Featured at Cannes Lions, Entertainment Industry Leaders Are Paired With Aspiring Filmmakers to Tell Underrepresented Stories
Los Angeles and Cannes — AT&T announced the 2018 lineup of mentors and mentees for its diversity-focused Hello Lab Mentorship Program. The mentor partnership, launched in 2017, with objective to help young filmmakers, at the same time creating a Millennial and GenZ-driven content studio that frequently partners with YouTube creators to help them produce out-of-the-box products that just happen to be sponsored by media giant AT&T.
In its second year, the AT&T Hello Lab Mentorship Program is all about the next generation of storytellers. It pairs entertainment industry leaders with aspiring filmmakers from groups traditionally underrepresented in entertainment as they create films showcasing authentic stories. The filmmakers will debut their short films on the Hello Lab channel on DIRECTV and DIRECTV NOW later this year. Check out the 2017 films now.
The 2018 mentors are:
Emmy® Award Winner Lena Waithe (Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series, Master of None, 2017)
Academy Award® and Emmy® Award Winner Common (Best Original Song, Selma, 2014 and Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics, 13th, 2017)
Shelby Stone (Producer, The Chi, Bessie)
Emmy® Award Winner Cary Fukunaga (Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, True Detective, 2014)
Taika Waititi (Director, Thor: Ragnarok, Boy)
Tessa Thompson (Actress, Westworld, Dear White People, Thor: Ragnarok, Sorry to Bother You, Creed)
Rachel Morrison (Cinematographer, Mudbound, Black Panther)
The Mentorship Program was featured earlier this week on the Entertainment Stage of the 2018 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in a session called, “Action!: Diversity in Filmmaking — Beyond Empowerment to Execution”. The session’s speakers included program mentor Waithe; Matthew Castellanos, mentee filmmaker from the inaugural mentorship program; Valerie Vargas, senior vice president, Advertising and Creative Services, AT&T Mobility and Entertainment Group; and Maureen Polo, senior vice president, Brand Studio at Fullscreen as moderator.
AT&T Hello Lab enlisted Fullscreen as its lead agency partner for the program, with Whalerock Industries as the production services partner.
“The only way change can happen is by helping to create it. And that’s exactly why I’ve invested in this mentorship program. These diverse and talented filmmakers need guidance to get them where they need to be. We’re here to help them find their place in this business and tell their story,” said Waithe.
“The stories are as deep, beautiful and amazing as the voices telling them. It’s crucial we help find more ways to support the world getting a chance to see them,” said Valery Vargas, Sr. VP, Advertising & Creative Services, AT&T Mobility & Entertainment Group.
Each filmmaker will be supported by a community of industry advisors, studio and production company executives, agents, and attorneys. AT&T Hello Lab will help each filmmaker create a high-production quality signature film and offer support as they learn the ropes of the entertainment industry. Advisers and mentors will counsel the filmmakers on pitching their work, managing budgets, and directing character-driven narratives.
More on the current filmmakers and their projects:
Further Away By: Sean Frank Johnson and Casallina Kisakye Mentored by: Lena Waithe
Logline: A black woman who is institutionalized in a psych ward meets God.
The Line By: Melisa Resch Mentored by: Common and Shelby Stone
Logline: A punk rock love story. Sparks fly between two women when they meet at a clinic defense demonstration.
Your Name Isn’t English By: Tazbah Rose Chavez Mentored by: Taika Waititi
Logline: Every time Tazbah steps into an Uber she is repeatedly confronted with the reality that she doesn’t exist in the minds’ of average Americans. “Your Name Isn’t English” explores the ten-minute car-ride history lessons she’s been giving for free.
Little King By: Chelsea Winstanley Mentored by: Tessa Thompson and Rachel Morrison
Logline: When love is forbidden we sometimes do the craziest things.
October Lull By: Constance Tsang Mentored by: Cary Fukunaga
Logline: An irreverent financial thriller where the thrill is in the company you eat.
About Partners For more information the companies sponsoring AT&T Hello Lab’s Filmmaker Mentorship Program, learn more about FullScreen, a company that empowers talents and brands to build and monetize highly engaged, social-first audiences. The company is a global leader in social-first entertainment experiences serving creators, brands and consumers.
Whalerock Industries is a next generation production company and leader in digital media innovation that creates, produces and distributes brand and premium content across the media landscape.
Also, keep tabs on this program on AT&T News — AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) that helps millions around the globe connect with leading entertainment, business, mobile and high-speed internet services. Read about AT&T Hello Lab launch news CLICK HERE. Twitter @ATTHelloLab
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