Almanack Screenwriters’ Story
John Johnson founded Almanack Screenwriters (formerly known as Screenwriters Colony) in 2002 because he recognized a need to support the most influential storytellers of our time -- writers for the screen. He wanted to encourage these storytellers to take risks and tap their purest creative selves, insulated from commercial pressures inherent to the typical development process in the entertainment business.
Hence, our October Colony was born -- part residency, part mentorship program, it brings talented emerging screenwriters together for an entire month of focused time and dedicated space to develop their work, engage with peers, and receive guidance from industry professionals. The October Colony, and the programs that followed, are all inspired by Johnson’s initial motivation to provide an ideal framework for innovative screenwriters with the potential to build large audiences.
For more info, visit https://almanackscreenwriters.org/
October Feature Film Retreat
The Nantucket Film Festival® is proud of its decade-long partnership with Almanack Screenwriters, an alliance dedicated to developing new writing talent. The October Retreat is an all-expense-paid residency in which four writers are provided with round-trip travel to Nantucket, a chef, private workspace, transportation on island, and endless nature to explore and inspire.
Each year the winner of NFF’s Tony Cox Feature Screenplay Competition receives one of the spots in this writers-in-residence program.
Each year the Screenwriters Colony brings four emerging screenwriters together during the month of October to live and work together at picturesque Almanack Farm, perched on the edge of Nantucket’s cranberry bog conservation land. To ensure a comfortable and inspiring work environment, the Screenwriters Colony is an all-expenses-paid residency. Writers are provided with round-trip transportation to the Colony, a chef, shared car, bicycles, and private workspace.
Selected from a pool of industry-nominated candidates, the four writers-in-residence are granted ample time to generate and refine their projects and share work amongst themselves. With the belief that unique visions exist in every genre, and that the most dynamic group is made up of a diversity of voices, the Colony supports writers working in all genres from mainstream to independent to experimental.
Two industry mentors are brought up on three weekends throughout the month to workshop each of the writers’ screenplays. In addition to intensive one-on-one feedback sessions, writers and mentors enjoy an informal and sociable Colony experience over dinners and other island outings. Mentors are drawn from an ever-expanding pool of accomplished screenwriters, directors, producers and executives from throughout the industry.
