NewNarRATIVES
NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA)
DEADLINE: August 5, 2025 at 3pm PT
INFO: In 2021, NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA) and Warner Bros. Discovery 150 partnered to launch the inaugural edition of NewNarratives. Now in its fifth year, the program continues to identify exciting new global storytellers by tapping into NFMLA’s extensive pool of artistic talent. The program advances, funds, and amplifies unique new voices whose narratives, stories, and characters transcend borders and challenge conventions.
Thanks to an ongoing partnership with the Rhulen Family Foundation in honor of the late independent film producer Anthony Rhulen, known for projects such as The Butterfly Effect, the NewNarratives program will offer a new round of $20,000 in cash grant funding for 2025. A new grant category this year will increase the total cash grant funding available to $25,000.
The first category of grants will be distributed in the form of four (4) $5,000usd grants, which will support short films, feature films, episodic series, live-action, fiction, documentaries, experimental works, and/or animation projects at any stage of production. This includes concept development, early development, pre-production, production, post-production, and audience strategy.
This year, we are proud to announce two new funding partners, The Hollywood Climate Summit and Athens Services. These organizations have joined forces with NFMLA to support storytellers whose projects focus on themes of environmental awareness, including issues that impact our climate, ecosystems, communities, and more. This second grant category will be distributed in the form of one (1) $5,000usd grant specifically for short films (fiction, documentary, live-action, or animation) in post-production that align with climate and/or environmental consciousness.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
Applicant must have written, directed or produced at least one project that has been accepted into a film festival or industry recognized development competition (such as a screenplay contest)
Proposed project may be a live-action narrative, experimental, animated and/or documentary short or feature or episodic series, in any stage of production (however, if you are applying for the environmental awareness grant, the project must be a short film, fiction, documentary, live-action, or animation, in post-production that aligns with climate and/or environmental consciousness.
Applicant may only submit one project in total (including projects that you share a credit on)
Content must be written or created by applicant
Application’s proposed project must be original and unreleased
Application’s material must be written in English
Applicant must be able and willing to complete the project if funding is awarded
Applicant must be willing to sign project submission release
Applicant must be or become a Rising Creator or Champion level member of NewFilmmakers Los Angeles
REQUIRED SUBMISSION ITEMS:
Work sample of previously completed narrative, experimental or documentary feature, short or episodic project or a script that has been selected for an industry recognized development competition (such as a screenplay contest)
Video work samples must include English subtitles for any content not in English language
All submitted project materials must be in English
Treatment (no longer than 2 pages)
Concept deck (no longer than 12 pages)
Project synopsis of project (no longer than one paragraph)
Working title
Submitter biography
Submitter statement
All items must adhere to applicable character count limits
If applying for the environmental awareness grant, you must submit a link to your short film that qualifies per the guidelines and is in its post-production phase
newfilmmakersla.com/newnarratives/
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ONYX COLLECTIVE MANUSCRIPT INITIATIVE
Onyx Collective / The Black List
DEADLINE: August 6, 2025
INFO: Onyx Collective is working with The Black List to offer a film or TV option of no less than 18 months to one outstanding unpublished manuscript that elevates themes and perspectives of the Black experience.
The Black List will assist Onyx Collective in identifying a shortlist of outstanding manuscripts through a submission period on blcklst.com that begins December 3, 2024 and is open until August 6, 2025.
The Onyx Collective Manuscript Initiative will accept unpublished manuscript submissions of all genres, but encourages submissions that elevate themes and perspectives of the Black experience. The Black List requires all submissions to have received at least one evaluation–for more information on this requirement, please see our Letter from the Founder. Once a manuscript has received an evaluation, it can be submitted to any number of partnerships at no additional cost.
Onyx Collective is responsible for series including “How to Die Alone,” “Reasonable Doubt” and the Emmy-winning “The 1619 Project,” as well as the Oscar-winning documentary feature “Summer of Soul (...Or, When the Revolution Could Not be Televised),” among others.
REQUIREMENTS
You must post an original manuscript on www.blcklst.com, with at least one (1) evaluation, and opt-in to the Program during the Submission Period. The Program is open to manuscripts in all genres, but we particularly encourage manuscript submissions that elevate familiar voices, themes, and perspectives of the Black experience. Submitted manuscripts must not be under contract elsewhere. For the avoidance of doubt, no feature, pilot, play, or musical submissions will be eligible for this Program.
