Exclusive: The Black List and Google today revealed the four writers who were selected as the inaugural Black List x YouTube Originals Black Voices Creator Fellows. The recipients are Beverly Chukwu, Shannon Hawkins, Brandon Hines, and Duchant Johnson. More information about the Fellows is below.
The Black Voices Fellowship provides financial grants and creative support to writers in developing proofs of concept for a television show pitch. Each Fellow will receive $40,000 each for the purpose of producing a proof of concept and developing a pitch for their television series that authentically reflects the Black experience.
The Black List and Google also pair each fellowship recipient with one showrunner mentor and two additional writer mentors. This year’s showrunner mentors are Monica Owusu-Breen (Alias), Owen Smith (Blask-ish), Aaron Rashaan Thomas (Friday Night Lights), and Larry Wilmore (Insecure). Additional writer mentors included Kay Oyegun (This Is Us), Karen Joseph Adcock (The Bear...
The Black Voices Fellowship provides financial grants and creative support to writers in developing proofs of concept for a television show pitch. Each Fellow will receive $40,000 each for the purpose of producing a proof of concept and developing a pitch for their television series that authentically reflects the Black experience.
The Black List and Google also pair each fellowship recipient with one showrunner mentor and two additional writer mentors. This year’s showrunner mentors are Monica Owusu-Breen (Alias), Owen Smith (Blask-ish), Aaron Rashaan Thomas (Friday Night Lights), and Larry Wilmore (Insecure). Additional writer mentors included Kay Oyegun (This Is Us), Karen Joseph Adcock (The Bear...
- 2/9/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Will Packer Media and Kinetic Content are developing Tia Williams’ Seven Days in June as a series for Prime Video, with Felicia Pride serving as writer and showrunner.
Pride will also executive produce the project through her production company Honey Chile, along with Will Packer and Sabrina Wind through Will Packer Media. Williams will also EP, while Honey Chile’s Ivy Grant will serve as a consultant.
Seven Days in June was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick in June 2021 and a New York Times bestseller. Named best book by several publications including USA Today, Harper’s Bazaar and the Los Angeles Times, the novel is a BookTok favorite and has been heralded as “gutting, arousing, and sparklingly witty” by Vogue Entertainment.
Williams’ fourth novel The Perfect Find was adapted into the 2023 film starring Gabrielle Union that debuted on Netflix. Her upcoming novel A Love Song for Ricki Wilde,...
Pride will also executive produce the project through her production company Honey Chile, along with Will Packer and Sabrina Wind through Will Packer Media. Williams will also EP, while Honey Chile’s Ivy Grant will serve as a consultant.
Seven Days in June was a Reese Witherspoon Book Club pick in June 2021 and a New York Times bestseller. Named best book by several publications including USA Today, Harper’s Bazaar and the Los Angeles Times, the novel is a BookTok favorite and has been heralded as “gutting, arousing, and sparklingly witty” by Vogue Entertainment.
Williams’ fourth novel The Perfect Find was adapted into the 2023 film starring Gabrielle Union that debuted on Netflix. Her upcoming novel A Love Song for Ricki Wilde,...
- 2/7/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Humanitas, the organization that annually honors film and television writers whose work best explores the human condition, has revealed its 2023 winners.
Among the prizewinners is Craig Mazin, who scripted Season 1 The Last of Us episode “Long Long Time” that starred Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. Mazin won in the Drama Teleplay category, beating out fellow semifinalists that included Peter Gould who was up for the series-finale episode of Better Call Saul.
Other Humanitas category winners in TV included Amy Sherman-Palladino for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Comedy Teleplay), and Tony Phelan & Joan Rater for the pilot of A Small Light in Limited Series.
On the movie side, winners included Tyler Perry for his Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues in the Drama Feature Film category, over Rebecca Lenkiewicz for She Said and Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu for Till. Cooper Raiff won Comedy Feature Film for his indie Cha Cha Real Smooth,...
Among the prizewinners is Craig Mazin, who scripted Season 1 The Last of Us episode “Long Long Time” that starred Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. Mazin won in the Drama Teleplay category, beating out fellow semifinalists that included Peter Gould who was up for the series-finale episode of Better Call Saul.
Other Humanitas category winners in TV included Amy Sherman-Palladino for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Comedy Teleplay), and Tony Phelan & Joan Rater for the pilot of A Small Light in Limited Series.
On the movie side, winners included Tyler Perry for his Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues in the Drama Feature Film category, over Rebecca Lenkiewicz for She Said and Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu for Till. Cooper Raiff won Comedy Feature Film for his indie Cha Cha Real Smooth,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s Humanitas Prizes for screenwriting, usually handed out at Beverly Hilton ceremony, were announced via the Los Angeles Times this year in solidarity with the unions on strike, including the Unite Here Local 11 hospitality workers. And on top of awarding shows like The Last of Us and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Humanitas, an organization founded in 1974, also honored the striking Writers Guild of America itself with its “Voice for Change” award. Past winners of that award have included Ava DuVernay and Kenya Barris.
Humanitas’ mission is to tell “stories that explore the human experience because we believe that the act of acknowledging our common humanity is transformational.” With that in mind, this year the organization’s winners include The Last of Us‘ Craig Mazin for the teleplay for the emotional and critically lauded episode “Long, Long Time” in the drama television category. In the comedy equivalent, Amy Sherman-Palladino...
Humanitas’ mission is to tell “stories that explore the human experience because we believe that the act of acknowledging our common humanity is transformational.” With that in mind, this year the organization’s winners include The Last of Us‘ Craig Mazin for the teleplay for the emotional and critically lauded episode “Long, Long Time” in the drama television category. In the comedy equivalent, Amy Sherman-Palladino...
- 8/15/2023
- by Esther Zuckerman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ask a writer how they paid the bills before the Writers Guild of America went on strike, a work stoppage that Wednesday passed the 100-day mark, and the answers might vary from “developing a television show” to “finishing a feature rewrite.” These days, however, as the writers strike halts film and TV productions for fairer compensation, contracts and working conditions for its 11,000 plus members, even established writers are taking to Etsy to help pay the bills or teaching to keep storytelling skills sharp (and in so doing, ironically, they’re trying to help aspiring writers get a leg up in their careers). These four established writers — who are in complete support of the WGA — have each taken leaps as entrepreneurs, reshaping their skill sets into viable side hustle businesses, in light of the risk of no guaranteed income in the foreseeable future.
Leila Cohan
As the writers strike passes 100 days,...
