Humanitas New Voices Fellowship
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Building a writing career in film and television requires strong writing samples, but it also requires social access that current industry patterns do not facilitate. Humanitas recognizes the importance of mentorship and peer-to-peer relationships, and continues to tailor this program to help develop these bonds through fostering a strong community.
Through mentorship, workshops, conversations on professional development, and networking opportunities, New Voices equips writers with the confidence and tools needed to advance their careers. Fellows are paired with a mentor, invited to the Humanitas Prizes event, and receive a trophy and $7,500 stipend.
Since 2010, 74 fellows have completed the New Voices program, with many becoming showrunners, producers, directors, and staff writers. Former New Voices Fellows include Will Pascoe (Absentia), J. Holtham (Supergirl, Jessica Jones), Jeanine Daniels (Snowfall), Rashaad Ernesto Green (The Chi, Searching for Alaska), Carlito Rodriguez (Empire), Emily Silver (Finding Carter), Martín Zimmerman (Ozark), Obiageli Odimegwu (All American), Eric Anthony Glover (Tom Swift), and Eugene Ramos (The Dragon Prince).
Cick here to view the New Voices Fellowship Talent Guide, which offers individual bios, resumes, and project information on the 2023 fellows. The 2024-2025 Talent Guide will be available soon!
Benefits
Mentorship: Fellows are paired with professional writers for one-on-one mentorship focused on their project. Written notes are provided over a series of meetings. Former mentors include: Alan Ball, Jenny Bicks, Janine Sherman Barrois, Scott Z. Burns, Reggie Rock Bythewood, Steven Canals, Matt Carlson, Marissa Jo Cerar, Robb Chavis, Liz Craft, Sarah Fain, Tom Fontana, Gary Glasberg, Gary David Goldberg, Deborah Goodwin, Marc Guggenheim, Hart Hanson, Chris Harris, Felicia D Henderson, Winnie Holzman, David Hudgins, Jason Katims, Jay Kogen, Bill Lawrence, Ali LeRoi, Melanie Marnich, Justin Noble, Nancy Pimental, Rashad Raisani, Robin Schiff, David Shore, Charise Castro Smith, Patrick Sean Smith, Robin Swicord, Pam Veasey, Ligiah Villalobos, Ben Watkins, and David Zuckerman.
Conversation & Workshops Series: The Humanitas staff and the New Voices Fellowship Program Advisor invite fellows to join a series of conversations and workshops focused on the most pressing issues facing emerging television and screenwriters. Topics have included the art of the pitch, general meetings, networking, representatives, “branding” yourself as a writer, the guilds, first jobs, career longevity tips, and more. Fellows are also encouraged to attend Humanitas public programming efforts like Industry 101 and participate in a mock writers’ room near the conclusion of the fellowships.
Professional Development & Networking: In addition to the community cultivated through the New Voices Conversation and Workshops Series, New Voices aims to present fellows with at least one networking opportunity per year. Once the New Voices Fellowship has concluded, the fellows’ creative materials and contact information are collected in the New Voices Fellowship Talent Guide and distributed to the Humanitas agents and managers network. New Voices Fellows also receive invitations to community events throughout the year.
Personal Support: Throughout the fellowship period, New Voices Fellows receive support from the Program Advisor and Humanitas Staff, primarily the Program Manager. The Program Advisor provides career and mentorship-related guidance, while the Program Manager oversees the fellowship’s calendar and logistics, and checks in weekly via a Friday Email.
Humanitas Talent Guide: Once the New Voices Fellowship has concluded, the fellows’ creative materials and contact information are collected in the New Voices Fellowship Talent Guide and distributed to the Humanitas agents and managers network.
UCLA Extension Writers’ Program: UCLA Extension Writers’ Program will offer each fellow one UCLA Extension Writers’ Program course. UCLA Extension Writers’ Program staff will work with fellows to identify courses that best suit the needs of the fellows. The UCLA Extension Writers’ is one of the most prestigious creative writing and screenwriting continuing education programs in the nation. Their open admissions policy and supportive community ensures that all students are inspired and guided to do their best work. Their curriculum includes 400 annual writing courses, offered both onsite and online, taught by a diverse corps of 200 published and produced professionals.
