CAPE New Writers Fellowship
Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE)
DEADLINE: December 15, 2025 at 11:59pm PT
APPLICATION FEE: $65
INFO: The CAPE New Writers Fellowship (CNWF) discovers and nurtures exceptional new writers launching their careers in television and other entertainment mediums.
Having one of the highest track records of success in the industry, the CAPE New Writers Fellowship boasts graduates who have been staffed on over 80 shows across all major network, cable, and streaming platforms in addition to those who have signed overall deals.
Founded and co-chaired by Emmy Award-winning Writer, Creator and Showrunner Leo Chu (Disney’s Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion) and veteran film and TV executive and producer Steve Tao (Previously at The CW, ABC, & Bad Robot), the CAPE New Writers Fellowship is one of few writing programs in Hollywood created by a creative and an executive. This immersive program equips each writer with the practical and business knowledge they need to succeed as a professional in the entertainment industry.
As thought leaders at the forefront of the evolving entertainment landscape, CAPE has expanded this program to address the current challenges in the industry and include a wider variety of pathways to becoming a professional writer in Hollywood.
PROGRAM:
The Fellowship features masterclasses, workshops, and panels that explore a diverse array of writing opportunities in television, features, animation, video games, narrative audio, short form digital content, verticals, and more. The Fellowship also features a Writing Lab where each Fellow is matched with a high-level industry mentor to help them revise their original script into professional level writing samples.
The Fellowship typically runs each year in the spring. Sessions take place on weekday evenings Pacific time for approximately 3 hours, twice a week.
The 2026 CAPE New Writers Fellowship will be a hybrid program with in-person and virtual sessions. Sessions will be held in April-May 2026 on Monday and Wednesday weekday evenings (Pacific Time). You must be able to attend all in-person sessions in Los Angeles. Transportation and lodging costs will not be covered. You must be able to attend every virtual session via Zoom.
GUIDELINES:
Please prepare or complete the following application components prior to beginning the application form (full preview here):
Resume (PDF Format Only, under 10 MB)
Complete, original episodic pilot script with all identifying markers stripped (PDF Format only, under 100 MB). You may watermark pages with “CAPE”/”CNWF” but not with any identifying markers.
We do not accept revised or replacement scripts after submission - no exceptions.
Half-hour or one-hour episodic pilots ONLY. Feature scripts will not be considered.
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:
The 2026 CAPE New Writers Fellowship will be a hybrid program with in-person and virtual sessions. Sessions will be held in April-May 2026 on Monday and Wednesday weekday evenings (Pacific Time).
Applicant must be able to attend all in-person sessions in Los Angeles. Transportation and lodging costs will not be covered.
Applicant must be able to attend every virtual session via Zoom.
Applicants must not be currently staffed on an episodic program. Applicants who were previously staffed at the staff writer level, but are not currently staffed as a writer, may apply.
Applicants cannot have previously participated in the CAPE New Writers Fellowship.
Applicants must have the ability to accept paid work in the United States. CAPE does not sponsor or assist with visas.
Applicant must be at least 18 years old.
Writing teams of up to 2 writers may submit. Writers must be committed to pursuing a career as a writing team. Both members of any writing team must meet all requirements.
The applicant and script should be consistent with CAPE’s mission to champion diversity by educating, empowering, and connecting Asian American and Pacific Islander artists and leaders in entertainment.
SCRIPT REQUIREMENTS:
The 2026 CAPE New Writers Fellowship will be accepting half-hour or one-hour episodic pilots only. All genres accepted. Animation accepted.
Script must be original and applicant(s) must own all rights to the script free and clear.
Script must not be under an option and applicant(s) must have sole authority over changes to the script.
Submissions without proof of payment will not be considered.
CAPE does not provide coverage or feedback for scripts.
_____
WOMEN DIRECTING MENTORSHIP
SeriesFest / Shondaland
DEADLINE / FEE: December 18, 2025 ($75)
INFO: SeriesFest and Shondaland are honored to partner on our seventh cycle of the Women Directing Mentorship: A competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with unique voices and provide a launchpad for their careers. Founded in 2019, The Women Directing Mentorship is anchored by the prestigious opportunity to shadow a director on an episode of a Shondaland original series.
