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Red Sea Labs Announces The Selected Teams For SeriesLab Program 2024 In Partnership With Film Independent

September 30, 2024

  • SeriesLab: An intensive training program for developing TV scripts by industry experts in partnership with Film Independent
  • SeriesLab offers an exclusive trip to Los Angeles for training sessions and the Film Independent Forum

Red Sea Labs, one of the Red Sea Film Foundation’s programs, announces the selected teams for the second edition of SeriesLab program, in strategic partnership with nonprofit arts organization Film Independent. This collaboration aims to foster creative independence in television storytelling through a comprehensive and inspiring educational framework.

The SeriesLab is an intensive training program focused on cultivating the talents of 14 upcoming TV content creators and writers through a virtual/in-person residency program providing a dynamic and supportive environment for scriptwriting development through guidance and training on the necessary skills from professional television writers, showrunners, and industry experts to successfully complete and pitch their television series pilot by the end of the program.

The selected teams for the Second Edition of the SeriesLab:

  1. Team “B’itha” from Saudi Arabia: Writer Noorah Al-Eidi, Producer Sheheryar Ahsan.
  2. Team “Saria Othman Needs No Man” from Lebanon: Producer Hiba Louis, Writer Estephan Khattar.
  3. Team “Bazuzu’s Breath” from Iraq and Saudi Arabia: Writer/Producer Ali Kareem, Co-writer Dania Altayeb.
  4. Team “Generation A” from Kenya: Writer Mona Ombogo, Producer Louise Kamwangi.
  5. Team “Switch” from Uganda: Writer/Producer Nathan Magoola, Co-writer Lucky Lola Atwine.
  6. Team “Cold Case-One (Pullukandam Murder Case)” from India: Scriptwriter Nithin Lukose, Co-writer Hari Krishnan.
  7. Team “Shani Bazaar” from India: Scriptwriter Karan Kabir, Co-writer Nitin Koul.

Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Managing Director of the Red Sea Film Foundation, stated, “The Foundation remains at the forefront of advancing the film industry through education, mentorship, funding, and more. Our flagship program, Red Sea Labs, is a cornerstone of our efforts, focused on nurturing emerging talent. Last year, we broadened its scope to include the development of TV series through our SeriesLab program, which underscores our commitment to cultivating talent across all areas of filmmaking. Partnering with experts in the field like Film Independent enables us to equip rising creators with the essential skills and insights needed to bring their unique visions to life.”

Ryan Ashore, Director of Red Sea Labs, remarked, “Our partnership with Film Independent gives our writers direct access to the critical tools, mentorship, and industry connections needed for success. Engaging directly with leading experts enables our creators to gain invaluable insights into the TV industry and refine their projects to meet international standards. We believe this will strengthen the SeriesLab program and help our writers make a lasting global impact.”

María Raquel Bozzi, Senior Director of Education & International Initiatives at Film Independent, said: “We are excited to welcome this group of talented creators in the SeriesLab to Los Angeles, where in addition to their training, they will be joining a group of 40 international filmmakers from across all of our international programs at the Film Independent Forum.”

The training program features an exclusive two-week trip to Los Angeles, where participants will attend intensive workshops and participate in the Film Independent Forum. This distinguished event aims to empower filmmakers to tell captivating stories by providing them with the tools and industry connections needed to bring their projects to life.

The second edition of the SeriesLab program is scheduled to start in September 2024 and finish in late December 2024, coinciding with the fourth edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival. The selected projects will have the opportunity to pitch their Series at the Red Sea Souk.