The Northern Exposure: Short Film Script Lab is back: applications are now open for our 2020 edition, running June - November. As usual, the Lab will provide 10 writers with the opportunity to develop a short film from an early idea to a completed script in a supportive, inspiring environment. However, in a change to our regular format, we'll be hosting all writing workshop sessions online.
Moving online will remove travel commitments for participants and allow us to run the programme while social distancing measures are in place. Our BFI NETWORK Talent Executives Roxy Mckenna and Amy O'Hara will host the sessions, ensuring that the spirit of peer support and collaboration that makes the Script Lab special is maintained. And we'll be joined by industry mentors who will share insights with the Lab writers and answer their questions.
The Script Lab culminates in a Talent Connect event at Aesthetica Short Film Festival in November. There, participants will meet UK producers in a series of 1-2-1 meetings to showcase their finished script and discuss developing their project further. Script Lab alumni have gone on to find producers for their scripts and realise their work on the big screen with support from our Short Film Funding. For an idea of what it's like to take part in the Lab, take a look at our interview with Jazmin Craddock-Jones, 2019 alumni and writer of Back Home: A Windrush Story.
Apply now
Participation in the Northern Exposure: Short Film Script Lab is free and open to writers working in any creative discipline who have an idea for a short film under 15 minutes in length.
As we're hosting the workshops remotely, all you'll need to take part is a reliable internet connection and a device that supports video conferencing. Script Lab participants should be able to commit to attending development sessions and completing writing work in addition to the workshops.
More details on the Script Lab, eligibility criteria and how to apply can be found in the Programme Guidelines.
The deadline for applications is 17:00 on Friday, 24 April. Applicants will be notified in the week commencing 11 May. If you have any queries about the Script Lab or your application, get in touch with our Talent Development team.
