Sundance Institute Episodic Storytelling Lab
Lab · 2026Prestige 80/100
Sundance's independent TV lab: develop an original pilot with mentorship and industry access.
Deadlines & fees
- Application deadlineNext deadline25 Aug 2026America/Los_Angeles$50
Dates and fees checked against the official site 14 Jul 2026.
Key facts
- Formats
- TV Pilot
- Genres
- Action, Adventure, Animation, Biography, Comedy, Crime, Documentary, Drama, Family, Fantasy, History, Horror, Music, Mystery, Romance, Sci-Fi, Sport, Thriller, War, Western
- Eligibility
- Open worldwideEmerging writers18+
- Required materials
- Round 1: first 5 pages of the pilot, bio, series logline and overview, personal and thematic statements · Round 2 (if selected): full pilot script
18 or over. The project must be the applicant's original creation (or adapted from optioned material), written in English, and new: not previously submitted to Sundance, produced, sold or distributed. Applicants cannot have sold a produced episodic project to a studio or network.
Prizes
Lab participation, mentorship, training and industry access. No cash prize, but a strong reputation and network.
Judging
Two rounds: Round 1 asks for the first 5 pages plus bio, logline, overview and statements (with a processing fee); selected applicants are invited to Round 2 to submit the full pilot.
The PreList verdict
This is a development lab, not a contest, and that distinction is the whole point. The outcome is not a cheque but a place in Sundance's episodic programme: an in-person lab in April 2027 where eight writers develop their pilots inside a story room with showrunner mentors, plus a virtual intensive for another ten to twelve finalists. As a credential and a network, it is about as strong as it gets for an emerging TV writer.
The honest part: eight places. The maths makes it a lottery ticket, and you should apply the way you would buy one, with a finished pilot you already believe in and a US$50 processing fee you will not miss. The eligibility rules also skew genuinely emerging: sell a produced episodic project to US television, or work above co-producer level on a US series, and you are out.
Applications for the 2027 lab are open now, 13 July to 25 August 2026, via FilmFreeway. Enter if your original pilot is your best work and you want the strongest development credential in television. Skip it if the pilot is still finding its shape; there is no feedback for the unsuccessful, and this is not a notes service.
Dylian Salvatore, Founder of The PreList · Updated 14 Jul 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does the Sundance Episodic Lab cost to apply?
A single non-refundable processing fee of US$50. There are no tiered deadlines.
When do applications close?
The 2027 cycle is open from 13 July to 25 August 2026, submitted via FilmFreeway.
Who is eligible?
Writers aged 18 or over with a completed original pilot in English. You are ineligible if you have sold a produced scripted episodic project for US television or worked above co-producer level on a US series.
Is your script right for Sundance Institute Episodic Storytelling Lab?
Upload your screenplay and The PreList scores how well it fits this lab: genre, format, eligibility and readiness, before you spend anything.
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