or


[05/02/24 - 10:31 AM]
Disney's "Launchpad" Returns for a Third Season, Inviting Storytellers to Share Their Unique Perspectives
Started in 2021, Disney's Launchpad aims to build a more inclusive entertainment industry by fostering the next generation of storytellers.
[via press release from Disney+]

Disney's "Launchpad" Returns for a Third Season, Inviting Storytellers to Share Their Unique Perspectives

Today, The Walt Disney Studios announced a third season of Disney's Launchpad. The live action shorts program, an initiative dedicated to fostering emerging talent and amplifying diverse voices in filmmaking, invites aspiring writers and directors from underrepresented backgrounds or those with a unique perspective to produce a short as part of the Disney Launchpad: Shorts Incubator program. Submissions are now open through June 2, 2024, and will be considered for season three.

"Launchpad gave me the opportunity to really stretch myself as a director - working on stunts and collaborating with Industrial Light and Magic (ILM) on my visual effects is something I could have only dreamed of doing before," said Erica Eng, Director of The Ghost. The program works hard to set us up for success even after the program has ended, and I'm really thankful for their support as a filmmaker."

Started in 2021, Disney's Launchpad aims to build a more inclusive entertainment industry by fostering the next generation of storytellers. Under the purview of the Disney Launchpad Producer, selected filmmakers will work to deliver live-action short films for possible exhibitions on Disney+. As part of the 12-month program, each filmmaker will be paired with a Disney creative executive who will mentor them as they embark on a training program centered on teaching creative collaboration within the Disney Studio system. The forthcoming season will feature a curated selection of three films tied to the theme of "Forward."

"Building upon the incredible creative success and industry recognition of our past two seasons, Disney Launchpad Season 3 will deepen its storytelling while refining its talent pathway for emerging filmmakers with an increased focus on job opportunities within Disney," said Phillip Yaw Domfeh, Sr. Manager and Producer of Disney Launchpad. "Season three brings a new theme of forward, where we're looking to spring forward into hope and optimism through our storytelling," added Mahin Ibrahim, Director of Creative Talent Pathways, Representation & Inclusion Strategies. Previous Launchpad seasons have garnered recognition from the entertainment industry, with a growing list of accolades year-over-year.

Cumulatively, the shorts have been recognized at over 17 festivals, have received four NAACP Image Award nominations, and have won several awards, including the Casting Society's prestigious Artios Award. Additionally, Launchpad alumni have proven incredibly talented and successful in the industry. Alumni have landed permanent roles and have gone on to participate in additional Disney programs such as the Disney Directing Program, directing episodes of highly acclaimed series like High School Musical: The Musical: The Series and General Hospital.

Program and application details and full eligibility criteria are available at Launchpad.Disney.com.





  [may 2024]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
   


· LAUNCHPAD (DISNEY PLUS)




[11/26/24 - 03:01 PM]
Video: New Games, New Stakes - "Squid Game" Season 2 Main Trailer and Key Art "Round and Round" Unveiled
With its premiere just around the corner on December 26, the trailer delivers an electrifying glimpse into the deadly games and gripping character dynamics that await fans worldwide.
[11/26/24 - 02:34 PM]
Video: Paramount+ with Showtime Debuts Official Trailer for Showtime's "Dexter: Original Sin"
The series premieres Friday, December 13 on streaming and on demand for Paramount+ subscribers with the Paramount+ with Showtime plan, before making its on-air US debut on Sunday, December 15 at 10pm ET/PT.
[11/26/24 - 01:15 PM]
ABC News' "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 vs. CBS' "After Midnight" and NBC's "Late Night with Seth Meyers"
"Nightline" posted double-digit gains week to week across the board, hitting a 6-week high in overall viewers and 7-week highs in both key Adult demos.
[11/26/24 - 12:03 PM]
Netflix Top 10 Week of Nov. 18: "The Merry Gentlemen" and "A Man on the Inside" Take the Top Spots
Season 2 of the animated series "Arcane" laid siege to #2 (6.4M views), while Season 1 took #5 with 2.2M views.
[11/26/24 - 11:44 AM]
TNT Sports to Debut "Evolve and Flex" with Lance Fresh Friday, Dec. 6, on truTV and Max
The show is hosted by sports-lifestyle expert Lance Fresh and features candid conversations with guests to discuss how life's events have contributed to their sense of style.
[11/26/24 - 11:19 AM]
MGM+ Announces 2025 Premiere Date for "NFL Icons" Season Four
In the upcoming fourth season, the docuseries will feature Pro Football Hall of Famers Joe Montana, DeMarcus Ware, Kurt Warner and Gale Sayers.

[11/26/24 - 10:24 AM]
Video: "Rogue Heroes" (MGM+ 2025 Series) Season 2 Tease
"Rogue Heroes" is a dramatized account of how the world's greatest Special Forces unit, the SAS, was formed under extraordinary circumstances in the darkest days of World War Two.
[11/26/24 - 10:09 AM]
Video: Acorn TV Releases Official Trailer for Second Season of Hit Australian Drama, "Darby and Joan"
The new season debuts with a two-episode premiere, exclusively on Acorn TV, on December 30, followed by weekly episodes through January 27.

[11/26/24 - 10:01 AM]
ABC News Studios Announces Fourth Season of Hit True-Crime Series "Wild Crime," Streaming Dec. 5 Only on Hulu
"Wild Crime: Eleven Skulls" delves into the haunting 2012 disappearance of Samantha Koenig, an 18-year-old Anchorage barista last seen leaving her place of work with an unknown man on a dark winter night.
[11/26/24 - 08:32 AM]
Bravo Greenlights "Vanderpump Rules" Season 12 with a New Group of SUR-vers
In addition, "Vanderpump Rules" will celebrate the past decade of heartbreaks, friendship rifts and scandals with a retrospective special highlighting the past 11 seasons.

[11/26/24 - 08:30 AM]
Video: Paramount+ and Nickelodeon Reveal Teaser, First-Look Images and Premiere Date for "Henry Danger The Movie"
"Henry Danger The Movie" will be available to stream in the U.S. on Paramount+ Friday, January 17, and premiere on Nickelodeon that same day at 7 p.m. (ET/PT).
[11/26/24 - 08:01 AM]
Video: "Makayla's Voice: A Letter to the World" - Official Teaser - Netflix
Makayla is a teenage girl who has spent her life grappling with a rare form of autism that rendered her essentially nonverbal until her parents, filled with unwavering belief in their daughter's potential, embarked on a transformative journey to discover the true depth of Makayla's inner world.
[11/26/24 - 08:01 AM]
HBO Announces Ian Bonhote & Peter Ettedgui's Award-Winning "Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story," Debuting December 7 on HBO and Max
The critically acclaimed film had its world premiere at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and recently won six Critics Choice Documentary Awards.
[11/26/24 - 08:00 AM]
HGTV Greenlights Gutsy Las Vegas Renovation Series "Sin City Rehab" (wt) Starring Indomitable Designer Alison Victoria
The eight-episode series will document Alison, best known for her Emmy-nominated series "Windy City Rehab," taking the biggest gamble of her career as she expands her successful design business out West.
[11/26/24 - 07:01 AM]
Video: "The Manny" Season 2 - Release Date Announcement - Netflix
A busy executive hires a cowboy to care for her kids in a moment of panic. Little does she know he'll challenge her views of gender roles - and of love.