Gotham Fiction Feature Lab

Overview

The Gotham Fiction Feature Lab (formerly the IFP Narrative Lab) is a program of the Gotham Film & Media Institute that supports first-time feature filmmakers as they prepare to finish and premiere their debut fiction features. The lab provides creative teams with structured support through the completion, marketing, and distribution of their work. The program is based in New York City and operates as part of the broader Gotham Week ecosystem.

The Gotham, formerly known as IFP (Independent Filmmaker Project), has supported independent film since 1979. The organization runs year-round programs including Gotham Week, Gotham Labs, Filmmaker Magazine, the Gotham Awards, Gotham EDU, Owning It, and Expanding Communities. Executive Director Jeffrey Sharp, an award-winning producer, leads the organization.

The Fiction Feature Lab is currently on hiatus. The Gotham recommends that fiction feature filmmakers with halted production or post-production projects apply to the Gotham Week Project Market as a U.S. Features submission instead. The Documentary Feature Lab is also on hiatus. The Gotham has stated it is using this time to reimagine the labs program and determine how to share resources equitably with its growing ecosystem.

What It Provides

When active, the Fiction Feature Lab consists of three modules:

Module 1: Completion Lab

A one-week, in-person or virtual lab where fellows receive feedback on their rough cut or fine assembly from Gotham senior programmers, mentors, and peers. The focus is on improving the film before it enters the festival and distribution marketplace.

Module 2: Gotham Week Project Market

Lab fellows are automatically invited to participate in the Gotham Week Project Market, the longest-running and largest curated marketplace for independent film in the United States. Fellows connect with industry members including sales agents, distributors, festival programmers, and financiers. Past industry participants include A24, HBO, IFC Films, NEON, Sony Pictures Classics, MUBI, Topic Studios, Sundance Institute, WME, and SFFilm.

Module 3: Distribution Lab

A one-week lab in December where fellows present and receive feedback on their project's marketing and distribution plans. This module addresses the gap between completing a film and finding its audience, covering festival strategy, theatrical and digital distribution, and audience engagement.

Gotham Week Project Market (Active Alternative)

With the Fiction Feature Lab on hiatus, the Gotham Week Project Market is the primary pathway for fiction feature filmmakers to access Gotham's industry network. The 2026 Gotham Week takes place September 27 through October 3, 2026, in Brooklyn, NY.

Open Submission Sections

U.S. Features in Development

This section selects fiction feature films at the script stage and provides filmmakers with pre-scheduled one-on-one meetings with industry professionals at Gotham Week. Accepted filmmakers connect with companies such as A24, Archer Gray, Kickstarter, IFC Films, MUBI, NEON, Park Pictures, Sony Pictures Classics, Sundance Institute, SFFilm, Topic Studios, and WME.

2026 Timeline:

• April 23, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT: Early submission deadline ($25)
• May 14, 2026 at 11:59 PM EDT: Final submission deadline ($45)
• Late July 2026: Submission notifications
• September 27 to October 3, 2026: Gotham Week Project Market

Requirements:

• Must be a Gotham Essentials ($125/year) or Insiders ($250/year) member to apply
• Open to US-based filmmakers (US citizens or anyone working and living in the US)
• Must have a completed script
• Scripts must be registered with the WGA
• Adaptations are eligible if the applicant has secured rights to the source material
• Early drafts are acceptable; scripts need not be the final draft
• No length requirement, though most scripts range 90-120 pages
• May submit more than one project, but each requires a separate application and fee

U.S. Shorts to Features

This section supports filmmakers who have a proof-of-concept short film and want to create a feature-length version. Applicants must provide both their short film and an accompanying feature-length screenplay.

Gotham EDU Career Development Program

For students and recent graduates, the Gotham also runs the Gotham EDU Film & Media Career Development Program, an 8-week virtual program that connects students with industry professionals.

2026 Program Details:

• Dates: June 15 to August 7, 2026
• Application Deadline: March 17, 2026 (11:59 PM EST)
• Application Fee: $20 for Gotham Members / $25 for non-members
• Cohort Size: Up to 40 students
• Eligibility: Currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate program, OR graduated in or after Spring 2025

The 2026 program offers six industry tracks: Sidney Poitier Initiative Track for Multi-Hyphenates, Executive Leadership and Ambassador Track, Television/Episodic Creator Track, Documentary Filmmaker Track, Narrative Filmmaker Track, and Entrepreneurship in Media Track.

