"Winning the Fast Track Fellowship completely and immediately changed my life. Not only did I gain affirmation and access to the industry, I was offered representation before I [had my first meeting.]" ~ Sean Collins-Smith (staffed on reboot of Field Of Dreams)

Looking for representation or to connect with working writers, directors and producers? Get on the Fast Track!

For eighteen seasons, the ISA Fast Track Fellowship has been the premier screenwriting fellowship for writers on the rise. Fast Track Fellows have signed with major agencies like CAA, Paradigm and ICM. Many have been introduced to and then signed with management companies or had their scripts optioned, leading to development deals.

Two ISA Fast Track Fellows meet with eight top level writers, producers, agents, managers and executives during a whirlwind week of career acceleration with guidance from an ISA Development Executive. Fellows are then accepted onto the ISA Development Slate for a minimum of one year. Throughout the year, ISA development executives champion and pitch these writers and their projects to our industry partners actively looking for material to produce.

Seven Category Selections will receive $500 cash each, be evaluated for acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate and go on to be considered for the two Fast Track Fellowships. We are looking for the freshest, most original, and most personal writing in all of these categories:

Action/Adventure
Comedy
Drama
Historical/Biographical
Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Suspense (Mystery, Crime, Horror, Thriller)
Spec Scripts ----> NOW ACCEPTING SPECS!

Please note: We define a spec script as an episode based on an existing television show. If your script is not based on existing IP, please submit to the television category.

This season's mentors include:

Pen Densham (Producer/Writer)
Oscar-nominated Pen, produced and wrote multiple features, including Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Exec Produced revivals of the Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone. And has a best selling book, Riding the Alligator.

Elissa Karasik (Producer/Writer)
Elissa co-wrote and produced AppleTV’s LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY with Lee Eisenberg, co-wrote THE MARVELS and co-Produced AppleTV’s WECRASHED and Marvel/Disney+ series, LOKI. She's worked on features with Netflix, DreamWorks, WB and Imagine.

Matt Wayne (Producer/Writer)
Matt Wayne has written and story-edited many animated shows, including Cannon Busters, Hellboy Animated: Sword of Storms, Justice League Unlimited, Ben 10: Omniverse, Teen Titans Go! and Hello Kitty: Supercute Adventures. Emmy nominee!

Jake Wagner (President/Producer) Alibi Prod.
Jake began his career as a manager at Energy Entertainment, then FilmEngine, Benderspink, Good Fear and now has started his own management firm Alibi. Jake enjoys working with writers, who have fresh, original stories to tell.

Najeeb Khuda (CEO, Producer/Manager)
Najeeb has over a decade of experience in the industry working for various major studios before starting his production and literary management company. He has produced several features such as The Calm Beyond and Assassin.

Niceole Levy (Producer/Writer)
After growing up in the middle of the Mojave, Niceole escaped to Los Angeles. Niceole has written on Cloak & Dagger, S.W.A.T, and The Recruit and also co-wrote a feature, The Banker, for AppleTV+.

Cherry Chevapravatdumrong (Producer/Writer)
This year marks Cherry’s feature film debut, collaborating and co-creating with writer/producer Teresa Hsiao, director Adele Lim (Crazy Rich Asians), and Seth Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures for Joy Ride.

Diane Drake (Producer/Writer)
Diane’s produced original screenplays include ONLY YOU and WHAT WOMEN WANT, the second highest grossing romantic comedy of all time. Prior to becoming a screenwriter, Diane was the VP of Creative Affairs for Oscar-winner Sydney Pollack.

Past mentors have included:

Chuck Hayward - Writer / Producer (Ted Lasso, Dear White People, WandaVision)
Damien Chazelle - Oscar Winner, Writer and Director (LA LA Land, Whiplash, Babylon)
Gabrielle Utsey - Manager, HBO Max, Original Drama Series
Ian Sheppard - Head Of Development at Laika, LLC
Darcy Donelan - VP, Development & Production at Voltage Pictures

All applicants will be invited to participate in a live online class with Fast Track Mentor Pen Densham (writer of Robin Hood Prince of Thieves and exec. producer of revivals of The Outer Limits and The Twilight Zone) titled "Creating, Pitching and Writing Your Way To Success".

2 Fast Track Fellows Receive

• 8 general meetings with studio / development executives & literary reps (Fast Track Week: May 6-10, 2024)
• Opportunity to pitch at a live pitch panel
• A pitch practice session
• Pre Fast Track Week prep session with Suzanne Gundersen, Inner Story Consultant
• Year-long script development and guidance
• Acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate
• A 12-Month ISAConnect Membership
• Fellowship announcements to media outlets
• Selected from 7 Top Category Selections

7 Category Selections Receive

• $500 cash each
• Consideration for acceptance onto the ISA Development Slate
• 1-Year Tracking Board Membership
• Selected from Semi-Finalists

Top 50 Receive

• The Craft Course in Screenwriting
• A 3-Month ISAConnect Membership
• Consideration for the 7 Top Category Selections

__________

There is no faster path to breaking in than getting on the Fast Track. The ISA Development team works tirelessly to promote Fast Track Fellows and their scripts, and as a result, many fellows have signed with top agents, managers and/or had their scripts optioned or purchased.


