Abu Dhabi – UAE: Image Nation Abu Dhabi, in partnership with Candle Media’s Faraway Road Productions, the creators of award-winning Netflix series Fauda and Hit & Run, has opened submissions for its TV Writers’ Lab, a first-of-its-kind collaboration between the UAE and Israel to support emerging TV writers from the region.
The TV Writers’ Lab aims to develop TV series and progress them into the international arena while nourishing new voices with the best of mentors, guest speakers, and international creators.
The program will select up to twelve candidates from the UAE and Israel to participate in a four-month program comprised of two in-person workshops in Abu Dhabi, as well as monthly online mentoring and feedback sessions. Throughout the program, which includes two workshops in Abu Dhabi in October 2023 and March 2024, the writers selected will develop their proposals, pilot episodes, and pitch presentations.
“Image Nation has provided top-class training to aspiring filmmakers, writers and creatives for over ten years, nurturing an impressive emerging generation of entertainment professionals. This new writers’ lab strengthens our programming even further, offering four months of dedicated feedback, mentoring and industry insights – an invaluable experience for anyone hoping to break into entertainment,” said Ben Ross, Chief Content Officer at Image Nation Abu Dhabi. “The creative industries are also a vital channel for cultural exchange, so we are particularly looking forward to partnering with Faraway Road Productions. I cannot wait to discover some incredible new talents from the region with authentic and important stories to tell.”
"We're thrilled to partner with Image Nation Abu Dhabi on this collaboration that aims to empower promising new TV writers," said Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff, creators of Fauda and founders of Faraway Road Productions. "Stories have so much power and there are many talented storytellers in the region who simply need the proper mentorship, guidance and opportunities. Through this impactful and bold new writers’ lab, we hope to upskill the region’s promising talents, elevate their careers and help share their stories with the world. This program also represents an opportunity to strengthen the ties between the UAE and Israel through our shared appreciation for the art of storytelling."
Applications are now open for aspiring TV writers who reside in the UAE and Israel. Submissions should include the concept, including a story overview, character descriptions, and a previous writing sample. All scripted genres are welcome for submission. Interested applicants should visit imagenationabudhabi.com/writers-lab/ before June 22nd to apply.
The writers’ lab adds to Image Nation’s robust training and development initiative which includes Arab Film Studio, the filmmaking program that has been training emerging film creators for more than ten years.
About Image Nation Abu Dhabi
Image Nation Abu Dhabi is an award-winning film and entertainment company which has built its reputation on breaking boundaries and unleashing imagination. It creates films, TV series, documentaries, and entertainment for consumers throughout the world and is the first UAE company to have multiple productions stream globally on Netflix. Its success spans the globe, screening content at over 400 international film festivals and receiving the industry’s highest honors, including two Academy Awards, a BAFTA, and an Emmy.
Image Nation has a strong track record of producing high-quality productions through a combination of local talent and international expertise. The company encourages original thought and curiosity while providing a platform for inspiration and practical training through its robust development program, Arab Film Studio.
Its mission is to help build the film and entertainment industry across the GCC and MENA regions, a pioneering ambition in line with Abu Dhabi’s vision to shape a competitive, sustainable, and globally open economy. Image Nation enables all those who engage with it to become guardians of culture and ambassadors of change.
About Faraway Road Productions
Faraway Road Productions is the global entertainment company founded by Lior Raz and Avi Issacharoff. Raz and Issacharoff are the co-creators of the Israeli breakout hit show FAUDA (in which Raz also stars), which is currently streaming all 4 seasons on Netflix. Their second Netflix series HIT & RUN premiered in 2021 and GHOSTS OF BEIRUT premiers on Showtime in 2023. Faraway Road has various film and TV projects in development with Apple, Netflix, Chernin Entertainment, and Spyglass, among others. In early 2022, Faraway Road was bought by Candle Media.
About Candle Media
Candle is an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high-quality, category-defining brands and franchises built for the digital age. By bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, it helps position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond. Candle was founded by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, leading entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone’s flagship private equity business.
