Circle of Confusion Sets Writers Discovery Fellowship For Film & TV

Erik Pedersen
·2 min read

Talent management and production company Circle of Confusion has launched a Writers Discovery Fellowship to nurture and accelerate the diversification of upcoming voices in Hollywood.

Twice per year, the program will select six to eight writers, who have not been employed or represented in film and/or television, for six-month fellowships. Each writer must have two storytelling samples, with at least one being a pilot script draft to further develop alongside a paired mentor, closely replicating the experience to the company’s writer-manager dynamic.

The fellowships will begin in March and are open to applicants of all ethnicities, races, cultural backgrounds, gender identities, sexual orientation and ages. Circle of Confusion says its core mission has been to discover and represent a diverse roster of talented writers, directors, actors and creators.

“We are always striving to have a greater representation of all voices among our clients and within our productions so as to foster the most robust, dynamic and inclusive next generation in entertainment,” Circle of Confusion partners Lawrence Mattis, David Alpert, Frank Frattaroli and Brad Mendelsohn said in a joint statement. “This program will hopefully strengthen the voices of writers who haven’t already been discovered and propel them to industry success.”

In the first four months, each fellow will develop an original pilot script with their dedicated mentor. The pilot scripts will be reviewed by the fellowship’s Advisory Board — composed of established members of the film and TV community with an expertise in content evaluation — and then submitted to relevant industry professionals. The goal is to use the last two months of the fellowship to arrange general one-on-one Zoom meetings with producers and executives. Throughout the entire fellowship session, the mentor will be available to guide the fellow through each step, assisting the writer in their development of writing and storytelling skills, pitching skills and navigating the meeting process.

By the end of the six months, each writer will have developed a submission-ready television pilot, increased industry networking and be further equipped with tools for future success. Additionally, each will be given a $10,000 stipend by way of a first-look deal with Circle of Confusion Television Studios — a partnership between Circle of Confusion and ITV Studios America.

Those who are interested can submit an application and find more details here. The deadline to apply is January 5.

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