TV / FILM — OCTOBER 2025

JAFTA/PORTER-CHRISTIE SCREENWRITING FELLOWSHIP 2025

Jamaica Film & TV Association

DEADLINE: October 6, 2025

INFO: The JAFTA/Porter-Christie Screenwriting Fellowship 2025 is now open for applications.

BENEFITS:

• Mentorship from Aisha Porter-Christie + 2 industry professionals

• 2 x US$1,000 grant awards

• Access to development labs + a one-week immersive Writers’ Retreat

2025 ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must:

  1. Be an active JAFTA member i.e. have an approved membership with JAFTA and paid up annual membership fee.

  2. Be 18 years or older.

  3. Be a Jamaican national or citizen.

Applicants satisfying the above are NOT ELIGIBLE if:

  1. 1They were a successful applicant for a JAFTA/Porter-Christie Episodic Screenwriting Fellowship awarded project in previous years.

  2. They are currently participating in another JAFTA or JAFTA-associated developmental programme

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfW0dsGKbowL2WpNgx6BMU_0EQ0kk9q3ztVIT6RRkulUP56kQ/viewform

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2025 JOHN LEWIS WRITING GRANTS

Georgia Writers Association

DEADLINE: October 10, 2025, at 11:59 pm ET

SUBMISSION FEE: $0

INFO: The Georgia Writers Association's John Lewis Writing Grants are inspired by the late civil rights icon and his more than three decades of service as Georgia’s 5th District representative. The John Lewis Writing Grants will be awarded annually in the categories of fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and screen/playwriting.

The purpose of the John Lewis Writing Grants is to elevate, encourage, and inspire the voices of promising Black writers in Georgia. Applicants must be emerging writers who are Black or African-American residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award. Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win the John Lewis Grant one time.

GRANT: The winning recipients will receive $500, and an invitation to read from their work at the next Red Clay Writers Conference.

QUALIFICATIONS: Applicants must be at least 18 years of age and emerging writers who are Black or African-American residents of Georgia for at least one year, or full-time students at a Georgia college or university at the time of application and on the date of the award. Applicants are ineligible if they have published more than one traditionally published book. Promising writers without publication will be considered. Writers who are eligible may apply annually but may only win a grant once. There is no submission fee to enter. Applicants are ineligible if they are of relations to any of the Georgia Writers staff or board of directors.

GUIDELINES:

Writers may apply in only one genre and must submit the following:

  • A completed grant application

  • An artist statement of 500 words (max.) as a concise description of your work and goals as a writer. Tell us what inspires your writing career, and how your work engages (directly or indirectly) with the legacy of John Lewis.

  • A writing sample of 10 pages (max.) of a published or unpublished piece in the genre in which you are applying: fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, or screen/playwriting. If submitting poetry, one poem per page please. 

*Do not include your name or any identifying information in the writing sample.

georgiawritersassociation.submittable.com/submit/333082/2025-john-lewis-writing-grants

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Diversity Talent Accelerator Screenwriting Contest

Stage 32 / Color Farm Media

DEADLINE: October 15, 2025

INFO: Erika Alexander - beloved for her iconic acting roles as Maxine Shaw (“Living Single,” NAACP Image Awards as Outstanding Actress/Comedy Series), Detective Latoya (“Get Out”), Cousin Pam (“The Cosby Show”), Perenna (“Black Lightning”), Linda Diggs (“Wutang: An American Saga”), Barb Ballard ( Run The World), and Meredith Lockhart (“Swimming with Sharks”) - and Erika's production company Color Farm Media are partnering with Stage 32 to find the next undiscovered diverse writing talents. Erika has built her company on diverse, prestige projects for and her team will work directly with Stage 32 through the Stage 32 Diversity Talent Accelerator Screenwriting Contest.

Color Farm Media will be personally reviewing semi-finalist loglines and all top 10 finalist scripts, with winners selected based on both creative merit and commercial viability. The selected writers will receive script development, industry mentorship, and potential production pathways designed to fast-track emerging writers. Both Stage 32 and Color Farm Media will jointly package developed projects for production.

