WEEK IN WOMEN: Meryl Streep champions The Writers Lab’s Twelve Projects – Brandy McDonnell reports
The Writers Lab recently announced that renewed support from steadfast champion Meryl Streep will enable 14 writers across 12 projects to attend this year’s lab.
With labs now operational in the U.S., Canada, U.K. and Europe, The Writers Lab is still the only program in the world dedicated exclusively to elevating the work of women and nonbinary screenwriters older than 40. In an industry that systematically excludes creators based on age and gender, the labs’ continued support opens doors for writers in the prime of their skills and insights.
New alliances include Canadian partners Firecracker Department and the Female Eye Film Festival, along with U.S. industry jurors, including Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actor and director Kyra Sedgwick, and production companies Hyde Park Entertainment (the 2011 movie Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance) and Tinygiant (Good One, a selection of this year’s Sundance and Cannes film festivals).
The Writers Lab has an impressive success rate: Three lab projects have been produced and released, with another 26 currently in various stages of pre-production. Of the program’s 179 alumnae, 37 have been signed by representation and 33 hired to write – numbers that far exceed the industry average, according to a news release.
“Out-of-touch gatekeepers and reductive algorithms narrow the range of stories and ignore the interests and appetites of women over 40 — who are 25% of the world market and control $19 billion in household spending. That’s short-sighted and bad business, and it diminishes social discourse,” said co-founder Elizabeth Kaiden.
The lab will focus on tools and strategies to navigate the ever-shifting landscape of professional opportunities and build sustainable careers. Writers will work with accomplished women creatives to elevate their craft. Continue reading on THE WEEK IN WOMEN
