Professional Development Lab for Writers & Actors
Deadline Junkies is a collective of writers and actors meeting to workshop and develop screenplays. Our writers have sold scripts to major networks and studios, have written on hit TV shows, and have placed in dozens of industry contests and fellowships.
We strive to be an inclusive space that celebrates diverse, multicultural, LGBTQ+, non-binary and gender nonconforming voices. We are dedicated to helping professional and emerging writers alike to hone their craft and take the next step in their careers.
What in the actual heck is Deadline Junkies?
We are a workshop for screenwriters to develop their voice and work. Each meeting, writers present pages for actors to cold read and fellow writers to give feedback and notes on craft, structure, voice, cultural blindspots, and inclusivity awareness in an honest, constructive, and supportive environment.
What is the goal?
We are here to network with talented people, to learn from each other, to help develop our voices, our craft, and our work ethic to become junkies to that deadline producing new pages every 5 weeks.
How does it work?
Each group consists of 15 writers that meet once a week for 3 writers to present up to 30 pages each of a feature, TV pilot/spec script, or a stage play. Professional actors cold read the pages and writers give notes and feedback.
For the duration of the Pandemic, we have migrated online: four groups are conducting table reads over ZOOM, while one group is exchanging scripts and written notes over EMAIL.
Who are you looking for?
All writers are welcome to attend and apply for rotation spots! Deadline Junkies is committed to building a more inclusive, diverse, multicultural, intersectional, non-binary, gender nonconforming, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representative Hollywood TODAY.
Though beginners and first-time writers are welcome to attend to learn and grow, Deadline Junkies is not a class. We are an active workshop space for emerging and professional writers. An existing portfolio of work is a prerequisite for joining as a writer on rotation. Prospective writers will be asked to submit samples of previous work to be considered by a diverse committee for rotation spots.
What kind of scripts are you looking for?
All genres are welcome! Some groups have more genre specialization than others: Tuesday and Wednesday are comedy nights; Monday favors drama scripts; the other two nights welcome a mix of all genres.
DJs strives to be a welcoming and receptive workshop space for experimentation and rough draft pages. However, we're also not interested in fostering offensive content. Writers can expect feedback on culture stereotypes, blindspots, and inappropriate or problematic material as much as craft, story structure, and voice. Though craft is important, we want to actively contribute to building a more inclusive Hollywood TODAY, not tomorrow, which we believe involves calling scripts IN, not calling them out.
OMG where have you been all my life?
Writer-director Adam Strange started Deadline Junkies in 2009. We have grown from a single weekly group to a community of over 150 writers, actors, and content creators with 5 groups meeting every week.
How much does it cost?
We are always FREE for actors and auditors to attend and participate in note-giving. Actors reading scripts participate on a volunteer basis.
For the duration of the Pandemic, Deadline Junkies is FREE for writers on rotation presenting pages, though spots remain limited due to time and volume constraints. When in-person meetings resume, rotation writers are required to pay $44 dues monthly to cover our theatre rental space. We are not a for-profit group.
What time do you meet?
7 pm to 10 pm.
Where do you meet?
ACCr
Currently all meetings are on ZOOM.
Deadline Junkies Mondays
75% Drama, 25% comedy, and other
The Whitmore-Lindley Theater
11006 W Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Deadline Junkies Tuesdays
Comedy Night
Open Stage West
14336 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Deadline Junkies Wednesdays
87% Comedy, 11% Action, 2% pirate
Contact: Jordan.Imiola@Gmail.com
Deadline Junkies Thursdays
All Genres Welcome!
The Sherry Theater
11052 W Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Deadline Junkies Sundays
All Genres Welcome!
The Whitmore-Lindley Theater
11006 W Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Check out the Schedule
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How big is the group?
Each night has 15 screenwriters on a regular five-week rotation. Our acting company includes dozens of actors who attend when they are cast to read in projects. Writers attend the same night every week while actors attend when they are cast. Other auditors, producers, directors, managers, DJs veterans, and friends of the group are welcome to attend whenever they like.
If I get in, how often will my work be read?
Screenwriters on rotation present 25-30 new pages every five weeks and attend to give notes in the interim.
Who runs this thing?
Deadline Junkies Mondays is lead by Michael Stagliano
Deadline Junkies Tuesdays is lead by Kelly Kurowski
Deadline Junkies Wednesdays is lead by Jordan Imiola
Deadline Junkies Thursdays is lead by Andrew Knopp
Deadline Junkies Sundays is lead by Rund Shami
I'm super busy. Do I have to come every week?
If you're a writer on rotation, yes, you should participate every week on the same night, whether that is attending the zoom table reads or sending written notes over email. Shoddy attendance is the most common reason we take screenwriters off the rotation. If we are going to make the commitment to your scripts, we want your feedback on ours.
Actors participate on a volunteer basis if writers request them to read and the actors are available. New actors are encouraged to show up and ask around because many nights, writers need extra actors. The more we see you act, the more you tend to get cast.
How do I get my screenwriting in front of the group?
Reach out to a moderator - our contact information is available above! We often encourage people to come to a zoom hang to check out what we do first. If you're then interested in joining a rotation, you will be asked to submit two screenwriting samples to be considered by a diverse committee for when rotation spots become available. If you are invited to join a rotation, the spot is your's for however long you want to stay on rotation! Because of this, rotation spots usually become available infrequently, and we often maintain a waiting list of interested writers.
How do I sign up as an actor?
Just show up on the night of the week that's best for you and introduce yourself. Talk to the person leading that night. Mondays, talk to Michael. Tuesdays, talk to Kelly. Wednesdays, talk to Jordan. Thursdays, talk to Andrew. Sundays, talk to Rund. Let them know you're interested and they'll get you set you up with casting. The first step is just go and introduce yourself to the Deadline Junkies community. And then keep showing up week after week!