"Color Farm's mission is to create an ecosystem where underestimated and underrepresented creators don't just survive — they thrive." said Erika Alexander, founder of Color Farm Media "Stage 32 shares that vision and has spent over a decade proving that world-class training can break down the traditional barriers that keep talented voices on the sidelines."

"This partnership takes that philosophy one crucial step further," Erika added. "We're not just opening doors, we're walking through them together and ensuring our contest winner gets real development, real mentorship, and a real shot at getting their story to screen."

“Leveraging Stage 32’s worldwide leading entertainment educational resources, the partnership launches an immersive creative ecosystem that transforms how emerging writers break into the industry.” Richard Botto, CEO and Founder of Stage 32, said in a statement Tuesday. “Great stories and talented writers shouldn’t be limited by geography, connections, or background. This pipeline ensures the best voices get the platform they deserve.”

"In an industry where breaking in seems increasingly difficult, we're continuing to create a direct pipeline from undiscovered talent to professional development," added Geoffroy Faugerolas, Stage 32's Director of Development Services. "This is about discoverability, access and launching careers."

Diversity is what makes the film industry special - the best movies take us into new perspectives that help us understand the world through unique point of views, often different from our own. In a world of re-boots, re-makes, and re-treads, what stands out is singular, fresh voices to keep audiences on the edge of our seats.

From the frightening scares and terror of SINNERS, to the totally fun and hilarious antics of ONE OF THEM DAYS, to the supernatural psychological terror of THE WOMAN IN THE YARD, audiences can’t get enough exciting diverse storytelling. This year alone, classic franchises like CAPTAIN AMERICA with BRAVE NEW WORLD and JOHN WICK with BALLERINA were rebooted with diverse leads and proved smashes at the boxes. The appetite for diverse projects is massive, and we want your story to be the next smash hit!

 THE GRAND PRIZE WINNING SCREENWRITER WILL RECEIVE:

  • Color Farm Media Diversity Talent Accelerator placement for script development and packaging with Color Farm Media

  • Career Accelerator Prize Package ($4,000 value) including script development, career consulting, writer branding, and comprehensive education resources

  • Personal Mentorship Track with dedicated 1:1 career development sessions from our success team

  • Industry Marketing Campaign promoting winner to our exclusive roster of 2,500+ managers, agents, producers, and executives

  • Strategic Partnership where Stage 32 and Color Farm Media executives collaborate to prepare your project to take directly to market

OUR FINALISTS WILL RECIEVE:

Our Finalists will receive a Career Momentum prize package valued at $1,500, including Career Development, a Writer Branding Workshop and an Education package, and will have your logline featured in a Stage 32 Look Book sent to over 2,500+ top entertainment industry executives, giving your work unparalleled exposure!

But that’s not all! Everyone who makes the Semi-Finals will receive a Career Breakthrough prize package valued at $1,000, our Quarterfinalists will receive a Career Elevation prize package valued at $500, and all Entrants will get a prize package valued at $100!

What Type of Scripts Are We Looking For?

We are looking for Feature scripts like:

AMERICAN FICTION, GET OUT, MOONLIGHT, THE FAREWELL, REZ BALL, CRAZY RICH ASIANS, OLD DADS, DIDI, THELMA, TÁR, BOOK CLUB, NICKEL BOYS, SIX TRIPLE EIGHT, ANORA, EMILIA PEREZ, SING SING, THE SUBSTANCE, NOMADLAND, THE FATHER, LOVE LIES BLEEDING, THE BEST EXOTIC MARIGOLD HOTEL, THE HALF OF IT, SEARCHING, QUEER, CALL ME BY YOUR NAME

As well as TV pilot scripts like:

INSECURE, RESERVATION DOGS, FRESH OFF THE BOAT, THE BOONDOCKS, ATLANTA, EVERYBODY HATES CHRIS, GRACIE & FRANKIE, HOW I MET YOUR FATHER, RAMY, WOKE, DAVE, THE SEX LIVES OF COLLEGE GIRLS, THE MINDY PROJECT, BLACK-ISH, BABY REINDEER, TRUE DETECTIVE, KILLING EVE, THE CHAIR, MIXED-ISH, THE WIRE, GODFATHER OF HARLEM

But that's not all, we want to see all new, unique and fresh ideas that we haven't seen before!

