RIYADH: Online streaming giant Netflix has launched a creative producer training program in Saudi Arabia in a further boost to the Kingdom’s entertainment industry. According to a press release, Netflix will help upskill 15 professional Saudi television creative producers through this seven-week program. The program is available via the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts and will take participants through the process of creating, forming, and executing a TV pitch, pilot script, and writers’ room led by award-winning writer and producer Jason Shuman. The program kicked off with an intensive three-day, in-person training session in Riyadh covering the full range of skills required to develop television shows. “The entire program was beautifully put together. I was thoroughly impressed with the passion and professionalism of both the Netflix and SCA team,” said Shuman. He added: “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, content director Middle East, Turkiye, and Africa at Netflix said that the booming entertainment industry in Saudi Arabia is presenting enormous opportunities for creative talents to grow and build 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,” added El Tayeb.