Harvardwood Congratulates Its "Most Staffable TV Writers" for 2012

Los Angeles, CA, March 31, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Neal Baer, Peter Blake, Terence Carter, Amy Retzinger, and Nicky Weinstock are among the A-listers pitching in to mentor new voices from the Harvardwood TV program this spring.

Five writers have been selected for the 2nd annual list of Harvardwood’s Most Staffable TV Writers. A panel of 22 industry professionals selected these writers based on their original TV pilots completed during the Harvardwood Writers Program this past fall.

This yearʼs winners are (listed alphabetically by author):

- Jonathan Bird*, Refuge (one hour drama)
- Efrain Cortes*, New York Weekly (one hour drama)
- Warren Hsu Leonard*, Street Legal (one hour drama)
- Alison McKenzie*, Bonded (one hour drama)
- Matt Roller, Public Defenders (half hour comedy)

* indicates a writer eligible for network diversity programs

Each writer will receive one-on-one mentorship with an industry professional. This year’s mentors are:

- Neal Baer (Exec. Producer, A Gifted Man; Law & Order: SVU)
- Peter Blake (Co-Exec. Producer, House, M.D.)
- Andy Cadiff (Director, Hot in Cleveland, Home Improvement)
- Terence Carter (SVP, Drama Development, Fox)
- Nancy Cotton (SVP, Programming, Fox TV Studios)
- Adam Fratto (Exec. VP, Pukeko Pictures / Weta Workshop)
- Jen Grisanti (Jen Grisanti Consultancy, Inc.)
- Amy Retzinger (Partner, Verve)
- Brant Rose (Brant Rose Agency)
- Nicky Weinstock (Co-Head of Fox Writers Studio, President, Invention Films)

Since its inception in 2005, the Harvardwood Writers Program has grown and expanded. Workshops are now conducted in Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Washington, D.C. In 2011, three writers from the program were staffed: Steve Harper joined Covert Affairs (USA); Teresa Hsiao, Family Guy (FOX); and Leonard Chang, Awake (NBC). And the "Most Staffable" list led to over a hundred read requests as well as meetings with agents, managers, and producers who responded to the brand new material.

Harvardwood thanks the outstanding mentors and panel of industry judges for their time and effort to help develop new voices and diverse perspectives in the entertainment industry.