For the last 13 years, Stage 32 Contests have led to dozens of success stories including writers getting representation, sold, optioned, staffed, given writing assignments and getting produced. No other contest opens more doors and we want to do the same for you.

If you have a diverse story that needs to be told, now is the time to show us what you've got, because our goal is to amplify your voice, give you the access Stage 32 is known for, and take your writing career to the next level!

stage32.com/happy-writers/contests/Stage-32-%20-Color-Farm-Media-Diversity-Talent-Accelerator-Screenwriting-Contest

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call for submissions: 1.1 Foglifter Online Exclusive: Body Politics

Foglifter

DEADLINE: October 15, 2026

INFO: As Foglifter revitalizes our website and digital production, we are interested in creating and holding space for works that may not fit within the constraints of our print edition. We are now accepting submissions for our new Online Exclusive Issue dedicated to showcasing queer voices across a wide spectrum of creative forms.

As always, we are seeking art that aligns with our mission of promoting queer, transgressive, and original work. The themes will change from issue to issue. For 1.1, our theme is Body Politics. Bodies are sites of power, protest, pleasure, oppression, transformation, and resistance. They are legislated, labeled, liberated, and loved. In a world where bodies are constantly scrutinized, marginalized, and controlled—especially queer, trans, fat, disabled, racialized, and reproductive bodies—we want to create a space for work that responds, reclaims, and reimagines.

Please submit work that engages with themes that may include gender expression and transition, reproductive justice, disability and chronic illness, surveillance and censorship, body modification culture, fat liberation and anti-ableism, queer desire and sexuality, the racialized body, and performance and protest. We invite works that grapple with the political, personal, and cultural dimensions of the queer body.

Pieces must be original, unpublished work in genres including, but not limited to: poetry, fiction, nonfiction, drama, comics, visual art, scripts, and multimedia (video, audio, music, interactive pieces, experimental work, etc.) that align with the current issue’s theme.

This online exclusive issue will be published as a winter issue on our website. We’re especially interested in pieces that experiment with form, push boundaries, and reflect the complexity, joy, rage, beauty, and multiplicity of the queer experience.

WHY ONLINE EXCLUSIVE?

Our print publication has limits—page counts, dimensions, ink. This digital issue is a space without borders. We want to uplift work that can’t—or won’t—fit in print: multimedia projects, audio pieces, visual art, and performance pieces that demand to be seen and heard in digital space.

GENERAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

  • We accept only first rights to publication.

  • We do accept simultaneous submissions, however please withdraw pieces that have been accepted elsewhere.

  • Please include a short bio, description of your work, any past publications, and applicable trigger warnings in your cover letter.

  • Visual and [multi]media work must be web-viewable—please include links or uploads through Submittable and include content warnings if applicable

GENRE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES:

  • Please submit up to 5 pieces

  • For video and audio submissions, please limit to 5 minutes

  • We accept art created via all mediums (except AI -- no AI art submissions). This includes, but is not limited to, photography, painting, digital, ink, pencil, collage, etc.

  • Acceptable file types: .jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tif, .tiff, .png, .svg, .pdf, .doc, .docx, .txt, .rtf, .odt, .mp3, .m4a, .wav, .mp4, .mov, .avi, .mpg, .3gp, .wmv

  • All applicable artworks submitted will be considered for cover art for the online exclusive issue

  • We love experimental work, feel free to submit hybrid forms that blend genres

  • For grant purposes, we cannot consider submissions that do not include a completed demographic survey with their submission

Foglifter aims to reflect the vibrant diversity of the LGBTQ+ literary community in our award-winning journal. Fill out our anonymized Demographics Survey to be considered for publication—then take a screenshot of the thank-you screen at the end and attach it along with your submission.

foglifter.submittable.com/submit

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Art Omi: Writers Residency

Art Omi

DEADLINE: October 15, 2025

INFO: Art Omi: Writers hosts authors and translators from around the world for residencies throughout the spring and fall. The program’s strong international emphasis provides exposure for global literary voices and reflects the spirit of cultural exchange that is essential to Art Omi’s mission.

