LGBTQIA+ Contributions Fellowship

11 Jun 2023, posted by Brad Miller

THE DEADLINE FOR THIS APPLICATION HAS ENDED. PLEASE DO NOT APPLY FOR THIS FELLOWSHIP. THANK YOU!

Writers Boot Camp continues our support of fresh voices this month by providing three $2500 full scholarships to writers in the Saturday, July 8th Basic Training.

Candidates must be available 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 34 years. While we officially celebrate our anniversary each October, the first session conducted by founder Jeffrey Gordon (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 theme of “LGBTQIA+ Contributions” is our first offering in this category of creative material that supports the voices of artists, writers, and filmmakers who self-identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Writers are encouraged to share the personal and diverse stories currently desired by the industry. TV and film professionals are hungry to expand upon the successes we’ve seen in the past few years by promoting these stories to the forefront of content creation and media. So whether you’re writing a family story, a tale of leadership, an exploration of history, or a genre-bending saga never before conceived, we encourage any artist in the LGBTQIA+ community with a story to tell to apply!

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 opportunity. We encourage all applicants to understand that Basic Training is an intensive educational experience, along with highly professional distinctions and, while very supportive, a no-nonsense approach. Writers are discouraged from applying if acceptance will not ensure full participation as that could prevent another deserving writer from participating and receiving creative support.

Only winners will be notified individually. All non-winners will be notified by email within a few days of the selection of winners. We often host Mini-Camps to discuss the importance of drilling down ideas in a single-sentence, as well as to review the pitfalls that can undermine a writer’s application success that go well beyond the problem of not following specific instructions and recommendations.

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. The tools are agnostic in that there is an emphasis on articulation and full story development–and not an imposition of bias or point of view.

In fact, female writers 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.

Among our favorite alumni–a past staff member, writer-director, Sian Heder, recently won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for her movie CODA. Other alumni have been nominated for Oscars, including Josh Singer, who won for co-writing SPOTLIGHT. Alumnus Cindy Chupack has won two Emmys for her work on Sex and the City and Modern Family. Steven Sater, a New York Pro Member, won the Tony Award for Spring Awakening.

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: Tuesday, June 27th, 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 self-identify as LGBTQIA+ in keeping with this Fellowship category? Please explain briefly as necessary.

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 being LGBTQIA+ and how has it shaped your experiences and world views? Share with us an extraordinary experience that would only have happened due to your personal background and differences. What is your understanding of the central issue and obstacle facing the LGBTQIA+ community today? In only one sentence within this four-sentence paragraph, please express a personal idea, insight or realization about being LGBTQIA+ that can benefit from an update or revision.

If you win a Writers Boot Camp scholarship, please state the title and format of the project you will write that focuses on a LGBTQIA+ Main Character and subject, 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 mostly on the middle of the story, as opposed to the set-up, and shows what characters actually do together 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 the award is support through the $2500 10-Week Basic Training and is not a cash award. If I accept the award and do not participate, I understand that in effect I will have kept another deserving writer from participating and receiving support. I have read about Writers Boot Camp and the professional approach and distinctions that have made the company and its alumni successful. I understand that due to the short timeframe until the fellowship process that only the winners and possibly a few finalists to verify availability 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 primarily to determine award eligibility.

Login