CineStory TV Retreat & Fellowship

Overview

The CineStory Foundation believes in helping writers find their voice. We’re entering a world in which the ways to tell stories are limitless. Those stories always begin with a blank page. Our goal with the Television Retreat is to educate writers about the unique world of TV storytelling, from the collaborative nature of writing for networks or streaming channels to the independent realm of creating and shooting series for the web. Structured like the CineStory Feature Retreat, the CineStory TV Retreat will take place over four days in the beautiful mountains of Idyllwild, California. Attendees will receive three one-on-one, one and a half hour sessions with CineStory mentors. During these sessions, mentors will give attendees feedback on improving the craft of the script(s) they submitted in advance and will also discuss with writers various aspects of the business of TV writing to help the writer better understand TV writers’ various roles in the entertainment industry. TV Writers also will experience what it’s like to sit in a professional writers rooms run by an experienced mentor. In addition, mentors and writers will gather for meals, drinks and other special events. There are three different TV entry categories: ORIGINAL DRAMA – 1 HOUR SERIES · The pilot episode of your original one hour drama series (45 – 65 pages, excluding cover page) ORIGINAL COMEDY – 30 MINUTE SERIES · The pilot episode of your original single-camera comedy or multi-camera sitcom (single camera pilots, 22 – 45 pages, excluding cover page; multi-camera pilots, 52 – 58 pages, excluding cover page, with dialogue double spaced throughout) ORIGINAL SCIENCE FICTION OR FANTASY – 1 HOUR SERIES · The pilot episode of your original series that falls into the Science Fiction or Fantasy genre (below) (45 – 65 pages, excluding cover page) · Science Fiction – Stories about time travel, space travel, advanced technology, extraterrestrials, post-apocalyptic and alien worlds; examples include “Star Trek,” “Battlestar Galactica,” “The 100,” “Sense8,” “The Walking Dead” · Fantasy – Stories featuring elements of the fantastic, often including magic, supernatural forces, or exotic fantasy worlds; examples include “Game Of Thrones,” “Once Upon A Time,” “Supernatural,” “The Magicians,” “American Gods” ATTENDING THE RETREAT/GRAND PRIZE TV FELLOWSHIP To earn the opportunity to attend the TV Retreat, writers must submit a TV script to the TV Retreat & Fellowship Competition. The division winners, finalist and semifinalists will receive invites to attend the retreat. Any additional spots will be offered to quarterfinalists. Retreat attendees pay an additional fee to attend the retreat. Please see our TV Retreat & Fellowship Contest page for more information. (https://cinestory.org/retreat-fellowship-contests/tv-retreat-fellowships/) The Grand Prize for the competition is the CineStory TV Fellowship, a 12-month mentorship program, during which the TV Fellow works with 2 Hollywood professionals hand-picked to continue to educate the Fellow about the craft and business of TV writing so the Fellow better understands the various roles TV writers play in the entertainment industry. . The TV Fellow also receives $3,000 as well as free tuition and housing for the retreat. An integral part of the Grand Prize TV Fellowship is becoming part of the extended CineStory community. Consequently, the winner of the TV Fellowship must attend the TV retreat in order to receive the cash award and to benefit from all other aspects of the Fellowship.

Last updated Sep 27, 2026

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• Filmmaker

  An amazing four days in the mountains of California. Really great experience. Met lots of great writers and connected with many cool industry people. The three one-on-one sessions with mentors was by far the most valuable thing. All had read the material and their feedback was thoughtful and helped me look at the work from a different angle. Well worth it.

• Filmmaker

  Can't recommend this retreat highly enough. Incredibly insightful and helpful info on how the TV writing industry works, as well as top notch mentors assigned to your work. Submit here!!

• Filmmaker

  The retreat is an awesome experience. You are given time to so in depth with the industry mentors in one-on-one sessions, the group and panel sessions are informative and inspiring, and everything in between just invites connection with your fellow writers. Also, it was as fun as it was professionally rewarding!

• Filmmaker

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