SeriesFest

A Celebration of Episodic Storytelling

Women Directing Mentorship

· ·

Submissions Home

Shadow with Shondaland!

APPLY

Please fully complete the application.

Trouble viewing the form? Open in a new window.

Learn More

Dates & Fees
Entry Materials
Eligibility

Prize
What’s it like on set?
Previous Winners

Submission FAQs

SeriesFest and Shondaland are honored to partner on our seventh cycle of the Women Directing Mentorship: A competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with unique voices and provide a launchpad for their careers. Founded in 2019, The Women Directing Mentorship is anchored by the prestigious opportunity to shadow a director on an episode of a Shondaland original series.

2025 Winner Christina YR Lim

2024 Winner Shelby Blake Bartlestein

Tom Verica
Head of Creative Production, Shondaland

“We’re thrilled to launch Cycle 7 of the Women Directing Mentorship, a program that continues to champion the incredible talent and diverse voices in storytelling that female directors have to offer,” says Tom Verica, Head of Creative Production at Shondaland. “Past recipients have gone on to shadow on our shows, including Bridgerton and Station 19, furthering their experience on some of television’s most dynamic sets. This mentorship is not only about fostering careers, but also about enriching the industry with bold, authentic, and powerful stories that reflect the world we live in.”

KEY DATES & FEES

Submissions for the Women Directing Mentorship with Shondaland are open through December 18, 2025!

Regular Deadline
10/31/2025

Standard
$50

Final Deadline
12/18/2025

Standard
$75

Finalists will be contacted by March 31, 2026.

Submissions are open, and listed prices are available through 11:59 PM (local time) on the date shown.

PRIZE

The director selected as the Winner for Cycle 7 (2026) will shadow a director for an episode of a Shondaland production. The shadowing experience generally lasts 3–4 weeks, depending on the project.

Cycle 4 Winner Gia-Rayne Harris and her Shondaland Mentor Tom Verica on the Bridgerton set

The director selected for as the Winner for Cycle 6 (2025) will shadow a director for an episode of a Shondaland production.

ENTRY MATERIALS

Complete our application that includes the following:

Work Sample
A short film or a feature

Personal Introduction Video
3–5 minute video introducing yourself, your unique voice and style, and why you think you’re the right fit for the Women Directing Mentorship. Be creative! (see examples below)

Reel
Reel under 15 minutes or a short film showcasing your directing work. This reel can include student work.

CV/Resume

Entry Fee
(see above)

Please note, entry materials will not be returned. Clips of (or full) Personal Introduction Videos may be used to market this or future Women Directing Mentorship cycles.

Eligibility

  • To qualify, you must have 3 years of professional experience (in any professional role, not just Director). This can include having experience directing independent shorts, series, and films.
  • Applicants who have previously directed a network series are ineligible.
  • Must be 21+ years of age.
  • Applicants should to be based in the United States or the United Kingdom 

VIDEO ESSAYS

PREVIOUS WINNERS

Rachel Meyers | Cycle 1, 2019
Shadowed on Station 19

Tamika Miller | Cycle 2, 2020
Shadowed on Station 19

Jennifer Morris | Cycle 3, 2022
Shadowed on Station 19

Gia-Rayne Harris | Cycle 4, 2023
Shadowed on Bridgerton

Shelby Blake Bartlestein | Cycle 5, 2024

Christina YR Lim | Cycle 6, 2025

Explore examples of media coverage here.

SeriesFest and Shondaland are dedicated to elevating the finalists and winner through features on our platforms and by pursuing national press opportunities with major entertainment outlets.

Thank you to our sponsor

Shondaland

Shondaland is the global media company founded by award-winning writer and producer Shonda Rhimes. The company fearlessly entertains through storytelling with content for film, streaming, audio, digital and editorial as well as brand partnerships, merchandise and experiences. Shondaland has an exclusive partnership with Netflix where it produces streaming content for the media company, including record-breaking series “Bridgerton” and its spinoff series “Queen Charlotte,” ’’Inventing Anna,” “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” documentary “Black Barbie” and the upcoming drama “The Residence”. In 2017, Shondaland launched the editorial website Shondaland.com followed by the creation of Shondaland Audio in 2019.  Shondaland was launched in 2005 with the groundbreaking series “Grey’s Anatomy.

Thank you to our Community Partners

SeriesFest and Shondaland are honored to partner on our fifth cycle of the Women Directing Mentorship, a competition designed to discover aspiring female directors with a unique voice and provide a launchpad for their careers. Founded in 2019, The Women Directing Mentorship is anchored by the prestigious opportunity to shadow a director on an episode of a Shondaland original series.

Applications are closed.

Visit the page on FilmFreeway.com

KEY DATES & FEES

Early Bird Deadline
OCT 10, 2023		Final Deadline
DEC 19, 2023
Standard$30$50
Cycle Two (2020) Winner and Finalists

PRIZES & AWARDS

The director selected for as the Winner for Cylcle 5 (2024) will shadow a director for an episode of a Shondaland production. Additionally, the Cycle 5 Winner will also receive a $5,000 stipend to be used over the duration of their mentorship.

Cycle 5 winner and Semi-Finalists will receive an all-access badge and round-trip domestic flight (up to $400) to Denver for SeriesFest: Season 10 (May 1–5, 2024).

Click here to learn about Cycle Four (2023) winner, Gia-Rayne Harris, and explore media coverage on this opportunity here.

“Shondaland has long been known to defy industry standards through dynamic female characters, but we have also always felt it was important to have equal representation behind the camera. To have talent and sets that reflect the world we live in has always seemed natural. We’re happy to partner with SeriesFest on this mentorship initiative to continue providing opportunities for women directors.”

Shonda Rhimes

ENTRY MATERIALS

Work Sample
A short film or a feature

Personal Introduction Video
3-5 minute video introducing yourself, your unique voice and style, and why you think you’re the right fit for the Women Directing Mentorship. Be creative! (see examples below)

Reel
Reel under 15 minutes or a short film showcasing your directing work. This reel can include student work.

**Reels and Personal Introduction Videos should be uploaded or hyper linked to “Files & Attachments” on FilmFreeway

CV/Resume

FilmFreeway Entry Fee

Please note, entry materials will not be returned

EXAMPLES OF PERSONAL VIDEO ESSAYS:

ELIGIBILITY

  • To qualify, you must have 3 years of professional experience in any professional role, not just Director). This can include having experience directing independent shorts, series, and films.
  • Applicants who have previously directed a network series are ineligible.
  • Must be 21+ years of age.
  • Applicants should to be based in the United States or the United Kingdom 

SeriesFest does not want the cost of entry to be a barrier to applying for this mentorship program. If the price of submission would prevent you from participating, please fill out this form to request a waiver code.

Submit on filmfreeway

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hxXS5wET1s&t=10s

Shondaland

Shondaland is the global media company founded by award-winning writer and producer Shonda Rhimes. The company fearlessly entertains through storytelling with content for film, streaming, audio, digital and editorial as well as brand partnerships, merchandise and experiences. Shondaland has an exclusive partnership with Netflix where it produces streaming content for the media company, including record-breaking series “Bridgerton” and its spinoff series “Queen Charlotte,” ’’Inventing Anna,” “Dance Dreams: Hot Chocolate Nutcracker,” documentary “Black Barbie” and the upcoming drama “The Residence”. In 2017, Shondaland launched the editorial website Shondaland.com followed by the creation of Shondaland Audio in 2019.  Shondaland was launched in 2005 with the groundbreaking series “Grey’s Anatomy.

Questions?

VIEW SUBMISSION FAQS

Email info@seriesfest.com