The Black List: The Black List is proud to offer New Voices Fellows one free month of hosting and two free evaluations of their projects on blcklst.com.
Script Anatomy: Script Anatomy will provide fellows with a private version of their Online Rewrite Challenge, a 14-day step-by-step process to help writers rewrite and polish their scripts through daily lessons, tools, examples and assignments. Fellows will meet with Script Anatomy staff for a group mid-week check-in, and again at the end of the challenge. Access to a tailored selection of Script Anatomy On Demand Workshop recordings will also be provided. Script Anatomy is the premier television and feature writing school, equipping screenwriters with a proven, actionable process to develop, write, rewrite, and polish their work. Our industry-tested tools and methodology have helped hundreds of writers get staffed at every level, sell pilots and features, and become Creators and Showrunners. With over 45 working writer instructors, Script Anatomy offers unmatched industry expertise and a proven track record of success. Our method has been taught at the Disney ABC Writing Program, Writers Guild of America, Onyx Collective, Warner Media Access Program, Austin Film Festival, Producers Guild of America (PGA) Fellowship Program, Hugo House, Carleton College, and more. Learn more at scriptanatomy.com.
NFMLA:New Voices Fellows will be awarded 1-year of Rising Creator Memberships with NewFilmmakers Los Angeles (NFMLA).
Michael Wiese Productions (MWP): MWP is gifting each 2025 fellow a title of their choosing from the MWP catalog. An internationally acclaimed publishing company serving emerging, as well as established, filmmakers, MWP has published over 200 books, over 65 titles have been translated into 25 different languages, are used in over 700 film courses, and in the Hollywood studios and by emerging filmmakers. MWP also hosts a series of classes, interviews, and essays on their sister site The Future of Story.
Canva: Canva is proud to offer New Voices Fellows Canva Pro subscriptions. Launched in 2013, Canva is the world’s leading all-in-one platform for visual communication and collaboration. Built to empower everyone to design, the company serves the creative and design needs of enterprises, small businesses, consumers, and students in more than 190 countries worldwide.Whether you’re a novice taking your first steps in design, or a creative professional seeking powerful tools, Canva ensures users have what they need to transform an idea into something beautiful. Underpinned by the world's most comprehensive library of designer-made content, Canva is powered by a suite of products and proprietary AI tools which elevate how individuals and teams create, collaborate, and communicate with ease. More information on Canva can be found at canva.com/entertainment.
Final Draft: Final Draft will provide to fellows activation codes forFinal Draft 13. Final Draft, a Cast & Crew Company, has published Final Draft® software – the number-one selling screenwriting application in the world – for over 30 years. Final Draft is the only screenwriting software that allows writers to fully customize their writing environment, streamlines their process, maximizes productivity, and automatically paginates and formats scripts to industry standards. With Final Draft, writers can focus on what they do best - writing. Used by such industry giants as J.J. Abrams, Bong Joon Ho, Sofia Coppola, Guillermo Del Toro, Issa Rae and Aaron Sorkin, Final Draft software is the professional’s choice and the entertainment industry standard. In addition to its flagship software product, Final Draft offers the annual Big Break® Contest – a screenwriting competition that launches careers, and awards over $80,000 in cash and prizes. Final Draft also offers Final Draft Go for iPhone and iPad, making creativity truly portable. To learn more about Final Draft and its products and services, visit: www.finaldraft.com.
Professional Headshots: Humanitas will coordinate a photoshoot for fellows to facilitate the creation of professional-grade photos for their use during and after the fellowship.
Stipend: Each fellow receives a $7,500 stipend paid in two installments, one-half at the commencement of the fellowship and the second half upon its completion.
Humanitas is grateful to the companies and organizations who have agreed to partner with us to support emerging writers! Check back for updates as we sometimes add partners throughout the year.