Leila Cohan
As the writers strike passes 100 days,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Cori Murray
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Starz’s #TakeTheLead Writers’ Intensive has revealed the 10 participants selected from 500 applicants for phase one kicking off on August 22nd.
The finalists are Corey Dashuan, Gabby Revilla Lugo, Ida Yazdi, John Lowe, Jorge Thomson, Naiyah Ambros, Nzinga Kemp, Raymond Arturo Perez, and Tennessee Martin. The cohort includes writers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and captures the kind of inclusivity that Starz celebrates in its programming, talent, and throughout its organization.
The program gives the finalists access to industry insiders including Starz executives Kathryn Busby, Kathryn Tyus-Adair, Giovanna Desselle, Sebastian Arboleda, and Jordan Lippetz; Jairo Alvarado and Tony Gil of Redefine Entertainment; Molly Breeskin of Gina Rodriguez’s I Can and I Will Productions; Gary Lennon, showrunner of Starz’s Power Book IV: Force, Kelly Goode at Warner Bros. Television; Lauren Jane Holland at Creative Artists Agency; Felicia Pride, writer and producer of Grey’s Anatomy. Serving as advisors,...
The finalists are Corey Dashuan, Gabby Revilla Lugo, Ida Yazdi, John Lowe, Jorge Thomson, Naiyah Ambros, Nzinga Kemp, Raymond Arturo Perez, and Tennessee Martin. The cohort includes writers from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds and captures the kind of inclusivity that Starz celebrates in its programming, talent, and throughout its organization.
The program gives the finalists access to industry insiders including Starz executives Kathryn Busby, Kathryn Tyus-Adair, Giovanna Desselle, Sebastian Arboleda, and Jordan Lippetz; Jairo Alvarado and Tony Gil of Redefine Entertainment; Molly Breeskin of Gina Rodriguez’s I Can and I Will Productions; Gary Lennon, showrunner of Starz’s Power Book IV: Force, Kelly Goode at Warner Bros. Television; Lauren Jane Holland at Creative Artists Agency; Felicia Pride, writer and producer of Grey’s Anatomy. Serving as advisors,...
- 8/16/2022
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Isaiah (Kofi Siriboe) and Stevie (Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing) don’t meet cute in “Really Love.” They meet with understated beauty, at a time in their lives when ardor and connection will be tested by the dreams each has harbored for much of their lives. He’s a talented painter watching other art school classmates get representation and gallery shows. She’s in the last year of law school and sure to be courted by elite firms.
For her debut feature, director Angel Kristi Williams doesn’t make it easy on her protagonists. And her deliberateness of vision, trust in story and clear-eyed empathy suggest she’s a talent to keep track of. For their restrained yet smoldering performances, the two lead actors received a special jury acting prize at the 2020 SXSW film festival.
Stevie and Isaiah first connect at a gallery opening in front of a large painting of a woman.
For her debut feature, director Angel Kristi Williams doesn’t make it easy on her protagonists. And her deliberateness of vision, trust in story and clear-eyed empathy suggest she’s a talent to keep track of. For their restrained yet smoldering performances, the two lead actors received a special jury acting prize at the 2020 SXSW film festival.
Stevie and Isaiah first connect at a gallery opening in front of a large painting of a woman.
- 11/24/2021
- by Lisa Kennedy
- Variety Film + TV
In September of 2020, I came across a tweet from Felicia Pride about the premiere of her feature film, a romantic drama entitled Really Love. At the time, I'd known Pride for her short film Tender about two women having an intimate morning after a one night stand. What stopped me during this aimless social media scroll in particular, was the feature's poster. Actor Kofi Siriboe - who has actually taken my breath away in real life - was pictured embracing the utterly stunning Yootha Wong-Loi-Sing, whom I recognized from Mara Brock Akil's Love Is. I was immediately smitten.
Pride wrote, "So proud that Really Love is premiering at AFI Fest's Special Presentations. Filmmaking is not for the faint of heart. And this baby was determined to teach us all the things and challenge us like firstborns do. Grateful to have learned a different kind of perseverance and steadfastness to a mission bigger than you.
Pride wrote, "So proud that Really Love is premiering at AFI Fest's Special Presentations. Filmmaking is not for the faint of heart. And this baby was determined to teach us all the things and challenge us like firstborns do. Grateful to have learned a different kind of perseverance and steadfastness to a mission bigger than you.
- 8/25/2021
- by Mya Abraham
- Popsugar.com
Exclusive: On Thursday, Film Independent and The Loyola Marymount University School of Film and Television announced the launch of a new screenwriter mentorship program, on which they’ve teamed up.
The Loyola Marymount University/Film Independent Story Development Residency is bringing together a select group of Lmu alumni to develop either a feature-length, narrative screenplay or an episodic series over the course of eight months, with guidance from professional screenwriters. During their time with the program, Residents will be advised on best practices for pitching and developing stories from a producing perspective. They will also take away practical working knowledge of the film industry and market, in a 2021 post-pandemic environment.
Screenwriter/producers speaking at, or serving as mentors for the program this year include NAACP Image Award winner Shernold Edwards (A Day Late and a Dollar Short), Jennifer Glickman, Emmy winner Mike Makowsky...
The Loyola Marymount University/Film Independent Story Development Residency is bringing together a select group of Lmu alumni to develop either a feature-length, narrative screenplay or an episodic series over the course of eight months, with guidance from professional screenwriters. During their time with the program, Residents will be advised on best practices for pitching and developing stories from a producing perspective. They will also take away practical working knowledge of the film industry and market, in a 2021 post-pandemic environment.
Screenwriter/producers speaking at, or serving as mentors for the program this year include NAACP Image Award winner Shernold Edwards (A Day Late and a Dollar Short), Jennifer Glickman, Emmy winner Mike Makowsky...
- 5/27/2021
- by Patrick Hipes and Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Will Packer Productions (Wpp) and writer Felicia Pride are teaming up for a new romantic drama, set in the world of collegiate track and field.
The project, titled “Like It’s the Last,” comes from an original idea from Pride, who will also write the script.
Will Packer will produce the film on behalf of his eponymous production company alongside Wpp motion picture president James Lopez. The new film marks the second teaming between the trio, who also have the erotic drama “Deeper” in development with Universal.
Pride and Wpp’s Johanna Byer will serve as executive producers.
Packer’s production company has a long history of mainstream theatrical success, with a box office haul of more than $1 billion dollars. The company also boasts ten films that have opened at number one, including “Night School” and “Girls Trip,” which were the top grossing comedies of 2017 and 2018 respectively. Other Will Packer Productions films include “The Photograph,...
The project, titled “Like It’s the Last,” comes from an original idea from Pride, who will also write the script.
