The Vermont Screenplay Incubator

Supporting local filmmakers in writing Vermont-based screenplays.

Incubator 3.0 - Fall/Winter Session 2025/2026

Process & Goals

Starting September 2025. This 8 month program will support 6 screenwriters in development of Vermont based screenplays, culminating in a pitch event in April 2026.

The overall goal of the incubator is to create a safe and collaborative environment to develop a screenplay, fostering a creative community and collaboration beyond the sessions.

Writers will meet bi-monthly via zoom to get feedback and coaching on their screenplays (alternating focus on 3 writers per session) accompanied by relevant lectures to support their growth as writers, exercises, readings and encouragement! In addition, smaller peer-to-peer groups will be formed to create accountability in between sessions. In February/March 2026 writers will start preparing their pitch decks, meet with voice coach and pitch deck expert John Patrick, co-founder of the Miller Voice Method Studio, at an in-person session in White River Junction, VT, to develop their pitches and prepare for the culminating event.

The first sessions will focus on designing a story that match the skill of the writer, letting attainable funding guide the scope and budget of the script, encouraging the writer to move towards assembling a team and go into production after the incubator ends. The pitch event is encouraged to be a forum to expand the creative team around the project.

The Goal: Production-Ready Projects

The ultimate goal for the annual incubator group is to support a pipeline of Vermont homegrown film projects. By honing the creation of the script with local production in mind, developing a focused budget, funding strategy, and outreach plan from the outset, your film will have a head start to making your vision a reality.

Project Timeline

July 15, 2025 – August 15, 2025: Submission window
August 15 – September 1, 2025: Selection of 6 writers
September 1 2025: Participating writers notified
September 9, 2025 – April 7, 2026: Script Development & Writing, meeting every other Tuesday from 5-8pm ET via Zoom (expect where noted in shared schedule).
Pitch event: Date TBD
April 21: Debrief and lessons learned session

Screenwriting Coach

With years of experience as a professional actor in her birthplace Denmark and the USA, Jeanine has nurtured her desire to craft authentic stories and characters, leading to being awarded the Sloan Foundation Production Grant, winning Best Cinematography for her thesis from The Amrican FIlm Institute and being invited to join the Stowe Narrative Story Labs with her latest feature screenplay.

This award winning creator of films such as NO MORE and MORS DAG (Mother’s Day), skillfully brings together a creative team to support the development of universally resonant narratives grounded in the fearless truth of her personal journey.

When this AFI Directing Fellow is not writing or directing, you can find her downhill skiing, cooking or belting Brandi Carlile ballads with her daughter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to be located in Vermont?

The incubator is specifically designed to help Vermont-based screenwriters. However, if your film is set in Vermont and you intend to base production through a company here, plan to move here, or have other questions, please reach out to us and we will let you know if you qualify for application.

What are the program costs?

Applying to the incubator costs a $15 application fee. The Incubator 3.0 program cost is $800 per accepted applicant. We want to encourage a wide variety of voices and perspectives in the program so if the cost is a barrier for participation, please reach out so we can discuss payment plans or other options for participation.

Do I need to have screenwriting experience?

Yes. This is not an introduction to screenwriting, so we will not be instructing on proper formatting, etc. so you will need to have an understanding of the screenwriting style and have completed at least one script.

Does the film need to be set in Vermont?

The program is designed to produce scripts that are ready to film here. That said, if you plan to film in Vermont but your film has a non-literal or otherwise unbound to place then that is fine.

Will I need to attend in-person sessions?

The majority of coaching & feedback sessions will all be held virtually via Zoom, to encourage statewide participation and enhance inclusion & accessibility. For Incubator 3.0, an in-person pitch meeting will also be a part of the process.

What are the application requirements?

Applicants should be Vermont residents, you will be asked to submit a sample of a completed screenplay (can be any duration), provide a personal bio and a resumé or CV, and a 500-word essay on your motivation to join the incubator.