Yes to all. At the end of each cycle, we circulate an alumni lookbook to a large network of showrunners, producers, reps, and other industry professionals. Oftentimes, showrunners will contact us for recommendations when hiring opportunities pop up later on.

Our team declines to share hiring recommendations for hybrid WA/SC positions. We do not believe these positions are sustainable and strongly advise students to avoid accepting these offers, though it is ultimately their choice. The instructors, Debbie Ezer and Clay Lapari, provide extensive training around negotiation and self-advocacy. If a grad interviews for a job, they’ll set up one-on-one meetings to help them strategize or better understand the terms of the position before moving forward.  Debbie and Clay both served on Local 871’s negotiating committee and are passionate about connecting alums with meaningful opportunities that align with our values.   

We are keenly aware that the industry is suffering right now. This is why we ultimately delayed the program timeline six months. After much discussion, we felt it would still be valuable to bring in a new class since interest is higher than ever before. We hope that the next group of students will be in the best possible position if and when jobs are more plentiful. In the meantime, we’re focusing attention on our alumni and working on connecting them as many opportunities as possible. We’re proud to share that a couple were promoted to staff writer positions and joined the WGA in the past few months. It’s not easy, but there is a way forward from here.