What’s Your Story?
The Outfest Screenwriting Lab has become one of the industry’s premier incubators for up-and-coming storytellers who are looking to challenge the status quo.
The Lab began as a screenwriting contest in 1997 and has evolved to become the cornerstone of Outfest’s education and mentoring program, Outfest Forward. Conducted over a 5 day period in October, this extraordinary workshop pairs some of the industry’s foremost talent with a select group of emerging authors for an intensive dive into the art, craft and business of screenwriting.
The Program
The Outfest Screenwriting Lab accepts applications through Friday, June 4th and selects just five participants for the workshop in October. Interested writers should note that only narrative feature-length screenplays and episodic pilot scripts (standard broadcast length – half hour or hour) will be considered.
Those selected for The Lab will work closely with a diverse group of accomplished mentors; participants will receive invaluable critiques, insight and encouragement as they learn to clarify their voice and hone their writing skills.
Best of all, the story doesn’t end when the workshop does. The five Screenwriting Lab Fellows will continue to receive guidance and support from Outfest Staff and Mentors throughout the full calendar year following the workshop.
About Outfest
Founded by UCLA students in 1982, Outfest is the leading organization that promotes LGBTQ equality by creating, sharing, and protecting LGBTQ stories on the screen. Outfest builds community by connecting diverse populations to discover, discuss, and celebrate stories of LGBTQ lives. Over the past three decades Outfest has showcased thousands of films from around the world, educated and mentored hundreds of emerging filmmakers, and protected more than 20,000 LGBTQ films and videos. Outfest is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
OUTFEST SCREENWRITING LAB TIMELINE:
Friday, April 16
Submissions open on FilmFreeway - ROUND 1 (first 10 pages of script)
Friday, April 23
Early deadline
Friday, May 14
Regular deadline
Friday, June 4
Final deadline - Submissions will not be accepted after this date!
Saturday, July 17
ROUND 1 NOTIFICATIONS ARE SENT OUT.
If your script is selected for the second round of the selection process, you will receive an email with a request to submit a PDF of the COMPLETE SCRIPT by FRIDAY, JULY 23.
Saturday, September 4
ROUND 2 NOTIFICATIONS ARE SENT OUT. Five Screenwriting Lab fellows are selected.
October 4-8
The Outfest Screenwriting Lab takes place online, in a virtual version of Los Angeles.
To be held in October of 2021, the lab includes sessions with industry professionals and structured career development opportunities. Lab Fellows are selected by Outfest staff, with recommendations from an illustrious panel of writers, directors, producers, and development executives.