Unscripted Producers’ Lab

In Partnership with Bell Media

Applications for the Unscripted Producers’ Lab are now CLOSED

KEY DATES

Call for Applications: Fall 2023 (Closed)

Lab Dates: May 6-10, 2024 at Bell Media Studios in Toronto

The Unscripted Producers Lab is a one-week intensive for emerging producers and aspiring showrunners working in unscripted, factual, and reality TV content production.

Developed in partnership with Bell Media senior production executive Tina Apostolopoulos and 2023 lead facilitator Andrea Griffith, the lab will focus on producing an unscripted series from start to finish, covering a range of topics: unscripted storytelling, management skills, casting, production and post-production workflows, financing and scheduling, and career development.

Following the lab intensive, participants will be matched with a mentor for individual support for six months.

Featured

May 14, 2024

Program Recap: Unscripted Producers Lab

May 14, 2024

Curious about what to expect from the Unscripted Producers Lab? Look no further. Here’s an in-depth recap of our program.

Eligibility Criteria

The BIPOC TV & Film Unscripted Producers’ Lab in partnership with Bell Media is open to Canadian residents who are Black, Indigenous, and/or racialized Persons of Colour. To be eligible, you must also meet at least one of the following criteria:

You have/had an unscripted, factual, or reality series in development with a Canadian or US broadcaster or production company; OR,

You have attained a producer-level credit on at least one season of a Canadian or US unscripted, factual, reality or documentary series; OR,
You have a producer credit on a feature-length or broadcast documentary. Note: associate producer credits are eligible.

Topics to be explored

Unscripted Storytelling: Building the vision for your series
Building and Leading an Unscripted Team
The Ins and Outs of Casting
Production and Post-production
Financing, Budgeting and Scheduling
Building Your Relationship with Your Broadcaster/Network
Building and Evolving Your Career

MEET THE 2024 COHORT

Jonah Lee-McNamee

Tamiko Potts

Matt Rubio

2023 Unscripted Producers Lab Participants

Vatsala Aron

Select Credits: Indian Predator, Better Life Foundation
Sabine Daniel

Select Credits: Sunny’s Quest, Suivez-Moi
Priyanka Desai

Select Credits: Red Chef Revival, Not Your Butter Chicken
Jonathan Jude

Select Credits: Employable Me, Canada’s Got Talent, The Ultimate Challenge Canada, Holmes Family Effect, Spice Girl Eats: India
Derek Kwan

Select Credits: Me, Maundy
Camille Lawrence

Select Credits: The Amazing Race Canada, Canada’s Got Talent, Best In Miniature, The Umbrella Academy
Oswald (Ozzy) Quiroz

Select Credits: Pizza Town, Stuff the British Stole
Amita Zamaana

Select Credits: The Great Canadian Baking Show, Dhaliwal ‘15