RIYADH — Netflix has launched a Creative Producer Training program that will help upskill 15 professional Saudi television creative producers. The seven week program will be available exclusively through the University of Southern California (USC) School of Cinematic Arts (SCA) and will take participants through the process of creating, forming, and executing a TV pitch, pilot script, and writer’s room and is led by SCA alumni and award winning film/television writer & producer, Jason Shuman. Netflix worked with USC to design the program, which aims to develop the talent pipeline in the Kingdom, and generate a qualified network of talent for the regional and global film industry. The training will provide the necessary skills and opportunities to Saudi producers to break new ground and advance their career in film and television. The program kicked off with an intensive 3-day, in-person training in Riyadh covering the full range of skills required to develop quality TV shows. Participants deep-dived into the qualities of a good writer and producer, the development process for different formats, going from pitch to script and script to series, and finally, producing the pilot and series. A series of online workshops are currently underway, covering the development and production process, followed by pitches and a hands on writer’s room experience. Speaking of the launch, SCA alumni and award winning film/television writer & producer, Jason Shuman, said: “The entire program was beautifully put together. I was thoroughly impressed with the passion and professionalism of both the Netflix and SCA team. The students in attendance may have been born and raised far from Hollywood, but their love and appreciation for the arts, especially in the medium of television, was as genuine as I’ve ever seen. I am excited for the future of storytelling in Saudi Arabia.” Nuha El Tayeb, the Content Director Middle East, Turkey, and Africa at Netflix, said: “The booming entertainment industry in Saudi Arabia presents an incredible opportunity for aspiring creatives to grow, learn, and advance their careers. Knowledge transfer is critical to building this thriving creative community, and partnerships like the one with USC, allow us to expose promising talent to the tools and industry insight needed to create best in class content. Some of the producers participating in this training program have worked on shows and films currently streaming on Netflix, and we hope that through continued industry collaboration and initiatives such as this will help amplify their work further and create more avenues for Arab talent to shine on the global stage.” Through training programs, Netflix is committed to adding value to creative communities in the Arab world, regularly working with industry partners to catalyze skills advancement and provide creators with the tools they need to tell the best version of their stories. In October 2022, Netflix signed a partnership with SPT in Saudi Arabia to help train and upskill 15 young talents in Saudi through on set training and workshops focused on art department and production roles. — SG