WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab
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WeScreenplay
WeScreenplay Diverse Voices Lab
Spring 2024
Reads in Coverfly
Active Since 2016
WeScreenplay is looking for stories from writers with underrepresented backgrounds. 6 writers will be selected to participate in a career-changing lab!
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About
Diverse Voices is a dynamic virtual screenwriting lab with a proven track record of helping elevate stories that are told from perspectives that are often underrepresented in film and TV today. This includes writers of color, women writers, writers with disabilities, writers over 40, writers in the LGBTQ+ community, and any other voices that have historically been ignored by Hollywood.
Between 4 -7 writers will be selected to participate in this career-changing lab, which features Keynote Mentors who write for THE MORNING SHOW, BRIDGERTON, and INSECURE.
TRIBE Writers’ Program Prize
Presented by SuperSpecial
In addition to WeScreenplay’s unique virtual lab, this year, WeScreenplay is excited to partner with writer/producer Amy Aniobi (INSECURE) and production company SuperSpecial to grant one fellow entry to the next season of the TRIBE Writers’ Program!
Plus, all entries receive one page of feedback from a professional reader from a diverse background.
Benefits
VIRTUAL TV WRITING LAB
The top 4-7 writers will be invited to WeScreenplay’s Diverse Voices Virtual Writing Lab! This multi-day lab will be PACKED with workshops to hone craft, mentorship calls with working writers, and general meetings with studio execs, literary reps, and more.
Winners will also receive:
- - A copy of Final Draft screenwriting software
KEYNOTE MENTORS
Keynote mentors will participate in the Diverse Voices Spring lab group sessions and select at least one writer for a one-on-one coaching session, tailored to the selected writer.
AMY ANIOBI
Showrunner, Director, Producer - Insecure, Rap Sh!t, Survival of the Thickest
my Aniobi is an award-winning writer/director/producer most known for her work on the Emmy-nominated HBO series, “Insecure,” where she served as EP and as a writer for all five seasons. She recently directed episodes of both “Rap Sh!t" (Max) and "Survival of the Thickest" (Netflix) and is in development on several projects for HBO/Max.
ALI VINGIANO
Writer, Filmmaker, Actor - The Morning Show, The Opposition with Jordan Klepper
Ali is a WGA Award-nominated writer, filmmaker, and actor who moves easily between comedy and drama, and film and television. She’s dreamed of screenwriting since she was 13 and wrote her first script. It didn’t sell, but don’t worry — years later her dream came true when she wrote for the first two seasons of the Emmy-winning series The Morning Show (Apple TV+) and served as an on-set producer. Previously, she was a Field Producer for The Daily Show spinoff The Opposition w/ Jordan Klepper (Comedy Central), for which she traveled the country directing and producing correspondent segments. She’s now developing multiple TV & film ideas for various studios.
GEETIKA LIZARDI
Writer - Bridgerton, Outsourced, Mira, Royal Detective
Geetika's first feature was optioned and later adapted for musical theater in the UK; her first TV spec landed her a staff writing job on NBC comedy, OUTSOURCED. Geetika wrote on Season 1 of Disney's MIRA, ROYAL DETECTIVE. As the only South Asian member of the team from the start of production, she had an integral role in shaping the show. Geetika is a two-time winner of the WGA Writers Access Project, the only writer ever to win in both Comedy and Drama.
TRIBE WRITERS' PROGRAM PRIZE
In partnership with Amy Aniobi and SuperSpecial
This year one Diverse Voices lab fellow will be selected by writer/producer, Amy Aniobi and the TRIBE Development team to participate in the next season of the TRIBE Writers’ Program.
TRIBE is a non-profit, year-long writing program and ongoing career network for intermediate indie writers (not yet staffed or recently staffed at the lower level). With 33 graduates to date and 12 current members, several of whom are staffed and working in the industry, TRIBE focuses on building writers’ hard and soft skills, to bridge the gap between writing independently and writing as a career.
Writer Success
If you are eligible, do not hesitate to apply for Diverse Voices. I have won or placed in multiple contests and none so far have gone to the lengths that the team at Diverse Voices went to in order to ensure the winners were put in front of the best agencies and management companies and production companies possible. They also delivered a highly inspiring four-day lab that far exceeded my expectations.
Daniela Saioni
Spring 2021 Winner
Absolutely go for it! You get invaluable feedback to polish your script and if you are fortunate enough to place, it's an amazing opportunity to get your work in front of reps that you might not have had access to otherwise. I'd like to say a big, heartfelt thanks to WeScreenplay for helping me connect with representation. They were the epitome of professionalism and courtesy. I don't doubt that I would be much further behind in my journey to find representation if it weren't for her help.
Soma Helmi
Spring 2021 Finalist
I was a finalist in WeScreenplay's 'Diverse Voices Screenwriters' Lab' (Spring 2021), and after that, WeScreenplay went above and beyond to share my script with reps and answer my questions to guide my next career steps. WeScreenplay sent my next pilot (PROJECT BLANCA, which is currently up at Coverfly) to Jen, who decided to rep me! Had I not placed in this competition, and had WeScreenplay not been as proactive about helping finalists' careers, I would not have made this particular connection.
Teresa Jusino
Spring 2021 Finalist
Coverfly Program Insights
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Spring 2025 Winners on Coverfly
MELANIE FROM HR
Private
Feature
· Thriller
· 96 Pages
After being misled, a woman uses her "resources" to wreak havoc on the man who broke her heart.
- Verified WGA Member
Studio City, CA
Born and raised in Nashville, TN, Asheleigh had two loves, ballet and writing. Realizing that dancing professionally was not for her, she worked briefly as a magazine writer then focused on TV writing. She worked on THE QUAD, before moving over to BLACK LIGHTNING. Her first credit earned her a nomination for Outstanding Writing in a Drama Seri...
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Top 1%
Feature
· Thriller
· 110 Pages
When her politically-divided church is threatened by extremists, a controversial pastor must fight to reclaim her pulpit as a skeptical FBI agent investigates her involvement in the threats.
North Hollywood, CA
Tosin is an actor, writer, director and proud son of Nigerian Immigrants now living in Kansas City, where he grew up.
He is most known for "Bass Reeves" (Paramount+) and “Run The World” (STARZ), “The Chi” (Showtime), “Black Lightning” (CW), and “Julia” (HBO).
On film, he stars in Amazon’s "Blackbox", "Friend Request" and "North of the 10" (B...
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Top 1%
Feature
· Thriller
· 110 Pages
Cancer surgeon Moira Caldwell uncovers a conspiracy that seeks to squeeze profits out of patients, eliminating anyone who stands in the way.
Portland, Oregon
I'm a Portland Oregon-based writer of conspiracy thrillers and dramas with a side of comedy.
I'm also a cancer surgeon/scientist who adores T cells, math, visual arts, and cats.
I was privileged to use my patient advocate experience as an advisor on Here Awhile starring Anna Camp, Steven Strait, and Joe Lo Truglio and was featured in the Sundanc...
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Announcements
Jan 5th
Quarterfinalists
Jan 26th
Semifinalists
Feb 23rd
Finalists
Apr 1st
Winners