John Johnson founded Almanack Screenwriters (formerly known as Screenwriters Colony) in 2002 because he recognized a need to support the most influential storytellers of our time -- writers for the screen. He wanted to encourage these storytellers to take risks and tap their purest creative selves, insulated from commercial pressures inherent to the typical development process in the entertainment business.

Hence, our October Colony was born -- part residency, part mentorship program, it brings talented emerging screenwriters together for an entire month of focused time and dedicated space to develop their work, engage with peers, and receive guidance from industry professionals. The October Colony, and the programs that followed, are all inspired by Johnson’s initial motivation to provide an ideal framework for innovative screenwriters with the potential to build large audiences.