Every entry gets free, written feedback!
Diverse Voices is a screenplay contest and lab that strives to encourage stories that are told from perspectives that are often underrepresented in Hollywood today. This includes writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood.
This season, the Diverse Voices competition is expanding to an in-person Screenwriting Lab experience in Los Angeles with the first ever Diverse Voices Lab. Four winners will be flown out to LA for mentorship and meetings with industry professionals.
Deadlines and Fees
Opens – Jan 15th, 2019
Early Bird – Feb 15th, 2019 – $55
Regular – March 15th, 2019 – $65
Final – April 15th, 2019 – $75
*all entry fees include written feedback
Announcements
Semifinalists – May 15th, 2019 – Top 200
Finalists – June 15th, 2019 – Top 50
Winners – July 15th, 2019 – Grand Prize and Category Winners
Giving Back
Founded by Ava DuVernay, Array is an independent film distribution and resource collective comprised of artist advocacy organizations, maverick volunteers, and rebel member donors worldwide. Their work is dedicated to the amplification of independent films by people of color and women filmmakers globally.
Diverse Voices has raised over $14,000 for charity since starting only 3 years ago. Thank you to all the amazing writers who’ve helped us get there.
Check out our 2019 Jury
Ben Cory Jones
Ben Cory Jones has written on various shows, including Chasing Life (ABC Family), Hand of God (Amazon), Underground (WGN), and Insecure (HBO). He also created and wrote the drama series, CANDY, and is also the showrunner/co-creator of the upcoming BET series, Boomerang – based on the iconic film.
Jesse Atlas
Jesse Atlas is a writer/director known for amazing short-form content like RECORD/PLAY and LET THEM DIE LIKE LOVERS. His works have been official selections at festivals like Sundance, LA Film Festival, Fantastic Fest, and Tribeca Film Festival. Most recently, Jesse co-founded the Autonomika Story Lab to help emerging filmmakers find their voice and vision.
Kendrick Tan
Kendrick works as a literary manager at Lit Entertainment Group. Lit Entertainment Group manages the writers of films such as GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, BRIDGE OF SPIES, and THE JUNGLE BOOK.
Halle Mariner
Halle Mariner is a coordinator at Agency for the Performing Arts (APA). A highly respected talent agency that reps the big name actors, directors, and writers in everything from movies like THE EVIL DEAD to TV shows like GAME OF THRONES.
The Diverse Voices Screenwriting Lab Experience
Past winners have signed at Gotham Group, Heroes and Villains, and Industry Entertainment. Check out more successes here.
The Grand Prize Winner and the First Place Winner in each category will be flown to Los Angeles and put up in an iconic LA Hotel for a Diverse Voices Four-Day Screenwriting Lab. The Lab will include hands-on development with industry executives, WeScreenplay staff, writers, and each other. It’ll also include meetings with executives and managers about the writers, their career, and their projects in development.
Beyond that, the winners’ work will be strategically sent to producers, agents, and managers with whom WeScreenplay has a relationship. All Finalists will be publicly recognized through our website and e-mail lists.
Please note: All finalists will be asked to answer in roughly 250 words how their voice or experience represents a new and diverse perspective for Hollywood.
How to contact us
You can contact us with anything related to script coverage or this contest and we'll get in touch with you as soon as possible.
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