PILOT ACCELERATOR
Increasing the representation of women and non-binary writers in television
In this highly competitive virtual accelerator program for TV writers, 6-8 fellows will receive three weeks of industry training before having the opportunity to pitch to major studios, production companies, representatives, and producers. The entire accelerator, including training and pitching, will occur online.
The goal of this program is to launch the careers of our fellows, which could take the form of selling their TV pilot; securing follow-up meetings with executives; getting hired as a freelance writer, staff writer or writing support staff on an existing series; and/or making valuable industry contacts. This program aims to increase the representation of women and non-binary people on screen and in writers rooms.
Applications are closed. Join our mailing list to be notified of upcoming opportunities.
This program would not be possible without the support of
Western Digital, SanDisk, Final Draft and Coverfly.
WHO HEARS THE PITCHES
For every accelerator, we get over 20 studios and production companies on board to hear pitches. Fellows typically receive 6 to 10 requests for pitch meetings. These pitch meetings are all one-on-one, and 85% of the meetings end with a request to read the full script. Here is a list of the companies we have worked with in the past:
"It was a real pleasure not only to meet these talented women, but also to hear their exceptionally polished pitches. The level of detail, passion and intention these fellows were able to deliver in a 10 minute pitch is usually reserved for meetings double or triple the length. A testament to the mentorship and feedback they've received through Moonshot and a delight to experience the spoils of"
- Jasmine Russ, VP of development & production at Fabel Entertainment
WHO READS THE SCRIPTS?
Semi-finalists' pilots will be read by an incredible group of judges, including showrunners, executive producers, series creators and TV writers. This panel of judges will help us select the finalists, who will then go through a virtual interview before the 6-8 fellows are selected. Even if you are not selected as a fellow, there is still a chance you might be contacted if one of these judges likes your script enough to interview or refer you for a writing position.
Before getting to the semi-finalist stage, all scripts are read at least twice by our internal team, volunteer readers, and former fellows.
Click to read the bios of our current and past judges:
What happens during the accelerator
The accelerator sessions take place on June 18, 20, 25, 26, 27 and July 9, 10, 11 and each session is three hours long. Pitch week is from July 15 to July 19. Click here to learn about the guest lecturers. Here are more details about the sessions:
Functionality You Will Love
Perfect the pitch
You'll meet with a development executive (Jasmine Russ, VP of Development at Fabel Entertainment) and a showrunner (Elle Johnson of Netflix's "Self-Made") to get feedback from the perspective of the people who buy and sell stories.
Have fun with it
We'll have a mock writers' room with a showrunner to prepare you for life as a TV writer. We'll also have a session with a speech coach, Samara Bay, to make sure you can express yourself fully.
Career Advice
You'll meet with an entertainment lawyer (Rebecca Neipris of First Gen Law), an agent (Rukayat Giwa at CAA), and manager to discuss how to best protect yourself as a writer and have a long, lucrative career.
Pitch Week
The 20 companies that have agreed to hear pitches will review the loglines we send them. Each company will select at least 3 people to hear pitches. This way, you're only pitching to companies who are interested in your work. Each fellow pitches to 6-10 companies on average.