Universal Filmed Entertainment Group (UFEG)’s Global Talent Development & Inclusion (GTDI) department has announced the opening of the application period for its Writers Program, a new initiative that seeks to identify up-and-coming screenwriters with unique points of view.
The Universal Writers Program identifies experienced and up-and-coming screenwriters with unique points of view that build upon the Studio’s commitment to telling stories and creating films that reflect the vast diversity of its audiences. The only feature film program sanctioned by the Writers Guild of America West, it inclusively develops storytellers with the intent to incorporate multicultural and global perspectives in screenwriting. The one-year, paid program gives writers the opportunity to develop two feature scripts under the guidance of Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation production executives, as well as the studio’s first-look producers. The paid program lasts one year and gives aspiring scribes the opportunity to develop two feature scripts under the guidance of Universal Pictures, Focus Features and DreamWorks Animation production executives in addition to support from the studio’s first-look producers. After its redesign in 2017, the program has also expanded its submissions criteria to include live-action and animation hybrid scripts with an emphasis on live-action content.
Beginning last year, the program expanded its submissions criteria to include live-action and animation hybrid scripts that maintain an emphasis on live-action content. The submissions received each year have increased consistently in number and in global reach since the program’s redesign in 2017. Recent alumni of the program include Omid Ghaffarian, who is developing an untitled project with Universal Pictures, as well as Juel Taylor, currently working with Universal and Lebron James’ production company, Springhill Entertainment. Other television credits for program alumni include Steven Martinez, a staff writer for CBS’s “Bull,” Margaret Rose Lester, a staff writer for NBC’s “Manifest” and Ivy Pruss, a story editor for OWN’s “Greenleaf.”
“Each year when we open submissions, we notice an enthusiastic rise in awareness surrounding our program, which solidifies the importance of a platform like this for so many talented voices looking to tell their stories,” said Janine Jones-Clark, senior VP of global talent development and inclusion. “We have been seeing tremendous success with our ever-growing pool of program alumni, and we could not be more excited to identify a new class of writers to collaborate with next year.”
The application can be found at www.UniversalTalentDevelopment.com and will be available through October 1st, 2019 with the Program commencing May 2020.
Source: Variety