Next Edition: Stockfish Film Festival March 2026
THE WHALE LAB
From the margins to the mainstream…
“Until the lions can tell their stories, tales of hunting will always glorify the hunter.”
THE WHALE is an intensive, three-day immersive development program meticulously designed for emerging and mid-career screenwriters who are dedicated to crafting stories that originate from the margins. We specifically seek out voices, identities, and experiences that actively challenge and disrupt dominant narratives within the film and television landscape.
This unique, cross-European lab begins its journey in the striking creative environment of Reykjavik, Iceland, providing an inspiring backdrop for intense development and collaboration. It concludes with a high-stakes, practical pitch day in Paris, France, bridging the distance between creative incubation and industry realisation.
THE WHALE offers a unique and supportive space for writers to collaborate, experiment with form and structure, and refine their storytelling craft. Participants will work under the direct, hands-on guidance of experienced mentors, established showrunners, and accomplished writers who specialise in innovative and impactful storytelling.
The program's core components include:
Intensive Writers’ Room Simulation: Participants will be integrated into a fast-paced writers' room environment, developing collaborative skills essential for series production.
Concept and Series Bible Development: Writers will work diligently to sharpen their story concepts and create comprehensive series pitches, ready for professional presentation.
Personalized Project Feedback: Each writer will receive dedicated one-on-one sessions and in-depth critical feedback on their individual projects from the mentors and group.
The lab culminates in a professional pitch session where participants will present their developed projects to a carefully curated group of industry producers, commissioners, and development executives. This provides exposure and the opportunity to forge meaningful connections within the professional film and television ecosystem, acting as a direct bridge from the lab to production.
UPCOMING EDITIONS
THE WHALE Screenwriting Lab March 2026 in collaboration with The Stockfish Film Festival
Sun, Mar 22, 2026 - Wed, Mar 25, 2026
Our Family of Mentors
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Tina Gharavi
SCRIPT MENTOR
Tina is a screenwriting professor with over 20 years training experience who has taught from Oxford to Arvon to Stowe and now to Paris and Iceland. She is also an award-winning filmmaker, and artist trained in the United States and France. Her work has been broadcast internationally, and she is noted for innovative cross-platform work on migration as well as issues related to equality and diversity.
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Matt Graham
SCRIPT MENTOR
Matt is a professional screenwriter based in LA with over 20 years of experience. His background includes participation in several Hollywood projects and a significant collaboration with established filmmaker Oliver Stone on the documentary miniseries, The Untold History of The United States. He serves as a visiting Professor of Writing at prestigious international workshops.
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Joy Gharoro Akpojotor
SCRIPT MENTOR
Joy is a producer, writer, and director, founder of Joi Productions, a company championing Queer, Black, and female-led stories. Her works include the hit film Blue Story (2019), the first all-Black Christmas film out of the UK, Boxing Day (2021), and her directorial debut Dreamers, an immigration story centered around queer love. She was named a Screen International Star of Tomorrow and a BAFTA Breakthrough in 2020.
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Kas Graham & Rebecca Pollock
SCRIPT MENTOR
Kas and Rebecca are a successful screenwriting duo known for high-profile, character-driven projects. Their joint feature screenplay about Betty Ford was featured is set for production with Ryan Murphy directing and Sarah Paulson starring. Rebecca's individual credits include the writers' room for the Apple series Lessons in Chemistry, while Kas is writing The Book of Ruth and adapting Kill the Father for eOne.
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Meg Thomson
INDUSTRY MENTOR
Meg Thomson is EVP of Globalgate Entertainment. In her career she has guided countless screenplays from early development through production and release, helping them navigate the complexities of international financing and packaging. Amongst her many credits are Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, Freud’s Last Session ( with Anthony Hopkins), and Do The I (Tom Hardy).
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Pippa Lambert
INDUSTRY MENTOR
Pippa Lambert is a renowned television agent and packaging expert at WME, specializing in international series and global sales. She previously ran the London TV division for ICM Partners, where she was key in securing major global remakes like Wilfred (FX) and Secrets & Lies (ABC). Her background provides vital expertise on script packaging, financing, and the global market.
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Wendy Mitchell
INDUSTRY MENTOR
Wendy is a highly respected journalist, editor (Screen International, Close-up), and film festival consultant. She offers screenwriters unparalleled expertise in global film trends and marketplace viability, drawing on her advisory roles for top events like San Sebastian and Rotterdam. Her experience ensures writers receive guidance that is both creatively sharp and practically market-oriented.
FAQs
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This lab is designed for emerging to mid-career screenwriters, not beginners.
We particularly encouraged submission from writers who identify with groups historically underrepresented in film and television. The program is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that reflects the diversity of the global audience, aiming to discover and develop unique voices and narratives that are currently underserved in mainstream media.
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All submissions are managed thorugh the FilmFreeway platform.
All applicants must submit a single PDF document (maximum 15 pages, double-spaced, 12pt Courier) containing materials for a feature film, television pilot, or limited series project.
Proposals should include the following and must be accompanied by a writing sample (e.g., screenplay, pilot, or feature excerpt):
Short bio (max 500 words)
Project synopsis (max 500 words)
Writer’s statement: Why this story? Why now? (max 500 words)
What you hope to gain from the lab (max 500 words)
Notes on production goals: potential collaborators, target audience, and distribution vision
Visual materials: lookbooks, moodboards, or reference imagery (optional)
All submissions must be in English.
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Yes, we welcome submissions that are adaptations of existing works.
However, it is an absolute requirement that the writer(s) submitting the project must have officially cleared the necessary rights for the subject matter. This means you must have either:
Secured a formal option agreement with the original rights holder (author, agent, or publisher).
Obtained a full transfer of the underlying rights necessary for a screen adaptation.
Confirmed that the work is definitively in the public domain.
We cannot accept adaptations for which the writer does not legally control the screen rights, as the projects must be professionally viable for pitching to industry partners at the lab's conclusion. Proof of clearance must be submitted upon request.
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You can only apply once to each edition of the Lab, but there is no limit to the number of editions you can resubmit your project to.
We welcome resubmissions of projects, provided the writer(s) can demonstrate significant progress on the material and/or verifiable professional development since their last application.
To be reconsidered, applicants must clearly articulate the specific creative advancements (e.g., a new draft, developed series arc) and/or career achievements (e.g., completed fellowships, professional work) in their application statement, showing commitment to both the project's evolution and their own growth as a screenwriter.