Impact, the talent accelerator founded by Brian Grazer and Ron Howard in 2018 for up-and-coming writers, has partnered with Skydance Television in a first-look deal to source content using its proprietary application and review system.
Although Impact is not a program exclusively for writers from underrepresented backgrounds, its submission system purports to “remove bias” from the process, therefore leveling the playing field for scribes, regardless of where they live, their demographic profile or whether they’re represented. This year, Impact and Skydance will hold open calls for submissions in four-story categories, beginning with “premium dramas” and “elevated grounded sci-fi.” Interested writers can begin applying on Feb. 11 at the partnership’s webpage.
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“Skydance is one of the most forward-thinking companies in the industry, who continually challenge the status quo by exploring new business models and paths to create premium content across genres and mediums,” Impact CEO Tyler Mitchell said in a statement. “We’re excited to partner with the entire Skydance TV team and open this opportunity to new creatives, as well as our existing community of writers from around the world to discover more incredible voices and stories that deserve to be told.”
In December, Skydance TV inked an exclusive first-look deal with Exile Content Studio to develop premium Latin-based scripted series for a global audience. The company, whose slate includes Grace and Frankie, Altered Carbon and Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan, is owned in part by China’s Tencent and South Korea’s CJ ENM; the latter furthered its participation in June by striking a deal to collaborate on adaptations of its K-dramas.
“We are thrilled to partner with Impact in discovering the next great storytellers to further enhance and diversify our television slate,” Skydance president and COO Jesse Sisgold said in a statement. “This innovative approach to utilize the benefits of both technology and taste-making in order to amplify the voices of creators—whatever their geography, background or connectivity to the traditional studio system—builds on Skydance’s goal of discovering emerging talent from all over the world and bringing their stories to global audiences.”
The Skydance TV tie-up follows a similar partnership Impact struck with Netflix in June, to source and develop feature projects for the streamer across four categories. After an inaugural accelerator in Los Angeles, Impact has expanded to Australia (in partnership with Gentle Giant Media Group, Screen Australia and Film Victoria) and launched the Impact Network, an online marketplace and networking platform.