Will Packer will produce the film on behalf of his eponymous production company alongside Wpp motion picture president James Lopez. The new film marks the second teaming between the trio, who also have the erotic drama “Deeper” in development with Universal.
Pride and Wpp’s Johanna Byer will serve as executive producers.
Packer’s production company has a long history of mainstream theatrical success, with a box office haul of more than $1 billion dollars. The company also boasts ten films that have opened at number one, including “Night School” and “Girls Trip,” which were the top grossing comedies of 2017 and 2018 respectively. Other Will Packer Productions films include “The Photograph,...
- 4/13/2021
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Will Packer and James Lopez are developing Like It’s the Last, a romantic drama set in the world of collegiate track & field, from Grey’s Anatomy and Queen Sugar writer Felicia Pride. Packer and Lopez will produce the project via the Will Packer Productions banner.
Johanna Byer of Wpp and Pride will serve as executive producers on Like It’s the Last.
This marks the second collaboration between Packer, Lopez, and Pride as the trio has previously teamed on Deeper, an erotic romance film, which is set up at Universal.
Pride most recently co-wrote the MacRo drama, Really Love, which premiered at last year’s SXSW festival. She is repped by Industry Entertainment, UTA, and Ritholz Levy Sanders Chidekel & Fields.
Wpp’s upcoming slate includes a biopic of Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl, as well as Oracle, psychological horror starring Ryan Destiny and Heather Graham,...
Johanna Byer of Wpp and Pride will serve as executive producers on Like It’s the Last.
This marks the second collaboration between Packer, Lopez, and Pride as the trio has previously teamed on Deeper, an erotic romance film, which is set up at Universal.
Pride most recently co-wrote the MacRo drama, Really Love, which premiered at last year’s SXSW festival. She is repped by Industry Entertainment, UTA, and Ritholz Levy Sanders Chidekel & Fields.
Wpp’s upcoming slate includes a biopic of Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to win the Super Bowl, as well as Oracle, psychological horror starring Ryan Destiny and Heather Graham,...
- 4/13/2021
- by Amanda N'Duka
- Deadline Film + TV
Sports drama Like It’s the Last from Queen Sugar writer Felicia Pride is in development with mega-producer Will Packer.
Pride will pen the screenplay for the project that is set in the world of collegiate track and field.
Packer and Will Packer Production president James Lopez will produce, with Will Packer’s Johanna Byer and Pride executive producing. Packer and Lopez are developing another college-set sports drama, One and Done, which is set at Universal.
Pride is currently working with the banner on Deeper, an erotic romance in development with Universal. The writer, whose other credits include Grey’s Anatomy and upcoming feature Really Love, is repped by UTA and ...
Pride will pen the screenplay for the project that is set in the world of collegiate track and field.
Packer and Will Packer Production president James Lopez will produce, with Will Packer’s Johanna Byer and Pride executive producing. Packer and Lopez are developing another college-set sports drama, One and Done, which is set at Universal.
Pride is currently working with the banner on Deeper, an erotic romance in development with Universal. The writer, whose other credits include Grey’s Anatomy and upcoming feature Really Love, is repped by UTA and ...
- 4/13/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Sports drama Like It’s the Last from Queen Sugar writer Felicia Pride is in development with mega-producer Will Packer.
Pride will pen the screenplay for the project that is set in the world of collegiate track and field.
Packer and Will Packer Production president James Lopez will produce, with Will Packer’s Johanna Byer and Pride executive producing. Packer and Lopez are developing another college-set sports drama, One and Done, which is set at Universal.
Pride is currently working with the banner on Deeper, an erotic romance in development with Universal. The writer, whose other credits include Grey’s Anatomy and upcoming feature Really Love, is repped by UTA and ...
Pride will pen the screenplay for the project that is set in the world of collegiate track and field.
Packer and Will Packer Production president James Lopez will produce, with Will Packer’s Johanna Byer and Pride executive producing. Packer and Lopez are developing another college-set sports drama, One and Done, which is set at Universal.
Pride is currently working with the banner on Deeper, an erotic romance in development with Universal. The writer, whose other credits include Grey’s Anatomy and upcoming feature Really Love, is repped by UTA and ...
- 4/13/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Spoiler alert. The story includes details about the December 17 episodes of ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19.
ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 wrapped their fall runs tonight with a crossover storyline that revisited the topic of human trafficking with Opal making a return. In Station 19, the crew, off duty, step in to help a Black mother who is standing in front of a house, convinced that her teenager daughter and her friend are being held inside after she tracked the girl’s fitness bracelet. She had called the police but, after being brushed off, she took things into her own hands. Led by Dean, who has a daughter himself, the group try to help but the house owner, a middle-aged white man, denies that there are any girls inside and would not allow them to go in and check. Two white cops finally arrive but turns...
ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and Station 19 wrapped their fall runs tonight with a crossover storyline that revisited the topic of human trafficking with Opal making a return. In Station 19, the crew, off duty, step in to help a Black mother who is standing in front of a house, convinced that her teenager daughter and her friend are being held inside after she tracked the girl’s fitness bracelet. She had called the police but, after being brushed off, she took things into her own hands. Led by Dean, who has a daughter himself, the group try to help but the house owner, a middle-aged white man, denies that there are any girls inside and would not allow them to go in and check. Two white cops finally arrive but turns...
- 12/18/2020
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Spoiler Alert: Do not read if you have not yet watched “Out of Control” and No Time for Despair,” the Dec. 17 episodes of “Station 19” and “Grey’s Anatomy,” respectively.
As 2020 has brought upon more issues than seem possibly manageable — from the unprecedented health crisis amid the pandemic to the murder of George Floyd — the midseason crossover finale event for Shondaland’s ABC drama “Station 19” and “Grey’s Anatomy” mirrored the state of the world, shining a light on the Black Lives Matters movement, sex trafficking and the spiking surge in Covid-19 cases flooding hospitals across the U.S.
It started on “Station 19,” in an episode title “Out of Control” that saw two teenage Black girls abducted and kept captive in a white man’s home.
A team of white, male police officers were called to the scene, but they refused to enter the home, saying they showed up because...
As 2020 has brought upon more issues than seem possibly manageable — from the unprecedented health crisis amid the pandemic to the murder of George Floyd — the midseason crossover finale event for Shondaland’s ABC drama “Station 19” and “Grey’s Anatomy” mirrored the state of the world, shining a light on the Black Lives Matters movement, sex trafficking and the spiking surge in Covid-19 cases flooding hospitals across the U.S.
