Netflix and the National School of Humor (ENH) continue their partnership. With the renewal of the broadcaster’s financial support, the establishment will be able, for the fifth time, to help emerging screenwriters and producers to develop fictional comedy projects thanks to the ENH-Netflix Fund.
For a screenwriter at the start of his career, “to find his place, to seek the confidence of a producer or a broadcaster, it is extremely difficult”, affirms Louise Richer, director general of the National School of Humor.
In order to facilitate the emergence of new talents, the ENH is launching this Wednesday a fifth call for fictional comedy projects intended for television or cinema. Anyone who is on their first work as a main author can try their luck. The scriptwriter must however obtain the support of a production company which will submit the application for the project. In June, four or five scholarships of $35,000 will be awarded.
“Since 2018, we have $630,000 that has been granted to 18 projects. It’s still a significant amount,” rejoices Louise Richer.
Money and support
Although none of these projects has yet been presented on the small or big screen, nearly half of them are in development with a broadcaster, notes the director general of the ENH.
This is particularly the case of Furies, “a 100% feminine sports comedy about roller derby”, written by Gabrielle Côté and produced by Écho Média. “We met Gabrielle and we fell in love with her project and her universe, says producer Stéphanie Pages. It’s really something quite exhilarating to unearth new talent, but we know that it will also require more time, coaching, resources and energy. »
The Fund really provides the financial means to support the author during the writing of a first feature film.
Stephanie Pages, producer of Furies
And for scholarship recipients, the support is not just financial, notes Stéphanie Pages. “What really makes the Fund stand out is that it is part of a collaborative and creative approach. We benefit from several meetings at key moments in development with authors recognized in the field to whom we would not necessarily have had access. In our case, it was Caroline Allard. She really brought a beautiful color to the project. »
If all goes as planned, the filming of Furies expected to start in late 2023 or early 2024.
Documenting Fictional Comedy
In addition to the ENH-Netflix Fund, the American broadcaster’s financial support for the National School of Humor made it possible this year to carry out a project aimed at documenting the expertise of local screenwriters. Offered on the Noovo platform, the web series Write) offers interviews with Claude Meunier, Florence Longpré, Martin Matte and fifteen other authors of comedy fiction.
“It is a source of pride to have had the opportunity to seek out this know-how and to hear these screenwriters talk about their creative process”, indicates Louise Richer, who affirms that, without the financial support of Netflix, such a project could not have seen the light of day.