Oberlin Screenwriters Intensive Has Successful Third Year

This year marked the third cohort of the Oberlin Screenwriters Intensive (OSI), a program cofounded by Kieran Mulroney P ’21 and Michele Mulroney P ’21. Over the course of three days during the 2025 Winter Term, several seasoned Hollywood creatives converged on campus to serve as mentors and workshop the screenplays of eight Oberlin alums.

The Mulroneys, who are also part of the founding working group of Obiewood, a network helping Oberlin alumni establish connections with the entertainment industry at various levels, knew a writers conference made perfect sense for the college. “[It could be] a place where writers could come and be together, support one another, and dive deep into their material,” Kieran says.

The couple found eager partners among Oberlin faculty and staff; OSI cofounders include Laura Baudot, senior associate dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and an associate professor of English; Geoff Pingree, English and cinema studies professor; and Josh Sperling, assistant professor of cinema and media. 

The Mulroneys are well-qualified to oversee the intensive, given their extensive industry knowledge and writing experience in a career that’s found them writing 2011’s Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows and cowriting 2017’s Power Rangers, and working alongside acclaimed actors such as Emma Stone and Robert Downey Jr.

To Oberlin, they brought with them some fantastic mentors to help 2025 OSI participants delve deeper into their craft. These include writer/director Micah Schraft, known for such acclaimed series as The Morning Show and Jessica Jones; Academy Award-nominated writer Allison Schroeder, who penned the Best Picture nominee Hidden Figures; acclaimed screenwriter Julian Breece, who cowrote the Oscar-nominated Rustin; and decorated writer/producer Aïda Mashaka Croal, who has credits on Luke Cage and Outer Range.

These mentors serve as the heart and soul of the program. Every day, the OSI participants met with their mentors for two hours to revise and discuss their work and also met for a two-hour intensive class on various topics regarding the screenwriting process, including pitching, rewriting, writers rooms, and navigating the industry as a whole. 

Schraft praises the unique nature of the program. “There’s a lot of screenwriting programs, but there aren’t a lot of things like this,” he emphasizes. “It’s a lab where people come, and they’re mentored by people who just want to see them succeed.” 

The participants  aren’t the only ones benefiting from the intensive. Although they’re teaching the program, the mentors also view OSI as a learning opportunity. “When we get to do this, you get re-energized by the creativity of the fellows,” Kieran says. “You remember why you wanted to be a writer in the first place.” 

As of the 2025 edition, the screenwriters intensive is sponsored by Columbia Pictures. With this partnership, the studio has first look and last refusal of the scripts written by OSI participants.

“Obies who are seeking to make it as screenwriters will now have a chance to have a major studio look at their work,” says Baudot. “This incredible opportunity, and the generosity and dedication of OSI founding directors and mentors, speaks to the industry's appreciation of the talent and fresh perspectives our students and alumni bring.”

The eight fellows participating in OSI in 2025 include:

• Nico Carter ’11
• Andy Fidoten ’18
• Dino Lepore ’21
• Liam Oznowich ’17
• Diona Reasonover '06
• Havi Saltz ’23
• Leander Nora Sharp ’09
• LJ Shulman Templin ’23

You can read about their scripts here and more about Obiewood and OSI in this Spring 2023 Oberlin Alumni Magazine feature. 

Application for the 2026 OSI Screenwriters Intensive, which is taking place January 15-17, 2026, will open up August 1 with a September 15 deadline for submission. More information about the application process is available on the OSI website.