BWTVF, Canwest Partner for New Training Programs

TORONTO,
March 18: This year’s Banff World Television Festival (BWTVF) will feature the
debut of the Canwest Emerging Writers Program and the Canwest Showrunner
Training Program, two initiatives aimed at enhancing, nurturing and encouraging
writers and producers to grow the television-series business in Canada.

The
29th edition of the BWTVF will take place at the Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel
in Alberta, Canada, from June 8-11. The Canwest Emerging Writers Program offers
Canadian screenwriters the opportunity to gain significant insight into the
demands of writing for series television. Up to five writers will participate
in a professional development program that will help them hone their creative
skills and introduce them to a range of industry professionals working in
series television. The successful applicants will be invited to attend the
BWTVF, where they will have access to all events offered at the festival, as
well as attending seminars, pitch sessions and master classes. After the
festival, they will meet with story teams working on existing Canadian series
productions.

The
goal of the Canwest Showrunner Training Program is to better position Canada's
television writers to take on the responsibility of the showrunner. Up to ten
experienced series writers will be chosen to participate in a program that will
provide further insight into producing series television. Successful candidates
will have their own shows to pitch at the BWTVF. Additionally, they will have
the opportunity to attend master classes and be part of case study sessions
with renowned showrunners. At the end of the program, these writers will travel
to Los Angeles for a week to meet with a variety of story teams on existing
U.S. series.

Former
CTV executive Tecca Crosby has been named as the director of both the Canwest
Emerging Writers Program and the Canwest Showrunner Training Program. The
winners for both programs will be selected by a jury consisting of Crosby, a
representative from Canwest, and one representative from the Banff Television
Festival Foundation.

—By Irene Lew