Halloween Horror & True Crime Fellowship

18 Sep 2025, posted by Brad Miller

Clip from 2024 Industry Interview with Alumnus Osgood Perkins moderated by JG

Halloween Horror & True Crime Fellowship

Apply by Wed., October 8th, 2025, 5pm (PST)

Three Fellowship Awards for Horror & True Crime Writers/Filmmakers

Writers Boot Camp continues our support of fresh voices this month by providing three $2500 full scholarships to writers in the Tuesday, Oct 21st Basic Training.

Candidates must verify their availability to write 10 hours per week for 10 weeks during the Basic Training process that has supported more than 12,000 writers and filmmakers over the past 36 years. While we celebrate our anniversary each October, the first session conducted by JG was in his living room in March 1989 during his last semester of his MFA at USC’s Peter Stark Producing Program.

This month’s Horror & True Crime opportunity is the first in quite some time, if ever, in these areas of creative material that support the voices of emerging genre writers–specifically in continually strong genres within the industry–as well as podcasts. Recent horror hits like HIM, SINNERS, and WEAPONS, along with television series and non-fiction limited series, from the classic Season 1 of True Detective, Making a Murderer, and Inventing Anna, to the recent The Menendez Brothers and Cocaine Cowboys: The Kings of Miami, true stories about killers, crime-solving, and insight into adjudication have audiences transfixed.

Since the resurrection of the horror genre by Dimension films with SCREAM–and the classic parody by the very same company using the name of the original Kevin Williamson script, SCARY MOVIE, the genre and true crime stories have defied the trend of industry disruption to dependably attracting core audience.

Our own alumni have long achieved genre and genre-adjacent successes (click here to see just some of the credits by A-List Alumn i). Writer-filmmakers and showrunners include Oz Perkins’, whose LONGLEGS grossed over $100 million, also wrote and directed the soon-to be released Stephen King adaptation, THE MONKEY. Marti Noxon’s many works–in one early season she wrote seven episodes of the smash hit Buffy The Vampire Slayer–then wrote the remake of FRIGHT NIGHT, and more recently the psychological thriller HBO Mini-Series Sharp Objects. Prior to circling back to major feature films and studio rewriting, American Horror Story was Jessica Scharzer’s first foray into TV after her earlier festival feature film endeavors!

Whether you’re writing a cerebral thriller, body horror, supernatural, zombie, vampire, monster, or even a comedy horror with clever commentary about horror tropes–or delving into the behind-the-scenes of a chilling crime spree or one-off shock-value, dramatic courtcase–the creative parameters are otherwise unlimited. The only project requirement is that it fits within the horror or true crime genres.

Pertinent professional experience combined with cogent answers will complement the project idea to determine the three winners.

Eligibility Notes

Writers Boot Camp alumni who have applied to a prior fellowship within the past six months–or who have won before–may apply for fun yet are not eligible to win. Winners must confirm their availability to participate in Basic Training, along with 10 hours per week for creative exercises and writing for 10 weeks without risk of dropping due to outside conflict or work opportunities. Only winners will be notified individually. All non-winners will be notified by email within a few days of the selection of winners.

Our Remarkable Track Record and Diversity Emphasis

There are few places in society for artists to seek and receive personal support. No one does what we do and with as much depth of process. Writers Boot Camp’s tools are meant to empower your own authority. The tools and materials are more a language for collaboration and for describing your creative goals than a formula to fit your story.

Writers Boot Camp’s remarkable success of supporting diversity and a range of creative voices is unparalleled in the business. Over the nine years Fox Diversity sponsored writers through Basic Training, 50% of the writers attracted staff television jobs, including top showrunners today.

In fact, women represent a higher percentage of our overall alumni success stories—and through the years we’ve awarded nearly half a million dollars in fellowship awards to writers and filmmakers of diverse heritage, highlighting opportunities for women of color.

You can see countless other movie and TV credits by Writers Boot Camp alumni on our A-List Credits page.

The Fellowship Application

Please complete only one application per person. Partners working together may apply via separate applications utilizing the same project. Keep every answer to only one single sentence, including your answers to the four topical questions combined into one four-sentence paragraph. Again, alumni who have applied to a fellowship in the past six months–or who have won before–are not eligible to win.

Please Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute to Apply!

Fellowship Application Deadline: Thursday, Oct 2nd, 5pm, LA time.

Name:

Mailing Address:

City, State & Zip Code:

Phone Number:

Email Address:

How You Heard About Writers Boot Camp (if through a person, include their name):

Name of Reference & Professional Relationship to You:

Reference Contact (Phone & Email):

Your Occupation or Job Title:

Your Entertainment Industry Background and Experience:

Prior Writing and Filmmaking Experience:

Are you currently working--and can you comment on your employment situation?

Do you consider yourself to be a horror genre expert?

Please answer these four topical questions in order in only one sentence each within one paragraph--and without including the questions: What is your personal view of relevance of theme--be it world events, local stories, history, etc.--in horror shows and films and how does your opinion on this shape your writing? Share with us the horror show, film, or book that first got you interested in the genre and why. What subset of the horror genre do you feel will be the most relevant over the next five years and why? In only one sentence within this paragraph submitted, please express a personal idea, insight or realization about the history of the horror genre that you find the most inspiring to your work and how it shapes the work you do.

If you win a Writers Boot Camp scholarship, please state the title and format of the project you will write, and share the premise in a single sentence only. A Premise Line is more than a logline or set-up and may include up to 50 words, focusing more on the middle of the story and what characters actually do along the 2nd-Act Adventure. If your project is for television, then the A-Story of the first episode will be more relevant than a general series description.

Please include above: Title, Format (Movie, TV Pilot, Book, etc.), and Premise Line (One Sentence Only).

For the purposes of announcing winners, please provide a single-sentence bio about yourself written in third person, including your full name, where you're from, where you live, your educational accomplishments, your professional background and entertainment industry goals.

My name below certifies that all my answers on the above application are true. I understand that my email submission will be kept confidential and not shared with anyone outside Writers Boot Camp's staff without my permission. I understand that if I win an award, it is not transferable and if I cannot fully utilize it, then it will be offered to the the next eligible writer. I understand that due to the short timeframe until the fellowship process that only the winners will be notified of their standing by telephone. All applicants will be notified by email with the results and guidelines for additional benefits, if applicable. My name below acknowledges Writers Boot Camp’s pledge of confidentiality regarding my application, answers and project details. I understand that all internal staff discussion of my project idea is in the interest of determining winners. I understand that I am sharing my ideas and answers to be eligible for a fellowship award and that submission of this application does not guarantee me receipt of conceptual notes or story services. I understand that I can protect my material by registering and/or copyrighting my written materials prior to submitting them. I give permission to Writers Boot Camp to verify my information and answers with the above reference and understand that this verification, if necessary, is only for the finalists and only to determine award eligibility.

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