Guests select a residency of approximately one month in either the spring or autumn, with ten writers at a time gathering to live and work in a rural setting overlooking the Catskill Mountains. Daytime is reserved for writing and quiet activities, while evenings are more communal. A program of weekly visits brings guests from the New York publishing community. Noted editors, agents, and book scouts are invited to share dinner and conversation on both creative and practical subjects, offering insight into the workings of the publishing industry, and introductions to some of its key professionals. Readings throughout the year invite the public to experience finished and in-process work by writers and translators in residence.

Art Omi: Writers welcomes published writers and translators of every type of literature. All text-based projects—fiction, nonfiction, theater, film, poetry, etc.—are eligible. International, cultural, and creative exchange is a foundation of our mission, and a wide distribution of national background is an important part of our selection process.

All residencies are fully funded with accommodations, food, local transport, and public programming provided. However, please note that Art Omi: Writers does not provide travel funds. We have some limited travel funds available for those who find it a barrier to participating in the program, reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Please contact Emma Ramadan, Art Omi: Writers Residency Program Director, at eramadan@artomi.org for more details.

Notable alumni include:

  • Joseph O'Neill author of Netherland, which won the Pen/Faulkner Award

  • Aleksander Hemon, author of The Question of Bruno, recipient of a "genius grant" from the MacArthur Foundation

  • Gary Shteyngart, bestselling author of The Russian Debutante's Handbook, Absurdistan, and Super Sad True Love Story

  • Susan Choi, bestselling author of American Woman and inaugural recipient of the PEN/W.G. Sebald Award.

  • Goce Smilevski, author of Freud's Sister, which won the European Union Prize for Literature

  • Jan Brandt, bestselling author of Gegen Die Welt (Against the World)

  • Buket Uzuner, international bestselling author of Istanbulians

  • James Hannaham, author of Delicious Foods, which won the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Hurston-Wright Award.

  • Colum McCann, author of Let the Great World Spin which won the National Book Award

  • Kiran Desai, bestselling author of Inheritance of Loss, which won the Man Booker Prize

  • Shehan Karunatilaka, author of Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Matthew, which won the Commonwealth Prize

  • Mikhail Shishkin, bestselling author of The Taking of Izmail, which won the Russian Booker Prize

TRANSLATION LAB:

In September Art Omi: Writers hosts an annual Translation Lab, in which English language translators are invited to work alongside the writers whose work they translate. The focused residency provides an integral stage of refinement, allowing translators to dialogue with the writers about text-specific questions.

Following in the tradition of the Art Omi: Writers residency as started by Heinrich Maria Ledig-Rowohlt, the Translation Lab emphasizes translation as a means towards cultural exchange. It serves as an essential community builder for English language translators who are working to increase the amount of international literature available to American readers, as it is currently estimated that less than three percent of all books published in the United States are translated works.

The residency is a rare and unique opportunity for writers and their translators to work together, considering that most writers never meet their translators in person. All text-based projects—fiction, nonfiction, theater, film, poetry, etc.—are eligible.

ACCOMODATIONS + FACILITIES:

Art Omi is located two and a half hours north of New York City in the historic Hudson River Valley. Named for the hamlet of Omi, which is within the town of Ghent, New York, Art Omi is also near to Albany and Hudson, which offer train connections thirty or fifteen minutes' drive from campus, respectively.

The facilities, situated on three hundred acres of open land, include a large two-story barn with indoor studios; contemporary residence buildings designed with a vernacular reference to local barns, surrounded by abundant perennial beds, expansive lawns dotted with fruit trees, adjacent to The Sculpture and Architecture Park. Residents receive private bedroom accommodations with shared bathrooms and common areas.

A Federal Period farm house serves as a gathering center, providing a full kitchen and library; while the front porch overlooks rolling hills and the majestic outline of the Catskill Range. A swimming pool, bicycles, WiFi access and a computer with printing capability is available on the premises.

