Frequently Asked Questions

When is the initial application period open? - Initial application period for the 2025-2026 cohort will open on June 16 and will close September 5. Fellows will announced October 14.

When will labs be held this year? Labs for the 2025-2026 cohort of Fellows will be held as follows:

·      StoryLab — REQUIRED FOR ALL NEW FELLOWS October 24-26

·      Legal Workshop TBD

·      Screenplay Lab, spring 2026

·      DocLab, spring 2026

·      Production Lab TBD

PLEASE NOTE: All labs are in person.

When are funding applications due? - Applications for funding for the 2025-2026 Cohort will be open in late 2024, and due back to us mid February 2026.

Who is eligible to receive funding? – Current Saul Zaentz Fellows.

Can we apply as a team or only as individuals? - Applicants may apply individually or in teams.

I’ve been a Fellow in the past. Can I skip the initial application process and apply only for the funding round? - Fellows in each round are treated as a new cohort, which means that even though you have participated as a Fellow in the past, you must first participate in the StoryLab and mentoring with the current cohort in order to be eligible to apply for funding. Only Fellows who have been accepted into and participated in the current year’s StoryLab and mentoring will be eligible to apply for funding in any given year.

Can I apply with a project in postproduction? - The Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund has emphasized film development, mentorship and production, and has not accepted applicants whose projects are at the post production stage. We are running a small postproduction pilot this year to help us evaluate the potential for expanding the program beyond development and production. However, at present, we do not accept applications for projects that are in post production, nor do we offer any completion funding.

Can I apply to the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund even though I was a Fellow in an earlier round? - Previous Fellows who are still Baltimore residents are eligible to apply to the Fund with a new project. Applying with a project that was previously considered is only possible if the application shows the project is materially different than a previous version.

Can I apply to the Saul Zaentz Innovation Fund with a project that was previously accepted, but not funded? - Previous Fellows who are still Baltimore residents, are eligible to apply to the Fund as long as they are applying with new, or materially different projects.

I applied with a project in the past, but was not accepted into the program. Can I apply again with the same project? - Applicants may apply with projects that were not accepted in previous rounds, if the project is materially different their original proposal.