Fox Inclusion recently announced writer Keely MacDonald has received a script development deal from Fox Broadcasting Company after being named this year’s Fox Writers Lab Fellow. She joined Fox as a research intern on “Sleepy Hollow” in 2012, and eventually earned the opportunity to write the episode “Insatiable” in season 4.
MacDonald was chosen from a group of 13 experienced finalists at the Fox Writers Lab, a 14-week program hosted by Fox Inclusion that gives its finalists direct access to Fox writers, directors, and executives to further their screenwriting skills on the Fox Lot in Los Angeles. The Writers Lab is one of several programs at 21st Century Fox created to empower new storytellers and strengthen the pipeline of diverse talent in the industry. At the conclusion of the program, now in its sixth consecutive year, one fellow is named as the Fox Writers Lab fellow and awarded a purchase and development deal on their original script, or a first-look deal with 21CF-affiliated entities.
This year’s Writers Lab cohort participated in “Pitchfest”, where they presented their own unique ideas to network and studio executives. The content consisted of either an original comedy or drama pilot script completed under the leadership of producer Sheila Hanahan-Taylor of Practical Pictures and Kelly Kulchak, head of Current Programming at DreamWorks Animation.
The 2017 Fox Writers Lab Finalists, along with MacDonald, included: Arielle Diaz, Brad Marques, Elizabeth Oyebode, Erick Castrillon, Esteban Arango, Jennifer Graham Imada, Lauren Tyler, Mellori Velasquez, Nicky Young, Pilar Valdes, Tania Lotia and Yasemin Yilmaz. These experienced writers were chosen from nominations submitted by arts organizations, showrunners and talent representation from across the country, and will be promoted throughout the Fox creative family for staffing on current and future film and TV productions.
“Fox Writers Lab has become an increasingly crucial component of our staffing process. There are so many talented writers, with so many different points of view. Those diverse viewpoints help make our programming smarter, stronger and, ultimately, more reflective of Fox’s viewership,” said Terence Carter, EVP of Drama Programming, Development and Event Series at Fox.
