2023 Episodic Lab
Sundance Institute
APPLICATIONS PERIOD: February 8 - March 8, 2023
APPLICATION FEE: $40
INFO: The Episodic Lab is a six-day program that offers writers the opportunity to workshop a pilot script, while developing their writing and pitching skills. Working with accomplished showrunners, nonwriting creative producers, and executives, the Fellows participate in one-on-one story meetings, craft workshops, and simulated writers’ rooms, which together provide an elevated creative strategy for their material from key industry players in positions to advance their projects and careers.
LOCATION: Sundance Mountain Resort, Utah
ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older at time of application.
The project must be the applicant’s original creation or adapted from optioned source material.
The project must be written in the English language, but it does not need to be intended to be fully produced in English.
The project should be new, or if previously submitted, it must be materially different from any and all versions previously submitted to Sundance Institute. Projects may not be already produced, sold to a third party, or distributed online or otherwise.
Applicants cannot have sold an episodic project (pilot or pitch) to a studio or network in the past that has been shot.
The project shall not infringe the copyright or any other proprietary right of another individual or entity. The creator/applicant is responsible for all rights pertaining to the project.
THE APPLICATION PROCESS: Applicants are required to submit an original pilot script, their bio, a series logline, a series overview, their personal statement, a thematic statement, additional creative questions, and (optional) links to samples of previous work, along with a $40 nonrefundable processing fee. For further details on the application process, please see our FAQ section.
sundance.org/programs/episodic-storytelling/
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DIVERSE VOICES SCREENWRITING LAB
WeScreenplay
DEADLINES:
Early: February 15, 2023
Regular: March 15, 2023
Final: April 15, 2023
INFO: Diverse Voices is a dynamic virtual screenwriting lab with a proven track record of helping elevate stories that are told from perspectives that are often underrepresented in film and TV today. This includes writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood.
A minimum of 4 winners will be selected to participate in this career-changing lab!
All readers for this lab come from diverse backgrounds, and all entrants will receive a page of FREE written feedback on their script from their first round’s judge.
Over a dozen past winners have been signed, staffed, and optioned as a direct result of their Diverse Voices Lab meetings. Past finalists and winners have signed with companies including Heroes & Villains Entertainment, 3Arts, Zero Gravity, APA, ColorCreative, and more. See some of our past WeScreenplay success stories.
wescreenplay.com/diverse-voices/
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NBC TV WRITERS PROGRAM 2023
NBCUniversal Launch
APPLICATIONS OPEN: February 15, 2023
INFO: NBC TV Writers Program identifies & develops writers whose points of view & diverse lived experiences provide unique perspectives to the writers room.
NBCUniversal Launch aims to cultivate inclusive storytelling while also discovering and nurturing the next generation of diverse content creators. As one of its signature programs, the NBC TV Writers Program curates, cultivates, and elevates writers from diverse and underrepresented communities and prepares them for substantial careers within the television industry.
BENEFITS: During the eight-month program, writers will create and workshop an original pilot to which the writer retains all rights. They will be paired with programming executives who will mentor them, as they write their original pilot and polish samples for staffing consideration.
The program also consists of weekly evening workshops, focused on developing craft, soft skills, and the business of TV writing. The goals of these workshops are to enhance writers’ creative and professional skills, such as self-branding, pitching, and interviewing, and to increase writers’ knowledge of the TV, streaming, and studio landscape. Throughout the program, selected writers interact with industry professionals, including network and studio executives, showrunners, agents, and managers.
At the conclusion of the program, program writers will be considered for writing positions on NBC broadcast, cable, streaming, and Universal Studio Group series.
writers.coverfly.com/competitions/view/nbc-tv-writers-program#about
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Nawat Fes RESIDENCY
Nawat Fes
DEADLINE: February 15, 2023
INFO: Nawat Fes offers funded residencies in the eighth-century medina of Fes, Morocco to U.S. and international creators in multiple disciplines.
The initiative engages art to cultivate understanding among multifaceted cultures through the exchange of ideas. Hosted by the American Language Center Fes / Arabic Language Institute in Fez, a member of the American Cultural Association, Nawat Fes is a new program that hosted its first residencies in May 2022.
Two Nawat Fes artist residents at one time live and work in the ancient medina of Fes, which is considered one of the most extensive and best conserved historic cities of the Arab-Muslim world.
Designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Fes medina is one of the world’s largest pedestrian zones, containing narrow alleyways leading to ancient architectural treasures, traditional houses, artisan workshops and open-air markets.
Within this unique setting, Nawat Fes provides a supportive environment for research, reflection and artistic practice, allowing artists from around the world to experience and learn from Moroccan culture, and to contribute to the local cultural conversation.
DAR BENNIS: Two artists at one time reside and work on separate floors of Dar Bennis, a restored traditional Moroccan house in the old medina, tucked away not far from the main street. Each artist will have a bedroom, a private bath, and a basic studio in the house. The house has wifi, a shared kitchen, a laundry room and a roof terrace with a view of the medina.
As the rooms in Dar Bennis all open onto an interior courtyard, perfect quiet in the living and work spaces cannot be assured. There are several great cafes nearby that also make excellent off-site working environments.
ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS / OPPORTUNITIES: Nawat Fes artist residents will be expected to offer two opportunities for our community to engage with their work. These could be public programs such as a talk, performance, reading, lecture, workshop or concert, or an exhibition of their work during the residency.
These programs are intended for local students of English and/or international students of Arabic, as well as the local community. Artists should be prepared to engage with our community in English or Arabic.
RESDIENCY PERIODS: Nawat Fes offers several residency periods each year of roughly two months each. Artists are expected to arrive at the beginning of each residency period and to stay through the end of the residency period.
Residencies from Mid-May 2023 through Mid-May 2024 will be awarded to artists who apply at the February 15, 2023 application deadline. These residency periods will be:
SUMMER 2023 (Mid-May through Mid-July 2023)
FALL 2023 (Mid-October to Early December 2023)
WINTER 2024 (Mid-January to Mid-March 2024)
SPRING 2024 (Mid-March to Mid-May 2024)
Residencies after May 2024 will be scheduled in a future application process. If you are interested in applying at a future deadline, please add your name to the Nawat Fes email list and we will inform you when the next application cycle opens.
ARTIST STIPENDS: Residencies are supported by the American Language Center Fes, which provides housing at no cost to artist residents, along with a 200-dirham/day living allowance (depending on the exchange rate, this normally ranges from 16-20 USD/day), from which artists will provide their own food. Half of the stipend is provided on arrival, and half at the midpoint of the residency. We can recommend some excellent local cooks who can come to Dar Bennis to prepare a variety of meals, including vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free options, as well as traditional Moroccan dishes. Artists can use their stipend to pay for this service. The ALC will host occasional meals including other members of the Fes community.
ALC-ALIF staff and volunteers will be available on a limited basis to help artists engage with the local community. Artists will also be offered the option of a complimentary course in Moroccan Arabic, as well as optional translation services into Arabic for their descriptive and biographical material. Artists support the cost of their own travel, travel medical insurance, artist materials, any cost for mailing finished work out of Morocco, and all other costs.
SELECTION CRITERIA: Artists will be selected by a jury. We value diversity highly within our community of artist residents. Residencies are awarded based on the quality of work submitted, diversity of cohort, the proposal for intended new work, and the fit of the artist within Morocco and the Fes medina.
A high value is placed on linguistic exchange between the artists and the Moroccan community in Fes, which participates in American Language Center Fes programs in English, so artist applicants must have good conversation skills in English. Arabic and French are helpful but not required.
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Interdisciplinary Artist-in- Residence Programs
The Peter Bullough Foundation
DEADLINE: February 21, 2023
INFO: The Peter Bullough Foundation provides fall and spring residencies for emerging artists and scholars with diverse backgrounds and interests. We hope to create a community that elevates voices that are underserved, including those of the LGBTQIA2S+ community.
The ideal applicant will be self-directed, motivated, able to work independently, and interested in engaging with the local community. Each awarded residency period is roughly four weeks long and is shared with one or two other artists in residence. Artistic collaborators in groups of two to three may apply in one application. While in residence, artists are required to host a community workshop, lecture, or event virtually or in-person.
The PBF accepts applications from artists working in the following disciplines: architecture, literature, film/video arts, interdisciplinary arts, music, music composition, playwriting, screenwriting, poetry, theatre, and the visual arts.
APPLICATION: Fall residencies begin in August, September, and October, and November and spring residencies start in late January, February, March, and April. Applications open in January for fall residencies and in August for spring residencies. Please sign up for our newsletter to be notified when applications open.
Applicants are not required to mail in hard copies of the application forms. If you need assistance with the online application process, or do not have access to a computer, please contact the PBF staff for guidance on applying.
When open, applications are available through the Call for Entry website by first making an artist account at Call for Entry and then by applying to the residency.
Applications include the following requirements:
Application Form
Personal Statement/Proposal
Resume, CV, or Statement of Qualifications
Work Samples/Portfolio
Two Personal References
LOCATION: Winchester, Virginia is a quintessential American small town with a rising arts scene. The town is home to a large regional art museum, several house museums, a children's discovery museum, and many small, local shops that embrace the area's creative community. Downtown Winchester offers numerous dining options and four award-winning locally-owned breweries. Additionally, Winchester is home to Shenandoah University which regularly hosts theater, dance, and music performances.
ACCOMMODATIONS & SUPPORT: The Peter Bullough Foundation is delighted to offer free accommodations for two to three artists at a time in Dr. Bullough’s former home, a renovated 1840’s house with private bedrooms and shared bathrooms and common spaces. Private studios and workspaces are located in an adjacent building that also houses the majority of Dr. Bullough’s book and art collections. Private gardens connect the properties and are also available as open-air workspaces.
A $550 stipend is provided to aid in covering supplies, necessities, and food for the month. If you have any questions about the residency program, please contact the PBF or check out our Frequently Asked Questions page.
SELECTION: Selection is a multi-step process involving the PBF staff, residency committee, residency alumni, and board. We may request an interview with you to learn more about you and your work. Selections will be announced 30-45 days after the application deadline. The PBF does not discriminate in its programs and activities on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, religion, creed, national origin, age, and/or disability.