It started on “Station 19,” in an episode title “Out of Control” that saw two teenage Black girls abducted and kept captive in a white man’s home.
A team of white, male police officers were called to the scene, but they refused to enter the home, saying they showed up because...
- 12/18/2020
- by Elizabeth Wagmeister
- Variety Film + TV
As Sonya Winton-Odamtten and Jonathan Kidd put the finishing touches on their upcoming adaptation of Matt Ruff’s novel Lovecraft Country, the writing duo saw the coronavirus pandemic unfold and felt they needed to jump into action. They teamed with the non-profit Frontline Foods to launch the #FeedBCHW Challenge, which supports health care workers in underserved Black neighborhoods.
The pair organized over forty Black creators in Hollywood for the challenge including Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, Robine Thede (Black Lady Sketch Show), Ayanna Floyd (The Chi), Anthony Sparks (Queen Sugar), Tracy Oliver (The First Wives Club), JaSheika James and JaNeika James (Empire), Yolanda E. Lawrence (Empire), Erika Green (New Amsterdam), Rashaan Dozier Escalante (Seal Team), Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (S.W.A.T.), Jamie Turner (All American), Maisha Closson (The L Word), Ubah Mohamed (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Erica Butler (Greenleaf), Felicia Pride (Queen Sugar), Ben Watkins, Erika Johnson (Americanah), among many others.
Winton-Odamtten said that the roster of Black creatives have helped feed hospitals all across the country from L.A. to Kansas City. “We’re just going to continue every week,” she said. “In addition to the 40 writers, we have a total of 31 donors who donated to the cause. We’ve had massive support around this.”
As co-executive producers of Lovecraft Country, which debuts in August, the two signed a two-year overall deal with HBO and have a resume of impressive TV credits, but as former Columbia University and UCLA college professors and with PhDs in African American Studies from Yale, the two bring insight to the current pandemic. In addition to talking to Deadline about what inspired them to start the #FeedBCHW Challenge, Winton-Odamtten and Kidd unpacked how the pandemic is a repeat of history when it comes to the disproportionate impact on communities of color and how this will affect inclusive storytelling in Hollywood.
Deadline: When the pandemic start to become more present in the United States, what was your initial reaction and did you see the disproportionate impact against people of color on the horizon?
Sonya Winton-Odamtten: I started tracking the stories about Covid-19 in Wuhan in January. And, the reality is that we live in a global society. So, this notion that somehow it’s happening over there and not in my backyard, that doesn’t really exist. [Jonathan] and I are students of African-American history, so we’d get looked at the impact on health disparities historically in African-American communities. And so, the question of whether or not an actual pandemic was to emerge and arrive on our shores, we already knew what the narrative was going to become as related to African-American communities, particularly those that are disenfranchised and underserved because you have higher rates of certain chronic diseases in those communities and, coupled with that, you have also health disparities in terms of resources that hospitals in those communities possess. You also have a history of systemic racism where an individual who is a black or brown person is not being served on the same level by the healthcare officials. All of those things have been historically proven and adequately researched.
Deadline: What can we learn from history when it comes to health crises?
Winton-odamtten: We’ve lived through eight public health crises, to some extent, which is HIV and AIDS. People forget that that initially was called a white, gay man’s disease. But, if one was a student of history, they could have projected exactly where we ended up, which are, the numbers have paled out, unfortunately, that poor, African-American communities and Latinos are both communities who are disproportionately impacted by that disease.
If you’re a student of history, you can also forecast. We knew it was going to happen. A lot of the ridiculous conversations that Black people couldn’t actually contract it initially was just so mind-boggling. I was like, why are we even engaging in that conversation when, in fact, we should be preparing and hunkering down?
Deadline: What made both you jump into action and start #FeedBCHW?
Winton-odamtten: [Jonathan] and I were on a call and we said, “well, we should be feeding, providing resources to those hospitals that are in underserved Black communities because there we can have an impact.” We want them to know that we have their backs and that they’re supported, but we also want to give them one less thing to worry about. The throes of the day when they’re surrounded by grieving families and failing health. That is my perspective of how we’ve gotten here.
Deadline: How do you think this pandemic speaks to the bigger picture and how events like these impact communities of color?
Jonathan Kidd: To me, people talk about Covid and the way in which it’s ravaging a community, but I feel like it speaks to a broader conversation. In terms of the core-morbidities that people have, in particular, issues around the Department of Justice. We talk about the Flint Water Crisis, but we don’t talk about the new garbage dump they’re building and there’s going to be particulates in the air that cause asthma. Where do they put that? They put that in poor communities of color, for the most part. Look at how highways have been built. There’s a highway here in L.A. right next to a high school. That’s not in Beverly Hills. That’s not in Calabasas. Again, impacting people of color.
If you look at food deserts in urban areas, food deserts cause diabetes because all you’re eating are Cheetos and drinking Fanta. You know what I mean? We were just talking yesterday… being a vegan is expensive. Healthy food is expensive. And so, if you don’t have access to these things, then it’s like, “Oh, I have diabetes. I have asthma, hypertension.” Then I’m more susceptible to Covid. So, I feel like it’s also part of a broader conversation we want to have about health and wellness and how we as a society can treat people better in terms of better access to healthy food. In terms of not putting waste dumps in the middle of communities. Not having lead paint so kids have brain damage because they’re eating lead paint that should have been banned in 1973.
Deadline: It is clear that all communities of color are being impacted on all fronts. As you pointed out, Black and Latinx communities are being disproportionately affected but we have seen the increase in harassment against Asian Americans. How important do you think allyship is in this pandemic and, not only within marginalized communities but with white communities?
Winton-odamtten: Our former agent is a Chinese-American brother… we called him and said be careful out there. He got a little quiet and I said, “Dude, the pendulum has swung.” The president of the United States, presidential aides are calling it “Kung-Flu” in the White House. It’s unapologetically white-supremacy at its finest. The “model minority” is thrown out the window. It’s forever changed. It’s gone. I told him to check on his family and to make sure that they understand that, if they step out of the house, that they are aware of their surroundings and if they’re being followed.
I called [Nancy Drew showrunner] Melinda Hsu-Taylor — she’s like our big sister — and told be careful out there. She lives on the west side [of L.A.] and she said there hasn’t been any verbal statements made, but she could feel the shift.
As historians, it’s very hard to not live also in the future. I’m having a conversation with you about alliance-building, but I’m also living 10 years ahead, because, again, we can see where this is going. [Jonathan] and I have always warned people about the pendulum swing. You can look at it historically. One moment, you are the “model minority” and then they’re calling it “Kung-Flu” and they don’t give a fuck about that “model minority” status.
