Hawai‘i Filmmakers Lab Now Accepting Submissions

Dana Ledoux-Miller and Eric Pearson mentor participants in Filmmakers Lab. Photo courtesy of `Ohina.

The submission period has officially opened for the `Ohina 2019 Filmmakers Lab, which provides local Hawai‘i filmmakers an opportunity to learn from professional screenwriters and filmmakers.

`Ohina asks interested applicants to submit a short screenplay, bio and cover letter to apply for this year’s workshop in November. The deadline to apply is Aug. 25, 2019.

Following a judging process, up to 10 accepted participants will be guest mentored by film industry professionals in a three-day, intensive workshop. One filmmaker from the group will also receive the ʻOhina Greenlight Award and the opportunity for `Ohina Films to help fund and produce their winning script to become a completed short film. The short will premiere at the `Ohina Short Film Showcase program of the 2020 Hawai’i International Film Festival (HIFF).

Previous mentors of the Ohina Filmmakers Lab have included Joe Robert Cole, co-screenwriter of Black Panther; Eric Pearson, co-screenwriter of Thor: Ragnarok; and Dana Ledoux-Miller, co-screenwriter, of Narcos and Newsroom.

`Ohina’s 2017 Greenlight Award winner, Kālewa by Mitchel Viernes, recently won Best Sci-Fi Short at the 2018 New Renaissance Film Festival in Amsterdam.

Participants must either be based in Hawai‘i or have roots in Hawai‘i. To apply, visit www.Ohina.org. Accepted applicants will be notified by Oct. 1.