Exclusive: Mentorship Matters, an initiative aimed at boosting opportunities for emerging writers of color, has been officially unveiled, along with the participants in its inaugural 2021-22 cycle.
Developed by executive producers/showrunners, including Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (S.W.A.T.), Raelle Tucker, Gianna Sobol (Counterpart) and Melinda Hsu Taylor with sponsorship by AMC Networks, Amazon, The Walter Kaitz Foundation and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the year-long mentorship program provides consistent, in-depth mentorship and creative advocacy from a committed showrunner. The first set of pairings will connect 23 leading showrunners with promising mentees to foster growth and build invaluable industry contacts.
The program includes meeting at least monthly in addition to offering guidance with developing and polishing an original writing sample, panels and seminars with high-level industry professionals, and opportunities to meet agents, managers, and executives.
Mentees were selected from over 1,200 applicants throughout the U.S., with varying experiences and backgrounds.
Developed by executive producers/showrunners, including Aaron Rahsaan Thomas (S.W.A.T.), Raelle Tucker, Gianna Sobol (Counterpart) and Melinda Hsu Taylor with sponsorship by AMC Networks, Amazon, The Walter Kaitz Foundation and Sony Pictures Entertainment, the year-long mentorship program provides consistent, in-depth mentorship and creative advocacy from a committed showrunner. The first set of pairings will connect 23 leading showrunners with promising mentees to foster growth and build invaluable industry contacts.
The program includes meeting at least monthly in addition to offering guidance with developing and polishing an original writing sample, panels and seminars with high-level industry professionals, and opportunities to meet agents, managers, and executives.
Mentees were selected from over 1,200 applicants throughout the U.S., with varying experiences and backgrounds.
- 4/29/2021
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Skydance Television has acquired the rights to P. Djéli Clark’s novella Ring Shout in a competitive situation. Kasi Lemmons is set to serve as showrunner and will write and direct the television series based on the historical fantasy while Kiki Layne is set to star.
The studio will develop Ring Shout, which follows an otherworldly evil that has risen in the 1920s South in the form of monsters who take up residence within the bodies of people filled with hate — namely the Ku Klux Klan. D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation is helping to swell the Klan’s ranks and the monsters are drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of racism.
Across the nation, they spread fear and violence. But even monsters can die. Standing in their way is a young Black woman, Maryse Boudreaux, and...
The studio will develop Ring Shout, which follows an otherworldly evil that has risen in the 1920s South in the form of monsters who take up residence within the bodies of people filled with hate — namely the Ku Klux Klan. D.W. Griffith’s Birth of a Nation is helping to swell the Klan’s ranks and the monsters are drinking deep from the darkest thoughts of racism.
Across the nation, they spread fear and violence. But even monsters can die. Standing in their way is a young Black woman, Maryse Boudreaux, and...
- 12/8/2020
- by Dino-Ray Ramos
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Showtime has put in development a half-hour comedy drama revolving around an Arab mother and her gay son, from writer-producer-actor Lewaa Nasserdeen and Skydance Television, where Nasserdeen is under a deal.
Written by Nasserdeen, the project, loosely inspired by his life, follows Omar and Reema, a 30-something gay Arab son and his extravagant and ‘complicated’ mother, as they face divorce at the same time … and under one roof. While Omar is looking for ways to reconnect with his roots after his breakup, Reema is stepping outside of her cultural comfort zone for the first time in her life. Together this modern-day Arab Odd Couple are forced to confront a post-divorce reality while navigating adult ass whoopings, generational trauma, and their own co-dependent relationship.
The project is being developed as a potential starring vehicle for Nasserdeen, who executive produces with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bill Bost for Skydance Television,...
Written by Nasserdeen, the project, loosely inspired by his life, follows Omar and Reema, a 30-something gay Arab son and his extravagant and ‘complicated’ mother, as they face divorce at the same time … and under one roof. While Omar is looking for ways to reconnect with his roots after his breakup, Reema is stepping outside of her cultural comfort zone for the first time in her life. Together this modern-day Arab Odd Couple are forced to confront a post-divorce reality while navigating adult ass whoopings, generational trauma, and their own co-dependent relationship.
The project is being developed as a potential starring vehicle for Nasserdeen, who executive produces with David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and Bill Bost for Skydance Television,...
- 10/29/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Scorpion creator Nick Santora, showrunner of Skydance Television’s upcoming Jack Reacher series, is expanding his relationship with the studio, signing an exclusive, multi-year overall deal. Under the pact, Santora will create, develop and produce event-level original scripted series for Skydance TV.
