1981 Directors Lab

The Directors Lab is held for 3-4 weeks each June at the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. A total of eight projects, the vast majority of which have participated in a previous Screenwriters Lab, are invited to participate. There is no open application for the Directors Lab; rather, applicants to the January Screenwriters Lab program are considered for the June Directors Lab after their projects have been selected for the January Screenwriters Lab.
Over the course of the Directors Lab, the Fellows work with an accomplished group of Creative Advisors and professional production crews, rehearsing, shooting, and editing key scenes from their scripts. Through this intense, hands-on process, the Fellows push the boundaries of their scripts, allowing them to workshop text, collaborate with actors, and find a visual language for their film in an atmosphere where experimentation is encouraged. Surrounded by seasoned professionals, yet removed from the typical pressures of production, Lab Fellows are offered a unique opportunity to see the script “on its feet,” develop skills, and take risks. Directors Lab Fellows also join in the week-long Screenwriters Lab with five additional Screenwriter projects to participate in individualized story sessions under the guidance of established screenwriters.