"Since being named Fast Track Fellow I've got representation with CAA, been hired to rewrite two features Once Upon A Time in Africa and Be A Good Boy. I have also been hired by Gaumont TV to develop a TV show, The White Rhino. More to come but that is what's been signed." ~ Peres Owino

"Since the Fast Track Fellowship I signed with a manager, Matt Prater at Citizen Skull Productions (CSP) who are super pro-active and all about getting their clients out there and noticed. Working with CSP, we’ve come up with a strategy on getting my Fast Track Fellowship winning script TUNDRA KILL out to production companies and have attached a director to my contained horror script THE PIT, which has already garnered interest from a production entity well known in the horror field. All of this happened within the last month, I can’t wait to see what next month brings." ~ Kevin Bachar

"Winning the Fast-Track Fellowship completely and immediately changed my life. Not only did I gain affirmation and access to the industry, I was offered representation before I even landed in L.A. for the fellowship itself. Without winning, I may have never moved to Los Angeles. Now, two years later, I'm on the west coast, I'm with 3 Arts, I've taken dozens of generals, and we're about to go out with a kick-ass pilot for a limited series that's based on an incredible true story. All of my success up to now can, in some way, be connected back to winning that fellowship. It changed everything." ~ Sean Collins-Smith

Deadlines: Mega Early: Oct. 19, 2023 | Early: Nov. 24, 2023 | Final: Feb. 15, 2024

Until further notice, all mentor meetings will be virtual.

All writers from all countries are welcome to apply to the ISA Fast Track, however all scripts must be submitted in English, and application fees must be paid in U.S. dollars.

Previous Fast Track Fellows may not apply in any future ISA Fast Track Fellowship.
Script must be the original work of the applicant and may not be encumbered by any third party.

Scripts that have been sold, produced for a profit, or are currently under option are not eligible.

Original full-length feature screenplays and TV Pilots only are accepted. Anything else, including but not limited to short scripts or web series, novels, short stories, stage plays, musicals, treatments, synopses, reality show concepts, and/or documentaries are not eligible. Script submissions must be an original screenplay or teleplay.

Screenplays adapted from the submitting writer's own self-published books, plays, or other source materials are eligible if the writer retains all rights to the work.

Adaptations from other works are permissible provided the writer has written permission by the owner to adapt the material.

Adaptations of works in the public domain are permissible.

Co-written material will be accepted. However, any and all prizes issued will be based on a single applicant. Both writers can attend and participate in mentor meetings.

Multiple submissions are accepted by one writer, however if one or more screenplays of the same writer tie, only one screenplay (the decided “best”) will be selected to determine the chosen "Fellow."

The writer understands that script feedback can take up to 90-days turn-around time and may not be received before the end of the final application deadline.

The ISA cannot guarantee feedback for the submitted script will be received within enough time to resubmit during the same season.

Applicants must submit materials and payment online only.

Once a script has been submitted, substitutions of new drafts or corrections may only be accepted within 24 hours of the original application. A revised draft of a script may be accepted after 24 hours if it is submitted as a new application with the appropriate fee.

Promotional discounts or waivers offered may only be utilized at the time of submission.

Promotional discounts or waivers offered may not apply on all submission platforms (i.e. Film Freeway)

If a writer receives an Application Fee Waiver as part of a Feedback Promotion or otherwise, the waiver is valid only during the current season, unless an expiration date is otherwise specified. Application Fee Waivers will not be honored in subsequent seasons.

Writers under the age of 18 years old must have parent or legal guardian’s permission to participate.

Fellowship applicants must accept without reservation the decisions rendered by the judges.

The writer understands that it is his/her sole responsibility to register material to be submitted with the U.S. Copyright Office and/or with the Writer’s Guild of America or the appropriate agency in his/her country.

Applicants awarded a place in the Top 50 or higher understand and accept that the ISA will be free to use his/her name, likeness and voice for advertising or promotional purposes without additional consideration.

Writers retain the rights to their screenplay.

Applicants are non-exclusive to ISA Fast Track and may submit their screenplay to any other person, competition, producer, agent, publisher, and/or organization.

No transfer, substitution or cash equivalent for prizes is allowed.

The ISAConnect Membership gift may only be used within 90 days and may not be combined with any current free membership.

ISA will not be held responsible for mentor meeting cancellations or rescheduling.
If Fast Track Fellows miss or are late to a mentor meeting, the ISA makes no guarantees to reschedule.

Length requirements are as follows: 1). Full-Length Features: 70-120 pages. 2). TV Pilots: Up to 70 pages.

If applicant orders feedback a $1 per page fee may be charged separately over 120 pages, not including the Title Page, or the reader may only read the first 120 pages.
Standard title pages should be included: listing the script title, name of author(s), telephone number, and email address. Applicants will not be disqualified if it is not included.

Under no circumstances should the writer include name or contact information within the body of the script.

ISA is not responsible for any applicant errors or omissions on any submitted application materials.

Synopses, casting suggestions, letters, resumes and photos will not be considered. TV Pilot submissions may include standard supplementary materials, such as lists of recurring characters and future episodes.

The writer accepts, without reservation, that the submitted logline and screenplay will be reviewed by ISA staff and/or panel of Industry Judges for evaluation and that any one of these employees, or judges may have been or may be exploring ideas similar to the submitted material, and the applicant hereby waives any claim that the ISA and Fast Track, its staff or judges may have misappropriated any ideas or portions of the submission, logline or screenplay.

There are no refunds for any reason after 24 hours from submission.

The writer understands and accepts without reservation that he/she is an independent contractor and that Fast Track Administrators are not responsible for withholding any taxes or payments to any government agency, at any level, be it state, local or federal.

By submitting to this fellowship, the writer's email address will be added to the contest database as well as the International Screenwriters' Association newsletter for weekly updates, contest promotions and other notifications. The writer may unsubscribe at any time.

It is our full intention to fulfill all prizes as posted. However, due to an unlikely event, act of God or other, we reserve the right to update or edit prizes.

The Fellow will be recorded during interviews and the ISA has the right to use their name, likeness and voice for educational and promotional purposes.

To submit materials and be considered, the writer must agree to the Rules.