NFMLA is proud to announce the fifth season of the STARZTakeTheLead Writer's Intensive! Thank you to our friends at TheWrap for their support in helping us usher in another year of this great program, co-presented by us here at NFMLA and our friends at NALIP.
We are excited to return with this vital initiative that offers emerging writers the chance to hone their skills and create original spec scripts with direct mentorship from leading professionals, executives, and seasoned writers. This year, we will select four writers to engage in both phases of the program.
In Phase 1, participants will collaborate with 15 industry experts from various TV backgrounds while developing a spec episode treatment. During Phase 2, each writer will be matched with a mentor to produce a complete spec episode script based on an existing STARZ series. Each fellow will also receive a $5,000 grant to uplift with their participation in the program.
Submissions are open now, with the deadline set for September 15th, 2026, at 11:00am PT.
Apply now!
