From 18-year-old Canadian writer’s work
TORONTO – Kids media investor Shaw Rocket Fund along with Toronto’s global social storytelling platform Wattpad and noted production company Shaftesbury, today announced a new narrative podcast project.
The inaugural Shaw Rocket Fund Accelerator Writing Contest, co-sponsored by Wattpad, asked writers to create inclusive stories for Canadian teens with the goal of pairing an emerging creative writer with industry mentors needed to guide them throughout the creative process of creating a finished podcast. Shaftesbury will serve as the project’s first production partner and will lead the mentorship, working with 18-year-old winner Loridee De Villa across all aspects of production, including a five-day writer’s room, budget prep and logistics meetings, casting, and production/recording of the podcast.
The mentorship program will also include an AV extension, that will function as a docu-style ‘video diary’, and be shared across Shaw Rocket Fund, Shaftesbury Kids, and Wattpad channels.
In addition, all 10 of the contest’s finalists have each won virtual mentorships with Wattpad.
Selected from 284 entries and 10 finalists, The Infinite Worlds of Ella Jane is a multidimensional journey, filled with excitement and mystery, reads the press release. The story explores what happens after Filipino-Canadian Ella Jane Flores wakes up on a mysterious train in another dimension. When she meets a young physicist, Ella discovers that the “Ella” of this new dimension has gone missing under mysterious circumstances, causing political uproar in the kingdom.
“We’re always looking for ways to serve kids better with what we do,” said Agnes Augustin, president and CEO of Shaw Rocket Fund. “The importance of the Shaw Rocket Fund Accelerator Writing Contest is that it facilitates relatable stories for teens all across our country… Not only does this narrative podcast project allow us to support young talent in an innovative way and continue with the mentorship program during this time, but the collaboration of three global brands will ensure that diverse storytelling sits at the forefront of our industry.”
“Creating opportunities for writers to connect with readers and share their voice is foundational to what we do at Wattpad,” added Chris Stefanyk, head of brand partnerships at Wattpad, in the release. “This podcast and collaboration represent a new way of tapping into the creativity we see on Wattpad all over Canada and around the world, bringing new stories and perspectives to new formats.”
“Shaftesbury Kids is so excited to work with Loridee on her amazing winning story, The Infinite Worlds of Ella Jane. We are honoured to be able to mentor and guide her throughout this process and provide her an enriching experience in the industry. We can’t wait to get started.” said Jennifer McCann, vice-president kids and family, Shaftesbury.
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