Banijay Launches Scripted Writers Bootcamp With Midpoint Institute

EXCLUSIVE: Banijay has set a new scripted writers lab in collaboration with the Midpoint Institute. 

Led by Steve Matthews, Content Executive at Banijay, Banijay Bootcamp is facilitated through the Midpoint Institute’s Series Launch programme, which Matthews has been part of since its inception in 2015. Working with Matthews is Portocabo’s Head of Content, Nina Hernández, along with guest tutor Tatjana Samopjan.

Starting this week in Prague, with two residencies across three months, a cohort of five Banijay development executives from Mexico, Spain, France, Israel, and the Netherlands will each be mentored by a writer to develop an idea, storyline, plot, and script.

Participants in the inaugural Banijay Bootcamp include Clara Machado (Endemol Shine Boomdog) with Carl Zitelmann, Anita Pico (Zeppelin) with Carlotta Dans and Lucía Estévez (Portocabo), Héloïse Ridoux (Banijay Studios France) with Quentin Elles, Adi Bar Yossef (Endemol Shine Israel) with Elad Laor, and Claire Zhou (NL Film) with Leon Golterman.

“Banijay Bootcamp will see our in-house development story makers and their chosen writers sharpen skills to further understand the deep structure of an idea and how to make it the very best version possible,” said Matthews. “They’ll expertly demolish and rebuild to make projects sharp and – yes, commercial. In an increasingly competitive market, productions need to be, good, so this is really about supporting development executives and writers, strengthening the next generation across the footprint.”

Banijay also runs Banijay Launch, which supports women creators with unscripted formats, providing in-house mentorships to aid them in developing bold new formats from concept to pitch to sale.