SUBMISSIONS
Our seventh annual Writers Lab retreat will take place in the fall, and for the first time will include pilot writers in addition to feature writers.
The Writers Lab is a four-day workshop that gives writers over the age of 40, who identify as women, the opportunity to work intensively on their winning scripts with the support of established women film professionals.
We are planning for an in-person retreat this year, but will pivot to a virtual lab if appropriate.
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The 2020 Lab was an intensive virtual four-day script-development program.
Reframed to optimize an online lab experience, the Lab brought 12 selected writers together with outstanding professional mentors in one-on-one development sessions, panel discussions and workshops, refining their work while building a unique and powerful community.
Please join us in congratulating the 2020 TWL Participants
Nichole Abshire Imposter Impersonator
Charlotte Cameron Throw Money
Elise Greven Silent Spring
Joey Day Hargrove Highway to Heck
Christine Hoang Fly Girl
Christine Autrand Mitchell The Field
Carolyn Saunders Island West
Kelly Yoon Strathmore Wing and a Prayer
Barbara Ward Thall Little Sister
Victoria Thomas Street Food
Sandy Thomson A Sharp Arrow
Julie Zografos Dark Quarry
Congratulations also to our 2020 FINALISTS and SEMIFINALISTS.
And THANK YOU to the all the writers who shared their excellent scripts with us this year. We continue to be awed and humbled by the expanse of talent in our community.
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The Writers Lab presented a roster of influential, experienced filmmakers including:
PRODUCERS Anne Carey (Can You Ever Forgive Me?), Susan Cartsonis (What Women Want), Lisa Cortes (Precious), Shruti Ganguly (The Color of Time), Riva Marker (Relic, Stronger) Mary Jane Skalski (Hello I Must Be Going), Frida Torresblanco (Pan’s Labyrinth), Jamie Zelermyer (NYWIFT Board President and former Focus Features VP)
and
SCREENWRITERS Mara Brock Akil (The Game), Amy Fox (Equity), Pamela Gray (A Walk on the Moon), Rita Hsiao (Toy Story 2). Lisa Jones (Disappearing Acts), Gina Prince-Bythewood (Beyond the Lights), Theresa Rebeck (355), Tracey Scott Wilson (Respect), Robin Swicord (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), and Pat Verducci (True Crime).
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Selections are blind and based solely on the merit of the screenplay submitted. We welcome all genres of narrative feature-length scripts and pilots from writers identifying as women:
• …who have a compelling story and a cinematic vision.
• …with or without previous industry experience.
• …open to feedback and revision.
• …eager to forge career-building peer relationships.
• …of any country who have written an English language, narrative feature or pilot script.
• …of all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural groups.
Please join us in congratulating 2017 Alum KAREN MCDERMOTT for being named ONE of the five 2019 winners of the Academy’s Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting. The Writers Lab congratulates 2018 Alum LYNN ESTA GOLDMAN on being selected as a 2019 Nicholl Fellowship Finalist. Two out of 12 Nicholl Finalists this year are TWL Alumnae! They join 2017 Participant VIGIL CHIME on the prestigious list of Nicholl Fellowship winners.
The Writers Lab is produced by co-founders Elizabeth Kaiden and Nitza Wilon,
with New York Women in Film & Television.
TWL is made possible through the generosity of
Meryl Streep
Nicole Kidman
Oprah Winfrey
The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation
Kate Hall & Gary Lynch
The Lab is presented in collaboration with the Writers Guild of America, East, with in-kind support from The Black List, Falco Ink, Film Fatales, Filmarket Hub, Roadmap Writers, Stony Brook Manhattan Center for Creative Writing & Film, and Untamed Stories. A special thank you to Final Draft for their product contribution.
The Lab is presented in collaboration with the Writers Guild of America, East, with in-kind support from The Black List, Falco Ink, Film Fatales, Filmarket Hub, Roadmap Writers, Stony Brook Manhattan Center for Creative Writing & Film, and Untamed Stories. A special thank you to Final Draft for their product contribution.
