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FEATURES LAB

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​The 1497 Features Lab is designed to elevate and develop screenplays by writers of South Asian descent, while providing career support. We believe in a holistic approach to foster writers' creative and career journeys. As a result, each selected Mentee will move through a multi-tiered process:

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SCRIPT DEVELOPMENT

In addition to peer to peer feedback from their fellow Mentees, every Mentee's script undergoes a rigorous development cycle with with guidance from a Script Consultant who focuses on the emotional journey of the screenplay.

SCRIPT 

DEVELOPMENT

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MENTORSHIP

Every Mentee is paired with a Mentor, a working professional in the industry whose experience and expertise align with the type of work the Mentee aims to do. Mentors help recognize gaps in the Mentees' script while offering advice and insight to launch or further the Mentees' careers.

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CONNECT WITH INDUSTRY

Towards the end of the Lab all  Mentees are introduced to  Industry Professionals, typically agents and managers, who  provide career roadmaps and specific industry insights, based on the Mentees' current and future ambitions.

2022 FEATURES LAB

The 2022 Features Lab mentors will be Oscar nominee Deepa Mehta, Golden Globe winner Nisha Ganatra, and Sundance favorite Minhal Baig. Read about this year's lab in The Hollywood Reporter

DATES & LOCATION

  • Applications for the 2022 Feature Film Lab will open September 15, 2021

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  • The lab will be part virtual and part in person in Spring 2022 (exact dates TBD)

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  • The in person portion will be held in New York City

ELIGIBILITY

  • Must be of South Asian descent

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  • Must be 18+ years or older

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  • Must reside in the United States

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  • Must have a completed narrative feature script

COST

  • Application fees are waived for all applicants between September 15th - September 30th

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  • Between October 1st - October 31st, there will be a $25 application fee. ​

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  • For the in person portion of the lab, airfare, accommodations and a per diem for meals will be covered by 1497

APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS

  • ​​All applications must be submitted through our partner Coverfly, which requires applications to be completed in one sitting

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  • In addition to basic contact and demographic information, the application asks for links to past work, an artistic statement, logline, script synopsis, and the first 10 pages of the screenplay uploaded as a PDF.

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  • If you are named one of the 10 Finalists, you must submit a full screenplay draft and participate in a virtual interview with 1497

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SELECTION PROCESS

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  • Round 1: Applications will be blinded, then read & scored by 20 Readers

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  • Round 2:  Semi-Finalists' applications will be unblinded, read & scored by members of the 1497 team, resulting in 10 Finalists

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  • Round 3: the 10 Finalists' applications will be reviewed & scored by a Selection Committee while the Finalists participate in interviews with members of the 1497 team. 3 final mentees will be chosen to participate in the 2022 lab

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HAVE MORE QUESTIONS?

  • Check out our FAQ page for more information!

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