The Story Farm Professional Program is now the Pro Screenwriting Lab. Live on Zoom | 12 Weeks | Begins January 2026. Learn the industry by becoming the kind of writer the industry wants. Direct consideration by the ISA’s Development Slate team of readers. Start: Saturday, January 10, with the final class day March 28. Deadline for your completed draft: April 4.

The Professional Program is for screenwriters with experience - plainly speaking. You do not need to have sold, optioned, or produced material in the past. We do, however, expect you to have completed at least three full projects (TV or Feature) prior to applying. Writers with more than three finished projects, contest accolades, and some amount of professional experience will be preferred. The Story Farm will put emphasis on the amount of time spent and previous education when considering your application. With that said, however, a dedicated writer with a strong voice and willingness to devote their time to to education, improvement, and supporting your fellow Lab writers will be strongly considered.

Yes...but (there is always a but). We have extremely high expectations for Professional Lab writers. If a writer enlists in the Lab, we expect that writer to remain enrolled for the full time period classes and group sessions, and to hit their deadlines. We also expect that the writer remains an active and supportive peer while in the Lab. We are ONLY looking for writers who expect to be pursuing their screenwriting career for the rest of their lives. There are no refunds for this program.

This is where The Story Farm will have to take a strong stance. We do not offer refunds for this program for any reason or at any time. Whether you pay for the Lab upfront in one big lump sum, or if you are paying on a monthly payment plan, there is no refunding of money spent for any reason nor any pro-rating of time. We will not convert what you spent into or for other consulting services. The primary reason for this hard stance is due to holding our Lab writers to the highest of standards. We will devote our time and efforts to developing you and your career, and we expect the same in return. In terms of dropping out of the Lab, yes. You can drop out of the Lab at any time for any reason. The Story Farm will discuss with you your reasons for removing yourself from the Lab before releasing you from your commitment. Again, however, there will not be any refunding of your payment or payments.

The Story Farm does not guarantee that a single writer enrolled in the Professional Program will have their screenplays or TV series read or considered by any industry professional for purposes of market or business consideration. The Story Farm does not act as an agent or manager for, or producer on any of your material. The Lab writer retains all rights to his/her creative material forever. The Story Farm will involve industry professionals when The Story Farm determines the writer and/or the writer's project(s) is ready to be read and considered if and when an industry professional's creative mandate fits the writer or writer's project(s). Our aim within the Lab is to help writers improve their craft, place highly in contests, and/or set up a project with a producer on their own or with the help of the ISA Development Slate if the ISA Development Slate decides to take on the writer's project, however this is not guaranteed. Any service that guarantees industry access to any or all writers is not being truthful to its members or clients.