You must agree to (1) these Submission Requirements, (2) all terms relating to the Program posted on Black List’s website, which you should review and read in full, and (3) the Submission Agreement, which governs the submission of your manuscript to Company and Black List. The Submission Agreement includes important, legally binding terms and conditions, including arbitration of any disputes, which you must read in full before accepting.
If requested, you must submit (by a date determined by Company) the following materials, which are also governed by the Submission Agreement:
Contact and other personal information; and
Executed originals of the Submission Agreement.
If selected, you will have the opportunity to enter into an option deal with Company, which shall be negotiated in good faith.
You must be at least 18 years of age and not a minor in the state or country of your residence at time of submission.
If the submitted materials are written by a team consisting of one or more writers, (i) each member of that writing team must comply with these Submission Requirements, including agreeing to the Submission Agreement described below, and (ii) all members of the writing team must opt-out of the Program if any other member becomes ineligible (including as a result of failing to timely agree to the Submission Agreement or failing to timely provide the materials listed above).
The submitted materials must be wholly original to you and you must be the sole owner of all rights. The submitted materials must not in any way infringe upon the copyright of any person or entity or, to the best of your knowledge in the exercise of reasonable prudence, constitute libel, defamation or invasion of privacy or any other rights of any third party. You understand and agree that Black List will share any information that you provide in connection with the Program with Company.
blcklst.com/programs/onyx-collective-manuscript-initiative
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Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program
The Writers Guild Foundation
APPLICATION PERIOD: August 7 - September 16, 2025
APPLICATION FEE: $0
INFO: The mission of the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program is to provide writers who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled writers, and writers over the age of 50, with the tools and education to become a writers’ assistant and script coordinator, resulting in meaningful employment opportunities.
These positions have historically been an invaluable way to learn the writing process first-hand, with the ultimate goal of getting a writing job. Graduates of the program are added to an ongoing list of trained writers’ assistants and script coordinators (WA/SCs) that is made available to studios, networks and showrunners, in order to increase the pool of eligible hires.
By offering this opportunity to writers who are typically excluded from the writers’ room, we hope to increase representation among television writers, and capture stories from all corners of the human experience.
PROGRAM OVERVIEW: Founded in partnership with TV writers and producers Tanya Saracho (Vida), Mike Royce (One Day at a Time), and Liz Hsiao Lan Alper (Day of the Dead), the Writers’ Access Support Staff Training Program is a first-of-its-kind initiative to support the full inclusion and employment of underrepresented groups in the television industry.
Each 12-week course incorporates a variety of lessons tailored to the positions of a writers' assistant or script coordinator. Instructors have developed a comprehensive syllabus to cover the ins and outs of these positions.
By the end of the semester, participants will have working knowledge to integrate into a writers' room and crucial connections to access these opportunities.
SCHEDULE + CLASS STRUCTURE:
Classes are typically held on Thursday evenings between January and May. The precise schedule for each cohort is subject to change.
Approximately 16 to 18 applicants will be selected each cycle.
LOCATION:
Current sessions are hosted online via Zoom.
Optional in-person meetups and networking events will take place in Los Angeles.
Applicants residing in the Los Angeles area will receive priority during the admissions process. A maximum of 10% of the overall class will be reserved for participants who live outside the LA area.
ELIGIBILITY:
Please visit our application guidelines page for detailed information on eligibility and requirements to apply.
This program is designed to support the inclusion and employment of underrepresented groups in the television industry. Writers who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled writers, and writers over the age of 50 are encouraged to apply.
To qualify for this program, applicants must be:
At least 18 years of age.
Eligible to work in the U.S.
Able to demonstrate meaningful ongoing efforts to break in as a TV writer.
Interested in pursuing employment in a support staff role.
Able to participate in all program meetings and fulfill all program requirements.
Open to constructive criticism and respectful to all other participants and mentors.
No professional writing experience is required. However, we do expect that all applicants are well-versed in the fundamentals of writing for the screen prior to their participation in the program. This program is not a writing fellowship; it is a professional training program that focuses specifically on support staff roles.
Applicants who have previously worked as a writers’ assistant or script coordinator are not eligible to apply. Former writers’ PAs and showrunner’s assistants are exempt from this rule.
APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS:
All applicants must be prepared to submit the following information and materials:
Summary of previous writing experience or education
Preferred genres and creative influences
Essay question responses
400-word personal statement
Professional resume
Applicants are restricted from using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to generate written responses for any portion of their application or associated materials.
