Black List announces digital partnership with WIGS
Another day, another Black List writing initiative:
The Black List is pleased to announce its first partnership with a digital studio.
We’ve partnered with WIGS, the FOX series incubator and top digital channel for scripted drama, to identify one writer to develop a series on the popular digital platform founded by Jon Avnet (“Black Swan,” “Fried Green Tomatoes,” “Risky Business”), Rodrigo Garcia (“Albert Nobbs,” “In Treatment,” “Big Love”) and Jake Avnet. This opportunity is open to all writers with scripts hosted on the Black List website, regardless of previous earnings.
Launched in May 2012, WIGS is breaking new ground with award-winning scripted dramas for the digital age. The studio offers high-end original series, short films and documentaries, all starring female leads. Popular series include BLUE, about a single mother trying to protect her son from the consequences of her secret career as an escort, starring Julia Stiles, Mark Consuelos, Kathleen Quinlan, and Uriah Shelton; LAUREN, which explores the consequences of dealing with sexual assault in the military, starring Troian Bellisario and Jennifer Beals; and SUSANNA, about a career-minded woman who must adapt to motherhood overnight, starring Maggie Grace and Anna Paquin.
In February 2013, Fox Broadcasting Company (FOX) entered into a multi-year pact with WIGS. The programming, marketing and distribution partnership is designed to expand the breadth of offerings through the WIGS channel, and test and nurture dramatic concepts and talent in the digital realm.
WIGS has had more than 77 million multi-platform views to date and more than 1.6 million total subscribers. If you’re not yet familiar with their content offerings, we encourage you to check out their full slate of programming at watchwigs.com.
“We’re very excited to leverage the Black List technology to open up our development process to a new group of writers, and hopefully discover our next great series creator,” said WIGS Chief Operating Officer Jake Avnet.
“The business of scripted entertainment is changing rapidly, and it’s a great joy to be partners with one of the great success stories of that change thus far,” said The Black List founder Franklin Leonard. “Developing a series for this award-winning and quickly expanding multi-platform drama channel is an enormous opportunity for experienced and relatively new screenwriters alike, and we’re incredibly excited to be facilitating something like this with such a forward-thinking partner, particularly one targeting an audience typically underserved in the digital space.”
Beginning today, writers with screenplays and original pilots hosted on the Black List website can opt into consideration. On May 6, 2014, the Black List will select a short list of between five and ten writers based on the data gathered about each script during its time hosted on the website. Each finalist will then provide a professional resume and one page personal statement, which will be reviewed along with their selected original work by WIGS executives.
To be considered, simply opt in during the script upload process or on your My Scripts page.
For additional information, click here.
For additional submission requirements, click here.
For the WIGS blind script agreement, click here.
For the WIGS submission agreement, click here.
Have a great week,
The Black List
Here are links to information for all of the Black List writing initiatives up to this point:
Cassian Elwes / Sundance Film Festival — Black List
TBS / TNT — Black List
Walt Disney Studios — Black List
Warner Bros. — Black List
As I am wont to say, while it has never been more competitive for writers attempting to break into the business, it is equally true there has never been more access than there is right now.
What this means is you can be anywhere in the world — Anywhere! — and if you write something great, you have an increasing number of avenues into Hollywood. The Black List is a leader in continuing to create new opportunities.
NOTE: I do not make a dime from my association with the Black List. I am partnered with the Black List because its passion is the same as this blog: To promote great writers in the field of entertainment, advance professional writing practices, and do whatever we can to create pathways into Hollywood for more writers and new voices.
Onward!
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