Columbia County, and the nearby Berkshire Mountains, are popular destinations because of their historical, natural and cultural riches. From bird sanctuaries to modern dance, presidential mansions to farmer’s markets, the environs offer a singular blend of rural quiet and cultural stimulation. Staff and friends in the neighborhood are often available for excursions of interest to residents. The local library has a modest collection, but is a member of the Mid-Hudson group, calling on the resources of libraries within much of eastern New York.

TIMELINE:

  • Decision Notification: January 2026

RESIDENCY DATES:

Art Omi: Writers 2026 takes place over four sessions, two in the Spring and two in the Autumn.

SPRING 2026

  • Spring Session One: Wednesday, April 1–Monday, April 27

  • Spring Session Two: Thursday, April 30–Tuesday, May 26

AUTUMN 2026

  • Session One: Thursday, September 24–Thursday, October 15

  • Session Two: Wednesday, October 21–Wednesday, November 18

Art Omi: Translation Lab 2026 takes place from Wednesday, September 9–Monday, September 21. Please note, a separate open call only for Translation Lab will run in early 2026.

artomi.org/residencies/writers/

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CALL FOR FILMS: ATLANTA FILM FESTIVAL

Atlanta Film Festival

DEADLINES / FEES:

  • Late: October 17, 2025

  • Extended: November 7, 2025

FEES: Fees are based on category and deadline. Please visit the website for more info

INFO: The Atlanta Film Festival (ATLFF) is the area’s preeminent celebration of cinema. Our 11-day festival presents over 120 films from all over the world, representing 110+ countries, selected from over 6,000 submissions. Each year, 90%+ of ATLFF’s program is composed of submitted films. ATLFF actively strives to provide a diverse slate of programming with spotlights on filmmakers of color, LGBTQ+ films, women and gender non-conforming filmmakers, and filmmakers from the Georgia. For the 2024 festival, 49% of the program selected from submissions was directed by women and gender nonconforming directors and 59% by BIPOC directors, as well as 24% of selected films coming from Georgia filmmakers.

In addition, each year ATLFF seeks to program a variety of genres and film styles including (but not limited to): experimental films, music videos, comedies, horror and sci-fi, virtual reality, food films, and puppetry films.

ATLFF has been named a “Top 50 Festival Worth the Entry Fee” and one of the “25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World” by MovieMaker magazine, and has been recognized as a Best Film Festival by Creative Loafing, Sunday Paper, USA Today 10 Best, and Atlanta Magazine, as well as the Best Spring Festival by the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

ATLFF’s continued exposure is in part thanks to growing distributor and press attention. Recent distributor attendance includes A24, Paramount, Netflix, Lionsgate, Focus Features, The Orchard/1091 Media, Magnolia, Bleecker Street, The Film Collaborative, Participant Media, Archer Gray, Kino Lorber, XLrator Media, CNN, HBO, Showtime, AMC, Sundance TV, Warner Media, NBC Universal, Filmstruck, Kickstarter, Seed & Spark, Vimeo, and MUBI.

Now in its eighth year, our Georgia Film Award has grown into two juried awards – Georgia Feature Award and Georgia Short Award to further celebrate and recognize the outstanding work of filmmakers in our community. Films made by Georgia-based directors and submitted to either feature film category or short category in Narrative, Documentary, or Animation will be eligible for consideration for the appropriate category upon inclusion in the festival. Georgia film submissions are also considered for non-Georgia competition categories as applicable.

Georgia filmmakers may submit with a discounted submission fee for projects that were both shot in Georgia and come from a director with a current Georgia address. Projects that meet both qualifications can submit at a discount. To obtain the discount code, applicants will need to email GA@atlantafilmfestival before submitting with the following information: the city the director resides in and where in GA the film was shot. Films that are not live-action are also eligible for the discount if the director resides in the state and partially produced the film in Georgia.

AWARDS + PRIZES:

Over $100,000 in combined cash and prizes for have been given for awards in the following categories year to year:

The winners of Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature, and the Georgia Feature Award receive a rental credit from the Atlanta Film Society's own annual credit donated by the Plaza Theatre to perform a week-long Oscar Qualifying Theatrical run at the Plaza Theatre (up to a $6,500 value each).

