Across the global film and television industries, in Europe and internationally, representation gaps persist.
O BRAVE NEW STORY’S mission is to support writers who bring urgent perspectives to screen storytelling. Our screenwriting lab: THE WHALE is the solution.
From the Margins to the Mainstream…
THE WHALE
Develop pitch-ready ideas in one of Europe's most captivating capitals with THE WHALE, our 3-day intensive workshop for emerging and mid-career writers, including a 12-month follow-up program for continued professional support.
1-on-1 MENTORSHIP
Receive personalised, targeted feedback and professional guidance from experienced industry writers, and seize the unparalleled chance to discuss and develop your most promising story ideas one-on-one with a dedicated mentor.
MINNOWS
Kick-start your writing journey with MINNOWS, our 5-day European lab for new screenwriters and transitioning professionals, designed to equip you with the essential tools and knowledge to build a sustainable writing career.
INTERNATIONAL ALUMNI COMMUNITY
Join our online alumni community to connect with like-minded writers and creatives from marginalised realities, and leverage this supportive network to brainstorm, collaborate, and create together.
Apply to
THE WHALE
Join us in Paris 7-9 September 2026
Are you ready to bring your non-mainstream stories to the next level? Join the latest edition of THE WHALE and transform your vision into a pitch-ready project.
Share your script with top industry professionals and a cohort of like-minded peers to receive targeted, in-depth feedback and collaborate in an intensive writers’ room to refine your narrative structure and develop an industry-ready package.
This is the essential next step to voice your story and accelerate your professional career.
Deadline for next lab: TBD
Meet the Team
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Tina Gharavi
FOUNDING DIRECTOR + MENTOR
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Matt Graham
WRITING MENTOR
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Raffaele Trasatti
LAB MANAGER
If you can’t come to a workshop, you can book a 1-on-1 mentoring session. Or a lab follow up. Find out more…
Tina is a wonderful teacher and mentor. She knows how to go deeper and challenges you to tell a better, richer story-all with the good nature and wisdom of a true professional.
-Heather Huntington, TW Reykjavik 2025
THE WHALE made us better writers, showed us how our story connected to the larger world and guided us on how to tell it authentically, through our personal lens.
-Danielle Evenson, TW Reykjavik 2025
OBNS workshops are curated with passion and the vision that we benefit significantly from the connections. [They] offer a unique space to collaborate with other screenwriters from around the world. It is very positive that it holds the workshops in different cities too, being in Paris was a huge benefit for me.
-Sigrún Vala Valgeirsdóttir, TW Paris 2026
Our Partners
O Brave New Story represents the natural evolution of over two decades of industry impact. It consolidates under a new dedicated umbrella all script consultancy and talent development work established under Bridge + Tunnel Productions and Bridge + Tunnel Voices, with over 20+ years of industry partnerships, allowing us to continue our mission of enabling marginalised stories to reach the mainstream.
We have collaborated with organisations worldwide to deliver our screenwriting training programs :
