The Grierson Trust Teams with Netflix for DocLab Training Program

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The Grierson Trust has partnered with Netflix for the next iteration of its Grierson DocLab training program, which will focus on diversifying talent within documentary development roles.

Grierson DocLab: Development will provide up to eight creatives with intensive training to build and develop their skill set, mentoring from an industry professional, networking opportunities and an eight-week paid work placement within a production company.

The training will cover developing stories, gaining access, responding to a brief, research methods, conceptualization, treatment writing, creating pitch materials, casting, working with talent, pitching and ethics in documentary filmmaking.

Applicants should have three to five years of experience across documentary production or editorial roles, with exemplary knowledge of the documentary landscape and passion for the genre. The program will focus on prioritizing applicants from underrepresented groups to increase diversity within documentary development roles. Applications for Grierson DocLab: Development will open in February 2025.

The collaboration between The Grierson Trust and Netflix follows three successful editions of specialized Grierson DocLab programs for individuals working in editing and making a career change to production management. The Grierson Trust also ran the first edition of Grierson DocLab: Archive Producers program in collaboration with Prime Video Pathway earlier this year.

“Development teams may sometimes be unsung heroes in television production, but they play a pivotal creative role in coming up with the original ideas for new documentaries,” said Sylvia Bednarz, managing director of The Grierson Trust. “In many ways, they are the lifeblood of our industry. The Grierson Trust and Netflix share a common goal of creating a diverse documentary landscape and fostering inclusivity. Diversifying teams within the crucial concept stage of doc-making will bring unique viewpoints and experiences to the fore, setting a new standard of quality, authenticity and innovation.”

Nelesh Dhand, who oversees original documentary series at Netflix, added, “Development has always been the lifeblood of this industry, but in an increasingly competitive world, with a huge amount of content on offer to audiences, you need the best ideas to cut through. These ideas come from development teams who are the creative brains behind the documentaries we know and love, which have changed the way we view the world and, in some cases, changed the world itself. Backing talented, diverse individuals to build successful careers in development will help provide us, and the industry more widely, with a pipeline of fresh, relevant stories that truly represent audiences for the future.”