1. THE ORGANIZER
ScripTeast is organized by the Independent Film Foundation.

2. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION
ScripTeast selects 10 – 12 best full-length theatrical feature film scripts that have been written by the best authors of Eastern and Central European origin, and helps to perfect them in terms of international potential, with assistance and advice from internationally acclaimed professionals.

3. GENERAL PROGRAM SCHEDULE
Each edition of ScripTeast includes a Lab in Poland, two stationary sessions during the Berlin and Cannes International Film Festivals and two online sessions in between.

SCRIPTEAST LAB
The ScripTeast Lab lasts 7 days between late September and early October and is held in Poland. The Lab includes:

individual one-to-one meetings with Creative Advisors and Heads of Studies
lectures, film screenings and case studies
pitching training
film library access

FIRST ONLINE SESSION
After the Lab, at least one Creative Advisor will be assigned to each of the participating projects, and will remain available to the writer(s) during the first online session. Writers are obliged to submit a new version of the script before the end of December. Everybody will work via the communication tool available on the ScripTeast webpage and under the supervision of the Heads of Studies and the ScripTeast team.

STATIONARY SESSION DURING THE BERLINALE
A 3-day session held in February in Berlin during the Berlin International Film Festival will evaluate how the work on the scripts is progressing. The session includes:

consultations with Heads of Studies about new versions of scripts
participation in festival screenings and events
meetings with professionals, essential for international networking

SECOND ONLINE SESSION
After the session in Berlin, authors have a month and a half to write their next draft, with support and guidance from the Heads of Studies and the ScripTeast team.

FINAL STATIONARY SESSION IN CANNES
The final, 7 day session in May in Cannes during the Cannes Film Festival brings the work on the scripts to an end and focuses on promoting them and their authors within the audiovisual industry. The session includes:

meetings with representatives of the international audiovisual industry
meetings with film professionals
thanks to the cooperation with the Marché du Film the writers take part in the Producers Network meetings
participation in festival screenings and events
closing gala with the presentation of the Krzysztof Kieślowski ScripTeast Award for the Best Eastern and Central European Script – €10,000 for the – writer(s) of the winning project, selected by the Advisory Board.

4. CREATIVE ADVISORS AND HEAD OF STUDIES
The Program’s Creative Advisors are internationally acclaimed scriptwriters, directors, producers and other professionals whose work has had an impact that reaches far beyond their own country, and who form a group comprising a variety of generations and cultural backgrounds. Among them there are two Heads of Studies, both experienced lecturers, who assist the Creative Advisors with methodological matters.

5. ADVISORY BOARD
During the Final Session at the Cannes International Film Festival, the ScripTeast international Advisory Board awards the Krzysztof Kieslowski ScripTeast Award for the Best Eastern and Central European Script to the best participating script.

6. LANGUAGE
The working language of all ScripTeast meetings and events is English, so a good knowledge of English is crucial for the participation in the Program. However, in limited, exceptional cases, there is a possibility of an interpreter’s support during one-on-one meetings, but only with the consent of ScripTeast’s Artistic Director.

7. SELECTION PROCESS
10 to 12 full-length theatrical feature film scripts are selected for each edition of the Program. The selection is based on three factors:

script quality
the author’s track record
estimated project’s chances of being produced

Selections are made entirely at the discretion of the Organizer. The Organizer reserves the right not to explain or communicate the reasons why a script has not been selected. Shortlisted applicants are informed at the end of August. The final selection is announced by September 10 at the latest.

8. APPLICATION PROCESS – ONLINE SUBMISSIONS ONLY

The deadline for each year’s applications is July 31st.
There is no application fee. Applicants must be nationals or residents of countries participating in the MEDIA Programme. However, ScripTeast has been developed to focus on scriptwriters originating from Central and Eastern European countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia. Applicants must provide credits for at least one theatrical feature film, one television feature film or television series that had already been produced, or must have extensive experience as writers, journalists or directors.

Scripts must be completed or nearing completion. Authors should be open and willing to receive advice from the Creative Advisors and Heads of Studies. The submitted feature film script must be an original work, and the shooting cannot commence before the end of April of the following year.

Regardless of the number of writers, not more than two of them per script may apply to participate: writer submitting the project and one of co-writers. A writer wishing to participate additionally to the writer submitting the project, must state this clearly in the application form. Charges co-writers are different (please see point no. 10).

