As part of Starz’s ongoing #TakeTheLead initiative to support inclusion behind the scenes as well as as onscreen, the network is launching a program to train scribes from historically excluded backgrounds in writing for premium cable.
The Starz #TakeTheLead Writers’ Intensive is a first-time partnership with the National Association of Latino Independent Producers and NewFilmmakers Los Angeles. Eligible participants must hail from a background that is traditionally underrepresented among television writers (which includes every race other than white). In order to ensure that participants are positioned to take maximum advantage of the program’s offerings, they must either have had at least one sole writing credit on a completed short or feature film that has been accepted into a film festival, or have a story department-related credit (such as writer’s assistant, staff writer, showrunner’s assistant, script coordinator) on a TV show.
“It’s incredibly important to have underrepresented writers from all backgrounds tell their own stories, and we are delighted to provide a great level of access through this new program,” Starz president of original programming Kathryn Busby said in a statement.
Ten writers will be selected to participate in phase one of the intensive, which will take place Aug. 22 to Sept. 16 and involve mentorship by industry professionals to help them develop an episode treatment and pitch. A jury will then select four of those writers to move forward to phase two, taking place from Oct. 3 to Nov. 4, in which they will write a full episode spec script, with support from industry executives and creatives.
“Through programs and partnerships such as these, NALIP advances its commitment to correcting the systemic underrepresentation and chronic misrepresentation of Latine and all BIPOC communities onscreen and behind the scenes,” NALIP chair Karla Pita Loor said in a statement.
Applications are due July 29 on the intensive’s Coverfly portal.
“Providing opportunities like the Starz #TakeTheLead Writers’ Intensive are central to the missions of NFMLA and NALIP. Both of our programs work throughout the year to cultivate opportunities for untapped talent, and we couldn’t be more excited to launch this premium TV writers program in partnership with Starz,” NFMLA co-founder and executive director Larry Laboe said in a statement. “The program combines education, access and a real shot at a writers’ room, and that is the kind of access that next-gen talent really needs.”
Source: Hollywood
