The Athena Film Festival Virtual Writers Lab is for emerging women identified writers, who have not had a pilot that was picked up within the past 10 years. Writers must submit a project that includes a woman or women characters in a leadership role or position at the center of the story. Projects must be either a pilot or spec script (no more than 60 pages).

The Athena Film Festival Virtual Writers Lab provides women identified storytellers with training, skills, and a robust supportive network. Participants will be paired with experienced writers for one-on-one mentoring sessions, and they will also take part in a mock television writers room.

The Athena Film Festival Virtual Writers Lab will also include industry events where participants will learn about how to navigate the industry as well as a keynote conversation from an established filmmaker. Past panels have included: The Fluidity of Writing, How Does Representation Work, and The Art of Pitching. Past keynotes have included Gina Prince-Bythewood and Kat Candler.

The Athena Film Festival Virtual Writers Lab will take place the week of July 27.

In partnership with Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting. The Stephens College MFA in TV and Screenwriting is the first low-residency program of its kind in the country and is the first to focus on the mission of bringing more female writers into mainstream Hollywood and studying film with a female gaze.

Sponsored by Lifetime

Rules & Terms

ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
-Projects must have a woman (girl) or women character(s) in leadership role(s) or position(s). Projects from all genres are accepted, we look for stories about women from all racial, ethnic, socioeconomic, and cultural groups;
-Writers who identify as women. Projects with more than one writer may be considered (both writers have to identify as women);
-Writers cannot have had a pilot that was picked up within the past 10 years - Projects must have been completed before January 1, 2010;
-Projects (pilots or spec scripts) must be written in English and no more than 60 pages;
-If chosen as a finalist, you will be asked to submit a one-page personal statement;
-If you have previously attended the lab, you cannot reapply for five years, but if you have been a part of the Screenwriter lab you can submit a project to the TV lab and vice-versa;
-If you have submitted a project previously and were not accepted you must submit a new draft for it to be considered;
-12 finalists will be chosen and notified by July 1;
-6 participants will be chosen by July 13;
-Two slots in the TV lab will be held for Stephens College MFA program affiliates.