About the Contest

FilmLab started in 2012 during the Willamette Writers Conference. The lab grew out of a desire to expand upon and promote the growing film industry in Portland, Oregon. Willamette Writers has been helping writers find their community, develop their craft, and expand their careers for 56 years.

Rules & Guidelines

Important: Only one script submission allowed per person. We cannot accept scripts from writing teams. If your script was co-written with another person or group, choose one person who will retain authorship of the script. If chosen, only that one person will join the writer’s room. If two names are submitted, the script will be disqualified.

Judging: Scripts will be judged on their creativity and writing in the particular genre (comedy or drama).

Submissions: All submissions should be written in English, typed in 12-point Courier or similar font, and in industry-standard screenplay format. Maximum of ten pages (as normally formatted on standard 8.5x11 paper). Scripts should be converted to and exported as PDF files. Submissions over ten pages will be rejected without refund.

Story: Scripts should be aimed at a general audience. No pornography or graphic violence. FilmLabTV and the contest judges may disqualify a script from consideration if the subject matter or content of the script is, at the judges’ sole discretion, not suitable for the contest.

Travel: Finalists and winners are responsible for their own travel and accommodations.

Eligibility: Members and immediate family of the Willamette Writers Board, Committees, Staff, Program Chairs, Chapter Chairs, and FilmLabTV judges and personnel are not eligible to participate. Previous FilmLabTV Grand Prize winners are not eligible to participate. FilmLabTV participants from the last three years are ineligible (in order to provide the opportunity for more writers).

Legal Information

By entering the FilmLabTV Competition, entrants affirm that the submitted script is their own work. Entrants understand their submitted work will be distributed and viewed my multiple judges and Willamette Writers personnel. Scripts will not be returned. Entrants agree to hold Willamette Writers, Inc. (a nonprofit, 501(c)3 organization), the Willamette Writers Conference, and the FilmLabTV team harmless with respect to any claims (including, but not limited to, claims related to intellectual property, defamation, or any other tortuous acts) arising from the acts of any individuals acting within the scope of their duties to Willamette Writers and its programming.

Legal Information for the Writer’s Room Activities

Editorial Control: The Entrant agrees that, if entrant’s ideas from within the writer’s rooms are produced into a film or series, the resulting film or series may vary in form or content from the original idea, owing to artistic choices by the director or to production needs and limitations. Entrant understands and agrees that Willamette Writers and its supporting teams will have final artistic and editorial control over the resulting script created in the writers’ rooms. Any ideas used in such script will be credited to the FilmLab Cohort participants as assistant writers.

Ownership: In exchange for the expense and effort expended by Willamette Writers, Inc. and the team in supporting cohort activities, the Entrant agrees to fully assign and transfer Entrant’s ownership and copyright interest in work developed during the Writers’ Rooms to Willamette Writers, who shall be the owner of the final completed script. Entrant understands Willamette Writers may exhibit and promote Writer’s Room activities and ideas on an ongoing basis, at film festivals, and at Willamette Writers events.