Everybody always falls out of favor. With the exception of white, straight, rich masculinity — we’re talking about our president — rarely does anyone else get a pass to make a mistake, to be of error, to be part of a group where an individual has digressed. Rarely does that happen. We don’t call all white men serial killers. We don’t….although, they make up the majority of serial killers.
In terms of your specific question about alliance-building, I haven’t seen it. But, part of that is because, again, our living in a bubble right now. We’re launching and developing our other shows. My alliances have come in my personal relationships.
Kidd: Looking forward, it’s about not forgetting this moment. I think that’s what’s important. The initial title of my dissertation was “Nation in Contagion” and it was basically how religion, disease, otherness all contribute to the power gangs. So, if you look at Jews, Catholics, and White Women in 1600s, they were seen as witches. In Shakespeare they were seen as witches. The same conversation happened about captive Africans — they’re pagans. People said “They’re going to fuck all our women! They’re going to steal all our shit!” Same thing said about Native Americans. If you look at 9/11, or actually HIV-aids in the 80s, hemophiliacs, homosexuals, hypodermic drug users, and Haitians — it’s the same conversation. There was an assumption that Haitian boat people were bringing their disease and that AIDS because they practice voodoo. With 9/11 and Muslims, it’s the same thing. We got to ban the Muslims from coming into this country. Same story with immigrants from the American South.
These immigrants are coming in are stereotypically against abortion and against gay marriage and republicans are saying they don’t when them to come over? Why? That’s your base!
It doesn’t make sense. For me the thing that’s fascinating is in every single conversation, it’s the same language being used. So, for those in the Asian-American community, there was a time when people got beat up because they were mad because there were Chinese workers working on the railroads. Then there’s the stereotype of the Chinese laundromat. They got burnt out of laundromats, right? People also forget about Japanese internment camps during WWII. Asian American identity itself is based on a hate crime.
Deadline: How do you think the pandemic will affect the movement toward diversity and equity in Hollywood? Do you think it will hinder or help?
Kidd: Maybe I sound optimistic and I’m delusional, but I feel like Covid, in terms of work, is kind of an equalizer. You still have to go through insurance. You still have to secure your location in terms of health and wellness. You still have to make sure your cast is comfortable getting on set. You still have to have content. You still have to have people writing stuff. You still have to have directors who direct with a vision. I feel like it shifts and adds a lot of complications in terms of prep and in terms of being in production, but I feel like the great equalizer that is cable TV, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max — we’re going to need a lot of content.
I don’t fear… Sonya and I have an obsession with TV shows set in Africa. That’s part of our long-term plan. We just love storytelling. I think that, again, there’s always the opportunity for disparate treatment where sexism, racism, homophobia can come into play and in terms of people making money or not making money, but I feel like the upswing that we’ve seen in terms of access is going to remain because it’s money-driven. Crazy Rich Asians was a hit. People are like, “Shit, let’s make another one!” It’s like The Game — when it went to Bet, it was a game-changer. They got eight million eyeballs on Bet and people were like, “Oh my gosh, what?!” Then you have Being Mary Jane, Scandal — now, all of a sudden, we’re in the middle of a Black Renaissance.
Winton-odamtten: I’m also optimistic. For me, the broader conversation is how do creators address or directly speak to this pandemic that we’re having? How does one do it and make it nuanced? Because who wants a spot-on version of the one we’ve been living? It gives people popcorn ideas to chew on in the form of comedy and procedurals. I do think that it’s going to be a challenge for drama writers who are from historically marginalized communities to then take the question around identity politics and put it within the construct of the conversation of what a pandemic looks like. I think that this is an opportunity for us to sit for a second, self-reflect, and then figure out, how do we elevate it by putting ourselves at the center of it.
For more information on how to donate to #FeedBCHW click here.
The pair organized over forty Black creators in Hollywood for the challenge including Jordan Peele’s Monkeypaw Productions, Robine Thede (Black Lady Sketch Show), Ayanna Floyd (The Chi), Anthony Sparks (Queen Sugar), Tracy Oliver (The First Wives Club), JaSheika James and JaNeika James (Empire), Yolanda E. Lawrence (Empire), Erika Green (New Amsterdam), Rashaan Dozier Escalante (Seal Team), Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (S.W.A.T.), Jamie Turner (All American), Maisha Closson (The L Word), Ubah Mohamed (DC’s Legends of Tomorrow), Erica Butler (Greenleaf), Felicia Pride (Queen Sugar), Ben Watkins, Erika Johnson (Americanah), among many others.
Winton-Odamtten said that the roster of Black creatives have helped feed hospitals all across the country from L.A. to Kansas City. “We’re just going to continue every week,” she said. “In addition to the 40 writers, we have a total of 31 donors who donated to the cause. We’ve had massive support around this.”
As co-executive producers of Lovecraft Country, which debuts in August, the two signed a two-year overall deal with HBO and have a resume of impressive TV credits, but as former Columbia University and UCLA college professors and with PhDs in African American Studies from Yale, the two bring insight to the current pandemic. In addition to talking to Deadline about what inspired them to start the #FeedBCHW Challenge, Winton-Odamtten and Kidd unpacked how the pandemic is a repeat of history when it comes to the disproportionate impact on communities of color and how this will affect inclusive storytelling in Hollywood.
Deadline: When the pandemic start to become more present in the United States, what was your initial reaction and did you see the disproportionate impact against people of color on the horizon?
Sonya Winton-Odamtten: I started tracking the stories about Covid-19 in Wuhan in January. And, the reality is that we live in a global society. So, this notion that somehow it’s happening over there and not in my backyard, that doesn’t really exist. [Jonathan] and I are students of African-American history, so we’d get looked at the impact on health disparities historically in African-American communities. And so, the question of whether or not an actual pandemic was to emerge and arrive on our shores, we already knew what the narrative was going to become as related to African-American communities, particularly those that are disenfranchised and underserved because you have higher rates of certain chronic diseases in those communities and, coupled with that, you have also health disparities in terms of resources that hospitals in those communities possess. You also have a history of systemic racism where an individual who is a black or brown person is not being served on the same level by the healthcare officials. All of those things have been historically proven and adequately researched.
Deadline: What can we learn from history when it comes to health crises?
Winton-odamtten: We’ve lived through eight public health crises, to some extent, which is HIV and AIDS. People forget that that initially was called a white, gay man’s disease. But, if one was a student of history, they could have projected exactly where we ended up, which are, the numbers have paled out, unfortunately, that poor, African-American communities and Latinos are both communities who are disproportionately impacted by that disease.
