Calling all military veteran screenwriters! Arts Up! LA is launching its inaugural Veteran Short Film Project in conjunction with Veterans Empowerment Theatre offering a unique opportunity for military vets who are passionate about storytelling and filmmaking. The project provides this group of writers with screenwriting workshops to hone their skills, learn more about the film-creation process, and to fully produce one selected screenplay.
Military Veterans from all over the country are invited to submit their short film screenplay for consideration. The top 10 screenplays will be chosen to work with writing coaches, and one screenplay will be selected to be fully produced. Submissions are open September 4 through October 9, 2024. For more information and to submit your screenplay for consideration, please visit
Stage 1: VET Short Film Writers’ Contest: Aspiring Screenwriters from the Veterans community will submit samples of their work to be considered for a screenwriting workshop, where the top 10 applicants will be participants in a 6-week writing workshop. This workshop will have the writers craft an original short film screenplay, with mentorship throughout the process by industry professionals.
Stage 2: After the screenwriting workshop, one screenplay will be selected to be produced into a short film for submissions to screenings and film festivals. Working with industry professionals and partner organizations, the short film will go through pre-production, production, and post-production with a final short film ready to be shared with film festivals. Additionally, an internship program will be created for Vets interested in pursuing a career in the film industry.
ABOUT ARTSUP! LA
ArtsUP! LA is a nonprofit theater and arts organization serving people with disabilities, military veterans, and Los Angeles based youth. We remove barriers to participation and provide unlimited possibilities for artistic expression, building diverse artists and audiences who are changing how the arts are presented and experienced.
PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS
● Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME)
● Mount St. Mary’s University (MSMU)
● Vet TV
● United States Veterans Artists Alliance
● International Screenwriters Association (ISA)
● Returning Soldiers Speak
Just the Facts:
What: Arts Up! LA is launching its inaugural Veteran Short Film Project in conjunction with Veterans Empowerment Theatre offering a unique opportunity for military vets who are passionate about storytelling and filmmaking. The project provides military veteran writers with screenwriting workshops to hone their skills, learn more about the film-creation process, and to fully produce one selected screenplay. Military Veterans from all over the country are invited to submit their short film screenplay for consideration. The top 10 screen screenplays will be chosen to work with writing coaches, and one screenplay will be selected to be fully produced.
Who: ArtsUP! LA and Veterans Empowerment Theatre announce the Veteran Short Film Project teaming up with the following organizations:
- Veterans in Media and Entertainment (VME)
- Mount St. Mary’s University (MSMU)
- Vet TV
- United States Veterans Artists Alliance
- International Screenwriters Association (ISA)
- Returning Soldiers Speak
Where: ArtsUP! LA’s theater, The Blue Door, located at 9617 Venice Blvd. Culver City, CA 90232.
When: The submission period runs September 4 through October 9, 2024.
How: For more information and for Veterans to submit your screenplay for consideration, please visit
ArtsUp! LA
ArtsUP! LA is a nonprofit theater and arts program serving people with disabilities, military veterans, and opportunity youth. They remove barriers to participation and provide unlimited possibilities for artistic expression, building diverse artists and audiences who are changing how the arts are presented and experienced.
Veterans Empowerment Theatre
Veterans Empowerment Theatre features a variety of performing arts workshops and opportunities that give our nation’s brave service members a safe environment to voice their own heroic stories, personal tragedies, triumphs, and experiences through theatre and film.
