FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: March 19, 2014 Casey De La Rosa 310.360.1981
[email protected] Sundance Institute Expands Support to Writers and Creators of Series for TV and Online Platforms First ‘Sundance Institute Episodic Story Lab’ to Be Held in Fall 2014 at the Sundance Resort, with Norman and Lyn Lear as Founding Supporters Los Angeles, CA — Sundance Institute today announced a significant expansion of its renowned labs for independent artists to include dedicated support for writers and creators of series for television and online platforms. The first Sundance Institute Episodic Story Lab will be held in Fall 2014 at the Sundance Resort in Sundance, Utah. Building on the Institute’s 30-year legacy of developing new work from storytellers with distinctive and risk-taking stories, this new initiative addresses the need for more opportunities for learning and mentorship of singular and diverse voices in scripted TV and online series. In collaboration with accomplished mentors, writers at the six-day, immersive Episodic Story Lab will work on developing stories and characters that play out over multiple episodes and will also have the opportunity to better understand the landscape for production and distribution of serialized stories. Both drama and comedy writing will be supported at the Lab, which has been organized under the leadership of Michelle Satter, Founding Director of the Institute’s Feature Film Program. The Lab is made possible by generous support and guidance from television producer Norman Lear and his wife, Institute Trustee Lyn Lear. The Institute cites the growth of great writing and bold content in recent years as inspiration for the Lab.