If you’re a student of history, you can also forecast. We knew it was going to happen. A lot of the ridiculous conversations that Black people couldn’t actually contract it initially was just so mind-boggling. I was like, why are we even engaging in that conversation when, in fact, we should be preparing and hunkering down?
Deadline: What made both you jump into action and start #FeedBCHW?
Winton-odamtten: [Jonathan] and I were on a call and we said, “well, we should be feeding, providing resources to those hospitals that are in underserved Black communities because there we can have an impact.” We want them to know that we have their backs and that they’re supported, but we also want to give them one less thing to worry about. The throes of the day when they’re surrounded by grieving families and failing health. That is my perspective of how we’ve gotten here.
Deadline: How do you think this pandemic speaks to the bigger picture and how events like these impact communities of color?
Jonathan Kidd: To me, people talk about Covid and the way in which it’s ravaging a community, but I feel like it speaks to a broader conversation. In terms of the core-morbidities that people have, in particular, issues around the Department of Justice. We talk about the Flint Water Crisis, but we don’t talk about the new garbage dump they’re building and there’s going to be particulates in the air that cause asthma. Where do they put that? They put that in poor communities of color, for the most part. Look at how highways have been built. There’s a highway here in L.A. right next to a high school. That’s not in Beverly Hills. That’s not in Calabasas. Again, impacting people of color.
If you look at food deserts in urban areas, food deserts cause diabetes because all you’re eating are Cheetos and drinking Fanta. You know what I mean? We were just talking yesterday… being a vegan is expensive. Healthy food is expensive. And so, if you don’t have access to these things, then it’s like, “Oh, I have diabetes. I have asthma, hypertension.” Then I’m more susceptible to Covid. So, I feel like it’s also part of a broader conversation we want to have about health and wellness and how we as a society can treat people better in terms of better access to healthy food. In terms of not putting waste dumps in the middle of communities. Not having lead paint so kids have brain damage because they’re eating lead paint that should have been banned in 1973.
Deadline: It is clear that all communities of color are being impacted on all fronts. As you pointed out, Black and Latinx communities are being disproportionately affected but we have seen the increase in harassment against Asian Americans. How important do you think allyship is in this pandemic and, not only within marginalized communities but with white communities?
Winton-odamtten: Our former agent is a Chinese-American brother… we called him and said be careful out there. He got a little quiet and I said, “Dude, the pendulum has swung.” The president of the United States, presidential aides are calling it “Kung-Flu” in the White House. It’s unapologetically white-supremacy at its finest. The “model minority” is thrown out the window. It’s forever changed. It’s gone. I told him to check on his family and to make sure that they understand that, if they step out of the house, that they are aware of their surroundings and if they’re being followed.
I called [Nancy Drew showrunner] Melinda Hsu-Taylor — she’s like our big sister — and told be careful out there. She lives on the west side [of L.A.] and she said there hasn’t been any verbal statements made, but she could feel the shift.
As historians, it’s very hard to not live also in the future. I’m having a conversation with you about alliance-building, but I’m also living 10 years ahead, because, again, we can see where this is going. [Jonathan] and I have always warned people about the pendulum swing. You can look at it historically. One moment, you are the “model minority” and then they’re calling it “Kung-Flu” and they don’t give a fuck about that “model minority” status.
Everybody always falls out of favor. With the exception of white, straight, rich masculinity — we’re talking about our president — rarely does anyone else get a pass to make a mistake, to be of error, to be part of a group where an individual has digressed. Rarely does that happen. We don’t call all white men serial killers. We don’t….although, they make up the majority of serial killers.
In terms of your specific question about alliance-building, I haven’t seen it. But, part of that is because, again, our living in a bubble right now. We’re launching and developing our other shows. My alliances have come in my personal relationships.
Kidd: Looking forward, it’s about not forgetting this moment. I think that’s what’s important. The initial title of my dissertation was “Nation in Contagion” and it was basically how religion, disease, otherness all contribute to the power gangs. So, if you look at Jews, Catholics, and White Women in 1600s, they were seen as witches. In Shakespeare they were seen as witches. The same conversation happened about captive Africans — they’re pagans. People said “They’re going to fuck all our women! They’re going to steal all our shit!” Same thing said about Native Americans. If you look at 9/11, or actually HIV-aids in the 80s, hemophiliacs, homosexuals, hypodermic drug users, and Haitians — it’s the same conversation. There was an assumption that Haitian boat people were bringing their disease and that AIDS because they practice voodoo. With 9/11 and Muslims, it’s the same thing. We got to ban the Muslims from coming into this country. Same story with immigrants from the American South.
These immigrants are coming in are stereotypically against abortion and against gay marriage and republicans are saying they don’t when them to come over? Why? That’s your base!
It doesn’t make sense. For me the thing that’s fascinating is in every single conversation, it’s the same language being used. So, for those in the Asian-American community, there was a time when people got beat up because they were mad because there were Chinese workers working on the railroads. Then there’s the stereotype of the Chinese laundromat. They got burnt out of laundromats, right? People also forget about Japanese internment camps during WWII. Asian American identity itself is based on a hate crime.
Deadline: How do you think the pandemic will affect the movement toward diversity and equity in Hollywood? Do you think it will hinder or help?
Kidd: Maybe I sound optimistic and I’m delusional, but I feel like Covid, in terms of work, is kind of an equalizer. You still have to go through insurance. You still have to secure your location in terms of health and wellness. You still have to make sure your cast is comfortable getting on set. You still have to have content. You still have to have people writing stuff. You still have to have directors who direct with a vision. I feel like it shifts and adds a lot of complications in terms of prep and in terms of being in production, but I feel like the great equalizer that is cable TV, Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, HBO Max — we’re going to need a lot of content.
I don’t fear… Sonya and I have an obsession with TV shows set in Africa. That’s part of our long-term plan. We just love storytelling. I think that, again, there’s always the opportunity for disparate treatment where sexism, racism, homophobia can come into play and in terms of people making money or not making money, but I feel like the upswing that we’ve seen in terms of access is going to remain because it’s money-driven. Crazy Rich Asians was a hit. People are like, “Shit, let’s make another one!” It’s like The Game — when it went to Bet, it was a game-changer. They got eight million eyeballs on Bet and people were like, “Oh my gosh, what?!” Then you have Being Mary Jane, Scandal — now, all of a sudden, we’re in the middle of a Black Renaissance.
