Emerging Creative Residency for Writers and Directors

Applications for the 2024 Emerging Creative Residency for Writers and Directors are now closed. Thank you to everyone who submitted! Applications for our next ECR will open again later this year. Sign up to receive our newsletter to stay up-to-date.

The Trilith Institute is dedicated to the discovery, development, and professional advancement of story artists who inspire the world. We are committed to finding and fostering the creative talent at the heart of the Georgia film and television industry and creating opportunities for those new to the film industry to gain hands-on experience with the best-in-class resources and training. We seek to bring those creative voices and visions to life in Georgia through education, enrichment, and support. 

As part of its mission, the Trilith Institute has implemented the Emerging Creative Residency Program. Participants of this program, Emerging Creative Residents (ECRs), agree to create an original screenwork for the Trilith Institute and the Trilith Institute’s production company, Trilith Institute Productions LLC (“Trilith Productions”), as an independent contractor. Further, during the program, the ECR will be employed as a part-time Teaching Assistant for the Trilith Institute, and in this part-time role, the ECR will teach courses and workshops provided by the Trilith Institute, participate in speaking engagements, and provide any other services as required by the Trilith Institute. 

The ECR must live and work within the Town of Trilith in Fayetteville, GA while participating in the Emerging Creative Residency Program. 

Eligibility Requirements:

• MUST be at least 18 years old. 
• MUST be a current Georgia resident or graduate of a Georgia higher-ed institution. 
• MUST be an aspiring Writer, Director, or Producer with an original, previously un-produced work (see Application Submission Requirements for more details) 
• MUST be willing and able to live at the Town of Trilith, in Fayetteville, GA, during the ECR program. Program dates are tentatively scheduled for January 1, 2024, to December 31, 2024.
• MUST be authorized to work in the United States. 
• Applicants still enrolled in educational programming (e.g. still enrolled as a student at a Georgia higher-ed institution) may apply for consideration for the ECR program, but all works created within the framework of the ECR program must be done without the support or resources of any entities outside of Trilith Institute unless contracted by Trilith Institute for that purpose. 

The ECR’s Engagement to Produce Original Screenwork for the Trilith Institute and Trilith Institute Productions: 

• The ECR must enter into an Independent Contractor Agreement with Trilith Institute Productions LLC whereby, the ECR agrees to produce the original, previously un-produced work that he/she submitted with the job application. 
• During the program, Trilith Productions will, in their sole discretion, allocate certain funds to produce the ECR’s selected work, but such funds will not exceed $100,000 per production during the Term.  
• Selected work must be workshopped and created under the supervision of industry professionals designated by Trilith Productions. 
• Housing or a housing stipend will be provided for the ECR to live at the Town of Trilith during the Term, for up to one year. The housing or housing stipend is contingent upon the ECR executing the services set forth in the Independent Contractor Agreement in good faith as determined by Trilith Productions. Such housing or housing stipend will be equivalent to cover expenses to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the Town of Trilith. This housing or housing stipend excludes utilities or other living expenses beyond rent. The ECR will not be entitled to any housing or housing stipend upon the termination of the Independent Contractor Agreement and engagement of the ECR as an independent contractor for Trilith Productions. 

The ECR’s Responsibilities as a Part-Time Teaching Assistant of Trilith Institute: 

• In this role, the ECR will be employed with the Trilith Institute as an at-will employee. This position is a part-time non-exempt position. The ECR as the Trilith Institute’s part-time Teaching Assistant will be paid on an hourly basis. The approximate hourly rate range is $16.00 – $20.00. In this role, the ECR will be paid overtime pay for any hours worked over 40 hours in a given week. 
• The ECR will support the Trilith Institute coursework and initiatives between 20-25 hours per week during the program. 
• The ECR will generally report to work Monday through Friday. Depending on business needs, the Trilith Institute may require the ECR to report to work on certain weekends. 
• The ECR will be required to track, record and submit all hours worked as a Trilith Institute employee. 
• As a Trilith Institute employee, the ECR must agree and abide by the Trilith Institute’s personnel policies, including those contained in the Employee Handbook. 
• As a condition of employment with the Trilith Institute, the ECR must review, sign, and return a signed copy of the Trilith Institute’s Employee Confidentiality and Inventions Assignment Agreement, which will be attached to the offer letter. 
• Any offer of employment with the Trilith Institute will be contingent upon the applicant’s satisfactory completion of a background check, as well as the applicant providing proof of identity and eligibility to work in the United States. 

Application Submission Requirements:

Applicants must submit all three of the following for consideration: 

1. Completed Application for Employment 
2. Resume/CV 
3. Evidence of Original Un-Produced Work (see below for details) 

The submitted original un-produced work may be any combination of the following formats: live-action, animation, documentary, feature film, television series, limited series, or web series.

As part of their application materials, applicants must submit one or more of the following: 

The original, previously un-produced work must be the sole intellectual property of the applicant at the time the ECR application is submitted to the Trilith Institute for consideration. 

The Trilith Institute will request documentation evidencing the applicant’s exclusive ownership of the work submitted with the application before offering the ECR position to any applicant.