Monkeypaw Productions has joined hands with the Toronto Film Festival (TIFF) and the Universal Filmmakers Project for the “No Drama” initiative, which will be selecting up to six writer-directors to create short films.
What makes the initiative unique is its opportunity to allow the potential shorts to expand into full-length projects under the guidance of Monkeypaw and Universal Pictures.
In the “No Drama” initiative, selected filmmakers will receive a $50,000 grant to produce their short. Along with this, they will be exposed to the major studio production process, access to creative and production executives to develop their professional networks, and the opportunity to screen their projects during TIFF in 2025.
“A good monster story comes from a perspective that’s very personal and very vulnerable. It’s a story that is so deeply personal that you think no one else can relate to it. That’s exactly the purpose of ‘No Drama’ – to challenge filmmakers to turn their deepest fears into fun, thrilling stories that need to be told,” said Monkeypaw’s Jordan Peele.
“Jordan and his team at Monkeypaw are visionary filmmakers who are committed to using their platform to identify and uplift emerging talent across the industry. We are proud to join TIFF in supporting Monkeypaw’s ‘No Drama’ initiative and can’t wait to see the results from its first group of exciting filmmakers,” Universal Pictures president Peter Cramer said.
“We’re proud to launch this groundbreaking initiative, ‘No Drama,’ with our longstanding partner Universal,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF.
“Having one of the best storytellers like Jordan Peele and his talented team at Monkeypaw on board, is another step in transforming cinema. By supporting emerging filmmakers in the early phases of their careers, TIFF is dedicated to fostering innovation and pushing the boundaries of storytelling. We’re looking forward to unveiling these short films during our 50th edition of the Toronto International Film Festival in 2025,” Bailey added.
About Author
Leave a Reply