Women in Film & Television – Toronto (WIFT+ Toronto) has introduced a four-day TV screenwriting program for members and non-members.

Second Draft: Screenwriting for TV Series, held in-person only and presented by Neshama Entertainment, offers four non-consecutive days during which the selected applicants will attend workshops and have one-on-one and group mentorship opportunities. They will be instructed on developing their writing skills and deepening their understanding of screenplay and dramatic structure as well as moving their script forward.

Program guidelines state that applicants should have writing experience and one to two sample scripts from the series that they are applying with. They also must include a logline and synopsis for their series.

The deadline for applications is Nov. 17, with the program being held weekly from Nov. 26 to Dec. 17. Approved applicants will be required to pay a fee of $500 for WIFT+ Toronto members and $650 for non-members.

Scholarships are also available to those who identify as a woman, female, trans, genderqueer or nonbinary media professional. Preference will be given to members of the Black, Indigenous, people of colour and the LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as individuals living with a disability. Scholarships have a separate Nov. 10 deadline.

Ian Malone, Neshama’s VP, development and production will be an instructor with more announcements to come, WIFT+ Toronto director of programming Laurie Januska told Playback Daily.

“This refreshed program will give our community the opportunity to not only learn the staple skills for writing for this format, but will also put them in front of fabulous guest speakers and instructors who will share their insights, experience and knowledge with our group,” says Januska.

“Supporting emerging Canadian talent has always been at the heart of our company’s mission. By providing opportunities for diverse, rising Canadian writers, we are proud to continue fostering the growth and success of the Canadian media landscape,” added Dayna Zipursky, Neshama’s SVP, production strategy, post and operations, in a statement.

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