2022 Los Angeles Cohort
5th Annual Entertainment Lab
2023 Entertainment Lab Dates:
Los Angeles (In-Person): May 1 – June 9, 2023
Fellows must provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination and booster to participate or have a medical reason for why they cannot be vaccinated. There may be regular testing requirements to attend in-person events.
Virtual: August 14 – September 22, 2023
Applications for 2023 are now closed.
2019 Summer Lab Alumni visiting The Walt Disney Company Lot in Burbank, California
RespectAbility’s fifth annual innovative Entertainment Lab for entertainment professionals with disabilities is a 6-week Lab for people with experience in development, production and/or post-production, and careers as writers, directors, producers, cinematographers, animators, and other production roles. This is not a program for actors.
The Entertainment Lab aims to help develop and elevate the talent pipeline of professionals with disabilities working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming, while introducing them to studio executives and other decision makers who will advise Lab Fellows on various aspects of the industry and their craft. Lab alumni currently are working at Disney, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and more.
This year we are continuing to offer both an in-person Lab in Los Angeles and a virtual cohort. Sessions for both include:
- Presentations, roundtables, and other workshops with high-level executives and talent from major studios, networks, and production companies
- Informal networking with your cohort
- Project workshops and table reads
2019 Summer Lab alumni learning from Jonathan Murray
View previous speakers by viewing past years’ programs on the Entertainment Lab 2022, 2021, 2020, and 2019 pages.
RespectAbility provides ASL interpreters and captioning for all events, and welcomes other accommodations requests. For questions pertaining to the Entertainment Lab, please contact Isabella Vargas at Lab@RespectAbility.org or 323-315-5718.
Important Details for Lab Applicants
- Excellent communication and organizational skills are strongly preferred, and participants should exhibit leadership skills to complete their own projects.
- A bachelor’s degree is not required.
- Commit for 12 sessions over six weeks.
- The value of this Lab is thousands of dollars. However, there is no cost to apply for or participate in this competitive program.
- While people at all income levels are encouraged to apply, extra consideration will be given to people on SSI, SNAP, and TANF.
- Up to 20 candidates will be selected for each Lab.
- Your application materials will be evaluated by RespectAbility staff members as well as faculty advisors who are experts in each field. View the 2022 Faculty Advisors.
Recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award
Entertainment Lab Programmatic Team
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| Lauren Appelbaum SVP, Communications and Entertainment & News Media, Lab Founder |
Vanni Le Entertainment Outreach Program Manager |
Lesley Hennen Entertainment Media Associate and 2020 Lab Alumna |
Leah Romond RespectAbility Senior Production Advisor and 2019 Lab Alumna |
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| Jacquill Moss Entertainment Media Coordinator |
Isabella Vargas Entertainment Media Coordinator and 2022 Lab Alumna |
Jeremy Hsing Entertainment Media Apprentice and 2022 Lab Alumnus |
Samuel Krauss Entertainment Media Apprentice and 2022 Lab Alumnus |
2022 Faculty Advisors (stay tuned for 2023 Advisors!)
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| Nasreen Alkhateeb RespectAbility Senior Production Advisor and 2019 Lab Alum Cinematographer & Director |
Cheryl Bedford Founder, Women of Color Unite |
April Caputi 2019 Lab Alumna Casting Coordinator, Lucasfilm Animation |
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| Nicole Go Producer and Director, Business Development – Diversity and Inclusion, Staff Me Up |
Kathy Le Backes Director, Content Advisement – Representation, Inclusion, Strategies & Engagement, The Walt Disney Studios |
Noriko Louison Sr. Research and Curriculum Manager, 9Story Media Group |
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| Marc Muszynski 2019 Lab Alumnus TV Writer |
Sue Obeidi Director, MPAC Hollywood Bureau |
Andrew Reid RespectAbility Entertainment Media Apprentice and 2020 Lab Alumnus Director |
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| Leah Romond RespectAbility Senior Production Advisor and 2019 Lab Alumna Producer, Best Summer Ever |
Diana Theobald Director, Equity & Inclusion, Content, Warner Bros. Discovery |
Nathan Varni Executive Director of Current Programming, ABC |
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| Brian Walker CEO, Picture Motion Campaigns |
Delbert Whetter Lab Co-Founder & RespectAbility Board Vice Chair COO & Head of Business Affairs, Exodus Film Group |
Archive
- 2022: Faculty Advisors and Speakers | Fellows
- 2021: Faculty Advisors and Speakers | Fellows
- 2020: Faculty Advisors and Speakers | Fellows
- 2019: Faculty Advisors and Speakers | Fellows