The Women in Film/TV & Media Committee, formed in September, has launched a trio of outreach programs in association with ABC, MTV and TNT/TBS. Applications are available online at www.wif.org.
The outreach programs, open only to members of Women in Film/Los Angeles, are part of WIF’s commitment to support emerging talent in the television and digital media industries.
“The rules are completely changing about where entertainment content comes from and how it’s viewed,” Danica Krislovich, chair of the new WIF/TV&Media Committee, said in a statement. “We are very excited to launch these new programs with MTV, ABC, and TNT/TBS, who embrace the need to cultivate new creative talent in an environment where television, social media and technology are all converging. And with women still holding a minority position in our industry, Women In Film’s goal is to create a community and expose undiscovered talent and mentor them through these programs.”
The programs were conceived by the committee’s Krislovich, president of Guardian Productions; Lillah McCarthy, senior VP of original programming, TNT/TBS; Victoria Dummer, senior VP, alternative series, specials & late night, ABC Entertainment; and, for MTV, Tony DiSanto, president of programming and development, Chris Linn, executive VP of MTV Productions, and Liz Gateley, senior VP of series development and production.
The three programs, open to all members of WIF/LA, are as follows:
— ABC Television Network is partnering with WIF/TV&Media on a director shadowing program. Applicants should submit on DVD a narrative work they have directed within the past three calendar years. The WIF/TV&Media Committee, together with the Disney/ABC Television Group Talent Development & Diversity committee, will select one member to shadow the director of “Hollywood Salutes Matt Damon: An American Cinematheque Tribute” from pre-production through live broadcast on March 27. They will select another qualified member to shadow the executive producer, producer and director of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” for one week. The deadline for submission is Friday, March 5.
— Marking the first time MTV has reached out specifically to female artists and members of the creative community to develop concepts for their core audience, the MTV development team in Los Angeles is accepting submissions from writers, producers and directors, by written sample or DVD. Applicants will be evaluated by MTV and the WIF/TV&Media committee. Ten applicants will have the opportunity to present their ideas, in person, directly to senior members of MTV’s development team on a pitch day in April. The prize for the winning pitch is a development deal with MTV Productions. The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 12. Winners will be notified by email and telephone in early April.
— TNT/TBS is offering a directorial shadowing opportunity, wherein two winning applicants will shadow the directors of upcoming programs to be named shortly. Emerging directors are invited to submit a DVD of a narrative work they have directed in the past three calendar years. Deadline for submissions is Friday, March 5.
