2013 Harvardwood's "Most Staffable Writers" Named!

Terence Carter, Carolyn Cassidy, Adam Fratto, Dan O'Keefe, Jeff Schaffer, Nicky Weinstock among the A-list mentors to these new voices from the Harvardwood TV program this Spring.

Los Angeles, CA - Harvardwood, a university-sanctioned nonprofit, has just announced its "Most Staffable TV Writers" of 2013. Check out the post on Deadline.com

The selected five writers are to be mentored by A-list TV professionals, recruited by Hollywood's hottest television productions, and considered for representation at the biggest talent agencies -- just like their predecessors from the past two years.

Harvardwood's "MOST STAFFABLE TV WRITERS" of 2013 are:

• Sam Chalsen, Forensic State (one-hour drama)
• Sue Chung*, Shrouded (one-hour drama)
• Allison Kiessling, Elixir (one-hour drama)
• Matt Roller, Homeschooled (half-hour comedy)
• Ryan Slattery, Market & Castro (half-hour comedy)

*eligible for network diversity programs

These talented writers were selected for Harvardwood's 3rd annual list of "Most Staffable TV Writers" by a panel of a dozen television executives, writers, producers, agents and managers. The writers' original TV pilots were judged for excellence in categories that included marketability and originality. Each writer will receive one-on-one mentorship with two television professionals.

This year's mentors include:

• Peter Blake - former EP, House, MD
• Andy Cadiff  - Director, Hot In Cleveland, Home Improvement
• Terence Carter - SVP, Drama Development, Fox
• Carolyn Cassidy - VP, Comedy Development, Fox
• Jonathan Collier - EP, Bones; Co-EP, Monk
• Nancy Cotton - SVP, Programming, Fox Television Studios
• Marjorie David - Co-Prod, 90210; EP, Wildfire; Co-EP, Brothers & Sisters
• Adam Fratto - Exec. VP, Pukeko Pictures / Weta Workshop
• Dan O'Keefe - The League, Drew Carey, Seinfeld, Married...with Children
• Jeff Schaffer - EP, The League, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Seinfeld
• Nicky Weinstock - Head Of Fox Writers Studio; President, Invention Films

In its last two years, the Harvardwood Writers Program has seen unprecedented success among its ranks, including alumni staffed on Justified (FX), The Newsroom (HBO), Family Guy (FOX), Awake (NBC), Covert Affairs (USA) and Perception (TNT). Last year's "Most Staffable TV Writers" list resulted in the scribes securing representation at CAA, ICM, Circle of Confusion, Management 360 and Echo Lake, and one sold a pilot to Sony. The "Most Staffable TV Writers" list has led to over a hundred read requests as well as meetings with agents, managers and producers.

"Harvardwood thanks our outstanding mentors and panel of industry judges for their time and effort to helping develop new voices and diverse perspectives in television," says Harvardwood founder Mia Riverton. "We are thrilled by the high quality of work that continues to emerge from this program."

For more information about Harvardwood's "Most Staffable TV Writers" and the program itself, please email: [email protected] or call Warren Hsu Leonard at (323) 374-3608.