Frequently Asked Questions
WHAT IS Almanack Screenwriters?
Almanack Screenwriters is a non-profit organization that supports writers with singular voices and vision. For over 20 years, we have provided artists with retreats, workshops and mentorship that offer time, space, and guidance for them to create their best work away from the demands of daily life and the commercial pressures of the industry. Our programs bring writers together to live and work in an inspiring location (Nantucket of Costa Rica) with all needs accommodated for the duration of the residency or lab.
WHAT IS THE OCTOBER COLONY?
The October Colony is our flagship program that brings four feature film writers to Nantucket for the entire month of October. Writers live and work at a secluded farmhouse on the island, with expansive grounds surrounded by nature trails and cranberry bogs. On select weekends throughout the month industry mentors join us on the island to workshop scripts and share guidance, stories, and community with the writers in residence. All travel and living expenses are covered for the month.
WHAT IS THE EPISODIC LAB?
Our Episodic Lab takes place annually in Nosara, Costa Rica. This program combines original 30 and 60 minute projects — comedies, dramas, and everything in between. Writers benefit from intensive workshopping, developing, and pitching experience. The Lab provides a Writers’ Room for each project, camaraderie with peers and mentors, and time and space in nature for creators to do their best work outside of the constraints of everyday life. All expenses are covered.
WHAT IS THE EPISODIC COMEDY LAB?
Our Episodic Comedy Lab is a program that ran in partnership with the Nantucket Film Festival for five years. The Lab brought together writers of original 30-minute scripted serial comedy. White Heron Theatre Company presented scenes from each pilot in a staged reading at the film festival. This program is on hiatus as Almanack Screenwriters develops mixed-genre episodic episodic programming.
WHAT DOES IT COST TO APPLY TO AND ATTEND An Almanack Screenwriters Program?
Submission is free and all travel and living expenses are covered.
HOW CAN I apply FOR YOUR PROGRAMS?
Typically writers are nominated by our broad network of industry friends, alumni and mentors. If you are interested in our programs and have not been formally nominated, please contact us to tell us more about your work and start a conversation about how you might be able to submit for consideration.
WHAT IS THE Submission PROCESS?
Nominees are asked to submit a draft of their feature screenplay or episodic pilot script, along with a personal statement and supplemental materials.
WHAT IS THE submission TIMELINE?
Submissions for the EPISODIC LAB open in December.
Submissions for our OCTOBER COLONY open in June.
We start reading immediately and make selections throughout the evaluation period, so early submissions are always recommended.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES & selection process:
We seek writers early enough in their career that our programs will have a meaningful impact on their creative and professional growth, but not so early that they haven’t established the proven ability to build an audience and the necessary commitment to forge a life as a writer for the screen. In other words, a writer who’s already had three features produced is probably too far along, while a writer who hasn’t yet established themself (through screenwriting competition honors, well-received festival work, industry representation, paid writing work, or the like) is probably not far along enough.
Writers must be able to spend the entire duration of the program in Nantucket or Costa Rica. The full immersion of participating in our retreats is vital to the experience.
For our evaluation process we require the feature screenplay or pilot script you intend to work on in the program. We prefer complete, promising drafts, but will accept unfinished scripts that are at least half written and accompanied by a full detailed outline.
We seek writers with projects in various stages of development that can benefit from the dedicated time, space, and mentorship our programs offer. We welcome early drafts of works in progress, as well as screenplays closer to the finish line as long as the writer still feels there is significant work to be done.
Adaptations are accepted.
We are not able to accept co-written projects.
Candidates need not be focused on a writing career to the exclusion of directing or other pursuits, but should demonstrate an unmistakable devotion to the process, craft and art of writing for the screen.
We don’t favor any specific genre or style of projects. What matters most to us is finding writers with strong voices, unique points of view, and the potential to contribute powerful stories to our culture. If the submitted project feels like something we’ve seen many times before, whether from Hollywood or Park City, we’re unlikely to be enthused no matter how accomplished the execution. We look forward to receiving and reading the stories you are most passionate about telling — the stories you as an artist believe the world needs most!