Winton-odamtten: I’m also optimistic. For me, the broader conversation is how do creators address or directly speak to this pandemic that we’re having? How does one do it and make it nuanced? Because who wants a spot-on version of the one we’ve been living? It gives people popcorn ideas to chew on in the form of comedy and procedurals. I do think that it’s going to be a challenge for drama writers who are from historically marginalized communities to then take the question around identity politics and put it within the construct of the conversation of what a pandemic looks like. I think that this is an opportunity for us to sit for a second, self-reflect, and then figure out, how do we elevate it by putting ourselves at the center of it.
For more information on how to donate to #FeedBCHW click here.
- 6/8/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Outfest has unveiled their lineup for the 17th annual Outfest Fusion — or the more official title: Outfest 2020: Culture. Film. Music. Story. The fest will run March 6-10 and include screenings, performances, panels, galas, workshops, and world premieres in Los Angeles.
Outfest Fusion brings together one of the largest, inclusive and diverse cross-sections of the Lgbtq+ community and its allies. The fest is a space the next generation of storytellers and cultural ambassadors are discovered. This year, Outfest Fusion 2020 will feature more than 60 films, including 11 World Premieres, 4 North American Premieres, 12 West Coast Premieres, 13 Los Angeles Premieres and 1 International Premiere.
Films featured this year include El Principe (The Prince) directed by Sebastián Muñoz’s El Principe (The Prince) which won the Queer Lion at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. The fest will also feature the L.A. premiere of Andrew Ahn’s Driveways which stars Hong Chau and Golden...
Outfest Fusion brings together one of the largest, inclusive and diverse cross-sections of the Lgbtq+ community and its allies. The fest is a space the next generation of storytellers and cultural ambassadors are discovered. This year, Outfest Fusion 2020 will feature more than 60 films, including 11 World Premieres, 4 North American Premieres, 12 West Coast Premieres, 13 Los Angeles Premieres and 1 International Premiere.
Films featured this year include El Principe (The Prince) directed by Sebastián Muñoz’s El Principe (The Prince) which won the Queer Lion at the 2019 Venice Film Festival. The fest will also feature the L.A. premiere of Andrew Ahn’s Driveways which stars Hong Chau and Golden...
- 2/20/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Before Sundance gets underway, SXSW has unveiled the first wave of their film lineup. This year’s slate includes Judd Apatow’s Pete Davidson-led comedy The King of Staten Island, a new Spike Jonze-directed Beastie Boys documentary, an intriguing new film by Amy Seimetz, and more.
There’s also The Lovebirds, directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) and starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, whose comedic stylings coalesce astoundingly well in the first trailer. The duo play Leilani and Jibran, a couple who are accidentally embroiled in a murder mystery as a man claiming to be a cop commits murder with their car and leaves them with the evidence.
Ahead of a release on April 3, see the trailer below, followed by the SXSW 2020 lineup.
Narrative Feature Competition
Ten world premieres, ten unique ways to celebrate the art of storytelling. Selected from 1,305 narrative feature submissions in 2020.
Holler
Director...
There’s also The Lovebirds, directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) and starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, whose comedic stylings coalesce astoundingly well in the first trailer. The duo play Leilani and Jibran, a couple who are accidentally embroiled in a murder mystery as a man claiming to be a cop commits murder with their car and leaves them with the evidence.
Ahead of a release on April 3, see the trailer below, followed by the SXSW 2020 lineup.
Narrative Feature Competition
Ten world premieres, ten unique ways to celebrate the art of storytelling. Selected from 1,305 narrative feature submissions in 2020.
Holler
Director...
- 1/17/2020
- by Margaret Rasberry
- The Film Stage
The 27th edition of the SXSW Film Festival will feature a romantic caper starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani, a documentary about the Beastie Boys directed by Spike Jonze, a “hidden camera” comedy headlined by Tiffany Haddish and an autobiographical studio vehicle from Pete Davidson.
Thousands of moviegoers will flock to Austin, Texas, starting on March 13 for the annual gathering, which is a launching pad for major summer — or spring — studio releases, as well as smaller independent films and buzzy TV shows.
“King of Staten Island,” which stars Davidson, will open the fest. The movie is directed by Judd Apatow, who is no stranger to SXSW, having brought many of his hit projects — from “Knocked Up” to “Bridesmaids” — to screen first at SXSW.
Other high-profile titles that will premiere in Austin include “The Lovebirds,” a comedy from Michael Showalter, with Rae and Nanjiani trying to solve a murder mystery; “Bad Trip,...
Thousands of moviegoers will flock to Austin, Texas, starting on March 13 for the annual gathering, which is a launching pad for major summer — or spring — studio releases, as well as smaller independent films and buzzy TV shows.
“King of Staten Island,” which stars Davidson, will open the fest. The movie is directed by Judd Apatow, who is no stranger to SXSW, having brought many of his hit projects — from “Knocked Up” to “Bridesmaids” — to screen first at SXSW.
Other high-profile titles that will premiere in Austin include “The Lovebirds,” a comedy from Michael Showalter, with Rae and Nanjiani trying to solve a murder mystery; “Bad Trip,...
- 1/15/2020
- by Ramin Setoodeh
- Variety Film + TV
The 27th edition of the SXSW Film Festival has unveiled its robust slate of feature and episodic premieres which will kick off with its opening night film, Judd Apatow’s The King of Staten Island starring Saturday Night Live cast member Pete Davidson. The fest is set to run March 13-22 in Austin.
In The King of Staten Island, Davidson is a burnout living in the titular New York City borough with his mom played by Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei. The movie, which will make its world premiere at SXSW, also stars Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Steve Buscemi and Maude Apatow.
“Judd Apatow has consistently provided transcendent, exhilarating experiences at SXSW, starting with Knocked Up, then Bridesmaids, Trainwreck, Girls, The Big Sick, and his documentary May it Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “This March it’s our particular privilege to present his...
In The King of Staten Island, Davidson is a burnout living in the titular New York City borough with his mom played by Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei. The movie, which will make its world premiere at SXSW, also stars Bill Burr, Bel Powley, Steve Buscemi and Maude Apatow.
“Judd Apatow has consistently provided transcendent, exhilarating experiences at SXSW, starting with Knocked Up, then Bridesmaids, Trainwreck, Girls, The Big Sick, and his documentary May it Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers,” said Janet Pierson, Director of Film. “This March it’s our particular privilege to present his...
- 1/15/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
“The King of Staten Island,” written by Judd Apatow and Pete Davidson, as well as “Bad Trip” starring Tiffany Haddish and Eric Andre, have been announced as part of the 2020 SXSW Film Festival lineup.