  • Best Narrative Feature ($1,500 cash prize + theatrical run prize)

  • Best Documentary Feature ($1,500 cash prize + theatrical run prize)

  • Best Narrative Short ($750 cash prize)

  • Best Documentary Short ($750 cash prize)

  • Best Animated Short ($750 cash prize)

  • Best Cinematography ($90,000 value in camera and post rental/services)

  • Georgia Feature Award ($1,500 cash prize + theatrical run prize)

  • Georgia Short Award ($750 cash prize)

*Additional prizes may be announced. Current award categories and prizes are subject to change.

ACADEMY-QUALIFICATION: The winners of Best Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best Animated Short all qualify for the following year’s Academy Awards in their respective categories.

ATLFF juries are composed of filmmakers, film critics, academics and industry figures. Recent jurors have included Academy Award-nominated filmmakers and representatives from The Los Angeles Times, Indiewire, TIME, Adult Swim, VICE, Vimeo, NPR, Film Independent, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Seed and Spark, Music Box, NEON, Oscilloscope Laboratories, IFC Films, Factory 25, MEMORY, and MUBI.

Films competing in juried categories are chosen solely at the discretion of the ATLFF programming team. Acceptance to the festival does not guarantee placement in competition. Films are not programmed in or out of competition, as competition status is determined once the full program has been locked.

All officially selected features and short films will be eligible for our Audience Awards. In addition to the juried prizes listed above, ATLFF also awards prizes in a variety of non-juried categories. While they vary from year to year, recent non-juried prizes have included Programmer Awards, the Filmmaker-to-Watch Award, and the Southern Documentary Fund Award. All official selections that meet the guidelines of these non-juried competitions, in a year when they are being presented, will be eligible.

filmfreeway.com/atlff

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Women Directing Mentorship

SeriesFest / Shondaland

DEADLINE / FEES:

  • Regular: October 31, 2025 ($50)

  • Final: 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/

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WIF | THE BLACK LIST EPISODIC LAB 2026

Women In Film / The Black List

DEADLINE: November 3, 2025

INFO: Achieving equitable cultural representation within our media narratives requires a representative number of skilled storytellers. The Episodic Lab, held in partnership with key collaborator and industry benchmarker The Black List, is designed to equip new television writers with the knowledge to build and sustain their careers. This program provides participants with support in craft, professional development, and networking toward advancing their livelihoods.

The Episodic Lab selects six to eight TV writers each year and runs for four weeks, with sessions including script development, pitching, a mock writers’ room, and roundtables with established writers and industry executives. Additionally, throughout the year, participants attend events and screenings that further expose them to the realities of life as professional writers.

Episodic Lab advisors and master class teachers have included writers from series including “Grey’s Anatomy,””Ted Lasso,”“Mr. and Mrs. Smith,””P Valley,”“Mindhunter,””High Potential,””The Vampire Diares,””The Walking Dead,””Outer Range,””Loot,””Snowfall,””Reboot, ””Chucky,” and many more.

All participants of the 2026 Episodic Lab will also become 2026 WIF Fellows, receiving an additional year of support.

EPISODIC LAB REQUIREMENTS:

IMPORTANT: Please note that applicants can apply through either WIF or The Black List, however, instructions are different for each platform.

To be eligible to apply through WIF:

  • You must be the sole and exclusive author of the television pilot submitted for consideration. Writing teams are eligible.

  • You cannot have received more than $25K in aggregate to date as compensation for television writing work.

  • You must be based in Los Angeles.

  • You must be available for in-person evening and weekend sessions during the month of March 2026.

  • WIF members can apply for membership rates, and non-members can apply for $40 per application. 

  • Through WIF, applicants can submit up to three scripts. Each script must be submitted through its own application, so fees and/or waivers are applicable per script. 

IMPORTANT DATES:

  • November 3, 2025 – Applications close

  • January 16, 2026 – Short list applicants notified of status

  • Week of February 9, 2026 – Interviews

  • Week of February 16, 2026 – All applicants notified of status

  • March 3, 2026 — Episodic Lab begins

If you’d like to review the application before applying, you can find a PDF version linked here.

For Black List instructions or any other Black List questions, please click here or contact SUPPORT@BLCKLST.COM.

womeninfilm.org/programs/writing/