TVDRAMA
Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Candle Media’s Faraway Road Productions, creators of the Netflix series Fauda and Hit & Run, have opened submissions for their new writers’ lab.
Up to 12 writers from the United Arab Emirates and Israel will be selected to participate in the four-month program, which will feature two in-person workshops in Abu Dhabi and monthly online mentoring and feedback sessions. At the in-person workshops, the writers will develop their proposals, pilot episodes and pitch presentations.
The two in-person events are scheduled for October 2023 and March 2024.
Applications for the program are open now, and interested writers have until June 22 to apply. Their submissions should include the concept, including a story overview, character descriptions and a previous writing sample.
“Image Nation has provided top-class training to aspiring filmmakers, writers and creatives for over ten years, nurturing an impressive emerging generation of entertainment professionals,” said Ben Ross, chief content officer at Image Nation Abu Dhabi. “This new writers’ lab strengthens our programming even further, offering four months of dedicated feedback, mentoring and industry insights—an invaluable experience for anyone hoping to break into entertainment. The creative industries are also a vital channel for cultural exchange, so we are particularly looking forward to partnering with Faraway Road Productions. I cannot wait to discover some incredible new talents from the region with authentic and important stories to tell.”
Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, creators of Fauda and founders of Faraway Road Productions, said, “We’re thrilled to partner with Image Nation Abu Dhabi on this collaboration that aims to empower promising new TV writers. Stories have so much power and there are many talented storytellers in the region who simply need the proper mentorship, guidance and opportunities. Through this impactful and bold new writers’ lab, we hope to upskill the region’s promising talents, elevate their careers and help share their stories with the world. This program also represents an opportunity to strengthen the ties between the UAE and Israel through our shared appreciation for the art of storytelling.”
