GLOBAL INCLUSION WRITERS MENTORING PROGRAM
ViacomCBS
INFO: In its 17 years, over 100 emerging diverse writers have graduated from the ViacomCBS Global Inclusion Writers Mentoring Program. Over 80 careers have been launched. The goal of the program is to positively impact the presence of diverse writers throughout the industry.
There are many different paths writers can follow to get their first foothold in being hired in television. As part of its ongoing commitment to create additional access for writers of diverse backgrounds, ViacomCBS' Office of Global Inclusion has launched a different kind of writers program which highlights one of those paths.
The focus of this eight-month program is on opening doors: providing opportunities to build relationships with network executives and showrunners; to support new and emerging writers in their efforts to improve their craft; and to develop the interpersonal skills necessary to break in and succeed. The Writers Mentoring Program is not employment and there is no monetary compensation. It is, instead, a structured program of career development, support, and personal access to executives and the decision-making processes, with the goal of preparing aspiring writers for later employment opportunities in television.
Each participant will be teamed with a CBS network or studio executive with whom they will meet on a regular basis, to discuss their work, get creative feedback on their material and get advice and support in furthering their career.
Once a week, participants will be invited to attend a small workshop-style meeting with various CBS showrunners and other industry professionals. Speakers include executive producers, agents, managers, development and current executives and showrunners. The purpose of these gatherings is for participants to gain a better understanding of how the business works from many different perspectives as well as creating the opportunity to make critical networking connections.
Another important part of the program is the opportunity for each participant to spend time observing in a writers' room, as well as in the CBS current and/or development departments. Each participant will have help in creating a rigorous career action plan and there will be on-going support in evaluating and achieving those goals. Another important benefit of the program is the development of a close-knit peer support group that will sustain participants through the program and beyond. The ViacomCBS Global Inclusion Writers Mentoring Program helps aspiring writers to understand the unwritten rules of breaking in and moving up. It is a combination of mentoring and networking opportunities. Program opportunities such as mentoring, workshops, and observing can be scheduled around participants' existing work commitments.
In order for a participant to get the most out of the Program a meaningful commitment of time and effort are required. It has been found that in order to derive the greatest benefit from the program, participants should be available to:
Attend once a week (evening) workshops and,
Attend meetings or observe in various situations for a minimum of five full days (not necessarily in sequence) over the course of the eight-month program.
The primary focus of the ViacomCBS Global Inclusion Writers Mentoring Program is to provide access and opportunities for talented and motivated diverse writers. Aspiring diverse writers with a strong desire to write for CBS television series are encouraged to apply.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2020
https://www.viacbs.com/writers-mentoring-program
RODDENBERRY IMPACT AWARDS
The Roddenberry Foundation
INFO: In light of the global spread of COVID-19, the logistics of everyday life have changed drastically for so many. During these difficult times, there is a desire to return to "normal." It is important to remember, however, that for many communities "normal" was not yet equal or equitable. As we come out of this pandemic — and we will — we will have the unique opportunity to create a world that is more diverse, more equitable and more inclusive.
To accelerate this change, the Roddenberry Foundation in partnership with A Day of Unreasonable Conversation will grant ten $10K Roddenberry Impact Awards to ideas and projects that are making strides in one of the following areas: Inclusive Futures, Authentic Content Creation, and Increased Representation. Roddenberry Impact Awards will be granted to television content creators who are committed to - and have innovative ideas and approaches for - reimagining the processes for writing and telling stories that are more equitable and inclusive.
The awards were originally slated to be announced at A Day of Unreasonable Conversation in March 2020, but the event was postponed due to the global spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).
The Roddenberry Impact Awards submissions will be judged by industry leaders who have driven significant change through their own storytelling and leadership in the business. The esteemed panel of judges includes Daniel Dae Kim, Gloria Calderón Kellett, Sara Gilbert, Jaime Dávila, Sameer Gardezi, and Tanya Saracho.
Applications and criteria can be found at The Roddenberry Foundation's prize website and A Day of Unreasonable Conversation’s website UnreasonableConversation.org.
The awards are open for submission to all Writers Guild of America West, Writers Guild of America, East, Producers Guild of America, Directors Guild of America, and SAG-AFTRA members in active status.
