Discover Warner Bros. Undo a plan to close workshops for emerging writers and directors afterwards Industry backlash.
The company said in a statement on Wednesday that it is moving the Directors’ Workshop and Writers’ Workshop program from its former headquarters at Warner Bros. Television to the Diversity, Equity and Corporate Inclusion division after the conclusion of the current book workshop that is ending. In March 2023. The WBD added that the DEI unit would “develop workshop programs through the existing pipeline software division.”
For now, according to a spokesperson for Warner Bros. Discovery, there are no plans to change the number of workshop participants – up to eight writers and eight to 12 directors – in the future.
Sources say the current class of writers will be supported in WBTV workshops in their current home through March 2023. The new workshops will be run company-wide and will operate company-wide across their content portfolio, with some practices from WBTV workshops carried over to the new programming. , which will however make changes to the software.
Tuesday, The Hollywood Reporter mentioned in An earlier plan was to close these programmes, which were often seen as a major gateway for diverse talent to receive important industry opportunities in directing and writing, although it did not have a mandate for diversity per se. At the time, the WBTV group’s announcement said, “Although we will no longer have these official shows, we remain committed to developing, mentoring, and preparing emerging talent for careers in television.”
This new announcement comes about half an hour after America’s Directors Guild He announced his intention to “fight” the closure of the Warner Bros. workshop. Television Workshop and its mentoring programme, which the union says is mandated under its collective bargaining agreement.
“The DGA today announced its commitment to fighting Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to dismantle the TV Manager Development Program,” the union said in a statement on Wednesday. “DGA will not stand idly by as WB/Discovery seeks to undo decades of progress for women and colorists.”
The specific verdict that the DGA claimed to shut down infringing software is Sec. 15-203 of the 2014 Basic Agreement, which reads: “On or before July 1, 2014, each of the major television studios (i.e. ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, Sony Pictures Television, and Warner Bros. Television) (“) will Major Television Studios) to establish and maintain a Television Director Development Program designed to expand opportunities for filmmakers in episodic television with a focus on increasing diversity.” The basic agreement calls for these programs to seek members from underrepresented groups, give participants opportunities to meet creative executives and find mentoring opportunities To participants when possible, among other provisions.
Although the WBTV Workshops—the directors’ edition began in 2013 and the book’s version more than 40 years ago—have featured relatively diverse groups and have been credited with bringing more creatives from marginalized identities into the industry, they were not developed” using WBD said In his announcement this afternoon, “They will now operate with a specific focus on DEI.”
In the wake of the news that the shows will be moving to Warner Bros. The division of DEI, the union responded in a subsequent statement Wednesday: “The DGA is pleased to see that Warner Bros. Discovery has responded to our concerns, however, and the clue will be in how the new program structure effectively addresses managerial diversity, equity, and inclusion.” “We will be watching closely to ensure they are following through on their commitment,” the statement added.
Leslie Goldberg contributed reporting.
October 12, 5:07 pm Updated with the latest statement issued by the Syndicate of Directors.
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