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The BCSC Writers Room is a 12-week virtual program designed to support Black screenwriters as they develop an Original Feature or Television Pilot alongside a community of fellow writers.

APPLICATION & ELIGIBILITY

    • Applicants must be based in the U.S.

    • Applicants must be at least 21 years old at the time of application.

  • The Writers Room is for screenwriters who are ready to actively develop an Original Feature or Television Pilot, participate in a collaborative writing environment, and commit to the program schedule and expectations.

  • Applicants will submit an online application that includes:

    • A logline for your project.

    • A synopsis of your project.

    • A 15-page writing sample (Preferably the first 15 pages of the feature screenplay or television pilot you plan to develop during the Writers Room)

    • Short-answer questions

    • Headshot

    Selected finalists may also be invited to participate in a virtual interview as part of the selection process.

  • Writers are encouraged to develop original stories across any genre.

  • The BCSC Writers Room is designed for writers developing an original feature screenplay or television pilot. Projects should fall within the following page-count guidelines:

    • Half-Hour Pilot: Up to 35 pages

    • Hour-Long Pilot: Up to 65 pages

    • Feature Screenplay: Up to 120 pages

    Writers should apply with the project they intend to develop throughout the Writers Room.

  • Yes. Writing teams of up to two writers may apply. At least one member of the writing team must identify as Black or of African descent.

    Each writer on an approved writing team is considered an individual participant and is entitled to one absence during the program.

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

  • The BCSC Writers Room is a 12-week virtual development program for Black screenwriters working on an original feature or television pilot. Writers develop their work through workshops, peer feedback, industry conversations, and a supportive creative community.

  • The 12-week Writers Room consists of two rounds of workshops, with a designated three-week development period between rounds.

    During the three-week period, writers will have the opportunity to engage with industry guest speakers, career development exercises, and dedicated time to rewrite and develop their projects in preparation for the second round of workshops.

    This structure is designed to give writers space to receive feedback, apply what they've learned, revise their work, and return to the room with a stronger draft.

  • Writers are placed into assigned workshop groups led by BCSC alumni where they take turns sharing their work and receiving feedback. Writers are also required to read and provide written feedback on their peers’ projects.

  • Selected writers are expected to have the following materials prepared by the start of the program, in advance of the first round of workshops:

    • Half-Hour and Hour-Long Television Pilots: A completed draft of the pilot

    • Feature Screenplays: At least the first half of the screenplay (60 pages)

  • The Writers Room is a commitment. Participants are expected to attend weekly sessions (2 ½ hours each), and meet submission and feedback deadlines. Participants commit to no more than one absence.

  • The BCSC Writers Room is completely free for selected participants. There is no program tuition or participation fee.

APPLICATIONS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED FOR THE 2026 FALL COHORT.

CREATE.

CONNECT.

BECOME.

CREATE. CONNECT. BECOME.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHTS

Following her completion of the 2026 Spring Cohort, Sandra Jackson-Opoku was selected as a Second Round Finalist for the ISA Diversity Initiative Competition with her pilot script “Savvy Summers and the Sweet Potato Crimes” workshopped directly in the BCSC Writers Room.

Since completing the BCSC Writers Room, Tabetha McNeal (Fall ‘25) has been accepted into the Stowe Story Labs Program, Workshop Theatre 2026 Writers Intensive Playwright, and was named an Official Selection for a reading at the International Black Theatre Festival.

Nesha Jackson (Fall ‘25) crowdfunding campaign for her short film, Scarlet, was selected as a winner of the OTV x Seed&Spark Beyond the Screen Rally, helping bring her project one step closer to the screen.

explore our alumni

SPRING 2026 COHORT
FALL 2025 COHORT

PREVIOUS GUEST SPEAKERS

Tina Mabry, a native of Tupelo, Mississippi, is an award-winning writer, producer, and director. She earned her MFA in Film Production from the University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts. She is known for her work on "Queen Sugar" and on "Queen of the South," where she served as a writer, producer, and director for both series. Her directing credits include “Bel-Air” (Peacock), "Insecure" (HBO), "Dear White People" (Netflix), and "Pose" (FX). Tina’s feature film "Mississippi Damned" won over 13 festival awards. She has received a DGA Award and two NAACP Image Awards. Mabry most recently directed and co-wrote the New York Times' Best Seller book adaptation of The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (Searchlight Pictures) starring Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Sanaa Lathan, and Uzo Aduba. The film received an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Directing in a Television Movie and an Emmy nomination.

Julian Johnson was a semi-professional soccer player, world-ranked martial artist, actress, and  financial planner, before fully dedicating her life to storytelling. Julian achieved numerous  accolades and overcame seemingly insurmountable odds, including cheating death. 

Most recently, Julian was an Executive Story Editor on Season Four of Peacock / Universal  Television’s hit series BEL-AIR. She was staffed on Seasons Two and Three. Additionally, she was  staffed on THE BEAST IN ME for Netflix / Disney Studios. She sold her genre television pilot SLAY  to The CW / CBS Studios, which was executive produced by Regina King and Reina King’s  production company Royal Ties. Pam Veasey was attached as showrunner. Gale Anne Hurd's  Valhalla Entertainment optioned her original sports series. She has multiple projects in various  stages of development. 

She is currently part of the 2026 Rideback RISE Circle mid-career accelerator program. She was a  mentor for the 2024 STARZ Fellowship Program. In 2020, she earned her MFA in Screenwriting  from UCLA while she was the Writers’ Production Assistant on Fox’s PRODIGAL SON. That same  year, she took the fellowship circuit by storm, earning her way into NBC’s Writers on the Verge  class of 2020-2021, WB Writers Workshop Fellowship Program, and was a DISNEY Fellowship  Alternate. She is an alum of Lena Waithe’s Hillman Grad screenwriting program.

Hailing from Silver Spring, Maryland, Jordan Lindsay brings a unique blend of technical expertise and creative vision to the entertainment industry. A proud graduate of Morehouse College, Jordan launched his career in Boston as a Solutions Engineer and Consultant at Oracle, where he honed his problem-solving and project management skills.

His passion for storytelling drew him to film and television, where he began as a Floor Director for WUSA9, the CBS affiliate in Washington, D.C. From there, Jordan delved into scripted production, contributing to a wide range of high-profile projects, including High Fidelity, GENIUS: Aretha Franklin, and Jennifer Lopez's It’s My Party tour. His roles as a Production Assistant, Producer's Assistant, and Director's Assistant took him across major hubs like New York, Atlanta, and Los Angeles, giving him firsthand experience in bringing creative visions to life.

Eager to shape narratives from behind the scenes, Jordan transitioned into development at Landline Pictures, an MRC Film brand. With a growing passion for talent and project management, he pivoted to a management-focused track at a leading management firm, where he continues to champion innovative storytelling and nurture creative voices.