Netflix is launching a development program for diverse Canadian writers in film and television.
The streamerB次元官网网址檚 head of global TV announced the initiative B次元官网网址� dubbed Advancing Voices: Netflix Canada Creator Program B次元官网网址� at the Banff World Media Festival on Tuesday.
Bela Bejaria says seven writers from underrepresented groups get paid mentorship and consultation sessions to develop their pitch and material for a potential Netflix series.
Participants will be able to work flexible and remote hours, and be paid above-average industry rates.
They include: comedian and filmmaker Bita Joudaki of CBC GemB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淭he Slowest Show;B次元官网网址� co-creators Jabbari Weekes and Tichaona Tapambwa of CBC GemB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淣ext Stop;B次元官网网址� actor, filmmaker, and Realwheels founding artistic director James Sanders; director Rama Rau of films B次元官网网址淗oney BeeB次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淟eague of Exotique Dancers;B次元官网网址� writer and director Jeff Barnaby of B次元官网网址淏lood Quantum;B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址淗eartlandB次元官网网址� writer Adam Hussein.
The three-month program starts in July in Toronto.
Weekes and Tapambwa chronicled the lives of young Black Torontonians on their anthology series B次元官网网址淣ext Stop.B次元官网网址� They say Advancing Voices is an opportunity to expand B次元官网网址� in more ways than one.
B次元官网网址淲e wanted to be a part of this because we wanted to continue growing our craft,B次元官网网址� Weekes said in an interview, noting that many of the pairB次元官网网址檚 projects have been shorter form.
B次元官网网址淲e want to tell more Black stories, more queer stories, more stories within our community. We feel to really get into the depth and the emotional range that we want, we need to continue navigating and exploring.B次元官网网址�
The duo say they hope the program can springboard them to the next step in their career, and help them mentor the next generation of creators of colour.
Bejaria described Canada as one of NetflixB次元官网网址檚 top production centres, and B次元官网网址渉ome to a wealth of talent.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淲e want to support more new and untold stories, and the training provided through this initiative will give up-and-coming local writers an invaluable opportunity to work with our content team to build their experience developing stories for global audiences,B次元官网网址� Bejaria said Tuesday in a release.
Advancing Voices is part of NetflixB次元官网网址檚 fund for creative equity, a five-year, $100-million investment established to offer more opportunities behind the camera for young, diverse creators.
Since announced in 2021, the fund has also backed a directors program for women in partnership with the Academy of Canadian Cinema & Television; imagineNative InstituteB次元官网网址檚 Calling Card program, which supports female Indigenous writers; and helped expand a mentorship program in Vancouver by the group Women in Animation.
CBC announced similar efforts at the media festival on Sunday.
The CBC-BIPOC TV & Film Showrunner Catalyst is an accelerator program for senior writers who identify as Black, Indigenous or people of colour.
In partnership with advocacy organization BIPOC TV & Film and the Canadian Film Centre, the program will offer on-set experience and professional coaching, designed through an anti-racist and equity-focused lens. Its inaugural participants include Andrew Burrows-Trotman, MOTION and Ian Iqbal Rashid.
Tapambwa says programs like these are essential to giving CanadaB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址渨orld class storytellersB次元官网网址� the platform they need, along with a wider audience.
B次元官网网址淲e can continue building on that and having new programs that show that itB次元官网网址檚 not impossible, that there is a practicality to it, in how you start filming, how you start scripting, how youB次元官网网址檙e pitching,B次元官网网址� says Tapambwa.
B次元官网网址淚t all makes everybody better and being able to share that information with our communities is key.B次元官网网址�
Participants were selected through an open call, while some were nominated by executives internally.
B次元官网网址擲adaf Ahsan, The Canadian Press