PRIZE
The director selected as the Winner for Cycle 7 (2026) will shadow a director for an episode of a Shondaland production.
ENTRY MATERIALS:
Complete our application that includes the following:
Work Sample - A short film or a feature
Personal Introduction Video - 3–5 minute video introducing yourself, your unique voice and style, and why you think you’re the right fit for the Women Directing Mentorship. Be creative! (see examples below)
Reel - Reel under 15 minutes or a short film showcasing your directing work. This reel can include student work.
CV/Resume
Entry Fee (see above)
Please note, entry materials will not be returned. Clips of (or full) Personal Introduction Videos may be used to market this or future Women Directing Mentorship cycles.
ELIGIBILITY:
To qualify, you must have 3 years of professional experience (in any professional role, not just Director). This can include having experience directing independent shorts, series, and films.
Applicants who have previously directed a network series are ineligible.
Must be 21+ years of age.
Applicants should to be based in the United States or the United Kingdom
seriesfest.com/women-directing-mentorship/
_____
2026 RESIDENCY
Saltonstall
DEADLINE: January 4, 2026 by 11:59pm ET
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: Saltonstall announces their Call for Entries for the 2026 Residency season! Residencies will begin May 29 and run through October 29.
They welcome submissions from artists and writers living in New York State and Indian Nations therein working in the following disciplines:
Poetry
Creative Nonfiction
Photography & Filmmaking
Painting | Sculpture | Visual Arts
Saltonstall is located eight miles east of Ithaca, New York on the traditional, ancestral, and contemporary lands of the Gayogo̱hó:nǫ' Nation (generally known as the Cayuga Nation), one of the Six Nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy.
A Saltonstall residency is a small community. We strive to provide a quiet, inviting, respectful, and nurturing community for creative individuals looking for uninterrupted time to focus on their craft.
Residencies are cohort-based. There are just five individuals in residence at a time: one poet, one prose writer, one photographer or filmmaker, and two visual artists. Each group of five arrives and departs at the same time.
We believe in and value a diverse community of creative individuals. To that end, we hope that all artists and writers feel welcome to apply for a residency, regardless of one’s level of education, experience, race, ethnicity, age, sex, religious belief, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or national origin.
There is no cost to attend Saltonstall and no application fee associated with this application. Additionally, to help offset travel to Ithaca and other personal expenses, we offer stipends of $100/week to everyone who attends. Additional stipend support (up to $1,000) will be offered based on financial need and the median household income of an applicant's County. Artist- and writer-parents and full-time caregivers will each receive a $500 stipend.
All applicants must be at least twenty-one (21) years of age and must be residents of New York State or Indian Nations therein ** (all counties). Residencies are for individual artists and writers. We are unable to accommodate groups or pairs of people working together. Specific residency dates are inclusive. It is expected that those selected for a residency live at Saltonstall for the duration of the residency period and -- during the 2 - 4-week residencies -- participate in our Open House events.
saltonstall.submittable.com/submit
_____
The Writers Discovery Fellowship
Circle M+P x Anarchists United
DEADLINE: January 5, 2025
INFO: The Writers Discovery Fellowship provides an immersive introductory experience to the world of professional television writing to a diverse group of aspiring writers who have not yet been employed or represented by the industry.
By promoting voices that have been historically underserved, the Fellowship will enrich both the professional lives of the Fellows and the dynamic quality of the entertainment industry.
BENEFITS: Once per year, six to eight writers will be selected for a six-month program which closely replicates the writer-representative (manager and agent) dynamic. Each Fellow will be assigned a mentor who will educate and guide them by way of script development, career advice, and support.
