Applications close: Monday 3 February, 9am AEST
Writers’ rooms are an essential element of the development process for scripted television drama. Screen Queensland’s new initiative offers a unique opportunity for a select cohort of screenwriters to participate in a professionally facilitated development experience.
Guided by industry-leading practitioners, The Writers’ Room will support up to 6 screenwriters to develop their television series projects. Participants will engage in a series of intensives replicating an authentic writers’ room environment.
Following their writers’ room intensives, participants will be offered further mentorship and industry engagement culminating in an industry pitch event. Through The Writers’ Room, the next generation of Queensland screenwriters will develop their skills, refine their craft and build meaningful industry connections and experience to apply to real-world industry opportunities.
The program will run across a period of approximately 9 months, commencing in March 2025.
Applications are encouraged from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, as well as individuals from other under-represented backgrounds.
GUIDELINES
WHO CAN APPLY?
To be considered eligible, applicants must be:
- screenwriters with fewer than 3 hours of broadcast credits where they are credited as a writer
- available across the 9-month period to participate
- Queensland residents for at least 3 months immediately preceding the application (proof of residency may be required) and must remain as Queensland residents for the duration of the initiative if accepted.
HOW WILL MY APPLICATION BE ASSESSED?
Your application will be assessed according to the following criteria:
- demonstrated understanding of screenwriting craft
- demonstrated understanding of the market for your series (both audiences and potential buyers)
- originality of voice
- track record and experience
- demonstrated ability to work in a collaborative creative environment
- career trajectory—applicant is in a strong position to undertake this opportunity and springboard into further opportunities as a result.
HOW DO I APPLY?
Applicants must submit an application form via the SmartyGrants portal by Monday 3 February, 5pm AEST.
Your application must include:
- a CV
- a pilot script for a television series (minimum 30 minutes)
- a pitch deck including series overview and main character descriptions (episode outlines are optional)
- an introductory video—a brief to-camera video introducing yourself and why you would like to be considered for this opportunity (maximum three minutes)
- contact details for two referees.
WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM SUCCESSFUL?
Shortlisted applicants will be invited for an interview and referees may be contacted.
The Writers’ Room will be guided by an experienced script producer/showrunner with the initiative following the below structure:
- the six (6) selected participants will be divided into two groups with the opportunity to have their own series developed
- groups will then meet for a three-day writers’ room intensive, three times in the first half of the initiative, with a different writer’s project workshopped and developed in each of these intensives
- in the second half of the initiative, writers will have an opportunity for ongoing one-to-one mentorship with their group’s mentor/showrunner. Travel and professional development opportunities will also be filled into the initiative.
Please note, this is an unpaid professional development opportunity and all selected writers must commit to attending and contributing to all writers’ room intensives, to the best of their ability.
Key dates
Thursday 12 December – initiative announced, applications open
Monday 3 February – applications close
February – assessment
Early March – shortlist interviews
Mid March – announce successful applicants
Late March – Room 1 (Group 1)
April – Room 2 (Group 2), Room 3 (Group 1)
May – Room 4 (Group 2)
June – Room 5 (Group 1), Room 6 (Group 2)
August – 1:1 mentoring (Session 1)
September – 1:1 mentoring (Session 2)
October – 1:1 mentoring (Session 3)
November – pitch to industry event, industry follow-up
December – program ends
APPLICATION TERMS AND CONDITIONS
By submitting your application, you agree to the Terms and Conditions outlined and to Screen Queensland’s Privacy Policy.
Applicants must notify Screen Queensland in writing if they have an actual, perceived, or potential conflict of interest in applying for the Initiative and, if so, the manner in which they propose to deal with the conflict.
The Applicant retains all intellectual property rights in its submission. The Applicant grants an irrevocable, non-exclusive royalty and fee free license to Screen Queensland to use, adapt, and modify its intellectual property rights in its submission for the purposes of Screen Queensland analysing and evaluating the applicant’s submission.
Screen Queensland’s liability in relation to the application process is limited to $1.
Screen Queensland reserves the right to change any element of the initiative, these guidelines or the application process at any time and in its absolute discretion.
Confidentiality
All participants in the initiative must sign NDAs and Workshop Agreements acknowledging that all rights, ideas, character and story content generated in the writers’ room intensives are owned by the creator of the particular series being workshopped in that intensive.
