× Screenwriting Lab 2022-23 About Writers INK Application Closed

Learn the core skills of screenwriting and build your story into a solid ready-to-pitch screenplay draft.

1

Storytelling structure

Absorb, understand and execute the fundamentals of the universal three-act structure and how they work in all genres.

2

Theme

Develop the central premise or theme of your film to unify story, characters and plot into an impactful whole.

3

World building

Learn and deploy world-building techniques to create original and evocative settings for your characters.

4

Character building

Study and workshop the creation of three-dimensional, authentic characters with layered emotions, conflicts and complete character arcs.

5

Dialogue writing and formatting

Known as the - ‘lifeblood of the screenplay” dialogue is a crucial part of character development, giving each character a unique voice. Professional formatting and accepted global industry standards all affect the presentation of your script - make sure you get them right!

6

Conflict and resolution

Discover how to keep your audience engaged by setting up and paying off twists, and developing plot and sub plots that deepen your story. Enhance dramatic conflict and learn how to use tension and timing in your story to propel your protagonist towards a great ending.

7

Re-writing

Writing is re-writing. Learn key re-writing techniques that will continue to advance your screenplay, moving forward from the Lab.

8

Giving and Getting Feedback

Practice this essential collaboration skill for script development with your peers, advisors and teachers.

9

Networking

Learn how to join the active and educated global community of screenwriting alumni and industry professionals

10

Pitching

Know how to convey your story through a well presented written pitch, through impactful loglines and synopses and also by moving your audience’s attention towards a concise, original and well presented verbal pitch.

Application Closed

Who is it for?

This Lab is for you if you want to build a solid and practical foundation of screenwriting, get a global perspective, take practical inputs from industry professionals and get an opportunity to pitch your stories to producers, studios and other professionals from the industry.


Eligibility

1

Indian citizens above 18+ years of age

2

Filmmakers/screenwriters working on an original script, which can be in any stage of development

3

Filmmakers/screenwriters who have written and/or directed at least one short film in the narrative fiction space. (Not mandatory but preferable)

Lab structure and key deadlines

1

How many participants will be accepted into the Lab?

We are only accepting up to 30 participants.

2

What will be the medium of instruction in the Lab?

The medium of instruction will be English.

3

How will this Lab be conducted? Is it online or offline?

This Lab will be conducted online over a period of 8-10 weeks between Dec 2022 to March 2023. We will organize 1-2 sessions per week and each session will be conducted for not more than 2-3 hours each. There will be academic sessions and guest speaker sessions along with a few one-on-one mentor sessions. The exact dates and timings of the Lab schedule will be emailed to you closer to the start of the Lab.

4

Who is this Lab for?

This Lab covers the foundations of screenwriting that are applicable globally. It will also provide participants with an opportunity to learn from the practical experiences of industry professionals. The participants will also get access to one on one mentorship by a global faculty, who will help them in developing their scripts. This Lab is for anyone looking to get formally trained in the art and science of storytelling and screenwriting and get a global perspective.

5

What type of projects are you looking for?

The Lab is open to all kinds of narrative fiction full-length feature film projects across genres and languages. We are not accepting documentary or short films for this Lab.

6

What are the submission deadlines?

- Early bird deadline - Nov 5, 2022
- Late deadline - Nov 25, 2022

7

When will the final participants be announced?

We will announce the finalists by Dec 10th, 2022.

8

What are the Lab dates?

The Lab will be conducted between Dec 2022 to March 2023. The exact schedule will be provided to the selected participants.

9

What would be the Lab timings?

While we will share the exact dates and timings with the selected participants, the Lab sessions will either be conducted early mornings or in the evenings.

10

What is the time commitment required for the Lab?

Approximately 4 hours of session and 2 hours of homework time, so you will be required to dedicate 6 hours per week to the Lab.

11

What are the online technical requirements at my end?

You will need a good internet connection and the Zoom website and mobile app plus the ability to read and view assignments online. If you don’t know how to operate Zoom, an assistant from our team will take you through it.

12

How will the Pitch event be conducted?

The pitch event will also be conducted online.

13

How will I get to pitch my script?

You will be required to shoot a 2-min video pitch for the industry pitching session that will take place at the end of the 10-week Lab, sometime between Feb - March 2023. This video pitch will be played during the pitch event. We will take you through sessions on how to make a good video pitch, to ensure that you make a good pitch video. You are required to arrange your own shooting and video recording equipment to shoot the pitch video.

14

Who will be attending the pitch event?

Programmers, studios, producers, talent managers and other industry professionals will be attending the pitch event.

15

Will I get to connect with the industry professionals during the pitch?

Since this will be an online event, there won’t be any networking. But you will be provided contacts of sum of the pitch event attendees, so that you can connect with them after the pitch. The attendees will also be provided a catalogue of all the participating projects with the contact details of the participants, so that they can directly reach out to the participants. We will also help facilitate connection in case an industry professional reaches out to us and shows interest in any of the scripts.

16

I am the film director and I have a co-writer with me. Can we both apply?

Yes, you and your co- team member can attend the Lab but the Lab participation fee of Rs. 55,000/- will be charged per participant.

17

Will the Lab be recorded and will the recording be available to me?

The Lab recordings will be available to the participants for a period of 6 months after the end of the Lab

18

I may be travelling on some dates of the Lab, can I skip the sessions?

You will be provided the recordings of the sessions in case you cannot attend one. But we strongly recommend that to get the full benefit of the Lab, you should attend the live sessions, as they are going to be interactive and avoid skipping the sessions unless there is an emergency.

