To spotlight and support emerging female writing talent in film and TV, Women in Film & TV UK is launching the inaugural WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab 2023.

WFTV is on the hunt for emerging writers working on original scripts. This opportunity is for writers looking to attract industry interest in their work to take them to the next stage of their career and achieve their first film or TV screenwriting credit; whether that’s to be represented by an Agent or pitching their project to independent production companies.

​This 5-day writers’ lab will be a fully-funded opportunity for 13 screenwriters taking place from Monday 02 – Saturday 07 October 2023 at the Arvon Foundation’s Lumb Bank house in Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.

The programme will consist of craft writing masterclasses, tutor-led workshops and independent writing time. In addition, across the week there will be evening sessions with special guests from the industry, including Happy Valley creator and writer, Sally Wainwright OBE.

The WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab will be an opportunity for you to work intensely on one script at final draft stage and develop it over the course of the lab to be pitch ready, create a network of peers and industry colleagues, build confidence in your craft and develop your writing voice in a supportive and distraction free environment.

​Criteria 

​The WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab is an opportunity to spotlight and develop emerging female writers who have some writing experience and are looking to take the next step in their career to achieve their first screenwriting credit in either Film or TV, whether that is finding an agent or pitching their project to an independent production company.

On this occasion, they are not accepting applications from represented writers or writers who already have a film or TV screenwriting credit.

This 5-day writing retreat will be an opportunity for writers to work in a focussed and supportive creative environment on one project of their choosing in a distraction free setting.

They are looking for writers who showcase a talent for crafting rich characters, exciting stories, fresh perspectives and who have a distinctive writing voice. The writers will aim to breakthrough into the industry and take their next step in their career to help them achieve their first film or TV screenwriting credit.

The lab is for writers who do not yet have any industry writing credits (in either feature film or TV) and are actively working on a script (or more than one project) that is at final draft stage and who have further speculative ideas for future projects, which have the potential to be developed in production.

Writers taking part in the lab will be required to select one of their scripts to develop and work on across the week. The script/screenplay selected by the writer must be original work but can be a series (episode), feature film or short film for either Adult or Young Adult audiences.

​To be eligible to apply to take part in the Kay MELLOR Screenwriters’ Lab you must meet the following criteria:

• ​This opportunity is for writers who are unrepresented by an Agent or Manager and do not yet have a professionally produced writing credit in film or TV.
• If you receive a film or TV writing credit during the application process or before the Screenwriters’ Lab date your application will no longer be eligible, meaning we can offer this opportunity to another writer.
• You must be at least 18 years of age at the time of your application.
• You must be a permanent/full-time resident of the UK, but do not need to have been born in the UK or have UK citizenship.
• If your script is co-written, it is your responsibility to receive permission from your co-writer before you submit it to the WFTV Kay Mellor Screenwriters’ Lab.

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Deadline 

24 May 2023, 17:00 BST

Applicants who are longlisted will be contacted and asked to submit a copy of their full script to be read by an industry panel.

Final round of candidates will then be considered by an industry jury, who will award places on the WFTV Kay Mellor Writers’ Screenwriters’ Lab. The jury will be made up of experts from across the Film and TV industries.

https://www.wftv.org.uk/screenwriterslab