“Pink Skies Ahead,” starring Mary J. Blige and Marcia Gay Hayden, “Violet,” starring Olivia Munn and Justin Theroux, Spike Jonze’s “Beastie Boys Story” documentary, and “The Love Birds,” starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani,” will also be debuting at the festival.
Alex Gibney will be returning with “Crazy, Not Insane,” a documentary about the minds of serial killers. “The King of Staten Island” is also the festival’s Opening Night Film.
Also Read: 'SNL': Pete Davidson's Parody of Michael Avenatti Gets a 'Total Loser' Review From the Attorney
In total, 102 features and episodics were announced on Wednesday — dozens of additional titles will be announced on Feb. 5. The 2020 program was selected from 2,316 feature-length film submissions. The...
“Pink Skies Ahead,” starring Mary J. Blige and Marcia Gay Hayden, “Violet,” starring Olivia Munn and Justin Theroux, Spike Jonze’s “Beastie Boys Story” documentary, and “The Love Birds,” starring Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani,” will also be debuting at the festival.
Alex Gibney will be returning with “Crazy, Not Insane,” a documentary about the minds of serial killers. “The King of Staten Island” is also the festival’s Opening Night Film.
Also Read: 'SNL': Pete Davidson's Parody of Michael Avenatti Gets a 'Total Loser' Review From the Attorney
In total, 102 features and episodics were announced on Wednesday — dozens of additional titles will be announced on Feb. 5. The 2020 program was selected from 2,316 feature-length film submissions. The...
- 1/15/2020
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Felicia Pride is bringing the heat to Universal Pictures. The studio is teaming with Will Packer Productions to develop Deeper, an erotic romance based on an original idea from the Queen Sugar writer.
Pride is set to write the script, but specific details about the story are being kept under wraps. Will Packer and James Lopez are set to produce, while Heather Washington will co-produce under Will Packer Productions. Pride also will serve as executive producer. Universal’s Svp Production Sara Scott will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.
A former entertainment journalist, Pride is an author and made her directorial debut with tender, a short film she also wrote. In addition to writing for Ava DuVernay’s Own series Queen Sugar, Pride is the co-writer and executive producer of Really Love from Charles D. King’s MacRo. The film stars Kofi Siriboe, Naturi Naughton and Emmy...
Pride is set to write the script, but specific details about the story are being kept under wraps. Will Packer and James Lopez are set to produce, while Heather Washington will co-produce under Will Packer Productions. Pride also will serve as executive producer. Universal’s Svp Production Sara Scott will oversee the project on behalf of the studio.
A former entertainment journalist, Pride is an author and made her directorial debut with tender, a short film she also wrote. In addition to writing for Ava DuVernay’s Own series Queen Sugar, Pride is the co-writer and executive producer of Really Love from Charles D. King’s MacRo. The film stars Kofi Siriboe, Naturi Naughton and Emmy...
- 10/8/2019
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
With scripted television production at record highs (52 shows during the 2015-16 season) in New York City, the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment (Mome) today launched a new initiative geared toward bringing diversity to New York City’s writing staffs.
In conjunction with the the New York City Department of Small Business Services (Sbs) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae), Mome Commissioner Julie Menin announced this morning the creation of the Made in NY Writers Room. A six month fellowship in which 12 participants will get a top showrunner to help them with their works in progress.
Read More: Directors Share The Best Piece of Advice They Received at The Sundance Labs
Each participant in the program is assigned to a dedicated mentor from a roster that includes Sarah Treem (“The Affair”), Lee Daniels (“Empire”), Beau Willimon (“House of Cards”), Julie Klausner (“Difficult People”), Julie Martin (“Law & Order:...
In conjunction with the the New York City Department of Small Business Services (Sbs) and the Writers Guild of America, East (Wgae), Mome Commissioner Julie Menin announced this morning the creation of the Made in NY Writers Room. A six month fellowship in which 12 participants will get a top showrunner to help them with their works in progress.
Read More: Directors Share The Best Piece of Advice They Received at The Sundance Labs
Each participant in the program is assigned to a dedicated mentor from a roster that includes Sarah Treem (“The Affair”), Lee Daniels (“Empire”), Beau Willimon (“House of Cards”), Julie Klausner (“Difficult People”), Julie Martin (“Law & Order:...
- 9/8/2016
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
Plus: Netflix sets Into The Inferno release; National Board Of Review reveals announcement date; and more…
Top brass at the upcoming fifth Los Cabos International Film Festival said on Tuesday the event will close with the Mexican premiere of Captain Fantastic.
Director Matt Ross will attend with actress Annalise Basso. The film premiered at Sundance back in January and stars Viggo Mortensen as the head of an unorthodox family.
Ross subsequently won best director in Un Certain Regard in Cannes. Bleecker Street holds Us rights.
Los Cabos is scheduled to run in Mexico from November 9-13.
Netflix will premiere Werner Herzog’s Toronto International Film Festival selection Into The Inferno on October 28. The volcano documentary receives its international premiere in Tiff Docs on September 13.The National Board Of Review will announce the recipients of its year-end honours on November 29. As previously announced, the awards will be handed out at the annual gala on January 4, 2017, at Cipriani 42nd Street...
Top brass at the upcoming fifth Los Cabos International Film Festival said on Tuesday the event will close with the Mexican premiere of Captain Fantastic.
Director Matt Ross will attend with actress Annalise Basso. The film premiered at Sundance back in January and stars Viggo Mortensen as the head of an unorthodox family.
Ross subsequently won best director in Un Certain Regard in Cannes. Bleecker Street holds Us rights.
Los Cabos is scheduled to run in Mexico from November 9-13.
Netflix will premiere Werner Herzog’s Toronto International Film Festival selection Into The Inferno on October 28. The volcano documentary receives its international premiere in Tiff Docs on September 13.The National Board Of Review will announce the recipients of its year-end honours on November 29. As previously announced, the awards will be handed out at the annual gala on January 4, 2017, at Cipriani 42nd Street...
- 9/6/2016
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Here's a first look at The End Again, shared exclusively with Shadow And Act. The dramatic short film stars Columbus Short and wife Tanee McCall-Short as a couple whose six-year relationship is coming to an end. The project, a prequel to the feature film Openended, is directed by Crystal C. Roberson and produced by Latisha Fortune and Felicia Pride. Great Fortune Films and Great Picture Show Productions is hosting a multi-city tour of The End Again screenings. Next stops include Washington, D.C. on March 27th, Pittsburgh, Pa on April 11th, and additional stops in Los Angeles (April 2014) and New York...
- 3/24/2014
- by Jai Tiggett
- ShadowAndAct
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