What you need to apply
Writing Sample
Show us what you’ve got! One original, unproduced screenplay or teleplay that best showcases your voice, writing ability and creative sensibilities.
3 Original Ideas
Three ideas in a one-pager format, either original or IP-based, that you aspire to develop into either a feature film or television series.
Resume & Essay
Tell us a bit about yourself – what experiences have influenced your writing, and what stories do you want to tell? 500-word maximum (essay); 2 page maximum (resume)
3 References
Three entertainment industry professionals you have worked with who can provide a recommendation on your behalf. Two must be supervisory, and one can be a direct report or peer reference.
QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
To qualify as a potential Fellow, an Applicant must, in the last three years, satisfy one or more of the following conditions:
Has previously been staffed and credited as Staff Writer or above on a produced U.S. scripted television series
Has either written or written AND directed 1-2 produced independent or studio-backed films
Has written and directed a short film that screened at a notable film festival—e.g., Sundance, Berlin, Cannes, Toronto, Venice, SXSW, Telluride, etc.
Has written a spec feature screenplay (either original or based on underlying material) that was optioned or purchased by a recognized U.S.-based producer, distributor or studio
Has been in or is currently in active development on a project with a WGA-signatory organization (such as a mini major, studio, network, etc.)
Eligibility
Review our eligibility criteria below.
LA Based
Self identifies as POC
Able to work in the US
Experienced mid-career (proof/examples)
Represented by a manager and/or agent
Y4 Cohort Applications Open
Check back in on May 1 to access the application
FAQs
Applications open on May 1, 2026 via Scrybe (see here). Check our social (Instagram, Linked In) for any additional announcements or details.
We are seeking experienced, commercially-minded storytellers who are enthusiastic about creating fresh, compelling content that can be released to a wide audience. You will have already developed a vision of your own, but you will be open to input from mentors and peers and keen to benefit from their counsel. You are self-disciplined and ambitious about bringing your project to market, and you are willing to function as part of a group and share your experiences. Timing plays a role: the ideal Fellow is ready to take the year to invest in themselves and their career.
If you think of Hollywood development as a funnel, the RISE Fellowship is operating at the narrower end, focusing on creators who have a higher level of experience who can maximize the resources of the Fellowship and develop market-ready projects in terms of their scope and commercial appeal. The Fellowship is designed to circumvent the risk aversion that often sidelines the development of diverse TV and films. By focusing the Fellowship here, we are closest to our goal of getting mainstream projects sold, into production, and widely distributed where they can impact culture and make a difference in driving narrative chang
The RISE Fellowship is a content accelerator in that it seeks to help experienced creators further develop their pre-existing film and television ideas, pitches, treatments and/or scripts into market-ready condition and then help them transition their projects into “go” projects with networks, streamers, studios and production companies in a span of a year.
Ideas should be built on an applicant's strong voice and specific point of view while bringing new perspectives on concepts, characters, themes, genre and/or worlds. Ideas should feel commercial yet distinct from what has already been done. For the one-pagers themselves, we encourage applicants submitting a tv idea to make sure to include the format, half-hour vs. hour-long, logline, main characters, story engine, and theme. For applicants submitting a feature idea, we encourage you to make sure to include the genre, logline, a beginning-middle-end, and the theme.
Any one-pager submissions that are longer than one page will automatically be disqualified.
Yes. The Fellowship is an in-person program in LA.
No. Rideback RISE does not take ownership of any scripts, outlines, treatments or other materials that are either submitted as part of your application or subsequently created as part of the Fellowship.
No. Rideback RISE is neither a production entity nor a guild signatory. RISE assists Fellows in connecting their projects to appropriate production and distribution entities. When a RISE project is made, RISE requires logo inclusion at the end credits and asks that the Fellow use best faith efforts to cause a small passive royalty or tax-deductible contribution to RISE that will fund future Fellows and RISE programming.
The production company known as Rideback is separate from Rideback RISE, which is an independently-led 501c3 non-profit. Rideback has granted RISE the use of its name, but does not operate Rideback RISE, nor does it receive any direct benefits or considerations from RISE. RISE is currently headquartered at Rideback Ranch as a paying tenant. RISE is not subject to or liable for any of the obligations of Rideback or Rideback Ranch.
The RISE Circle is a large invitation-only network of POC writers, filmmakers and creative talent, who are selected from among the highest-scoring applicants to the RISE Fellowship. Circle members are part of the larger Rideback RISE cohort and are supported in their careers by access to RISE programming and networking events at Rideback Ranch, provided at no cost. Circle members are eligible and encouraged to reapply to the RISE Fellowship.