The 8th Annual NATIVE AMERICAN TV WRITERS LAB call for applications are now closed. The 2023 lab is sponsored by Netflix, Comcast NBCUniversal, US Bank, A+E Networks, One Small Planet, Threshold and Snowpants Productions.
The NATIVE AMERICAN TV WRITERS LAB is an online multi-week intensive scriptwriters program that prepares Native Americans for writing careers at major television networks. The lab takes place April through May of 2023 and offers approximately 10 Native American writers an opportunity to participate. Each selected fellow completes an original pilot during the multi-week program and receives feedback from peers and an experienced writing instructor.
Past lab fellows include numerous staffed television writers highlighted by Shelley Dennis (Choctaw); story editor on ABC’s The Conners, John Timothy (Muskogee Creek); story editor on CBS’s Ghosts and Kris Crenwelge (Choctaw); staff writer on CBS’s True Lies.
During the virtual lab, fellows meet with executives and literary representation from several of our industry partners. Scripts from the lab are read by several of our network and studio partners as well as being included in the Native Writes database.
The Native American TV Writers lab will culminate in a pitch workshop during the 17th Annual LA SKINS FEST in November, 2023. Each Native writer will pitch their scripts to creatives executives from numerous production entities. Past executives have come from Bad Robot, Netflix, Amazon, A+E Networks and Warner Bros.
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About the Program
The NATIVE AMERICAN TV WRITERS LAB was created in accordance with the Barcid Foundation’s mission to improve media portrayals of Native Americans and to increase the number of Native Americans employed in all facets of the media industry.
The NATIVE AMERICAN TV WRITERS LAB is designed to familiarize participants with the format, characters and storyline structure of television. The multi-week, total immersion workshop is mentored and guided by an experienced writer with industry credits. The lab is conducted virtually with a minimum of 7 writers accepted.
The multi-week lab consists of group discussions, one on one meetings and creative development workshops. One of the main components introduced is the television writers room. This is an opportunity to have each participant’s script offered up in a professional capacity as a new television script. All of the writers will participate in offering ideas, suggestions and thoughts on making each script a stronger piece. The goal is that the writers garner the skills necessary to obtain employment in the industry.