PGA: Power of Diversity

The Producers Guild of America (PGA) is pleased to announce the opening of submissions for the ninth annual PGA Producing Workshop,"The Power of Diversity," running May 28th-July 13th, 2013. The multi-session workshop is designed to foster the development of aspiring and seasoned producers who bring diverse perspectives to television, film and digital media.

This annual program provides ten participants with one-on-one mentoring sessions with members of the Guild's Diversity Committee as well as master classes with some of today's top producers. Topics are tailored to the participating producers and their projects, and will include all aspects of producing such as story development, pitching, packaging, financing, marketing and digital media.

Application Deadline: April 17, 2013.

See submission guidelines

Warner Bros. Television Writers' Workshop

The Warner Bros. Television Writers' Workshop

Deadline for entry: May 1-June 1, 2013

The Warner Bros. Television Writers' Workshop consists of three components, all geared towards preparing the writer for a successful career in television writing:

Lectures: Weekly lectures feature guest speakers currently working in television and include a mix of showrunners, directors, actors and agents. Each seminar will teach a new skill essential for surviving and excelling in a writers' room as a staff writer and beyond.

Simulated Writers' Room: In the winter, the Workshop participants are divided into smaller groups for an intensive writing experience. Each participant will be required to complete a new spec script under the same deadlines found on a show currently in production.

Staffing: Upon completion of the program, Studio executives will help participants, who pass the Writers' Room, obtain a staff position on a Warner Bros. television show currently in production.

For more information and to learn how to apply

Kids Imagination Awards

Cynopsis: Kids !magination Awards honor the best in kids & tweens media. Now in its second year, this unique awards program is from the industry's most trusted brand, Cynopsis Media, and celebrates the very best in children's television. Now's your chance to win a crystal Cynopsis: Kids !magination Award!

The Cynopsis Kids !magination Awards honor the year's most outstanding and imaginative achievements in programming, marketing and promotion - the efforts that will have lasting impact. This includes new shows, movies, websites, apps and games, in addition to the marketing and advertising campaigns that support children's content.

Entry Deadline: February 20, 2013.  Awards Ceremony: NYC, June 2013.

Selected Shorts

Writing Contest Call for Submissions:

Submissions are now open for the 2013 Stella Kupferberg Memorial Short Story Prize!

The winning submission, selected by Jim Shepard, will be read as part of the Selected Shorts performance at Symphony Space on June 12, 2013. The story will be recorded for possible later broadcast as part of the public radio series. The winner will also receive $1000 and a 10-week class from Gotham Writers' Workshop.

Story requirements:
* Submit a single short story that fits the theme "Complicated Families."
* Your story must have a title.
* Your story must be no more than 750 words (Times New Roman, 12pt font).
* Your story must be unpublished.

Deadline: 5pm, March 15, 2013, EST.

See full details

Living Worlds

  

Walt Disney's Imagineering Research & Development

announces:

LIVING WORLDS

Bringing Immersive Stories to Life in the Real World

Deadline to apply: December 1, 2012

Click here for full details

When Walt Disney created a place that brought his beloved characters, stories and places to life in a place called Disneyland®, he created a world of story experiences that immersed audiences and invited them to believe - and an industry was born. Nearly 60 years later, the creative and technical group that helped him create Disneyland® lives on as Walt Disney Imagineering.

Walt Disney Imagineering Research & Development wants to work with innovative storytellers willing to push the limits to create fully immersive worlds where guests can explore, play and discover deep narratives. To achieve this goal, the Imagineering team has launched the Living Worlds program, through which they hope to support the development of a few unique concepts through collaborative project work. With your imagination and today's technology, the possibilities for immersive storytelling are almost boundless.

CineStory

The CineStory Writer's Retreat takes place over four days in the beautiful mountains of Idyllwild, California. Attendees receive three 90-minute one-on-one sessions with CineStory mentors. During these meetings they can discuss everything from the script(s) they submitted for feedback, to jump-starting their writing careers.

When not meeting in one-on-one sessions, writers participate in "informal rooms." These are interactive sessions with panels of 2-3 mentors, which cover such topics as pitching like a pro and the state of filmmaking in the digital age. In addition, mentors and writers gather for meals, drinks, film screenings, and other special events.

Want to come to a retreat? Click here to read the 2013 rules and deadlines.

Left, Right & Center

Election season is in full swing and KCRW is presenting two LIVE editions of the civilized, yet provocative radio debate Left, Right & Center. Enjoy witty, irreverent, no-holds barred repartee as the hosts tackle today's headlines, head on.

Sunday, October 7 at 6pm
"Election '12: The Home Stretch"
Barclay Theatre, Orange County

--AND--

Sunday, November 11th at 6pm
"Election '12: The Morning After"
Broad Stage, Santa Monica

Buy Tickets

California Documentary Project Grant

The California Documentary Project (CDP) is a competitive grants program that supports documentary film, radio, and new media productions that enhance our understanding of California and its cultures, peoples, and histories. Projects must use the humanities to provide context, depth, and perspective and be suitable for California and national audiences through broadcast and/or distribution.

Since 2003, Cal Humanities has awarded over $3 million to projects that document the California experience and explore issues of significance to Californians. CDP grants support projects at the research and development, production, and public engagement stages.

Application deadline: October 1, 2012, 5 p.m.

Download submission guidelines

Slake for a Cause

 
Slake: Los Angeles, the quarterly reader cofounded by former L.A. Weekly editors Joe Donnelly and Laurie Ochoa, is devoted to the endangered art of deeply reported narrative journalism.

Slake had some issues with the initial print run for the issue "Dirt" and now has boxes of books that have wonderful stories and art and are great to read, love and look at, but are not quite sell-able.

So... Slake wants to give these issues away to good causes. Are you a teacher who would like to share great literature with your students? Do you work at a shelter or halfway house? Are you up to some other greatness that would benefit from a few copies of Slake? If so, Slake is down for the cause.

Write to Slake with "Slake for a cause" in the subject line and describe who you are, what you do, who you help and how Slake would help you. Indicate how many copies you need to do it. Slake will review and get back to you. Don't worry, Slake won't discriminate. If you're not kicking dogs, chances are they'll help you out.

KCRW's "Strangers"

"Strangers" is a new series from KCRW's Independent Producer Project about the strangers we meet, the strangers we become and the "strangeness" we might overcome when we find ways to connect in the modern world.

This fresh, new podcast is hosted and produced by the Peabody Award-winning producer and director, Lea Thau. Lea was the Executive and Creative Director of the storytelling organization The Moth from 2001 to 2010, and created the enormously popular Moth Podcast, as well as The Moth Radio Hour.

Listen to Karin Gutman's story about the time *a stranger* recruited her to run for Mayor!

Come meet Lea and other strangers at:

Strangers Happy Hour
Saturday, May 19th, 5-7pm

Shangri-La Hotel
(in the courtyard by the pool)
1301 Ocean Ave, Santa Monica, CA 90401  

Meet strangers, friends and storytellers, enjoy happy hour cocktail and appetizers, share your "Strangers" moments, pitch an idea for the show--or just drink and be merry.