Screenwriters of Color Retreat Scholarship: Spring 2026 Sicily Rules & Guidelines:
- Applicants who submit incomplete or late application steps will not be considered.
- Applicants must be part of the BIPOC diaspora, including but not limited to African, Indigenous, Native, Latinx, Asian, Pacific Islander, Arab, and Multiracial heritage.
- All applicants must submit a Personal Statement and an original market-ready Feature or TV Pilot script.
- The Top 10 Finalists will be required to complete an additional form about the project they intend to continue to develop during the retreat.
- Applicants can submit more than one script; each script submission requires a separate application.
- Applicants must have earned less than $25k as a screenwriter.
- Applicants must have fewer than 3 produced feature films or TV credits that aired or have been distributed.
- Applicants must be able to provide their own transportation to and from the retreat and be available to attend the retreat in Sicily, Italy, from April 7-13. Roadmap Writers is not liable for any travel delays or issues that arise as a result of travel.
- If an applicant for any reason can no longer commit or attend the retreat, they forfeit the scholarship entirely.
- The scholarship is not transferable, nor redeemable for any monetary value.
- We do not accept updated drafts or revised statements. Please review your entry for accuracy prior to submitting.
- Applicants must be at least 18 years of age.
- All submissions must be in PDF format.
- Personal statements must be no more than 500 words.
- Pilot scripts must not exceed 65 pages. Feature scripts must not exceed 120 pages. All submissions must adhere to standard industry margins and font.
- The competition is open to pilot and feature scripts of all genres.
- Script must be written in English in 12-point courier font.
- Do NOT cheat in an effort to reduce your page count; your script will be disqualified. As a standard rule, 1.5” left, 1” right, and 1” top and bottom dimensions are acceptable.
- It is recommended that you do not include your name, WGA registration number, and/or Copyright information.
- While it is not a requirement, we encourage writers to register their script with the U.S. Copyright Office and/or the Writers Guild of America.
- All scripts submitted will remain the property of the writer(s). Neither Roadmap Writers nor any of its judges, partners, and/or their respective companies assumes any attachment to your work.
- Scripts submitted in the competition must NOT have been previously optioned, purchased, or produced at the time of entry.
- No TV specs may be submitted (i.e. Veep spec, The Office spec, etc).
- Must be an original idea; free and clear of any copyright issues.
- Material must be the original work of the submitter(s).
- Neither Roadmap Writers nor any of its judges and/or competition partners investigates or confirms the authenticity of an entrant’s authorship rights or claim.
- Writing teams are ineligible for the script written by the team.
- Writers who are part of a writing team may apply individually, but only with a script they have written individually.
- Roadmap Writers is not responsible for any technical issue(s) that may arise from electronic submission.
- Roadmap Writers reserves the right, at our sole discretion, to change or modify these terms at any time without notice.
- By entering this competition, you agree to receive competition updates via email and periodic marketing emails from Roadmap Writers. You may unsubscribe at any time.
About Roadmap Writers
Roadmap Writers is a screenwriting education and training platform for Career Writers looking for a guided path to success. Our programs are hosted by working industry executives and are designed to empower writers with actionable tools and insights to elevate their craft and cultivate relationships with industry professionals. Since 2016, we have helped more than 480 writers sign with representation, and countless others get staffed, optioned, or sell their script.