If there are any budding screenwriters in the audience, this might be of interest to you!
Submission deadline has been extended to March 20, 2009 (postmarked) with a $35 fee.
The first Screenwriters Lab is scheduled for April and May of 2009 and will accept a maximum of ten participants. It runs for six weeks, meeting in the evenings and led by South Florida-based professionals, then culminates in a final seventh week with a full-time intensive with a visiting nationally recognized screenwriter. This year’s Screenwriters Lab mentors will be announced shortly. Lab participants must attend the full seven-week program to remain in the Lab in good standing (exceptions may be made in special cases with out-of-town applicants who cannot be present in Miami for the full six weeks).
To be eligible for the Screenwriters Lab, applicants must already have a well-written, compelling, draft of their screenplays that nonetheless is not fully polished and show evidence that they have the talent and skill to benefit from the Lab. This Lab focuses on moving each script forward to the point where it is ready to be taken on by a director and producer (which in some cases may be the screenwriter as well), through feedback and rewriting. A submitted screenplay may not be based on pre-existing literary works unless these are the original works of the author(s) of the screenplay or a currently existing option is in force. (Please note that, at this time, screenplays must be written in English as their primary, though not exclusive, language, in order to fully benefit from the program).
The selection process is based on the script, the unique voice of the screenwriter, the ability of he or she to benefit from the Lab, and format and geographic and diversity goals of the Labs. Decisions will be made by a panel of local and national professionals.
To Apply
Complete and print the downloadable application form (as a Word document on which you can type your information or, if this does not work for you, as a PDF you can print and fill out). Please not the new extended deadline is March 20 although this is not reflected on the application form. Application website.
