Taking place October 11-23, 2026 in Louisville, KY, the 502 Film Front Porch Film Lab is dedicated to the art, craft, and business of short-form fiction storytelling.

502 Film believes in the power of short films as both a launchpad for emerging filmmakers and a canvas for bold, original voices.

Program Mission

Since its inception in 2021, 502 Film has been dedicated to growing the region’s film economy by attracting film and television productions and building the necessary supportive infrastructure, while also fostering an inclusive and collaborative local filmmaking community. The 502 Film Front Porch Film Lab furthers this mission by offering filmmakers from across Kentucky professional training and access to the national and international entertainment arena. Special emphasis will be placed on including underrepresented voices in the film industry in our Lab as well as current and former Governor’s School for the Arts participants and residents from zips codes 40202, 40203, 40208, 40210, 40211, 40212, 40213, 40214, 40215, 40216, 40218, and 40258.

Drawing on the cultural significance of the “front porch” in the American South, the Lab is envisioned as a welcoming, collaborative space—a place of comfort and inclusion designed to inspire some of the region’s best storytelling.

Program Goal

The 502 Film Front Porch Film Lab will support 8-10 emerging filmmaker teams (director and producer) currently residing in the state of Kentucky by giving them the tools to develop, produce, and bring their project to the exhibition space. 

Through professional and peer mentorship, workshopping and fostering connections with the local and broader filmmaking community, filmmakers selected for the Lab will walk away from the 10-day program with a deeper understanding of their story structure, themes and characters and how the business of film works, as well as having tangible next steps to move their projects forward. 

Program Content

502 Film is once again collaborating with Lab Consultant Lisa Hasko, who brings over 15 years of experience creating and implementing artist support programs for arts institutions like Los Angeles-based Film Independent and USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, who will work with our staff to identify key professionals and film executives to join the Front Porch Film Lab as mentors and guest speakers, including a script mentor, directing mentor and producing mentor. 

Each mentor will spend between 2-4 days with the group of Front Porch Film Fellows leading topic-focused sessions and workshopping individual projects collectively, with the projects receiving critical feedback from their mentors and peers. Guest speakers will join the lab periodically over the 10 days for masterclass sessions to infuse knowledge about specialized topics such as festival and distribution strategy, career and business advising and marketing and PR. 

Pitching is one of the most important business skills a filmmaker can develop, and Front Porch will support our Fellows by helping them craft a polished verbal project pitch, which they will present at a closing pitch event to a select audience of local community benefactors and investors and other strategic partners, followed by a reception to celebrate their completion of the lab.

The syllabus and schedule will be developed in collaboration with 502 Film, the Lab Consultant and each of the selected mentors in order to create a cohesive, thoughtful program experience for the Fellows that includes social bonding moments and cultural outings to enjoy all that Louisville has to offer.

Applicant Eligibility

  • Filmmaker teams must consist of a director and producer (2 filmmakers maximum).

  • Filmmakers must be residents of Kentucky as of application submission date through the Lab dates.

  • Must have a narrative script (30 page maximum, under 20 preferred)

  • Must be at least 18 years of age by the time of the Lab.

  • Selected teams must be physically present in Louisville for the duration of the Lab, October 11-23, 2026

Selection Process

Applications will be accepted through July 6th. All projects will then be reviewed by a committee of film industry organizations and professionals.

  • Between 15-20 shortlisted film teams will be interviewed to create the list of finalists

  • 8-10 projects will be selected to participate in the Lab

  • Filmmakers will be selected based on their proposed work, artistic vision, and career goals

  • Housing will be provided as well as a stipend of $1500 per team.

TIMELINE

  • May 29 – July 6: Application Open

  • July 6: Application Deadline

  • July 7 –  31: Application Review Period

  • End of July  – Projects Selected and Notified

  • October 11 – Fellows arrive - Group Dinner!

  • October 12 – October 23: 502 Film Front Porch Film Lab

Metrics of Success & Program Evaluation

Surveys will be distributed to the Fellows and Mentors at the end of the Lab and will collect both quantitative and qualitative data about the Fellows’ experience in the Lab. 502 Film will also track the careers of the Fellows over time to measure the successes of the projects they took through the Front Porch Film Lab specifically and other film and television projects they create as their careers progress.

Applications OPEN UNTIL JULY 6th!