Film Lab

In general, expect the process to take a minimum of 4-6 weeks. 

To Submit:

Screenwriters are asked to send a logline, synopsis of their script to [email protected] with a short email explaining why they think Unfinished Works will help them develop and improve their script.  Film Lab will work to help create a relationship with the writers we workshop, so, ideally, you’ll come back and workshop edited versions of your script all the way to, in the case of films, a rough cut.  If you are selected, congratulations!  The process begins with providing the Unfinished Works coordinator with your full length script and explaining the aspects that are most critical to you to work on.  Then, you participate in the casting process, per the below guidelines, sit back, relax and -literally!- enjoy the show!

To Cast:

We require that participants cast ALL their actors from Film Lab members with first priority going to the Film Lab Actor Directory members. 

If your screenplay is chosen for workshopping, you’ll email your character breakdowns to [email protected] and we will post them to our members.  You are encouraged to also scroll through this Actor Directory and submit your preferences from it to the Unfinished Works Coordinator, who will contact actors from the Directory to determine their availability and let you know.  Once the Directory has been exhausted, the remainder of the casting is opened to our social media sites via the UW Coordinator, who will forward the submissions to you and you contact the actors directly and take it from there. We post the initial casting notice and forward the replies to the writer in order to avoid giving the writer's personal email to too many people and also so as to allow us to keep records of who and how many submit. Then, we provide a venue for you, free of charge, and conduct a structured workshop in a style the Coordinator can explain to you in more detail, which is designed to give each artist writer specific, individualized feedback that expressly focuses on his/her needs.  If you have a particular actor or actors you simply must cast who are not members of the Directory, you can "fast track" their membership, however, you or they will be responsible for the (de minimis) $20 set-up charge per actor.

Rehearsals and Directors:

You are free to choose a director or to have the Film Lab post a call for directors for you or to take a risk and let the actors self-direct and see what happens!  This is an experimental creative process and you're free to try out what you think will best help you improve the piece in this regard.  Any director must agree to abide by these program requirements and to work closely with Coordinator Lorna Nowve, to ensure the best possible collaboration and efficient use of talent for the program.  You may also self-direct.  

The Film Lab will cover the cost of a venue chosen by the Film Lab, subject to the venue's availability for one rehearsal (at Lorna's discretion, the Lab will sometimes cover two rehearsals, especially for a feature length screenplay).  You are required to compensate the actors and, if applicable, the director, for their time for any rehearsals beyond that.  The Film Lab does not cover this extra cost.  We ask that a minimum of one week's notice be given for us to provide a venue for you for rehearsals.

Programs and Press:

The Film Lab often puts out a press release and/or social media news releases about our Unfinished Works program.  

The Film Lab provides programs for the Unfinished Works events at its discretion.

Film Lab Credit:

In the event you find the workshop useful and produce the script you agree to provide Film Lab with a credit.

Donations:

Many participants make a "thank you" donation to Film Lab for the gratis space, hosting and casting of their screenplay.  If you would like to do so, please let our admin know if you will need a receipt for tax deduction purposes (we are a 501(c)(3)).  Thank you.

If Your Submission is Not Chosen:

If your submission is not chosen, please do not be disheartened.  We receive a large number of submissions and sometimes have a 2-3 month waitlist.  Please come to our events, network and enjoy and keep submitting!  

THANK YOU!

Thank you in advance for your submission and we look forward to hearing from you!  

The AsAmFilmLab Team

For more information, please visit us at www.asianamericanfilmlab.org

**ACTORS interested in being included in the Asian American Film Lab's Actor Directory should email [email protected], attn: Connie**

LEGAL NOTICE TO THOSE SUBMITTING TO UNFINISHED WORKS

By submitting your screenplay, television pilot, web series, or other writing (“Entry”) to the Asian American Film Lab (“Film Lab”), you (“Entrant”) irrevocably grant to the Film Lab a non-exclusive, perpetual, irrevocable, fully-paid, royalty-free, sub-licensable and transferable (in whole or part) worldwide license to use, reproduce, transmit, display, exhibit, distribute, index, comment on, create derivative works based upon, perform and otherwise exploit such submission, in whole or in part, in all media formats and channels now known or hereafter devised (including on WDIG sites, on third party web sites, on Film Lab’s broadcast and cable networks and stations, on Film Lab’s broadband and wireless platforms, products and services, on physical media, and in theatrical release) for any and all purposes including entertainment, news, advertising, promotional, marketing, publicity, trade or commercial purposes, all without further notice, with or without attribution, and without the requirement of any permission from or payment to the Entrant or to any other person or entity.

Without limiting the foregoing, the above grant of rights includes Film Lab’s right (but not obligation) to display any Videos, or portions thereof (including without limitation, news feeds or reviews from the Unfinished Works program in its sole discretion. By submitting an Entry, each Entrant further agrees that Film Lab shall have no liability in conjunction with the failure to post video, news or other information regarding the Entry.

By submitting an Entry, and to the full extent permitted by law, each Entrant grants Sponsor and its designees the right to use his/her Entry, name, biographical information, voice, performance, photograph/video, life story, image and/or likeness for programming, advertising, publicity and promotional purposes in any and all media, now or hereafter known, worldwide and in perpetuity, without compensation or additional consents and without prior notice, approval or inspection, and to execute specific written consent to such use if asked to do so.

Writers submitting to their works to the Film Lab are not permitted to use Film Lab’s trademarks without written consent and understand that doing so will be a violation of Film Lab’s or its applicable licensors’ intellectual property rights. Each Entrant further expressly acknowledges that Film Lab does not owe him/her a duty of confidence (or fiduciary duty or the like) with regard to his/her Entry and that Film Lab has wide access to ideas, brand names and tag lines, photos, videos, designs and other literary/artistic materials submitted to it from outside sources or being developed by its own employees and that such ideas/brand names/tag lines/photos/videos/designs/literary/artistic materials may be competitive with, similar to (or even identical to) the Entry submitted by Entrant and that Film Lab shall have no liability to Entrant or any third party in conjunction therewith. By submitting an Entry, each Entrant represents and warrants that: (a) he/she has all rights in and to the Entry and that submitting the Entry and granting the rights granted herein will not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity.

Film Lab reserves the right to request written proof of these permissions in a form acceptable to Film Lab from any Entrant at any time.