The Career Development Lab at TFC is a selective annual 12-week professional development fellowship composed of in-person and virtual course experiences led by industry professionals and experts that prepares early-career trans creators to launch a lifetime of success in filmmaking.

The Lab is purpose-built to teach highly applicable, rubber-meets-the-road insights and skills that actually determine success for film and television professionals. The Lab involves working pros in a carefully designed series of honest, real-talk workshops that teach the capabilities those professionals themselves look for in making hiring and greenlighting decisions today.

Each year, a small cohort of top trans film-industry creators are selected for a four-month series of workshops that develop the skills, insights and contacts that are valued by decision-makers in film and television. Over the course of 12 weeks, participants meet virtually and in person for experiences that directly apply to advancing a career in entertainment, including meeting with active industry professionals from streaming, studios, production companies, agencies, festivals and more.

To be eligible for the Lab application process, applicants must be 21 or older, able to legally work in the U.S., transgender, 2-5 years into an entertainment industry career, and available to attend all Lab workshops and experiences.

A selection panel of TFC and partner organization representatives identifies each year’s final participants by evaluating applications based on six individual criteria: eligibility, readiness, potential, values, voice and need. In addition, the panel applies a seventh criteria – diversity – to ensure the cohort’s final composition is generally reflective of the people, experiences and perspectives in the transgender creator community.

Graduate participants leave the Career Development Lab with tangible, applicable resources for advancing their film and television careers, including: training in real-world skills required for the work; contacts with major studios, streamers and agencies; and a written Big Next Step plan for achieving the next level in their career, with Lab support.

All Lab experiences are held in the continental United States in locations where, and in partnership with organizations that have direct industry influence – such as Los Angeles, New York City, Park City and Atlanta. We are currently finalizing locations for our festival and production in-person experiences. Flights and accommodations required for the in-person segments of the lab will be offset by the Transgender Film Center.

The inaugural Lab will be held over the course of 12 weeks beginning in the fall of 2025. The final workshops list and associated schedule are being finalized now in partnership with the industry professionals who will lead classes.

Yes. To support full focus on the lab and time away from work opportunities, each participant will receive a $15,000 honorarium to be used at their discretion.

The Lab brings together a team of industry professionals from major studios, streamers, production companies, agencies, film festivals and more. The specific organizations represented will be announced when our workshop schedule is finalized.

The Transgender Film Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting trans creators in bringing their stories to audiences around the world.

Tax-deductible gifts to advance our purpose can be made online here.

We’d be happy to chat. Please write us at info@transfilmcenter.org