NBCUniversal Hosts Climate Writing Pitchfest in Los Angeles
Writing Climate: Pitchfest for Film and TV, Created by The Hollywood Climate Summit and Sponsored by NBCUniversal and The Redford Center, Pairs Global Writers with Development Execs, Agents, and Managers Brings Screenwriters Face-to-Face with Industry Experts
April 09, 2024
What is Pitchfest?
On March 21, NBCUniversal hosted 18 screenwriters on the Universal Studios Lot for the Pitchfest, which celebrates the best unproduced climate-themed scripts in film and television by connecting writers with Hollywood executives, producers, agents, and managers in curated one-on-one meetings.
Founded by the Hollywood Climate Summit, which organizes high-energy convenings and creative labs for cross-sector media professionals to level up their climate knowledge, the Writing Climate Pitchfest elevates global storytellers whose work envisions new possibilities for the world.
“Screenwriters are visionaries with massive cultural impact. They’re the right people to translate climate issues into digestible entertainment that help us navigate this global crisis with resilience, care, and creativity,” said Pitchfest producer Leigh Medeiros.
With scripts that cut across all genres, from adventure, to comedy, children’s animation, each winner received pitch coaching from industry experts prior to the live one-on-one pitch event. NBCUniversal executives were present at this year’s event, with leaders from Netflix, Sony Pictures, Fox Searchlight TV and Gotham Group participating in previous years.
Universal Pictures President Peter Cramer kicked off this year’s Pitchfest with welcome remarks, showing support and enthusiasm for more climate stories on screen. The Universal Filmed Entertainment Group launched the GreenerLight Program last year, which aims to incorporate sustainability across the entire filmmaking process, throughout development, production and distribution - from script to screen.
Who were the winners of Pitchfest 2024?
This year’s winners span the globe representing the United States, England, Luxembourg, India, and Australia. They include intergenerational writing duo OreOluwa Badaki & Asstan Cisse, Green Stories Project founder Denise Baden, award-winning creative duo Ella Carey & Caitlin Spiller, screenwriter and former Australian Financial Review reporter Emily Carr, award-winning writer/director Alexandra Clayton, Peabody- and WGA award-winning comedian and writer Nicole Conlan, environmental activist and screenwriter Charles Day, producer/creator duo Nick Dragon & Gregory Wright, emerging screenwriter and director Hisani P. DuBose, PAGE Award finalist Marie Etzler, writer and former NPR reporter Marissa Gawel, writer/director and SXSW “Best Film” winner Ari Gold, Alfred P. Sloan screenwriting award winner Tracy Held, WGA writer Donna E. Jason, creator of the web series Dyke Central Florencia Manovil, award-winning writer/director Brett Marty, filmmakers Aditi Mediratta & Brayden Yoder, writer and video creator Emma Parker, screenwriter and Environmental Economist Maria Monica Serban, narrative filmmaker and documentary writer Tanmaya Shekhar, award-winning screenwriter Brooke Solomon, WGA Captain and writer on Koala Man Emma Soren, AFF Jury Prize-winning producer and writer/director Katie Waldron, and award-winning screenwriter and Mohegan Tribe Medicine Woman Melissa Tantaquidgeon Zobel.
Supporting the Writing Climate Pitchfest is one of the many ways NBCUniversal and its creative executives are harnessing their impact to tell new stories about our present and future.