DEADLINE: May 1, 2020
https://www.unreasonableconversation.org/roddenberry-impact-award
2021 Walt Disney Television Writing Program
INFO: The primary goal is to staff Program Writers on Walt Disney Television (WDT) series as staff writers during the program year. Staffing is not guaranteed. The twelve-month program is tentatively set to begin in February 2021 and end in February of the following year. Please note, time frames are subject to change. For the first few months of the Program, writers participate in a professional development curriculum designed to better prepare them for staffing consideration, including developing, writing, and polishing at least one (1) original pilot script to be used as a staffing sample. The Program also provides engagement with executives, producers and literary representatives, designed to facilitate relationships that can prove invaluable in developing a television writing career. Additional past activities have included: workshops led by veteran television writers, producers and Program alumni and networking mixers with executives.
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS: Applicants must be able to legally work in the United States and be at least twenty-one (21) years of age by December 1, 2020. Entertainment industry experience is not required but is strongly recommended. Those applying must fully complete an online application and submissions package, including uploading the following seven (7) items:
1) SCRIPT ONE: ORIGINAL PILOT SCRIPT capturing the writer’s unique tone, style and point of view. This sample must be live-action content; animation samples of any form are not accepted. This sample should tonally translate to the type of programming broadcast airing or streaming on WDT. This will be the primary script for consideration of your application. It cannot be changed or replaced after submission. This sample must not have been submitted in a previous application.
2) EXHIBIT “A”: SCRIPT ONE SUMMARY FORM
3) SCRIPT TWO: SECONDARY ORIGINAL PILOT SCRIPTcapturing the writer’s unique tone, style and point of view. This sample must be live-action content; animation samples of any form are not accepted. This sample should tonally translate to the type of programming broadcast airing or streaming on WDT. This sample may have been submitted in a previous application and will receive the same score as before.
4) EXHIBIT “B”: SCRIPT TWO SUMMARY FORM
5) RESUME (two pages or less) outlining chronological salaried employment (which may include entertainment and non-entertainment positions). Only list jobs or positions where compensation was received, with the exception of entertainment industry internships and full-time volunteer work at non-profits. Positions must have been held within the past 15 years. Please also list any courses or training you have taken to develop your craft as a writer. Please do not list undergraduate coursework.
6) STAFFING PITCH (no more than 250 words): “Pitch” yourself as a potential staff writer on a current series (broadcast, cable, or streaming) at WDT. Before completing this section, please make sure you have a solid command of the breadth of programming across WDT and Disney+, as well as the particular show you are pitching yourself for. In your pitch, please specify: 1) why you think you would be a good fit for the particular show you selected, 2) how you identify with that show (whether it’s through a character, series beat, series storyline, series location, premise, etc.), and 3) what you think you could add to this particular writers room. The pitch should address why you’re a fit, and not why you like the show or its impact.
7) PERSONAL ESSAY (no more than 500 words): a story from your life experience that conveys your unique perspective and/or multi-cultural sensibility.
SUBMISSION PERIOD: May 4 - June 5, 2020
Writers on the Verge
NBCUniversal
INFO: Writers on the Verge is a program focused on polishing writers and readying them for a staff writer position on a television series. We are looking for writers who are “almost there” but need that final bit of preparation with their writing and personal presentation skills. We particularly encourage writers of diverse backgrounds to apply.
The program will consist of weekly evening classes at NBCUniversal in Universal City, CA. Once accepted, students must attend all classes and turn in all written assignments.
Classes concentrate on creating exceptional material to enhance their portfolio, and understanding the dynamics of pitching oneself in the television industry. Writers are given the chance to interact with industry players ranging from network executives to show runners to agents and receive valuable feedback on their work and pitch style. Writing assignments on a NBCUniversal television show may be available after successful completion of the program but are not a guarantee. Past participants have gone on to series including “The Blacklist,” “Indebted,” “Community”, “Council of Dads”, “Brooklyn Nine-Nine”, “Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector”, “Chicago Fire” and “Parenthood.”
