Runner-Up Lesley Fera Signs with Manager Jeff Portnoy
August 9, 2023Lesley Fera, runner-up in the 2022 TV Writing Competition with her pilot Inconceivable, signed with manager Jeff Portnoy in summer 2023.

Lesley Fera’s creative work spans several mediums, including film, TV, and theatre. Her passion for screenwriting blossomed during her three-decade acting career, where she appeared in some of television’s biggest hits—including PRETTY LITTLE LIARS, 24, and SOUTHLAND. In 2018, she joined Bad Pitch Writers Lab, where her storytelling took flight. A “Black List Recommended” writer, Fera’s work centers on flawed souls with huge, wounded hearts whose lives are on the brink of a tectonic shift. Her writing has been recognized by Script Pipeline, Final Draft’s Big Break, Roadmap Writers, TrackingB, ScreenCraft, PAGE, and Stowe Story Labs. Fera has advanced in two network fellowships: NBC/Universal Launch TV Writers Program (Semifinalist) and Warner Brothers TV Workshop (Finalist). She has participated in two prestigious screenwriting labs—The Writers Lab (underwritten by Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman) and The Orchard Project Episodic Lab. Fera recently completed production on her first narrative short film, GRACE, starring Jamie Brewster and Samantha Sloyan, which she wrote, directed, and produced. She has a BA from CSU, Fullerton, and an MFA from Florida State University Asolo Conservatory. Fera is repped by Jeff Portnoy at Bellevue.
The 14th Annual First Look Project searches for higher-concept material across MULTIPLE categories for film and TV, introducing select writers to reps and producers.
2017 Screenwriting Competition winner Untitled Home Invasion Romance (formerly Getaway) was produced in the summer of 2024 and will release on January 27th, 2026. Jason Biggs (American Pie, Orange is the New Black) makes his directorial debut with the crime/comedy. Stars Anna Conkle (Pen15), Arturo Castro (Broad City), Meaghan Rath (Hawaii Five-o), and Justin H. […]
Just a few months after the contest announcement, 2025 Screenwriting semifinalist Nick Porisch signed with manager Jake Wagner (Alibi Management). Pipeline execs helped Nick develop his Semi-placing script Beautiful Morning prior to pitching direct to Jake. From Nick: “Working with Script Pipeline has been an incredible and super rewarding process. They’ve been helpful and supportive […]
A top 10 finalist in the 2023 Screenwriting Competition, Buzzkill by Colin McLaughlin is set to be produced! Joe Lynch will direct, with Billy Magnussen (Game Night) and Lulu Wilson (Becky) to star. Read more on Deadline. Colin's horror/comedy was lauded by Pipeline execs as "one of the freshest spins on a horror concept we've […]
