Romantic Comedy Fellowship

03 Aug 2022, posted by Jeff Gordon

This winners for this Fellowship have been contacted and the deadline has passed.

Fellowship Application Deadline: Sunday, August 14th, 5pm, LA time.

Writers Boot Camp continues our support of fresh voices this month by providing three $2500 full scholarships to writers in the Tuesday, August 23rd Basic Training. Candidates must be available to write 10 hours per week for 12 weeks during the Basic Training process that has supported more than 12,000 writers and filmmakers over the past 33 years.

This month’s theme of “Romantic Comedy” touches on a classic genre that is very difficult to do in a unique way and often comes across so deceptively seamless. Top Rom-Com feature films of all time have offered a wide range of situations and commentary, including: WHEN HARRY MET SALLY, ANNIE HALL, which doesn’t happen to have the happiest of endings, MOONSTRUCK, ROMAN HOLIDAY, HIS GIRL FRIDAY, IT HAPPENED ONE NIGHT, THE SURE THING (whose road trip owes to that venerable five-time Oscar-winner), Richard Curtis movies (FOUR WEDDINGS AND A FUNERAL, BRIDGET JONES’ DIARY, NOTTING HILL, LOVE ACTUALLY), plus indies like KISSING JESSICA STEIN, THE BIG SICK, MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING, the more recent THE HALF OF IT, and even more traditional male-lead comedy high concepts like 40-YEAR OLD VIRGIN, KNOCKED UP and WEDDING CRASHERS.

New writers can certainly make a splash around town with a script that captures something new in the relationship realm and that is timely comedically. It’s important not to underestimate that the bar for the Rom-Com continues to be very high. TV pilots are welcome for this Fellowship category. Except the genre was nearly ruined by the myriad storylines covered so skillfully in brilliantly done, long-running TV comedies like Sex and the City and Seinfeld, where relationship rites of passage were mercilessly skewered, entertained with freshness that is at risk in feature films due to the longer develop process and prep for production. Regularly scheduled theater-going has not fully come back–and with “Netflix and chill“ the main manner of Rom-Com indulgence, word-of-mouth can be slowed, or even blocked, by the streamers’ own immediate, genomic online offerings.

That said, a successful romantic comedy can break out to reach an expanded audience. The challenge for writers is to be forward-thinking about trends. The charming nature of a comedic circumstance can quickly become only slightly amusing under its own weight if not differentiated from other movies and story situations. “Meet cute” scenarios can come across as hackneyed without a sense of spark and chemistry to make us believe the characters belong together.

A positive side effect of the pandemic is an advance in thoughtfulness inherent in non-binary self-identification. New vocabulary can create new dialogue and represents opportunities for new conflict. Further acceptance of interracial, inter-denominational, and same-sex marriage–and more fluid romantic choice-making, as well as respect for the health of transgender individuals, is all rich ground for new kinds of romantic encounters and connections in mainstream entertainment. There’s always room for a truly clever comedy on dating, for meta-commentary, and for updating based on what’s current–if it’s anticipating the trend. Before there were apps, there were appetizers during fix-ups, before websites there was computer dating–at least on a rerun of Love American Style–and before matchmakers, there were yentas.

Your inspiration can perhaps save the Rom-Com! The creative parameters of stories and genres for this Fellowship theme–whether TV series ideas, feature film scripts, theatrical material or books/novels–are wide open in this realm. 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 12 weeks.

Only winners will be notified individually. All non-winners will be notified by email no later than June 30th.

For all candidates who would like to hear the highlights and review of their applications, Writers Boot Camp Founder, Jeffrey Gordon, will host a 60-minute Mini-Camp that all non-winners will be invited to attend as desired.

Our Remarkable Track Record

There are few places in society for artists to seek and receive personal support. Additionally, our track record of diversity and support of women’s voices is unparalleled. For perspective, the higher percentage of our hundreds of alumni successes and their credits have been achieved by women. While we celebrate our anniversary each October, the first, experimental 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.

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: Sunday, August 14th, 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 Personal Reference & 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 romantic, comedic or both? Please explain your perspective and relevant experience in a single sentence.

Please answer these four topical questions in order in only one sentence each within one paragraph--and without including the questions: How has being in relationships informed your life and your perspective as an artist? Share with us an extraordinary experience that you attribute to being in a romantic relationship. What is your view of progress in the world regarding relationships? What historical event or subject regarding romance would you like to see updated and how would you specifically revise it?

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 typical logline 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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