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SOUTHERN DOCUMENTARY FUND PRODUCTION GRANT
Southern Documentary Fund
DEADLINE: August 15, 2025 at 11:59pm EST
INFO: The 2025 SDF Production Grant will award seven filmmakers with $15,000 to help bring their work-in-progress docs to the screen.
GRANT ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must meet the following criteria to be eligible for our grant:
Project Directors should reside or have deep roots in one of the following Southern states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.
This grant prioritizes stories made in or about the American South.
Applicants must have a U.S. social security number or U.S. federal tax ID number.
Applicants must be 18 years of age or older.
Applicants must not be enrolled in a film school and/or seeking funds for a student project.
If your project has special circumstances regarding eligibility, please feel free to reach out to our Artistic Director: chris@southerndocumentaryfund.org
WHAT WE FUND:
We will fund:
Nonfiction documentaries (shorts, features, docuseries, and experimental).
Projects must be in production. Proposals for research, development, post-production, distribution or engagement/impact funding are not eligible to apply for this grant.
We seek to bring visibility to Southern makers and stories that are oftentimes overlooked. We will award up to seven makers with grants of $15,000 each to assist them in production.
INELIGIBLE PROJECTS:
The following projects are ineligible for funding and will NOT be considered:
The applicant and project do not meet the above listed eligibility requirements.
Non-documentary projects.
Projects that meet our criteria, but have an incomplete application and/or are missing support materials.
Projects submitted after the submission deadline.
Projects that have already received production funds from SDF.
southerndocumentaryfund.org/programs/filmmaking-grants/
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Native American Unscripted Workshop
Native American Media Alliance (NAMA)
DEADLINES:
Regular - August 18, 2025
Final - September 8, 2025
INFO: The 5th Annual Native American Unscripted Workshop has opened the call for applications. This initiative is focused on spotlighting Native American documentary filmmakers and non-fiction content creators. With support from Comcast NBCUniversal, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Los Angeles County Arts & Culture, NAMA is providing the Native American Unscripted Workshop for emerging and seasoned indigenous documentary filmmakers seeking to explore outlets for their current and upcoming projects.
The workshop is a virtual week-long creative program that provides access to creative executives, experienced producers and veteran documentary filmmakers. In its fourth year, the Native American Unscripted Workshop will accept approximately 10 Native American filmmakers to participate in the program taking place in late October, 2025.
The Native American Unscripted Workshop is designed to encourage Native American filmmakers to expand on their current opportunities. The workshop culminates in a pitch panel that will have each fellow present their latest project.
nama.media/5th-annual-native-american-unscripted-workshop-call-for-applications/
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Screenwriting Lab
Film Independent
DEADLINE: August 25, 2025
APPLICATION FEE:
FREE for Filmmaker Pro Members (limited to one waived fee per Membership year)
$45 for Film Independent Members
$65 for non-Members
Please note: Each applicant must be the author of the script they submit.
INFO: The Screenwriting Lab is a two-week workshop held in the first quarter of the year, designed to provide individualized story and career development for emerging screenwriters with a fiction feature screenplay.
Each Screenwriting Fellow will be paired with a Creative Advisor, with whom they’ll work one-on-one and in group sessions to further develop their project over the course of the program. 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. A variety of guest speakers may screen and discuss their own films and offer career insights, and a final pitch event offers further opportunity for individualized feedback and discussion with industry executives.
For more information on the application deadline please visit our applications page.
WHO CAN APPLY?
The Screenwriting Lab is open to any writer applying with a completed draft of a feature-length project they wish to workshop during the program, with an eye toward production. More details available in the FAQ section below.
HOW TO APPLY:
Applicants must submit the following materials for consideration:
A cover letter detailing what drew you to apply to the Screenwriting Lab and why this is the right time for you to participate in the program (500 words max)
One complete, feature-length screenplay
An artist statement explaining the genesis of the story, your creative vision and intentions for the film (750 words max)
A look book (optional)
A logline (35 words) and synopsis for the film
Bios of attached key cast and crew, if any – Attachments are not required for consideration
Project status and history, including any relevant development history, awards received or labs and/or markets attended with the project
A narrative directing sample, if you plan on directing the film with which you are applying
FAQ:
Screenwriting Lab is for writers only; other collaborators are not invited to participate.
