Film Independent Directing Lab

Overview

The Film Independent Directing Lab is a five-week program for directors in active pre-production on an independent narrative feature film. Running from April through May, the lab gives directors structured time to work with professional actors on selected scenes from their screenplay under the guidance of established creative advisors drawn from the independent film community.

The Directing Lab is currently on hiatus until further notice. Film Independent has not announced when the program will resume. Filmmakers interested in directing-focused development should consider the Episodic Directing Intensive or the Screenwriting Lab as alternative entry points into Film Independent's Artist Development pipeline.

What the Lab Provides

The Directing Lab is not a cash grant. Its value is experiential and professional. Fellows receive:

• Five weeks of intensive scene workshops with actors and an acting coach
• Individualized feedback from creative advisors including working directors, producers, and casting professionals
• Script feedback and discussion of the director's vision for the film
• Development of a pitch presented at an industry event at the end of the lab
• Access to Film Independent's broader ecosystem of screenings, networking events, and education programs
• Eligibility for donor-named fellowship grants available to all Artist Development fellows (ranging from $10,000 to $25,000)

The program requires full-time, in-person participation in Los Angeles for the duration of the lab. Film Independent does not subsidize travel, lodging, or visa expenses for participants attending from outside Los Angeles.

Eligibility

The Directing Lab has specific requirements that distinguish it from other Film Independent programs:

Who can apply:

• Any director attached to an unproduced, feature-length narrative film with an eye toward production
• Writer-directors are welcome to apply
• Directing teams may submit a single application
• International applicants are welcome
• First-time directors and those with previous directing experience are both eligible

What is not eligible:

• Documentary projects (documentary directors should apply to the Documentary Story Lab instead)
• Short film projects
• Television or episodic projects (directors transitioning to TV should consider the Episodic Directing Intensive)

Work sample requirement:

A work sample is required for consideration. The sample does not need to be from a completed work with high production value. The selection committee evaluates the applicant's potential as a visual storyteller and their ability to work with actors. For filmmakers with no previous directing experience, any visual storytelling sample that demonstrates these qualities is acceptable.

Application Materials

Applicants must submit:

• A cover letter addressing interest in the program and what the applicant hopes to gain
• An artistic statement describing the director's vision for the film
• A complete feature-length screenplay
• A logline and synopsis
• Bios of attached key cast and crew
• Project status and history
• A link to previously directed work

Application Fee and Membership

• Filmmaker Pro Members: Free (limited to one waived fee per membership year)
• Film Independent Members: $45
• Non-members: $65

Film Independent Membership is not required to apply. However, all participants accepted into the lab must join Film Independent at the standard annual General Membership rate of $105. Applicants are notified 3 to 4 weeks before the start of the program.

How the Directing Lab Differs from Other Film Independent Programs

The Directing Lab is the only Film Independent program specifically designed for directors who need structured rehearsal time with actors before shooting. Other programs in the Artist Development portfolio serve different needs:

• Screenwriting Lab: For screenwriters developing a fiction feature script (no directing component)
• Fiction Producing Lab: For producers, not directors
• Episodic Directing Intensive: For directors transitioning to scripted television (3-day program, not 5-week)
• Project Involve: For emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities (produces short films, not features)
• Fast Track: For producer-director teams actively seeking financing (market format, not lab format)

The Directing Lab fills a specific gap: the period between having a screenplay and starting production, where a director needs to build their actor vocabulary and rehearsal process. No other Film Independent program addresses this stage.

Application Strategy

The cover letter and artistic statement are the most heavily weighted components of the application. Film Independent's selection committee looks for:

1. Why this project? What makes this film worth making now
2. Why you? What personal connection or unique perspective the director brings
3. Why now? Why this is the right moment in the director's career for this project
4. Why this program? What the director specifically hopes to gain from the lab

The work sample should demonstrate the director's ability to work with actors, even if the production value is limited. A short film, a web series episode, or a scene from a previous project all qualify. Music videos and purely visual pieces without performance are less competitive because they do not demonstrate the actor-director relationship that the lab centers on.

Notable Alumni and Outcomes

The Directing Lab has been part of Film Independent's Artist Development pipeline since the 1990s. Specific alumni and the films they made after workshopping through the program:

• Cherien Dabis - Amreeka (2009) - Directing Lab 2005. Premiered at Sundance, won the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes. A feature debut about a Palestinian immigrant family.

• Tina Mabry - Mississippi Damned (2009) - Directing Lab 2008. Named one of Filmmaker Magazine's "25 New Faces of Indie Film." A drama about the cycle of poverty and abuse.

• Christina Choe - Nancy (2018) - Directing Lab 2015. Won the Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award at Sundance. A psychological thriller starring Andrea Riseborough.

• Andrew Ahn - Spa Night (2016) - Directing Lab alumna. Premiered at Sundance. A coming-of-age story about a Korean-American teen.

• Ana Lily Amirpour - A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night (2014) - Directing Lab alumna. An acclaimed Iranian vampire Western and genre debut.

Alumni of Film Independent's broader Artist Development programs also include Chloé Zhao, Jon M. Chu, and Lulu Wang. Directors who have workshopped their features through Film Independent's directing-focused programming have subsequently received Spirit Awards nominations, distribution deals, and in some cases studio-level opportunities.

What Makes a Competitive Application

1. Unproduced feature-length narrative script - Must be attached to an unproduced, feature-length narrative film. Writer-directors and directing teams welcome. Documentary, short film, and television projects are not eligible.
2. Strong visual storytelling potential - The work sample must give the selection committee a sense of your potential as a visual storyteller and ability to work with actors. For first-time directors, the sample does not need high production value but must demonstrate potential.
3. Complete feature-length screenplay - Must submit a full screenplay, not just a treatment or excerpt.
4. Clear artistic vision - The application requires an artistic statement describing your vision for the film and bios of attached key cast and crew.
5. Professionalism in application - Film Independent emphasizes that the application is a reflection of how seriously you will take the program. Copyediting and utilizing all application real estate to show who you are matters.

Who Should Apply

Independent narrative feature film directors in active pre-production who want structured rehearsal time and professional feedback before their shoot. The lab is most valuable for directors whose projects rely heavily on performance: dramas, character-driven narratives, and dialogue-intensive scripts benefit most from the scene workshop format. Directors of action-heavy or visually-driven projects may find less value in the actor-focused curriculum.

Because the lab requires full-time presence in Los Angeles for five weeks, directors should confirm they can commit to the in-person schedule before applying. International directors must arrange their own travel and visas.

See Also

For the full overview of Film Independent's Artist Development Programs, see the Film Independent Artist Development Programs listing. For the Documentary Labs, see the Film Independent Documentary Lab listing. For directors building a production timeline, the Production Schedule Calculator helps structure pre-production milestones. For understanding how lab participation fits into a broader financing strategy, see Film Grants: Building Your Financing Stack.