The Fellowship also includes informational panels, speakers and workshops with industry professionals. Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in practice/mock-general meetings and pitch sessions in preparation for their final professional meetings. By the end of each Fellowship session, each Fellow will have developed a submission-ready television pilot, been afforded multiple opportunities for industry networking, and be generally equipped with the essential tools for their success as writers in the entertainment industry. Each Fellow also receives a $10,000 stipend.
writers.coverfly.com/competitions/view/circlemp-anarchistsunited-writers-discovery-fellowship
_____
2026 WIF Writers Fellowship
Women in Film LA
DEADLINE: January 6, 2026
APPLICATION FEE: $40
INFO: The WIF Writer Fellowship is a year-long program that supports both episodic and feature writers.
FELLOWSHIP SPECIFICS:
The WIF Fellowship Program reflects our commitment to advancing the careers of women, nonbinary, and trans people across all areas of the industry. It is our belief that a true culture shift includes support and community for every entertainment industry role. To that end, if you don’t see your role represented in the list of application options, we still encourage you to apply.
The 2026 WIF Fellowship will run from June 2026 through May 2027 and includes five core components:
Community Building - Fellows will expand their network of peers, collaborators, and advocates through in-person events, cross-cohort sessions, 1:1 meetings with other Fellows and alumni, mentor meetings, and industry generals.
Cohort Mentoring - Each career-track cohort (e.g., Editors) will meet as a group in a Mentor Circle led by an experienced professional in their field. Each cohort will have several group Mentor Circle sessions throughout the Fellowship year.
Educational Sessions & Workshops - The full Fellowship cohort will meet for presentations and workshops covering a range of industry topics.
Career Strategy with the Programs Team - Each Fellow will meet with the Programs Team to dig deeper into the Fellow’s goals, projects, and next steps.
Fellowship Year Project Plan - Each Fellow will develop a personalized project to complete during the Fellowship year, aligned with their career track, experience level, and prioritized goals. Past projects have included updating a professional reel or website, revising a script, workshopping a script through a table read, or screening a work-in-progress for feedback. Fellows will set benchmarks throughout the year, with support and accountability from the Programs Team.
_____
WILD SEEDS RETREAT for writers of color (screenwriting, fiction, poetry)
DEADLINE: January 9, 2026 by 11:59pm ET
APPLICATION FEE: $25
INFO: The Wild Seeds Retreat provides writers of color with an opportunity to meet other writers; to workshop their writing among peers; and to engage with published writers about concerns and issues related to writing and publishing. Through its writing workshops leaders, the Retreat provides the public with an opportunity to become knowledgeable about the range and diversity of the work produced by writers of color.
Fellows will engage in daily writing, reading and sharing sessions with workshop leaders and cohort leaders. Fellows will also have an opportunity for one on one sessions with their workshop leader. A detailed itinerary will be provided to accepted fellows.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
The applicant’s submission packet must include a cover letter of introduction that includes:
The reason you want to participate in the Wild Seeds Retreat for Writers of Color.
A statement about how you would benefit from this experience.
Background information about you as a writer.
Brief description of the project you are presently working on (if applicable).
A writing sample (up to five pages). This will be a separate upload in the application below.
Two letters of recommendation from individuals who are familiar with your writing. This will also be a separate upload in the application below.
Scholarships are very limited. If you are requesting one, please include a rationale in your cover letter.
There is a one-time, non-refundable application fee of $25.00. How will you submit your application fee? You can either submit:
Postal mail with the signed and dated application. See the address below.
Online (if online, CLICK HERE to submit your payment.)
TUITION: This is a tuition-based program. If accepted, a tuition fee of $300.00 will be due.
centerforblackliterature.org/wild-seeds-retreat/
_____
Diverse Voices in Docs Fellowship
Kartemquin Films
DEADLINE: January 12, 2025
INFO: The Diverse Voices in Docs (DVID) Fellowship supports emerging filmmakers who identify as Black, Indigenous, or another person of color in the Midwest. The program is rooted in ideals of a collaborative community and welcomes filmmakers who are committed to unflinching documentary filmmaking rooted in social justice.
Founded by Gordon Quinn of Kartemquin Films and Margaret Caples of Community Film Workshop of Chicago, this twelve month cohort based program supports non-fiction filmmakers telling stories that are intimate, grounded in community, and provoke audiences to question the world around them.
Questions? Email us at dvid@kartemquin.org.