Components and benefits are subject to change. If you’re a company or organization that would like to be considered for program partnership, please email info@humanitasprize.org with “Program Partnership” in the subject line.
2025 Semifinalists on Coverfly
Announcements
Rules
At the program's request, Coverfly will automatically remove your title page for you if you include one when submitting to this program.
All applicants must familiarize themselves with these rules and with our FAQ.
All submissions are final. No revised or late material will be accepted.
Original 30- or 60-minute pilot, or feature-length screenplay no
longer than 120 pages
Logline
Brief synopsis (approximately 250-300 words)
Supplementary materials: bio, resume, and a short artist statement that speaks to the applicant's professional aspirations and why they felt compelled to write the submitted project. The artist statement and bio should be 1 page, double-spaced. The Resume should be no more than 2 pages.
IMPORTANT DETAILS:
The name(s) of the applicant(s) should not appear on the submitted script’s title page. At our request, Coverfly will automatically remove your title page for you if you include one when submitting to our programs
Applicants are strongly advised to only submit one application and script per year.
Scripts must be an original work. Adaptations or re-imaginings of true events or fictional stories are acceptable; by submitting you acknowledge you have secured all rights needed to adapt any material.
Applicants for Humanitas programs may not submit literary material created through the use of generative AI.
The assessment to determine finalists weighs the quality of the applicant’s script, the script’s relevance to Humanitas mission, and the quality of the applicant’s supplementary materials. All finalists are interviewed via Zoom. These meetings cover the submitted project, career aspirations, and play an essential role in determining who is selected for the annual New Voices Fellowship cohort.
Should a writing team be selected for the fellowship, the stipend will be split evenly amongst members of the team.
While the New Voices Fellowship accepts materials from all writers, writers with diverse backgrounds and social identities historically underrepresented in media are highly encouraged to apply.
ELIGIBILITY DETAILS:
Applicants must be 21 years of age or older by August 1, 2025.
Applicants do not need to be a U.S. permanent resident and/or citizen but must be residing in the United States. Humanitas is unable to provide Visa support for writers.
Applicants must be available to participate actively in all dimensions of fellowship programming, including mandatory workshops, virtual gatherings, and virtual public programs.
The New Voices Fellowship is for emerging television and screenwriters who meet all of the following criteria:
1) Do not have a manager or agent representing them in the area of writing for film and television,
2) have not been previously staffed as a writer in a scripted television series’ writers room, and
3) have not otherwise received payment for produced scripted feature film or television writing services prior to the submission period.
- Writers paid for options on unproduced scripts or for writing services on unproduced treatments, or on unproduced projects outside the WGA’s jurisdiction and below WGA-established minimums should contact Humanitas with details on their situation to determine eligibility.
- Self-produced and self-financed projects do not impact eligibility for the fellowship. Writers with questions on this should contact humanitas with details on their situation to determine their eligibility.
- Writing teams with a member who, as an individual writer, has produced credits will remain eligible so long as the writing team applying to the program does not have produced credits. The individual writer with credits, however, would be ineligible if applying on their own.
- Former semifinalists and finalists are eligible to reapply so long as they meet all other criteria. Former semifinalists and finalists are advised that all application materials must have undergone notable revisions, including and especially the script sample if it is the same project as previously submitted.
- Previous recipients of the Carol Mendelsohn College Drama Award and David and Lynn Angell College Comedy Award are eligible for the New Voices Fellowship so long as they meet all other eligibility criteria.
- Former New Voices Fellows are not eligible to reapply.
- Current Humanitas staff and interns are not eligible for the fellowship.
Humanitas has a limited number of submission fee waivers it can offer annually to those for whom the cost of submission presents a significant barrier to entry. You can use this form to request a fee waiver.
This year’s fee waiver system for the New Voices Fellowship and College Screenwriting Awards programs is currently funded by a generous donation from the writer and Humanitas Advisory Council member, Shane Brennan. His support allows us to cover the administrative and reading costs that come with each submission. We are immensely appreciative of his support of you, of our programs, and the writing community more broadly.