Previous industry speakers include professionals from Netflix, MGM, MACRO, UTA, ColorCreative, NBCU, Blumhouse, NEON, SFFILM, Kinema, and WILLA. Student alumni have gone on to work with A24, Apple, Amazon Studios, CBS News, HBO Documentaries, Letterboxd, PBS Kids, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Showtime Networks, Nickelodeon, NBC Universal, Paramount, and UTA.

Fiction Feature Lab Eligibility (When Active)

The following eligibility criteria apply when the Fiction Feature Lab is running:

• Open to first-time feature directors only (if you have released a fiction feature before, you are not eligible for the fiction lab, but may be eligible for the documentary lab and vice versa)
• The film must be directed by an American, or a director of foreign nationality who is based in the US
• The film does not need to be shot in the US, nor does the filmmaker need to primarily reside in the US
• Projects must be intended for feature length (1 hour or longer). Short films are not eligible
• Projects should be low-budget (under $1 million)
• Projects that have sold all distribution rights are not eligible
• Films can be in any language; if not in English, the work must be subtitled
• All or a majority of principal photography must be complete and editing must be ongoing. Post-production (sound, color) should not be complete
• The Gotham prefers projects that have not already been submitted to festivals
• Up to 10 films are selected per cycle
• Selected projects must participate in all three modules of the program
• Each project may have up to 3 team members participate (typically director, producer, and editor or key creative)
• Filmmakers are responsible for their own travel and accommodations
• All lab attendees must be Gotham members

Application Materials (When Active)

• Active Gotham membership at any level
• Online application form
• $50 entry fee paid online by credit card
• Password-protected link of rough cut or rough assembly (trailers are not accepted)
• Under 40 minutes of footage may be considered on a case-by-case basis (contact the Gotham before submitting)
• If submitted footage does not represent the full story arc, additional materials may be requested (treatment and/or completed script)

Gotham Membership Costs

Membership is required to apply to the Gotham Week Project Market. Fee waivers and discounts are not available for the 2026 cycle.

Track Record and Alumni

The Gotham Week Project Market has a strong track record of launching careers. Recent Project Market alumni include:

• Sean Wang's Didi (Focus Features)
• Raven Jackson's All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt (A24)
• Jazmin Renee Jones' Seeking Mavis Beacon (NEON)
• Tayarisha Poe's Selah and the Spades (Amazon)
• Jessica Kingdon's Ascension (MTV Documentary Films)
• Nikyatu Jusu's Nanny (Amazon)
• Laurel Parmet's The Starling Girl (Bleecker Street)
• Erica Tremblay's Fancy Dance (Apple TV+)
• Rachel Lears' Knock Down the House (Netflix)

Gotham EDU alumni (launched 2020) have gone on to work at A24, Apple, Amazon Studios, CBS News, HBO Documentaries, Letterboxd, PBS Kids, Warner Bros. Entertainment, Showtime Networks, Nickelodeon, NBC Universal, Paramount, and UTA.

Who Should Apply

Fiction Feature Lab (When Active)

First-time fiction feature directors with a completed rough cut or fine assembly, a budget under $1 million, and all or a majority of principal photography complete. The lab is for filmmakers who have not yet submitted to festivals and want to improve their film before industry exposure. Filmmakers must be US-based or US citizens.

Gotham Week Project Market (Currently Active)

Fiction feature filmmakers at the script stage should apply to U.S. Features in Development. Filmmakers with a proof-of-concept short and a feature screenplay should apply to U.S. Shorts to Features. Both require Gotham Essentials or Insiders membership and a WGA-registered script.

Gotham EDU (For Students)

Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students, or those who graduated in or after Spring 2025, who want to build industry connections and develop a project pitch over an 8-week virtual program. The $20-25 application fee makes this the most accessible entry point for early-career filmmakers.

See Also

For understanding how script development connects to the production pathway, see Film Grants and the Development Pathway. For an overview of the screenwriting craft and development process, see the Screenwriter glossary entry. For planning a feature film production schedule, use the Production Schedule Calculator. For estimating the budget of a low-budget feature, use the Indie Film Budget Calculator.