named programs · 5 · from sources
What they call their work
Canada Lab
Four-day in-person script development intensive for Canadian women and nonbinary film and TV writers over 40, produced in partnership with Firecracker Department and Female Eye Film Festival.
Digital Conversation Series
Virtual event series featuring intimate discussions with international industry leaders focused on advancing women filmmakers.
Global Screen Creators Summit
International gathering of established and emerging screenwriters with industry leaders for panels, pitch meetings, and networking, organized by The Writers Lab UK & Ireland.
Mentor Masterclasses
Virtual screenwriting workshops led by veteran Lab mentors covering topics such as structure, pitching, and character development for emerging writers.
The Writers Lab Intensive
Signature four-day in-person program for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40, offering mentorship, script development, and career advancement opportunities in the U.S.
activities · 4 groups
What they do
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Emerging Filmmaker Support Programs 5 activities
- Conducts annual script development lab intensives for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40Runs immersive, mentor-driven lab programs that select up to 12 participants per intensive to develop market-ready feature and pilot scripts through one-on-one mentorship, peer workshops, panel discussions, and group conversations. Includes in-person and virtual sessions, such as a four-day in-person intensive in Canada and a London-based program with follow-up virtual development sessions through December 2025.
- Organizes global lab programs and selects international participants for screenwriting developmentOperates The Writers Lab UK & Ireland and other international editions, selecting 13 participants for the 2022 UK & Ireland edition and supporting a global pipeline of women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40.
- Organizes the Global Screen Creators Summit to connect screenwriters with industry leadersHosted the inaugural Global Screen Creators Summit, featuring panels and pitch meetings that connect emerging and established screenwriters with industry professionals to foster collaboration and career advancement.
- Provides ongoing mentorship and career support to lab participants and alumnaeOffers sustained guidance after lab intensives to advance participants' projects and industry engagement, including career coaching and facilitation of over 500 industry meetings. Mentorship is provided exclusively by women-identifying filmmakers.
- Supports the development of screenplays by women and nonbinary writers over 40Discovers and develops well-crafted screenplays in all genres that explore universal themes and expand cultural narratives, having reviewed over 10,000 scripts since 2015 and mentored more than 212 feature film and television pilot projects.
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Youth & Emerging Filmmaker Training 1 activity
- Offers virtual masterclasses, workshops, and digital events for women and nonbinary screenwriters over 40Hosts virtual screenwriting masterclasses on topics such as structure and pitching, free workshops to prepare submissions, and a Digital Conversation Series featuring industry leaders. Online sessions are led by established screenwriters including Lulu Wang, Nia Vardalos, Sian Heder, and Adele Lim.
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Podcast and Radio Production 1 activity
- Produces podcast featuring women screenwriters and producersProduces a podcast series that hosts conversations with women screenwriters and producers to amplify voices and advance visibility in the film industry.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Advances visibility and career achievements of alumnae in the screenwriting industryHas spotlighted hundreds of alumnae globally since 2015, supporting 231 alumnae worldwide and tracking achievements including 115 placements in top industry competitions, 8 placements and 3 wins in the Nicholl Fellowship, and 12 placements and 4 wins in the Page Awards.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$62K
Contributions & grants$49K80%
Program service revenue$13K20%
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$120K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$16K
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$35K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$35K
1 years on record · 2024–2024
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
paid leadership · 2
| Name | Title | Hours/wk | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| NITZA WILON | DIRECTOR | 40 | $10K |
| ELIZABETH KAIDEN | PRESIDENT | 40 | $6K |
board members · 1
- LEAH C GARDINER — DIRECTOR
relationships · 93
Who they work with
- 5 Acts Productions Funder — Provided generous support for the Global Screen Creators Summit.
- AFI Screenwriting Award Partner — Alumnae have been recognized by the AFI Screenwriting Award.
- Action Against Hunger Partner — Lorna Flynn has experience fundraising and providing strategic counsel for Action Against Hunger
- All3Media International Funder — Provided generous support for the Global Screen Creators Summit.
- Aurora Studios Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Austrian Film Institute Funder — Financial supporter of The Writers Lab UK and Europe 2025.
- Austrian Film Institute Funder — Provided generous support for the Global Screen Creators Summit.
- Austrian Film Institute Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Authority Magazine Partner — Featured in an article discussing strategies for women to thrive in male-dominated industries.
- BFI National Lottery Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Birds Eye View Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- City Harvest Partner — Lorna Flynn has experience fundraising and providing strategic counsel for City Harvest
- City of Helsinki Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Content London Partner — Valued partner in the Global Screen Creators Summit.
- DGC Ontario Partner — Partner in producing The Writers Lab Canada in Toronto.
- Dancing Ledge Productions Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Dirty Films Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Drehbuchforum Austria Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Drehbuchforum Wien Funder — Financial supporter of The Writers Lab UK and Europe 2025.
- Drehbuchforum Wien Partner — Valued partner in the Global Screen Creators Summit.
- FISA - Filmstandort Austria Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- FISAplus – Film Industry Support Austria Funder — Financial supporter of The Writers Lab UK and Europe 2025.
- Falco Ink Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Falco Ink Partner — Provides in-kind support for The Writers Lab International.
- Female Eye Film Festival Partner — Co-producer of The Writers Lab Canada in Toronto.
- Ffilm Cymru Wales Funder — Financial supporter of The Writers Lab UK and Europe 2025.
- Ffilm Cymru Wales Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Film Fatales Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
- Film Fatales Partner — Provides in-kind support for The Writers Lab International.
- Film Tampere Partner — Partner organization supporting The Writers Lab's mission
+ 63 more
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Intersectional Focus on Age and Gender Marginalizationmethodology: intersectional inclusionBy concentrating support exclusively on women and non-binary writers over 40, the organization addresses the compounding barriers of sexism and ageism in the film industry because targeted intervention in overlapping inequities produces greater narrative inclusion than broad diversity efforts.
- Market-Ready Creative Development Modelmethodology: market-readiness accelerationBy integrating craft intensives, professional coaching, and industry networking into structured creative development programs, the organization accelerates market entry for underrepresented writers because career advancement depends on both artistic readiness and structural access.
- Mentorship Grounded in Shared Lived Experiencemethodology: shared-lived-experience mentorshipBy pairing women and non-binary screenwriters over 40 with mentors who share their gender identity and life stage, the organization deepens relational trust and relevance, increasing engagement and effectiveness in creative and career development because lived experience strengthens mentorship impact.
- Script-First Pipeline for Cultural Changemethodology: script-first pipeline developmentBy focusing on script development as the foundational lever, the organization increases representation of women and non-binary writers over 40 in film and television because transformative cultural narratives originate in early-stage storytelling, not downstream distribution.
- Universal Themes to Expand Cultural Narrativesmethodology: cultural narrative expansion through universal themesBy nurturing scripts that explore universal human experiences through underrepresented perspectives, the organization fosters broader audience connection and cultural change because stories rooted in specificity can achieve widespread resonance when centered on shared emotional truths.