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Editor’S Note: the below blog piece originally ran in 2024. Our Filmmaker Tuesday session “Spotlight Your Story: Applying to Our Artist Development Programs” returns May 7. Special thanks to original writer Cydney Fisher.

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So you want to be a filmmaker or work in entertainment, but have no clue where to start? Well, thank God you’re reading this right now! Each year, Film Independent provides programs and Labs dedicated to helping filmmakers from marginalized communities get their stories made.

Does that sound like you? Great! Keep reading, ’cause here are some application tips and tricks to impress, as shared by Film Independent Artist Development team members including Francisco Velasquez, Dea Vasquez and Daniel Cardone.

In this conversation, Francisco, Dea and Daniel break down what types of Lab projects they’re looking for, what makes an application stand out, the dos and don’ts of applying, and the opportunities that our Artist Development programs provide.

Starz has unveiled the trailer and key art for “Gaslit,” its limited series that tackles the Watergate scandal. The show focuses on the perspective of Martha Mitchell (Julia Roberts), the wife of Richard Nixon’s attorney general, John Mitchell (Sean Penn). “Gaslit” will debut on Starz’s digital platform at midnight on April 24, with a linear debut the same day at 8 p.m. Et.

Roberts is on fire in the trailer, Arkansas accent and all, as a political storm swirls around her, and Penn is nearly unrecognizable in his prosthetics and hair pieces. At one point, John slaps Martha across the face, to which she responds by slapping him back, adding, “My momma slapped me harder than that.”

Martha was the first person to publicly blow the whistle on Nixon’s involvement in the infamous scandal, which kicked off an avalanche of political and personal consequences. John was Nixon’s close advisor and friend,...

Exclusive: Hillman Grad Productions has named the 22 creatives selected for its second annual Mentorship Lab, geared toward uplifting marginalized creatives in film and television, which launches in Los Angeles on March 18, and will wrap up with a showcase event in October.

Those participating include creative executives Andy Park, Franco Chacon, Geralyn Smith, Jocelyn Waddell and Wai Wing Lau; writers Abi Rich, Blake Williams, Charlene Little, Cydney Fisher, Emily Teerasuphaset, Luveza Mubashar, Rubén Mendive, Van Newman and Victoria George; and actors Donnevan Tolbert, Jonny Williams, Kashayna Johnson, Lanora Terraé Hayden, Lee Hubilla, Lynnese Page, Michaela Obro-Ababio and Tj Chester.

The eight-month, tuition-free program funded by Hillman Grad’s CEO and Founder Lena Waithe offers mentees the opportunity to enhance their creative skillset through personalized instruction from industry professionals, creating additional pathways to bring more people from diverse backgrounds into entertainment, both in front of and behind the camera. It provides a...