The issue of on-screen Latinx underrepresentation is, at this point, nothing new. Study after study — not to mention controversy after controversy — reminds us that Latinos are prized as audiences but not given the requisite opportunities to thrive in the entertainment industry. On July 2019, The Black List — the annual survey of Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced screenplays that has since also become an online hub for aspiring screenwriters everywhere — partnered with The Latin Tracking Board, Mijente, NALIP, The Nathan Cummings Foundation, Remezcla and UnidosUS to create the very first Latinx List for feature screenplays. That list ended up including recent Sundance film Blast Beat as well as three projects from up and coming Latina screenwriters.
This February, The Black List has partnered with The Latin Tracking Board, NALIP, Remezcla, and The Untitled Latinx Project to create a call for submissions for the inaugural Latinx TV List. Knowing the television landscape is just as eager for more stories for and about the Latinx community (think Gentefied, Diary of a Future President, and Pose) this new initiative will focus on one-hour and half-hour original pilots written by at least one Latinx writer and featuring a Latinx or Latin American character in a prominent role. It’s a chance for aspiring writers (no matter their experience) to get their work noticed and celebrated.
The announcement was further boosted by One Day at a Time‘s Gloria Calderón Kellett and Vida‘s Tanya Saracho, who have made it their mission to further uplift fellow Latino creators following the success of their respective shows.
Filmmakers and content creators are invited to submit a script for consideration by uploading it to The Black List website during the months of February/March 2020. Writers selected for the Latinx TV List will be notified of their placement in Spring 2020, with a public announcement to follow.
Requirements:
- Writers should be Latinos residing currently in the U.S. (any country of origin or other status is fine)
- Any kind of story is eligible and will be considered
- All scripts must have one Latinx character in a prominent, lead role
- Scripts can be bilingual as long as they are written primarily in English
- Half-hours and one-hours considered, no webseries please
- All levels of experience considered for submitting writers
- Scripts submitted should be as free from attachments as possible
You can find more information, including frequently asked questions here.
Submissions to The Latinx TV List via blcklst.com are open from February 18, 2020 to March 18, 2020.