DEADLINE: May 10, 2020
http://www.nbcunitips.com/writers-on-the-verge/
Virtual TV Pilot Writing Workshop
@BenTheWritersRoom
INFO: @BenTheWritersRoom is an intimate 4-month, virtual TV pilot writing workshop for underrepresented writers of color and LGBTQ+ storytellers shepherded by writer, producer, and showrunner Ben Cory Jones. The goal of @BenTheWritersRoom is simple: to train and equip new writers with an expertly crafted script that not only meets current industry standards, but also serves as a viable calling card to forge their path as a professional writer.
In the workshop, writers will learn how to clearly and articulately pitch a series concept, structure and write a pilot, give and receive notes in a virtual writers’ room setting, and how table reads operate. They will also gain insight into what it takes for a series to be developed, produced, and run from the ground up. Every other work session, Ben Cory will invite a guest Showrunner to join the session. During the last 30-45 minutes of the meeting they will to speak to the writers, offering personal and invaluable insight into the business and the craft of writing.
At the end of the program, a panel of showrunners will read and evaluate scripts. The script which garners the highest rating will receive a “live” table read where their words will be brought to life by celebrity actors and actresses before a room of industry leaders in Los Angeles.
Who can apply?
Writers of all genres (comedy, drama or dramedy) and formats (playwriters, web-series creators, reality TV writers/producers, etc.) are welcome to apply. Requirements that must be met are as follow:
Applicant must be a writer of color or an LGBTQ+ writer
Applicant must be over the age of 25
Applicant must not have ever been paid or garnered profits as a professional writer in any capacity.
Application Materials:
A one-page bio (400 words max)
A one paragraph synopsis of a pilot/series based in a real life experience. The writer must also specify the show type (half-hour, hour-long, comedy, drama or dramedy) and the ideal network for their concept. (200 words max)
A one-page resume or CV
A link to one of the following: Instagram, Twitter, Facebook
Signed “Submission Agreement Form”
DEADLINE: May 20, 2020 at 5:00pm PST
https://benthewritersroom.com/
ABC DISCOVERS: TALENT SHOWCASE
ABC Discovers
iNFO: ABC Casting is seeking original scene submissions for our upcoming Talent Showcases. This is a one night event produced by the ABC Casting Department to showcase new talent to an invited industry audience. ABC has a long-standing commitment to promoting diversity in the entertainment industry through a variety of projects administered by the ABC Casting Department. The Talent Showcase offers an excellent opportunity for talent that might otherwise go unnoticed.
Since 2012, 64 new writers and 61 original scenes have been selected including 2011 NY Showcase Alum Jermaine Fowler who wrote and performed his original scene, Black Genie. Jermaine currently stars in the series Superior Donuts. In 2012, NY Showcase participant Andrew Law wrote and performed his original scene, Once We Go Black, went on to join Late Night with Seth Meyers as a staff writer, and currently writes on the series The Good Place. Selected writers will have an opportunity to meet with the Walt Disney Television’s Creative Talent Development & Inclusion Department.
Experience in writing for television, film, or theater is strongly recommended, but not required. Those submitting must provide a completed application package adhering to the guidelines listed below
DEADLINE: May 31, 2020
Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop
INFO: For over 40 years, the Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop has been the premier writing program for new writers looking to start and further their career in the world of television. The list of graduates who have gone on to do great things is long and includes showrunners: Jeff Astrof (Trial & Error), Marc Cherry (Desperate Housewives), Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (S.W.A.T.), Jenna Bans (Good Girls), and Joe Henderson (Lucifer), to name a few.
Every year, the Workshop selects up to eight participants out of more than 2,500 submissions and exposes them to Warner Bros. Television’s top writers and executives, all with the ultimate goal of earning them a staff position on a Warner Bros.-produced television show.
The Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop consists of three components, all geared towards preparing the writer for a successful career in television writing.
LECTURES: Weekly lectures feature guest speakers currently working in television and include a mix of showrunners, directors, actors and agents. Each seminar will teach a new skill essential for surviving and excelling in a writers’ room as a staff writer and beyond.
SIMULATED WRITERS’ ROOM: In the winter, the Workshop participants are divided into smaller groups for an intensive writing experience. Each participant will be required to complete a new spec script under the same deadlines typical for a show in production. How participants perform during this exercise will determine whether they will be supported for a possible staffing position on a Warner Bros. show. Yes, the stakes are that high!
