Corus and the Banff World Media Festival are pleased to announce the recipients of this year’s Corus Writer’s Apprentice Program. Attracting writers from across Canada, the 2020 cohort will receive:

• A premium pass to BANFF 2020 Virtual Edition with access to panels, keynotes, master classes and networking opportunities
• Virtual mentorship opportunities with key development executives
• Placement in the story department of a Canadian primetime series
• Complimentary registration and travel to BANFF 2021

“We had a purposeful approach this year for underrepresented writers from a wide range of backgrounds with unique and diverse stories to tell,” said Lisa Godfrey, Vice President, Original Programming, Corus Entertainment. “The caliber of submissions we receive every year makes the selection decision very challenging and this year was no exception – our five Corus Writer’s Apprentice Program recipients truly reflect fresh perspectives as emerging storytellers for our industry.”

The 2020 recipients are:

MICHAEL HANLEY

Michael is a graduate of the 2016 Canadian Film Centre’s Writer’s Lab, and recipient of Telefilm Canada’s New Voices Award. His resume includes the feature film Learning to Ride, as well as writing episodes on multiple series including The Next Step which is currently airing on CBC Gem. “The stories I tell are rooted in my experiences as a gay male. I feel that queer stories are evolving, and need to be explored just as much as they ever have.”

LYNN RAFFERTY

Lynn is an LGBTQ Irish actor and writer from Dublin. Her writing & acting debut in The Arrival told the difficulty Irish queer couples were experiencing in trying to build families and be recognized as equal, and went on to show globally at over nine film festivals. “As someone that has spent their life speaking louder to have their voice heard my passion is to give a platform to the stories and voices that are often unheard.” Now building on an extensive acting and writing career, Lynn self-wrote / developed a thirty-minute comedic pilot loosely based on her own experience moving from Ireland to Canada, which she plans to pitch at BANFF.

IAN STEAMAN

Originally a record executive in New York working with many legendary hip-hop acts, Ian helped cofound the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival (now in its sixteenth year) and eventually returned to Canada as an Associate Producer at CBC Music. One of six residents of the 2019 Bell Media Prime Time TV Writing Program at the Canadian Film Centre, Ian says of his work for the screen: “When I turned from programmer to artist myself as a screenwriter, I was inspired by the cultural and social impact of the artists I had worked with. Sharing stories and voices from outside of the mainstream has been a personal passion and professional mission of mine over my entire career.”

REBECCA GRENIER

Rebecca is a screenwriter whose writing lives in the drama while letting her comedy background pepper in some levity. She served as script coordinator in the development room for an upcoming CBC Gem series, wrote and produced the short Yogurt in 2018, and was a reader for the ReelHeART International Film & Screenplay Festival 2015-2019. She is the recipient of the Magee TV Diverse Screenwriters Award 2018, a Reelword e20 participant in 2018, and a WIFT-T Digital Series Incubator 2018 participant. Her lifelong obsession with television has led her to tell stories with characters that reflect her own diversity.

GORDIE LUCIUS

Gordie is an award-winning screenwriter/comedian recently chosen to be part of NSI’s Totally TV Program. He’s served as a writing consultant for a series currently in pre-development and has extensive experience writing for short-form media, including the webseries Frick, I Love Nature, produced by Telus Storyhive. “Growing up in a mixed family I feel like I never truly had anyone represent me on TV, and even now I feel like I don’t see a ton of people representing Filipinos. I think I could bring a fresh perspective and some much-needed representation to the world of television.”

For more information please contact:

Brian Boudreau, Account Manager,
Banff World Media Festival
Tel: 1.416.408.2300 x 284
bboudreau@brunico.com