BIPOC

Children's Television Writing BootcamP

III

SUBMISSIONS CLOSED

It's back! Our last two BIPOC Children’s Television Writing Bootcamps were so successful in training BIPOC writers on how to write for children’s television (and also led some of them landing relevant writing jobs), that BIPOC TV & FILM is doing it again.

Program Objective

Led by John May of Heroic TV (Sesame Street, Ollie & Moon, How toBe Indie, Magic Schoolbus [original and Netflix reboot], 16Hudson), this program will provide participants with an in-depth overview of the business and craft of writing for children’s TV. We will:

Cover all the stages of writing your first original children’s script (concept and logline, beat sheet, outline, first draft, second draft, polish)
Provide an in-depth overview of standards and practices, diversity of buyers and genres, market segments and demographics, live action vs. animation, pitching, how to take a meeting, and general industry etiquette
Introduce participants to network execs and kids’ content producers from Canada and the US.
Pair participants with senior writers for one-on-one mentorship and feedback on their writing through the stages.

By the end of the program, the participants should have a strong writing sample they can use to apply for writing jobs on children’s TV shows.

Key Dates

Eligibility

This bootcamp is for creators who identify as Black, Indigenous or People of Colour. No prior experience in tv and/or film writing is necessary to apply. Priority will be given to Indigenous and Black representation given the current demand for these voices in the kids’ TV writing rosters. We will take 25 full participants, of which 10 spots will be dedicated to Indigenous creatives (see 'Support for Indigenous Creatives' section below).

Note that this program will be open to unlimited auditors. We believe in sharing knowledge to our BIPOC communities and providing space to audit allows a low-pressure way for BIPOC creatives to engage on terms that fit their needs and life situations. Auditors will not be paired with writing mentors, nor pitch. If you are interested in auditing, contact Adeela Ahmad at bipockidstv@gmail.com.

Support for Indigenous Creatives

We have allocated 10 placements for Indigenous participants each of whom will receive a per diem to alleviate financial pressures. We are committed to creating a supportive and culturally safe environment for the creation process and have engaged Indigenous mentors who will be available throughout the process to provide culturally appropriate support should it be required.