Warner Bros. Discovery is reversing their decision to close down the Writers and Directors Workshops. Yesterday, the company announced that the two initiatives would be closing up shop as a part of the wide-ranging cost-cutting measures going on at Warner Bros. Discovery after the merger. Now, these programs will reside under the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion unit. Social media caught wind of the plan to nix the Writer and Directors Workshops and let their voices be heard. Both of these programs directly led to qualified writers and directors getting their foot into this industry. Without initiatives like this one, it would be very difficult to achieve any real headway as an early career worker.
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“By continuing this successful WBTV initiative through the DEI division, we ensure that Warner Bros. Discovery’s continued commitment to training and development continues. Additionally, this is a strong example of how DEI plans to leverage our recently announced Creative Council to best align with our internal partners in maintaining our commitment to infuse our pipeline with diverse storytellers,” said Asif Sadiq, Warner Bros. Discovery CDEIO. “As we solidify the agenda and scope of the Council, we are excited to be able to expand this important initiative alongside our other efforts providing opportunities for underrepresented creatives.”
“Including the Writers and Directors Workshop within the scope of our current DEI pipeline programs, which include development opportunities for music supervisors, comedic voices and showrunners among others, will allow for a broader and more intense DEI focus and yield an even larger pool of cohorts to benefit from the experience and exposure we provide,” added Karen Horne. “We are encouraged by this chance to house this long-standing WBTV effort to impact the industry with emerging talent within the DEI team.”
The Directors Guild of America issued a statement with their response to the initial move: “The DGA announced today its commitment to fight against Warner Bros. Discovery’s decision to dismantle its TV Directors’ development program. The DGA will not stand idly by while WB/Discovery seeks to roll back decades of advancement for women and Directors of color. This important program, mandated by the DGA collective bargaining agreement, seeks to promote inclusive hiring practices for diversified talent and concludes with program participants provided an opportunity to direct an episode of TV. The program, and others like it, is essential to establish an inclusive directorial workforce in the entertainment industry.”
“This program was established as the result of the Guild’s decades of work to pressure the Studios to diversify their hiring practices. The WB directing program, run in collaboration with veteran Directors Bethany Rooney and Mary Lou Belli, has been exceptionally successful in mobilizing inclusive talent with new stories to tell. The industry has greatly benefited from the successful alumni of these workshops including Directors Regina King, Jude Weng, Laura Belsey, Rashaad Ernesto Green, Stacey Black, and Nina Lopez-Corrado, among many others. It is unconscionable that proven efforts to diversify our industry are so quickly and cavalierly sacrificed. We have been in contact with WB and have received their commitment to work with us to remedy this important matter. We will do everything in our power to make sure they do so.”
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