We are a workshop for screenwriters to develop their voice and work. Each meeting, writers present pages for actors to cold read and fellow writers to give feedback and notes on craft, structure, voice, cultural blindspots, and inclusivity awareness in an honest, constructive, and supportive environment.
What is the goal?
We are here to network with talented people, to learn from each other, to help develop our voices, our craft, and our work ethic to become junkies to that deadline producing new pages every 5 weeks.
How does it work?
Each group consists of 15 writers that meet once a week for 3 writers to present up to 30 pages each of a feature, TV pilot/spec script, or a stage play. Professional actors cold read the pages and writers give notes and feedback.
For the duration of the Pandemic, we have migrated online: four groups are conducting table reads over ZOOM, while one group is exchanging scripts and written notes over EMAIL.
Who are you looking for?
All writers are welcome to attend and apply for rotation spots! Deadline Junkies is committed to building a more inclusive, diverse, multicultural, intersectional, non-binary, gender nonconforming, LGBTQ+ and BIPOC representative Hollywood TODAY.
Though beginners and first-time writers are welcome to attend to learn and grow, Deadline Junkies is not a class. We are an active workshop space for emerging and professional writers. An existing portfolio of work is a prerequisite for joining as a writer on rotation. Prospective writers will be asked to submit samples of previous work to be considered by a diverse committee for rotation spots.
What kind of scripts are you looking for?
All genres are welcome! Some groups have more genre specialization than others: Tuesday and Wednesday are comedy nights; Monday favors drama scripts; the other two nights welcome a mix of all genres.
DJs strives to be a welcoming and receptive workshop space for experimentation and rough draft pages. However, we're also not interested in fostering offensive content. Writers can expect feedback on culture stereotypes, blindspots, and inappropriate or problematic material as much as craft, story structure, and voice. Though craft is important, we want to actively contribute to building a more inclusive Hollywood TODAY, not tomorrow, which we believe involves calling scripts IN, not calling them out.
OMG where have you been all my life?
Writer-director Adam Strange started Deadline Junkies in 2009. We have grown from a single weekly group to a community of over 150 writers, actors, and content creators with 5 groups meeting every week.
How much does it cost?
We are always FREE for actors and auditors to attend and participate in note-giving. Actors reading scripts participate on a volunteer basis.
For the duration of the Pandemic, Deadline Junkies is FREE for writers on rotation presenting pages, though spots remain limited due to time and volume constraints. When in-person meetings resume, rotation writers are required to pay $44 dues monthly to cover our theatre rental space. We are not a for-profit group.
What time do you meet?
7 pm to 10 pm.
Where do you meet?
ACCr
Currently all meetings are on ZOOM.
Deadline Junkies Mondays
75% Drama, 25% comedy, and other
The Whitmore-Lindley Theater
11006 W Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Deadline Junkies Tuesdays
Comedy Night
Open Stage West
14336 Ventura Blvd
Sherman Oaks, CA 91423
Deadline Junkies Wednesdays
87% Comedy, 11% Action, 2% pirate
Contact: Jordan.Imiola@Gmail.com
Deadline Junkies Thursdays
All Genres Welcome!
The Sherry Theater
11052 W Magnolia Blvd.
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Deadline Junkies Sundays
All Genres Welcome!
The Whitmore-Lindley Theater
11006 W Magnolia Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91601
Check out the Schedule
C
How big is the group?
Each night has 15 screenwriters on a regular five-week rotation. Our acting company includes dozens of actors who attend when they are cast to read in projects. Writers attend the same night every week while actors attend when they are cast. Other auditors, producers, directors, managers, DJs veterans, and friends of the group are welcome to attend whenever they like.
If I get in, how often will my work be read?
Screenwriters on rotation present 25-30 new pages every five weeks and attend to give notes in the interim.
Who runs this thing?
Deadline Junkies Mondays is lead by Michael Stagliano
Deadline Junkies Tuesdays is lead by Kelly Kurowski
Deadline Junkies Wednesdays is lead by Jordan Imiola
Deadline Junkies Thursdays is lead by Andrew Knopp
Deadline Junkies Sundays is lead by Rund Shami
I'm super busy. Do I have to come every week?
If you're a writer on rotation, yes, you should participate every week on the same night, whether that is attending the zoom table reads or sending written notes over email. Shoddy attendance is the most common reason we take screenwriters off the rotation. If we are going to make the commitment to your scripts, we want your feedback on ours.
Actors participate on a volunteer basis if writers request them to read and the actors are available. New actors are encouraged to show up and ask around because many nights, writers need extra actors. The more we see you act, the more you tend to get cast.
How do I get my screenwriting in front of the group?
Reach out to a moderator - our contact information is available above! We often encourage people to come to a zoom hang to check out what we do first. If you're then interested in joining a rotation, you will be asked to submit two screenwriting samples to be considered by a diverse committee for when rotation spots become available. If you are invited to join a rotation, the spot is your's for however long you want to stay on rotation! Because of this, rotation spots usually become available infrequently, and we often maintain a waiting list of interested writers.
How do I sign up as an actor?
Just show up on the night of the week that's best for you and introduce yourself. Talk to the person leading that night. Mondays, talk to Michael. Tuesdays, talk to Kelly. Wednesdays, talk to Jordan. Thursdays, talk to Andrew. Sundays, talk to Rund. Let them know you're interested and they'll get you set you up with casting. The first step is just go and introduce yourself to the Deadline Junkies community. And then keep showing up week after week!