AdminTrainees in 2022 Realness Institute’s Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship programmes, in partnership with Netflix, will get $2000 each during the incubation stage
To remarkably impact the African creative sector, Realness Institute, in partnership with world’s leading streaming entertainment service, Netflix, is taking further steps to support screenwriters and mid-career industry professionals through its 2022 Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET) programmes. The beneficiaries, according to Realness Institute, will be professionals from Nigeria, South Africa and Kenya who are seeking opportunities to develop their original story ideas, in any genre and are looking to enhancing their skills as story consultants respectively.
Prime Business Africa reports that, with millions of Africans being very talented and creative, Realness Institute will offer the Episodic Lab participants the opportunity to pitch their incubated stories to Netflix executives at the end of the programme.
It also offers DET participants a deeper understanding of the story development process, exposure to a more nuanced approach in the support of writers while simultaneously holding writers accountable for their creative work.
DET participants will work alongside creative producers and story experts in the development of their concepts and series pitch decks. They will also engage with international and local guest speakers every week for the duration of the programme.
Director of Development and Partnerships at Realness Institute, in a document made available to Prime Business Africa, said that the first Lab and Traineeship offers a deep desire for Africans to create their own narratives. “This bodes well for a growing audience, based in Africa and abroad. We are so pleased to be a major player in lighting the fire of our amazing continental creatives.
It is also pleasing to hear from last year’s participants how they have been able to transplant everything they learnt in the incubator into their current work and other projects, as well as the impact we had in their lives and creative process.”
The Institute said it would not just stop at development of the participants but also take a step further to give each participant a monthly stipend of $2,000 (Two Thousand US Dollars) during the incubation period which will take place online between May 1, 2022, to July,m 31, 2022. This stipend is to cover living expenses as they focus on their concept development while being mentored.
While there is no guarantee that any proposal will be developed further by Netflix, Realness Institute said it is a unique opportunity to interface at key milestones with the Netflix executives and be afforded the opportunity to pitch.
Prime Business Africa can report that the 2021 Episodic Lab alumnus, Kudi Maradzika, a Zimbabwean-South African, pitched an idea for a comedy-drama that has been selected for further development.
Reacting to her story idea being selected to be further developed, the 2021 Episodic Lab Alumnus, Maradzika described the feat as “an incredible opportunity.” She said she was “grateful to the Realness and Netflix Grow Creative teams for helping make young writers’ dreams a possibility. The Episodic lab is tough but pushes you to be your best. I’m a better writer for it.”
Provisionally entitled “Bad Influencer”, which was co-created with Justin Oswald, Maradzika is now starting to turn her attention to next steps, which include Writers’ Room planning.
Netflix Manager for Grow Creative Africa, Allison Triegaardt, while commenting on Netflix’s partnership with Realness Institute, said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with the Realness Institute for the 2022 edition of the Episodic Lab and Development Executive Traineeship (DET).
The development, nurturing and support of talent pipelines give new voices a chance to be heard. This is key for Netflix as we contribute to the growth of the film and TV industry and honour our commitment to the African creative community.”
Interested participants are expected to visit https://www.realness.institute/episodic-lab for Episodic Lab programme application and https://www.realness.institute/det for Development Executive Traineeship programme application and wait to be shortlisted.
The organizers told Prime Business Africa that
Application submissions would close on January 14, 2022.
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