Ninety-six industry creatives are set to take part in the new iteration of Anthony Q. Farrell’s (Run the Burbs) Diversity Showrunner Bootcamp.

The program, sponsored by Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Access Canada, is run by Farrell through his production company Canfro Productions. The program is open to those who are members of the LGBTQ2S+ community, BIPOC or persons with a disability. Additionally, applicants were required to either have at least one series in development with a Canadian or U.S. broadcaster or prodco; a producer-level credit on at least one season of a Canadian series; or a story editor credit on an animated series.

The bootcamp involves eight virtual three-hour training sessions with Farrell and other industry leaders beginning Nov. 23 and ending Jan. 25. The program aims to teach the cohort about the showrunner role and diversify the position by allowing them to excel.

Among those selected are actor, producer and writer Tommy James Murphy (Recall); actor, producer and director Panta Mosleh (Hatch); producer and director Aisling Chin-Yee (The Rest of Us); actor, director and writer Samora Smallwood (Coming Home); producer Paula Devonshire (Remember); actor and writer Sugith Varughese (Kim’s Convenience); and actor, writer and producer Julian De Zotti (For the Record).

Also in the cohort is actor, writer and producer Scott Farley (Stories from My Gay Grandparents); writer and producer Skander Halim (The Unicorn); director, producer and writer Reem Morsi (Banned); and director, producer and writer Amir Zargara (A Good Day Will Come).

Several of Playback’s 10 to Watch and 5 to Watch alumni are included, such as filmmaker and writer Adrian Wallace (Hip Hop My House); screenwriter and producer Cheryl Meyer (All the Lost Ones); producer and actor Emmanuel Kabongo (Sway), filmmaker, writer and producer Josiane Blanc (Words Left Unspoken); writer and director Samantha MacAdam; writer Caleigh Bacchus (Murdoch Mysteries); writer and producer Fatuma Adar (21 Black Futures) and screenwriter and producer Sabrina Sherif (The Hardy Boys).

“I’m looking forward to the incredible work this group is going to put out into the world,” said Farrell in an Instagram post announcing the cohort. “I can already feel our industry getting stronger. Congratulations to all of you, now let’s get to work.”

In 2021 and 2022, Farrell ran a previous version of the program, in partnership with BIPOC TV and Film, attended by close to 100 creatives total.

The full cohort can be found here.

Photo of Anthony Q. Farrell by Ian Watson