STAFFING: Upon completion of the program, studio executives will help participants who pass the Writers’ Room obtain a staff position on a Warner Bros. Television show. We can’t guarantee you will get staffed, but we will get your material in front of the people who make the ultimate decisions – the showrunners.
The 2020-2021 Warner Bros. Television Writers’ Workshop will run October 2020 – March 2021, with meetings on the Warner Bros. lot in Burbank, California, one evening a week from 7 p.m.-10 p.m. Full participation is mandatory.
DEADLINE: May 31, 2020
https://televisionworkshop.warnerbros.com/writers-workshop/
TV PILOT CONTEST
Shore Scripts
INFO: WE HAVE HELPED LAUNCH THE CAREERS OF NUMEROUS WRITERS THROUGH OUR TV PILOT CONTEST. THIS INCLUDES DEALS WITH SONY, YOUTUBE, CBS, QUIBI & HULU.
OUR TV PILOT CONTEST IS SPLIT INTO 1/2 & 1HR CATEGORIES.
WE ACCEPT ALL GENRES. IT DOESN’T MATTER IF YOU HAVE A BIG BUDGET EPIC OR CONTAINED DRAMA, EACH TV PILOT IS JUDGED EQUALLY. WE, AND OUR ROSTER OF OVER 150 OF THE MOST RESPECTED FILMMAKERS IN THE INDUSTRY, ARE LOOKING FOR WRITERS WITH ORIGINAL VOICES.
DEADLINES & FEES:
Early: May 31, 2020 (1 hr $45 / 1/2 hr $40)
Regular: July 31, 2020 (1 hr $55 / 1/2 hr $50)
Late: August 31, 2020 (1 hr $65 / 1/2 hr $60)
https://www.shorescripts.com/tv/
HBOAccess Writing Fellowship
INFO: The HBOAccess Writing Fellowship is designed to give emerging, diverse writers the opportunity to develop a half-hour or hour script suitable for HBO or Cinemax.
The program will select up to 8 diverse writers or teams to take part in a series of master classes held over one week in August at the HBO campus in Santa Monica. Classes will consist of discussions with HBO executives and showrunners and will focus on the craft of writing including structure, story, and character as well as the business aspects of securing an agent and effective networking.
Each participant will then be paired with an HBO or Cinemax development executive who will serve as his/her mentor over the course of 10 months. Mentoring can be done remotely or in person pending whichever is logistically feasible. In addition, we will hold monthly group meetings during which projects will continue to be work-shopped. At the end of the program, HBO will hold a reception for industry professionals where the writers will be introduced to the entertainment community.
What is the submission process?
The submission portal will open on FilmFreeway on Wednesday, February 6, 2019 at 9am PST/12pm noon EST. The submission portal will close on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 9am PST/12pm noon EST.
Candidates are required to supply the following through the FilmFreeway portal:
• Resume or Bio
• A sample of your work (see below for types of scripts accepted)
• Answer to 2 short essay questions
• Agreement of terms and conditions
Will waivers be offered and accepted?
No late submissions will be accepted. No waivers will be offered.
What kind of material should I submit?
Submissions can be one of the following:
* An original scripted 1/2 hour comedy pilot
* An original 1 hour drama pilot
* A full length play
* 3 scripts for the same webseries
* A feature film screenplay
No specs of existing shows, short stories, novels, graphic novels, or blogs will be accepted.
Who is eligible to apply?
Any diverse writer, 21 or over, who meets our application requirements.
I am not 21 now, but what if I turn 21 by the time the program begins?
Feel free to apply if you are over 21 by the time the program starts in June.
What is the fellowship’s definition of diversity?
For the purposes of the HBOACCESS program, diversity is defined as those who identify their heritage as any of the following:
* Asian Pacific Islander
* Sub-Continent Asian
* Black
* LatinX or Hispanic
* Native American or Indigenous
* Middle Eastern
* Any and all People with Disabilities
* Those who identify as female
* Those who identify as transgender
How about LGBTQ?
If you also consider yourself to be a female or a person of color, then yes, feel free to apply.
DEADLINE: June 5, 2020
https://filmfreeway.com/HBO?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI2Inb7Lap5wIVhZ-zCh0WIwTtEAAYASAAEgLjT_D_BwE