Writing partners/teams are welcome to apply and need only submit one application.
We are open to filmmakers at any level of experience.
International applicants are eligible; the script must be translated into English for consideration.
Adaptations are eligible; the applicant must retain rights to the underlying material.
At this time, documentary, short film and television projects are not eligible to apply.
We will reconsider projects that have previously been submitted, provided the writer(s) can demonstrate progress on the project and/or professional development.
Filmmakers may apply to multiple Film Independent Artist Development programs and there is no requirement to have participated in any one program before another.
THE FINE PRINT:
Beyond the application fee, there is no cost or tuition to participate in any of Film Independent’s Artist Development programs.
Film Independent Membership is not required when applying to Artist Development Labs. However, all participants accepted into the Labs are required to join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105.
Applicants will be notified three to four weeks prior to the start of the program.
Applicants who are invited to participate in the program should plan to be in Los Angeles for the duration of the Lab. Film Independent is unable to subsidize any travel, lodging and/or visa expenses for any participants attending from outside of Los Angeles. Participants are expected to attend all sessions in person.
filmindependent.org/programs/artist-development/screenwriting-lab/
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STORYKNIFE WRITERS RETREAT
Storyknife
DEADLINE: August 31, 2025
INFO: Women’s stories are vital and important. Currently, those stories whether expressed in poems, plays, screenplays, novels, essays, or memoirs are not published, reviewed, or promoted as often as the work of men. Storyknife provides female-identified writers with the time and space to explore their craft without distraction. Every aspect of a residency at Storyknife is steeped in a profound generosity of spirit so that each writer knows she and her work are valuable. Storyknife residents carry away both this affirmation and a living community of women writers to assist their valuable work wherever they go.
Residencies at Storyknife in Homer, Alaska, are either for two or four weeks based on preference of the applicant. Resident’s food and lodging is covered during the period of their residency, but travel to and from Homer, Alaska, is the responsibility of the resident. There are some travel scholarships available. Residents stay in individual cabins & dine at the main house. An on-staff chef is responsible for food preparation.
Residencies are available April through October.
ELIGIBILITY:
Applicants must:
Be woman-identified
Be 21 years of age or older
Apply as an individual artist, not a collaborative group or team
You will provide a work sample and answer four questions (each answer 300 words or fewer).
How have you sought to educate yourself as a writer? (Formal education not a prerequisite, but evidence of curiosity and learning in your applicable genre is.)
What is your experience with publishing your work? (Publishing is not a prerequisite but is considered a goal for writers who attend Storyknife.)
What project will you pursue while in residency? (Please note that you will be free to work on whatever writing you wish during residency. We simply are interested in what you think you’ll be pursuing.)
Why would a writing residency benefit you at this time especially?
Work Sample Requirements:
Work samples should reflect work completed within the last two years. All work samples must be uploaded through Submittable.
Applicants can submit published or unpublished work samples.
All work samples must be combined into one PDF file.
A writing sample not to exceed 10 pages (prose: double-spaced 12 point font, poetry: single-spaced 12 point font acceptable). Prose includes screenplays and stage plays which also must conform to the 10 page limit.
Any writing samples with identifying material will be disqualified. This is an anonymous process. Identifying material is your full name, last name, address, or publication credits. Do no include your last name, address, or publication credits in either the writing sample, the file name, or in headers/footers. This only refers to the writing sample, not the answers to the questions.
Diversity
Storyknife is committed to diversity and elevating the voices of historically excluded communities. We value all aspects of diversity and seek to make each resident’s time at Storyknife as productive and pleasant as possible.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
It is prohibited to use any AI tools in any fashion to create/check/modify the answers to your application questions or your writing sample.
storyknifewritersretreat.submittable.com/submit
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CALL FOR WORKSHOP PROPOSALS: ‘QUEERING OUR SILOS: GESTURES OF EUPHORIA PROJECT 2025–2026’
Maurice Moore
DEADLINE: September 1, 2025 by midnight
INFO: LGBTQIA2S+ artist(s) & allies in the Appalachian regions are invited to submit proposals to teach in person or online creative arts workshops for the Queering Our Silos: Gestures of Euphoria Project 2025-2026.
These creative arts workshops will help various arts communities get out of our silos and build stronger, more collaborative relationships between LGBTQIA2S+ communities & allies throughout the Appalachian region: Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.
