Native American Feature Film Writers Lab Open For Submissions, Part Of LA Skins Fest

Applications for the second Native American Feature Film Writers Lab are now open, part of the LA Skins Fest. The 10-week workshop will develop the skills of the under-served Native American community and prepare them for employment in the film industry.

The LA Skins Fest will select five Native American writers to participate in the program. The lab will consist of daily workshops with an established screenwriter and peer workshop sessions. Additionally, participants will attend a series of events and screenings that will further expose them to the entertainment industry.

The Lab is for seasoned writers who are capable of writing a feature length script. Each selected participant is expected to complete at least one script by the end of the 10-week session, which will then be read at the 13th Annual LA Skins Fest in November.

The LA Skins Fest is a Native American arts initiative that offers an annual film festival, a concert that showcases contemporary Native musicians, and year round development opportunities for emerging Native American actors, writers, and directors. The LA Skins Fest is a project of the Barcid Foundation, a non-profit organization that focuses on multimedia programming in indigenous communities.

Eligibility for the Lab program in this age of Elizabeth Warren is determined via the application process, which asks if the applicant is enrolled or self-identifies. If they are enrolled, tribal documentation must be produced. If self-identified, information on tribal affiliation, family background, and connection to their indigenous community will be required.

The Native American Feature Film Writers Lab has an early deadline of June 14, with a regular registration deadline of June 21 and late deadline of June 28. Details and submissions are via laskinsfest.com. The program will take place late August – late October 2019 in Los Angeles.

“We are excited to announce the 2019 Native American Feature Film Writers Lab. We are proud to continue our tradition of offering new and unique programming for the Native American community. This writing lab is an intensive and demanding program that addresses a genuine need for our people,” said Ian Skorodin, executive director, LA Skins Fest.

Lab sponsors include Comcast NBCUniversal, The Walt Disney Studios, HBO and WarnerMedia.

A 2016 Writers Guild of America report claimed Native Americans replaced Latinos as the most under-represented minority group among writers in the film sector by a factor of 12 to 1.

“We look forward to deepening our partnership with LA Skins Fest to identify and help increase awareness of new voices in emerging communities, specifically, the Native American and indigenous communities,” said Universal’s Janine Jones-Clark, SVP, global talent development & inclusion.