19

What if my script is not ready to pitch by the end of the Lab?

The full script does not have to be ready to pitch and can be in the development stage. However, if you don’t feel like you’re ready to pitch your project by the end of the Lab, you can choose to opt out of pitching. But we highly recommend you attend the Pitch event to hear the pitches of your fellow participants, for learning purposes.

Eligibility and submission requirements

1

What is the eligibility criteria?

You are eligible if you meet the following criteria:
- If you are an Indian citizen and above 18 years of age
- If you have written and/or directed at least one short film (not mandatory)
- If you are working on an original script currently that you would like to submit as a project to develop in this Lab (the script can be in any phase of development)

2

I am residing outside India, am I eligible?

As long you have an Indian citizenship, you are eligible to apply

3

I don’t have a script, what should I do?

You do not need a completed script to apply to this Lab. You may apply with a logline, synopsis, screenwriter's/director's statement and first 5-10 pages of your script, but you must have those completed to apply.

4

I have finished writing my script, can I still apply?

Absolutely! Even if you have a finished draft of the script, you are still eligible to apply. The Lab sessions will help you chisel the script further with guided instructions and one on one mentorship.

5

Should my script be registered with an organization?

Yes, your script must be registered with the Screenwriters Association or any other authorised entity to protect the ownership of the script.

6

What documents do I have to submit?

You have to upload the following documents in the form. Please click on each document below to understand submission guidelines for each of them:

7

In what language should I be submitting the documents?

The script must be submitted in English language but the film can be in any Indian language

8

Is this Lab only for Hindi-language scripts?

The Lab is open to all the languages of India. The script, however, must be submitted in English.

9

What will be the language of instruction in the Lab?

The Lab will be conducted in English.

10

What type of projects are you looking for?

The Lab is open to all kinds of projects across genres and languages.

11

I have two scripts I am working on. Can I submit both?

No, we are only accepting one project at a time. But since this Lab covers the foundations of screenwriting, what you learn in the Lab can be applied to any number of scripts you may be working on. So you can choose to submit any one script to the Lab.

12

If I don’t get selected this time, will I be eligible to apply next time?

Absolutely, you can apply for the next Lab.

13

My project is already a part of another Lab. Can I still apply?

Yes, you can apply, as long as the dates of the Labs won’t clash, because you will be expected to devote time to both the Labs.

Fee & Payments

1

Is the application fee refundable?

The application fee is a one-time, non refundable fee.

2

When do I have to pay the Lab participation fee?

The Lab participation fee of Rs. 55,000 has to paid only by the selected participants. The payment will have to be made within 48 hours of the finalist announcements. We will get in touch with the finalists to explain the payment process of the Lab participation fee.

3

Is the Lab participation fee refundable?

No, once paid, the Lab participation fee is non-refundable.

4

What modes of payments are acceptable?

We only accept online payments, via netbanking, debit card and credit card.

5

Are there scholarships available?

Yes, limited scholarships are available. Please select the scholarships option in the form and we will reach out to you.

6

What is the process of applying for the scholarships?

Please select the scholarships option in the form and we will reach out to you. We will then conduct an interview and/or require a written application for the same.

7

I submitted the form but could not complete the payment step. What should I do?

Please email us at writersink@inktalks.com and let us know the issue you faced during the payment stage.

8

The payment has been deducted from my account, but I didn’t receive a confirmation. What should I do?

Please email us at writersink@inktalks.com and we will check our records.

Submitting the form

1

How should I apply?

You can apply for the Lab by filling this form

2

What documents do I have to submit?

You have to upload the following documents in the form. Please click on each document below to understand submission guidelines for each of them:

3

Will I be able to save the form and come back to it later?

No, unfortunately you won’t be able to do that. So you have to fill the form in one go. Hence we suggest that you go through the questions of the sections and keep the answers ready so that you can submit all the information at once.

4

Can I edit the information after I have submitted it?

No, you won’t be able to edit the information after you have submitted the form.

5

I need help with the form, who should I contact?

Please email us your questions at writersink@inktalks.com

6

I am unable to upload documents? Please help.

Please ensure that you don’t upload more than 1 MB per document and try again. If you are still facing problems, email us the screenshot of the problem you are facing at writersink@inktalks.com

7

Can I upload the full script?

No, please make sure you don’t upload the full script. We only need the first 10 pages of the script. We will disqualify applications with full scripts.

8

What terms should I be aware of before submitting my application?

You will be asked to sign an Undertaking Statement before you submit the form. Please click on the statement and read it clearly.

Key timelines

5th Nov 2022

Early deadline

25th Nov 2022

Final deadline

10th Dec 2022

Finalist announcement

Application fee*

Rs. 3,000 (by Early deadline)

Rs. 4,500 (by Final deadline)

Lab participation fee*

Rs. 55,000

Only for final participants Scholarships available

*Taxes extra. All fee are one-time and non-refundable

Application Closed

Meetthe faculty

Gabrielle Kelly

Executive Lab Director

Cari Daly

Associate Lab Director

Sushma Khadepaun

Lab Instructor

Aviv Rubinstien

Lab Instructor

Audrey Gevorkian

Associate Teacher

Michael Leung

Associate Teacher

Meet the Jury

Jyoti Nisha

Screenwriter and Filmmaker

Jitin Hingorani

Festival Director - DFW South Asian Film Festival

Sridhar Rangayan

Filmmaker, Writer, Activist and Festival Director