Each selected facilitator will receive a $5,000 grant to support their work. Workshops can be in any creative medium, and may take place in person or online.
Creative Arts Liberation Grant through AppalCore of The WaymakersCollective Budget - $5000.00
Artist Labor or Compensation - $2500
Funds will be used to pay 5 artists a $500.00 honorarium to teach their workshops. If there are multiple artists teaching a workshop the $500.00 honorarium will be divided between the artists.
Materials - $1000.00
The artist(s) leading a workshop will receive $200.00 for materials.
Location/Space - $1000.00
$200.00 of the funds will be used for the artist(s) to rent a space to teach their workshops.
*Funds will be reallocated to support additional workshops if the location/space is provided at no cost or if the course is delivered online.
Food - $500.00
$100.00 of the funds will be used by the artist(s) teaching their workshops to buy healthy food and refreshments for the workshop taught.
*30 days before artist the Artist(s) purposed workshop, the artist(s) will receive funds for materials $200.00, renting Location/Space $200.00, and food $100.00. Total $500.00.
**Upon completion of the workshop, the artist(s) will send the project organizer at QOSGEProject@outlook.com photos and/or video documentation from the workshop, along with receipts/invoices for (materials/food/rented location/space, then the Artist(s) will receive the honorarium. All workshops need to be completed between Oct 1, 2025 - May 15, 2026.
***Artist(s) will have two weeks after the completion of their workshop to send documentation & receipts/invoices to the project organizer at QOSGEProject@outlook.com to receive the honorarium.
IMPORTANT DATES:
Sep 1, 2025: Proposal deadline
Sep 3, 2025: Proposals Reviewed
Sep 30, 2025: Artist Notified of Approved Proposals
*Due our small staff only selected artist/artist team's approved proposals will be notified. We thank you for understanding.
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScrJbTK2yjxNBTRYVNrWLGedF7VbmYX9mmQ5R3p2p3qC8_H1w/viewform
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Mental Health Short Film Grant
Voices With Impact
DEADLINE: September 9, 2025 at 11:00am PT
INFO: The Voices With Impact Film Production Grant offers filmmakers $7.5k USD to filmmaking teams making transformative 5 minute films on the topic of mental health. Selected filmmakers are supported through the filmmaking process and connected with mentors from our rich network of industry professionals. Films are distributed for years to come through our educational programming in partnership with postsecondary institutions across North America.
THIS YEAR’S THEME:
For the 2026 Voices With Impact Film Grant we are looking for film proposals that explore...Coping, Connection, and Community
We’re looking for honest, intriguing, humanizing, authentic stories inspired by lived experience of mental health. We don’t need these stories to be heavy though, we love exploring the lightness of these topics too, and the joy that can be found! We welcome comedy, horror, animation, drama, experimental, documentary, romance, and westerns - hey even sci-fi and fantasy if our juror’s believe it’ll fit the budget.
To help spark ideas, here are just a few of the ways you might engage with the theme:
Small rituals of survival: personal strategies people use to stay grounded amid chaos—whether spiritual, absurd, or deeply practical
Intergenerational coping: how families pass down or disrupt harmful coping patterns
Art as a lifeline: how creativity, storytelling, music, or humor becomes a lifeline
Finding connection in unlikely places: online friendships, coworking spaces, support groups, shared grief, dog parks
Rebuilding connection after rupture: healing after estrangement, betrayal, or ideological conflict
The politics of empathy: how truly listening can change everything in a polarized world
Mutual aid and collective care: how people are caring for each other when systems fail
Spiritual or cultural communities as sites of healing or tension
IMPORTANT DATES:
Open Call for submissions globally: August 1 2025
Submission Window Closes: Sept 9 2025
Shortlist final interview: October 22-24 2025
Winners notified: October 30 2025
Production: November 2025-April 2026
Final Films delivered: April 20 2026
World Premiere: June 2026
The Voices With Impact Jury will be evaluating proposals using the following criteria:
Unique artistic and creative approach to telling the story
Accuracy of depictions of mental health issues, stemming from credible research sources and lived experiences
Consideration of filmmaking techniques and skill level
Identification/connection with the population within the subject matter and demonstrated cultural sensitivity and awareness around the topic
Degree to which the film has the potential reduce existing stigma
If the story could realistically be effective as a film that is five-minute or less
Filmmaker’s demonstrated ability to complete this project with a high level of professionalism