by Disney General Entertainment Content (DGE) has selected 13 writers selected for its 2021 writing program, including recipients of Disney Channel’s Eunetta T. Boone Comedy Writer’s Scholarship, established last year by the network in honor of the late writer/producer for diverse and aspiring comedy writers.
Created in 1990 in partnership with the Writers Guild of America West, Disney Creative Talent Development & Inclusion’s one-year writing program offers advanced professional development with the primary goal of helping to secure participants’ first staffing assignment via Disney General Entertainment Content series. Now in its 30th year, the program is widely recognized as one of the entertainment industry’s most successful of its type, with a nearly 100% hiring rate for more than a decade. It has served as a launching pad for many successful writers across the industry.
Here are the comedy writers:
- Ceda Xiong, “All Rise” script coordinator/stand-up comedian (Los Angeles, California)
- Chas, “Central Park” showrunner’s assistant (Vallejo, California)
- Mike Lee, Emmy®-winning TV creative producer (New York City, New York)
- Shelley Dennis, animated TV series writer/former fashion model (Clayton, Oklahoma)
- Sidney Butler, “grown-ish” writers’ assistant (Houston, Texas)
- Victor Duenas, “East Los High” development assistant (South Gate, California)
- Ama Quao, “Outer Range” writers’ assistant (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
- Jai Joseph, “Mom” showrunner’s assistant (Kenner, Louisiana) – ** Disney Channel’s Eunetta T. Boone Comedy Writer Scholar
“The Creative Talent Development & Inclusion team is proud to launch this extremely talented group of writers into the next phase of their career,” said Tim McNeal, vice president, Creative Talent Development & Inclusion (CTDI). “The flagship Writing Program is one of the critical ways CTDI connects creative talent to opportunities across Disney and continues to be our company’s staffing pipeline specifically for emerging, diverse TV writers. We look forward to seeing this cohort shape the next generation of producers and showrunners.”
The program was the first of its kind to provide salary and benefits to its participants. Starting this year, all program writers will receive a bump to their weekly salary prior to staffing on a series. Additionally, all program writers who staff on a DGE scripted series will be compensated at WGA scale.
