Screenwriting software Final Draft is has forged a multi-year partnership with RespectAbility — the non-profit that seeks to combat stigmas for people with disabilities— coming on as a sponsor of its annual Lab for Entertainment Professionals with Disabilities.
As a part of this, the Cast & Crew Company will provide free licenses of Final Draft 12 for Lab participants, as well as other educational resources.
The eight-week lab consists of two tracks: Emerging and mid-career. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities. Lab sessions this summer include “Intro to Final Draft” and “All About Final Draft 12” to set participants up for success in utilizing the software, with the goal of cultivating new writing talent.
Said Final Draft president Shelly Mellott, “We are fully committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. Stories need to come from everywhere and everyone, and we want to make sure we play our part in ensuring underrepresented writers are seen by Hollywood. We are excited to see the stories this partnership produces.”
“What we see on screen influences how we act in real life, which leads to very real life-and-death consequences, making it vitally important that we eliminate barriers for disabled creatives,” said Lab co-founder and director Lauren Appelbaum, who leads RespectAbility’s Hollywood Inclusion efforts as the organization’s vice president, communications. “We do not want anyone to have an excuse that they could not find a disabled writer, editor or any other position.”
The 2021 Lab began on June 22 and goes through August 12, features faculty advisors who are disabled writers, including Ashley Eakin (Mech Cadet), David Renaud (The Good Doctor), and Shoshannah Stern (This Close).