Santora currently serves as showrunner and executive producer on the studio’s upcoming series Jack Reacher for Amazon Prime. Jack Reacher is a drama based on Lee Child’s bestselling international book series, which has sold 100 million copies in almost 50 languages and more than 100 territories to date. Season one will be based on the first Jack Reacher novel Killing Floor and is produced by Amazon Studios, Skydance Television and Paramount Television Studios.
“Nick has impeccable taste and an amazing facility for all aspects of creating and producing television,” said Bill Bost, President, Skydance Television. “He is masterful at telling sophisticated stories for a global audience and we are...
Santora currently serves as showrunner and executive producer on the studio’s upcoming series Jack Reacher for Amazon Prime. Jack Reacher is a drama based on Lee Child’s bestselling international book series, which has sold 100 million copies in almost 50 languages and more than 100 territories to date. Season one will be based on the first Jack Reacher novel Killing Floor and is produced by Amazon Studios, Skydance Television and Paramount Television Studios.
“Nick has impeccable taste and an amazing facility for all aspects of creating and producing television,” said Bill Bost, President, Skydance Television. “He is masterful at telling sophisticated stories for a global audience and we are...
- 5/4/2020
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Lewaa Nasserdeen (Daredevil) has entered into an exclusive multi-year overall production
deal with Skydance Television, under which the multi-hyphenate actor-writer-producer will create, develop and produce original scripted series for the studio. Under the pact, he already is working on multiple projects, which are in various stages of development.
“Lewaa is a dynamic storyteller, producer, writer and actor and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces with such a creative talent, ” said Marcy Ross, President of Skydance Television. “As we continue to expand our development roster, it’s important for Skydance to partner with established producers as well as emerging showrunners like Lewaa who offer a bold, unique and fresh voice in television today.”
Nasserdeen has been transitioning seamlessly between genres. He recently wrote, starred in, and executive produced Berlin, a half-hour dramedy produced by Jax Media. Prior to that, he was a writer/co-produced the third season...
deal with Skydance Television, under which the multi-hyphenate actor-writer-producer will create, develop and produce original scripted series for the studio. Under the pact, he already is working on multiple projects, which are in various stages of development.
“Lewaa is a dynamic storyteller, producer, writer and actor and we couldn’t be more excited to join forces with such a creative talent, ” said Marcy Ross, President of Skydance Television. “As we continue to expand our development roster, it’s important for Skydance to partner with established producers as well as emerging showrunners like Lewaa who offer a bold, unique and fresh voice in television today.”
Nasserdeen has been transitioning seamlessly between genres. He recently wrote, starred in, and executive produced Berlin, a half-hour dramedy produced by Jax Media. Prior to that, he was a writer/co-produced the third season...
- 4/3/2019
- by Nellie Andreeva and Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
The director behind the insane action-thriller Hobo With a Shotgun, Jason Eisner, has teamed up with producer Wes Ball to adapt one of his short films as a feature film. The movie will be inspired by his short called "One Last Dive," which revolved around a diver investigating an underwater crime scene.
There's no word on what the story for the new film will tell, but the short, which I embedded below, will give you a good idea of where they are going with it. The script is being written by Lewaa Nasserdeen, who works on The Goldbergs.
Eisner has made a ton of great shorts over the course of his career, and they all tend to have a fun and crazy dark twistedness to them, which I've enjoyed. One of my favorites is "Treevenge," which you can watch here if you want. This new thriller that he's working on...
There's no word on what the story for the new film will tell, but the short, which I embedded below, will give you a good idea of where they are going with it. The script is being written by Lewaa Nasserdeen, who works on The Goldbergs.
Eisner has made a ton of great shorts over the course of his career, and they all tend to have a fun and crazy dark twistedness to them, which I've enjoyed. One of my favorites is "Treevenge," which you can watch here if you want. This new thriller that he's working on...
- 12/14/2016
- by Joey Paur
- GeekTyrant
Disney/ABC Television Group has chosen eight scribes for its 2014 Writing Program. Chosen from a field of nearly 2,000 applications, this year’s participants are comedy writers Lucas Brown Eyes (Pine Ridge Agency, Sd), Lewaa Nasserdeen (Alberta, Canada) and Devanshi Patel (Pittsburgh, Pa). On the drama side are Tamara Carter (Brooklyn, NY), April Fitzsimmons (Helena, Mt), Nancy Kiu (Boston, Ma), Ubah Mohamad (Queens, NY), and Davy Perez (Los Angeles, CA). Tim McNeal, Vice President, Creative Talent Development Strategies said, “We’re looking forward to the unique contributions our newest group of writers will make to the creative process. Collectively these writers have intriguing backgrounds and life experiences that are sure to prove valuable in the writers’ room. Among the group include an Air Force Veteran, a bestselling author and a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe.” McNeal added, “These are writers who truly have TV production knowledge and are on the...
- 1/28/2014
- by THE DEADLINE TEAM
- Deadline TV
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