Film Independent Screenwriting Lab 2026

Location
Los Angeles, CA (in-person attendance required)

Open to
Emerging screenwriters applying with a completed draft of a fiction feature-length screenplay. International applicants eligible if the script is translated into English.

Application Fee

  • $65 for non-members

  • $45 for Film Independent members

  • Free for Filmmaker Pro members (limited to one waived fee per Membership year)

What’s Provided

  • Two-week full-time workshop held in April 2026

  • Individualized story and career development

  • One-on-one mentorship with a Creative Advisor

  • Group sessions, guest speakers, and industry networking opportunities

  • Final pitch event with feedback from industry executives

What the Applicant Must Cover

  • Travel, lodging, and visa expenses if outside Los Angeles (no subsidies)

  • Participants must join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105 upon acceptance

Duration
Two weeks, full-time, in April 2026

Deadline

  • Applications open June 30, 2025

  • Regular deadline August 25, 2025

  • Extended member deadline September 8, 2025

Additional Notes

  • Applicants will be notified 3-4 weeks before the program starts

  • Application is submitted electronically through Submittable

  • Accessibility accommodations available upon request

  • Film Independent Membership is not required to apply but required upon acceptance