Reelworld E20 Program 2026 Application

Overview

The Reelworld Emerging 20 Program is tailored to support writers and is divided into two streams: Series and Film. Ten applicants will be chosen for each stream. The writers will be taken through a part-time 5-month program to polish drafts of their script. This program is for those who are working on developing their skills as a writer.


Duration: 5 months

Tuition: $10,000 (covered by Reelworld) Format: Remote - Part Time

Timeline: Sessions: February - May 2026 Table Reads & Face2Face - August 2026


Check out the full program description here.


Please direct any questions to zaarin@reelworld.ca


Application Deadline: December 19th, 2025 11:59 PM EST

Program Requirements:

  • Participants must be available on Feb 17th for a virtual orientation 
  • Participants must be available on Tuesdays and Thursdays for regular sessions, normally between 11am EST and 4pm EST
  • Participants must have a first draft of their script concept 

FAQ:
  • Does my draft need to be complete?
    • Yes, you need to have a completed 1st draft.
  • What is Access Reelworld and how do I get a link?
  • Can I apply with an unscripted project?
    • No, for the purpose of this program all projects must be scripted.
  • Can I apply with a short film?
    • No, your project must be a feature length film, or series project
  • Can I submit a webseries?
    • Yes, webseries are eligible for the program
  • Do I need to submit a writing excerpt and the full draft of my script?
      • Yes. Please upload a pdf of a 10-15 page excerpt from your script, as well as the full draft of your script. You can select your strongest 10-15 pages to serve as your excerpt. 

Access Reelworld
In order to start your application, you must be a member of Access Reelworld. If you do not have a profile, please create one and share the link to your profile below. 

Personal Information








Demographic Information




Definition: Individuals who self-identify as racialized persons / persons of colour are persons who are non-white in race, regardless of place of birth or citizenship.
INDUSTRY EXPERIENCE










PROJECT DETAILS

A logline is a one (or occasionally two) sentence description that boils the story down to its essential dramatic narrative in as succinct a manner as possible.





Action, Comedy, Drama, Fantasy, Romance, Suspense, Other, etc.



PROJECT DESCRIPTION


NOTE: You will be evaluated based on the quality of your writing.
Supporting Documents
Please include a Google Drive link with the following:
  • Full first draft of the project you are submitting
  • A 10-15 page writing excerpt from the project you are submitting. 
  • A one-minute video explaining why you'd like to be an E20
  • A high-res colour photo of yourself labelled with your name and “E20 2026” [e.g. “Femi Johnson - E20 2026.jpeg”] 
  • Your resume
  • Any additional support documents (pitch deck, previous scripts etc)
  • A letter of intent (500 words max). Be sure to include what you would like to achieve as a writer in the program.



Contact Information