in memory of Alice Hayes, who created the Ragdale Foundation in what had been her family home. An 18- or 25-day residency, free of charge, and a $500 stipend will be given to a writer who is working on a project designed to bring awareness to a contemporary issue having to do with peace, social justice, education, or the environment.
Projects can be nonfiction or fiction (including journalism, essays, memoir, script-writing, creative nonfiction). No academic writing.
DEADLINE: May 15, 2016
ragdale.org/residency/fellowship/
SCREENPLAY AND TELEPLAY COMPETITION
Austin Film Festival
INFO: The competition is open to amateurs and pros. Screenplays/teleplays must not have been optioned or sold prior to October 31, 2016. Screenplays/teleplays must be the original work of the applicants.
PRIZES: Cash awards range from $5,000 – $1,000 depending on entry category. All winners receive reimbursement of roundtrip airfare; hotel reimbursement at the Film Festival; the AFF bronze typewriter award; one complimentary producers badge to attend the festival and conference. Finalists in all categories receive one complimentary producers badge to attend the festival and conference. All semifinalists may purchase a producer’s badge at a discounted price. See competition link for more info.
DEADLINES & FEES:
- Feature Screenplay Late Deadline: May 20 ($50)
- Short Screenplay Late Deadline: May 20 ($40)
- Teleplay Late Deadline: May 20 ($40)
austinfilmfestival.com/submit/screenplay-and-teleplay-submissions/
URBANWORLD SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
Urban World Film Festival
INFO: Urbanworld Foundation Inc., a nonprofit organization that seeks to redefine and advance the presence and impact of the multicultural community in cinema, is seeking feature film length screenplays (90-130 pages) for its five-day festival. The screenwriter must consider himself / herself of African American, Latino, East Asian, or South Asian descent. If the screenwriter is none of the above, the screenplay must feature African American, Africans, Latinos or Asians in prominent roles.
SUBMISSION FEES: Please check the website for fee requirement.
DEADLINES:
- Late – May 27, 2016
- Extended – June 10, 2016
filmfreeway.com/festival/UrbanworldFilmFestival
OUT OF THE BINDERS SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM
Bindercon
INFO: Bindercon, a conference and community for women and gender non‑conforming writers, seeks to increase diversity by offering free admission to up to 25 promising writers who might not otherwise be able to attend due to financial hardship. Diversity includes but is not limited to: age; racial, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds; sexual orientation; gender identity; marital and parental status; disability.
The scholarships include free attendance to all the events on Saturday, October 29, and Sunday, October 30, networking opportunities to meet agents and editors, and a ticket to the VIP party, but do not include airfare and/or accommodations, or food (Some meals may be provided as part of the conference programming.). Additionally, they are thrilled to offer stipends to select applicants: parents who require financial assistance with childcare and out of town attendees in need of travel assistance. Please indicate if you would like to be considered for any of these stipends.
All your answers are confidential and will only be seen by Out of the Binders scholarship committee members. Anonymous demographic information may be shared with funders for future conferences.
DEADLINE: May 31, 2016
nyc.bindercon.com/apply-scholarship/
2016 SLAMDANCE SCREENPLAY COMPETITION
INFO: The Slamdance Screenplay Competition is dedicated to discovering and supporting emerging writing talent. They welcome screenplays in every genre, on any topic, from anywhere in the world. A unique feature of the competition is providing constructive feedback for every entrant. In addition to this, they also offer a more intensive coverage service for a supplementary fee. Now in their 21st year, they have a history of highlighting talented, independent screenwriters and introducing them to the entertainment industry.
The competition consists of four categories (Short, Original Teleplay, Feature, and Horror). Awards are given to the top three scripts in each category. In addition to that, Slamdance will present the Grand Prize for the best screenplay, regardless of category.
IMPORATANT DATES:
Regular Deadline: Through June 13th, 2016
Late Deadline: June 14th-July 25th, 2016
SUBMISSION FEE: Please visit website for more information
showcase.slamdance.com/Screenplay-Competition