PARAMOUNT+ IN CANADA ANNOUNCED AS LEAD SPONSOR OF THE 2026 SCRIPTED SERIES LAB
TORONTO and VANCOUVER, April 24, 2025 /CNW/ -- Paramount+ in Canada and the Pacific Screenwriting Program (PSP) announced today that Paramount+ in Canada is the lead sponsor of the 2026 Scripted Series Lab, the PSP's flagship program for emerging BC screenwriters.
"The PSP is delighted to have Paramount+ Canada on board for the 2026 Scripted Series Lab," said Camilla Tibbs, PSP's Executive Director. "The Scripted Series Lab is nationally recognized as an outstanding training program, and it plays a vital role in BC's domestic sector, identifying and nurturing new television writing talent. We are excited to be moving forward in partnership with Paramount+ in Canada for the 2026 iteration."
"Paramount+ has been impressed with the work done through the Scripted Series Lab and is excited to expand our relationship with the PSP as supporting partner for this program in 2026," said Vanessa Case, Vice President of Content at Paramount+ and Pluto TV Canada.
Launched in 2019, the Scripted Series Lab provides training annually for six talented emerging BC screenwriters with an emphasis on historically under-represented communities. In addition to experiencing a 10-week writers room with a showrunner, participants receive script mentorship on their original pilots, plus engage in workshops and information sessions with industry leaders to help them evolve their skills and build careers in BC's dynamic and ever-changing industry. Many past participants are working in rooms and earning writing credits on current BC series, including Family Law, Allegiance, Murder in a Small Town, Wild Cards, and Sight Unseen. The intake for 2026 will open in August 2025, and the program will run from January to April 2026.
The support of the PSP's Scripted Series Lab is the eighth partnership Paramount+ in Canada has announced that reinforces its commitment to inclusivity. In the past year and a half the streamer has announced partnerships with the 2024 Reelworld Summit, the BANFF SPARK Accelerator for Women in the Business of Media: Producer Edition, inkcanada to Connect Emerging Writers with Industry Allies; a collaboration with the Black Screen Office for the Black Creators Festival Initiative; a joint venture with BIPOC TV & Film and the National Screen Institute Partner for the new ELEVATE program; and partnerships with both The Shine Network Institute (TSNI) for the Indigenous Producers Budgeting Intensive and with the Pacific Screenwriting Program and the Indigenous Screen Office to Create the Indigenous Screenwriters Lab in 2024.
About the Pacific Screenwriting Program
The Pacific Screenwriting Program supports a vibrant screenwriter community in British Columbia by providing a training ground for aspiring and active screenwriters. Combining real-world story-room experience, mentorship, bootcamps, workshops and information sessions, the program equips writers with the skills, experience, and connections necessary to establish a sustainable career in the screen industry. The PSP's current programs include the Scripted Series Lab, Story Department Internships, Develop BC, the Vancouver Scripted Summit, Alumni Support Initiatives and more. For further information, please visit the Pacific Screenwriting Program website.
About Paramount+
Paramount+ is a global digital subscription video streaming service from Paramount that features a mountain of premium entertainment for audiences of all ages. Internationally, the streaming service features an expansive library of original series, hit shows, and popular movies across every genre from world-renowned brands and production studios, including SHOWTIME®, CBS, Comedy Central, MTV, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, and the Smithsonian Channel™, in addition to a robust offering of premier local content. The service currently lives in the U.S., Canada, the U.K., Australia, Latin America, the Caribbean, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and Japan.
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