EACH WRITER AND/OR RIGHTS OWNER MUST CONFIRM THE SCRIPT’S SUBMISSION TO SCRIPTEAST AND SIGN THE APPLICATION FORM.

The script must not participate in any other scriptwriters’ training program at the time of participation in ScripTeast.

9. ELECTRONIC APPLICATION PACKAGE
The electronic application package must be in English should contain:

A signed original application form
The script (2 copies)
A synopsis (250-300 words)
A CV (including professional experience, achievements and awards);
A cover letter stating the following:
motivation and expectations from the participation in ScripTeast
project’s estimated chances of being produced
Additional materials/ links to samples of previous work.

The electronic application package should be submitted by:

an online application sent via the APPLICATION FORM

Applications sent by fax or post will not be accepted. APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE RETURNED.
Unselected applications will be disposed of safely.

10. CHARGES
A participation fee of €800 per each participant is to be paid no later than two weeks prior to the beginning of the ScripTeast Lab. A second writer participating additionally to the writer submitting the project must pay the participation fee (€800) as well as cover all costs arising from his/her presence at the stationary sessions: travel costs, hotel and subsistence.

A contribution of 0.2% of the project’s production budget (but not more than €5 000 euro) is to be paid no later than on the first day of the principal shooting. These funds will be used to organize the next editions of the Program. The contribution is due from the moment the project completes the Lab no matter if it continues with the Program, is withdrawn or is excluded.

11. GRANTS
Two grants (covering all participation costs) are available for two projects during each Edition of the Program. Applicants should submit a letter of application addressed to the Managing Director of the Program, outlining the circumstances and justifying the reasons for applying for the grant. Special consideration will be given to applicants from countries with a relatively limited film industry.

12. PARTICIPANTS’ OBLIGATIONS
Participants who are invited to the Program are obliged to transfer the participation fee (€800) to the Organizer’s bank account following the selection announcement and no later than two weeks before the start of the ScripTeast Lab. Nonpayment may result in the exclusion from ScripTeast.

A second writer participating additionally to the writer submitting the project must pay the participation fee (€800) as well as the amount agreed with the Organizer covering costs arising from his/her presence at the stationary sessions and transfer the whole payment to the Organizer’s bank account following the selection announcement, no later than two weeks before the start of the ScripTeast Lab.

Participants must sign the participation agreement before the start of the ScripTeast Lab. Participants are personally obliged to take part in the ScripTeast entire, yearlong Program and be fully dedicated to it during the sessions. Activities unrelated to the ScripTeast project are not allowed during the stationary sessions.

If a participant fails to attend any session without giving a serious reason, he/she must reimburse all costs incurred by the Organizer from the beginning of the Program. The same applies in cases where participants withdraw from the Program before its end. The paid participation fee will be deducted from those costs and is not refundable.

Participants are obliged to rewrite their scripts after the Lab and before the end of December, and must submit the final version before the deadline specified in schedule.

13. RIGHTS-OWNERS’ OBLIGATION
The rights owner (if not the writer) must to sign the appendix to the project’s participation agreement before the beginning ScripTeast Lab. The rights owner (if not the writer) is obliged to provide the Organizer with a certified English translation of a valid company registration document before beginning of the Lab.

14. CREDITS
After completing the ScripTest Lab, the writer(s) is obliged to place the credit ‘Developed with the assistance of ScripTeast’ together with the Program’s logo in a visible way:

on the front page of all subsequent versions of the script in any language, in electronic and printed forms
in the credits of any film produced on the basis of the script, no matter which version. The logo to be uploaded is available from DOWNLOADS

Failure to fulfill this condition may result in the Organizer’s request to return the costs of the writer(s)’s taking part in the Program: travel costs, hotel and subsistence and the costs of the organization of the Program (approximately €25 000).

15. FINAL PROVISIONS
Selected scripts may be excluded from ScripTeast if:

the participating writer(s) does not pay the €800 participation fee prior the beginning of the Lab
the participating writer(s) and/or rights owner does not sign the agreement and/or appendix to the project’s participation agreement
the rights owner does not provide a certified English translation of a valid company registration document before the Lab
the participating writer(s) fails or refuses to adhere to the obligations specified by Program.

The decision to exclude a project from the Program remains at the discretion of the Organizer.

16. CONTACT
For further information, please contact us at info@scripteast.pl, tel. +48 501 299 276.