The Producers Guild of America (PGA) has launched PGA Create, a program for emerging and mid-career creative producers from backgrounds underrepresented in the industry. This immersive lab is designed for producers in active development, financing or packaging of a feature or series and is led by the PGA’s One Guild initiative. There are two program cycles: Scripted (October 25 – 28, 2021) and Documentary (Spring 2022 with exact dates TBA). The deadline to submit for the Scripted Cycle is June 17 and the deadline for the Documentary Cycle will be announced. The program is open to non-members of the Guild.
“Through PGA’s One Guild initiative, we have been taking a thoughtful look at all facets of how to deepen the Guild’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” shared PGA presidents Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher in a joint statement. “With the establishment of PGA Create, the Guild is doubling down to ensure that the next generation of creative producers–irrespective of gender, backgrounds or ability–have access to the supportive network of the Producers Guild and its members.”
Each PGA Create Fellow participates in a multi-day, immersive lab during which they hear from subject experts on topics of relevance to advancing their specific projects. Fellows also receive an opportunity to present themselves and their projects to an invited industry audience, including a range of PGA’s established creative producers who serve as advisors and mentors. All Scripted and Documentary Fellows are also invited to participate in a joint PGA Create Forum held during PGA’s annual Produced By Conference in Summer 2022. Throughout their year-long opportunity as a Fellow, and as their schedules allow, participants have the ability to participate in special programming and career sustainability modules.
A joint statement from Tonya Lewis Lee and Lori McCreary, chairs of the Guild’s One Guild initiative supporting inclusive membership employment, content and authentic depictions, read: “PGA Create is an evolution of the Guild’s flagship Power of Diversity Master Workshop. Without the nearly two decade-long commitment of passionate PGA members, including former Chairs of the Diversity Workshop George Sunga, Deb Calla, Yvonne Russo, Charles Howard, Sasheen Artis, Christina Lee Storm, Julie Janata, Matthew Johnson and Angela Northington, the Guild would not have been able to invest in the program by expanding it into an opportunity offered two times per year. Collectively, the Guild owes these PGA members a tremendous debt of gratitude for their leadership in championing the importance of actively supporting and nurturing the next generation of producers from backgrounds underrepresented in our industry.”
Applications for PGA Create’s Scripted Cycle (features and series) open today here. Applications for the Documentary Cycle will open in November.
One Guild was established in 2018 to address the specific needs of underrepresented and under-served groups by strategically focusing on the Guild’s internal efforts and external collaborations to increase and foster membership, guild leadership, employment and to encourage authentic depictions in TV, film and all forms of content.
