Creative Lab Hawai‘i Announces Start of 2018 Season

The state Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism’s (DBEDT) Creative Industries Division (CID) announces its 2018 Creative Lab Hawai‘i (CLH) Media Programs in Screenwriting, Producing, Web Series and Ideation, which are expanding to Kaua‘i, Maui and Hawai‘i islands. The application submission period is now open and closes on Saturday, March 31, 2018, at 4:30 p.m.

Founded in 2012, CLH is a media, music and fashion design accelerator that is designed to increase export, business opportunities, attract investment and build the state’s creative entrepreneurial ecosystem. This year, CLH program will take place on the neighboring islands, expanding the network and growing business opportunities.

“Creative Lab Hawai‘i’s growing network delivers focused business development opportunities to our creative community,” said DBEDT Director Luis P. Salaveria. “We are seeing great success stories come out of our unique programs, which provide progressive mentoring to prepare individuals with the skills and tools necessary to enter the year-long accelerator program.”

“With the recent successes of screenwriters from CLH like Amy Bircher from Hawai‘i island, having their work produced for television cable networks like Lifetime, and many others, we are seeing more opportunities for the fellows in our various CLH programs,” explained DBEDT’s Creative Industries Division chief officer and founder of CLH Georja Skinner. “The power of the creative workforce has increased around the world, and we are making sure our creative entrepreneurs have the skills, qualifications and network needed to succeed in today’s global economy.”

Below are the confirmed dates for CLH programs in 2018. Program Executive Director, Michael Palmieri will be conducting a series of information sessions for interested entrepreneurs to learn more in-depth details about the CLH Immersive and Weekend Ideation programs.

2018 Creative Lab Hawaii Media Programs:

Web-Series Immersive (Maui – May 28 to June 1, 2018) – The CLH Web-Series Immersive program is a track for content creators whose scripts or shows primary distribution outlet is the Internet. From originally scripted content to personality driven short form series, Web Immersive participants are coached in writing, producing, marketing, and new avenues of monetization of their content for web and mobile platforms.

Writers Immersive (Kaua‘i – June 4 to June 8, 2018) – The Writers Immersive is a track for writers in all genres to develop new content for motion pictures and television. In partnership with the Diversity Program of the Writers Guild of America (WGA) West, the Writers Immersive is designed to empower writers to take their stories and craft to the next level via five-days of intensive coaching on script writing and taking projects to market, followed by a year-long coaching program that supports participants in executing their material via one-on-one and small group coaching. In addition, three of the most promising participants will be selected by the coaches to participate in networking opportunities with motion picture and television industry leaders in Los Angeles.

Producers Immersive (Kaua‘i – June 11 to June 15, 2018) – In partnership with industry leaders such as members of the Producers Guild of America (PGA), the Producers Immersive is a track for producers in all genres to develop new content for motion pictures and television in traditional and new emerging formats. The Producers Immersive is similar to the Writers Immersive in structure with emphasis on packaging, marketing and distribution opportunities in content development/export. As with the Screenwriters Immersive, selected finalists are flown to Los Angeles, where they are exposed to the business of producing.

Weekend Ideation Program in Transmedia (June 16 to June 17, 2018 – Island of Hawai‘i – Kona) – The CLH Transmedia Ideation Weekend is designed for individuals who have an idea, concept, a fully developed story, script or other content (a book, a play, a pitch, etc.) who are interested in taking next steps in the development of their intellectual property into content and getting their property developed, produced, sold or distributed across multiple platforms (i.e., motion pictures, television, games, web-series, publishing, etc.). The CLH weekend is an intensive, curated, two-day bootcamp with industry leaders designed for 30 creative entrepreneurs who are dedicated to furthering their craft.

CLH recommends individuals first participate in an information session before requesting the application which they obtain by writing to the Executive Director, Michael Palmieri, at [email protected].

Upcoming Creative Lab Hawai‘i Information Sessions:

• Jan. 31, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link
• Feb. 7, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link
• Feb. 14, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link
• Feb. 21, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link
• Feb. 28, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link
• Mar. 7, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link
• Mar. 14, 2018, at 6 p.m., registration link