NBCUniversal is betting on emerging talent to create the next hit reality TV franchise.
The entertainment company, through its NBCU Launch brand for talent development and inclusion efforts, narrowed down six original projects as finalists for its inaugural NBCU Launch Unscripted Pitch Accelerator, TheWrap can reveal exclusively. The projects will each receive a $20,000 development deal, as well as tailored support for the creators developing their pitches for greenlight consideration at NBC, Bravo or Peacock.
Selected from more than 800 submissions, creators include Sam Blakk, Mackenzie Rohan and Jenny Gnirke (who has two projects in development), and producing duos Fernando Grostein Andrade and Fernando Siqueira, and Renier Elvir and Omar Linares.
Specific loglines for the projects are being kept under wraps during development, but span unscripted genres like character-led docusoaps, lifestyle formats, true crime series, premium documentary series and competition formats. All projects are being developed by Universal Television Alternative Studio, a division of Universal Studio Group.
“As we shepherd these projects through the development process, our hope is that among them is our next genre-defining series to join ‘Below Deck,’ ‘The Real Housewives,’ ‘America’s Got Talent,’ ‘Love Island’ among many of our legacy franchises,” NBCUniversal unscripted executive vice presidents Sharon Vuong and Rachel Smith said in a statement.
“The success of our first Unscripted Pitch Accelerator is even more evidence of something that has been proven time and time again: When we as an industry expand access to untapped talent, we unlock a wider pool of fresh, relevant and untold stories that appeal to an ever-evolving global audience,” said Jeanne Mau, NBCUniversal’s executive vice president of TV programming inclusion, who oversees NBCU Launch.
The Unscripted Pitch Accelerator program provides opportunities for independent creators and producers to pitch their concepts to NBCU television executives. It expands the work of previous NBCU Launch initiatives that have already made an impact across the company’s unscripted slate. The Unscripted Producers Initiative, which launched two years ago, has supported 45 producers at all levels across 30 NBCU unscripted series so far, providing opportunities for workforce expansion that then move onto other series or get promoted to higher positions.
The NBCU Launch Below-the-Line Traineeship has seen more than 80 trainees gain hands-on experience across 40 NBCU series filmed in the U.S. and Canada. The company said that 22 trainees have since joined their local unions, giving them access to future paid union positions.
The brand’s Production Assistant Initiative also led to the hiring of 33 production assistants to date across 19 unscripted shows. Similarly, the Talent and Casting Assistant Program, designed to develop aspiring casting directors across scripted and unscripted, has seen alums promoted to casting associate roles on major NBC shows like “America’s Got Talent,” “The Voice,” “Deal or No Deal Island” and the new adventure competition series “Destination X.”
Look below for more on the creators of the Unscripted Pitch Accelerator finalists.
Category: Lifestyle & docusoap
Renier Elvir and Omar Linares
Renier Elvir is a seasoned producer known for documentary-style series that highlight diverse stories and cultures. His credits include “Pati’s Mexican Table” (Imagen Nominee, IACP Award), “La Frontera” (James Beard Award), “The Great Food Truck Race” (Critics Choice Nominee) and “Live PD” (Critics Choice Award). With strengths in field and post-production, story development and logistics, Elvir delivers engaging content across genres from culinary to cultural and real-time action.
Omar Linares is an Emmy Award-nominated producer with over 15 years of experience in global entertainment. He served as co-executive producer of Netflix’s “The Signing”/“La Firma” and produced “El Corazón de Sergio Ramos.” Linares has worked with top talent, including Jennifer Lopez, Marc Anthony and Daddy Yankee, and on major shows such as “Top Chef,” “The Voice Kids,” “MasterChef,” ‘Nailed It!” and “Project Runway.” Linares brings a deep understanding of both English and Latino markets to every project.
Mackenzie Rohan
Mackenzie Rohan is a reality TV enthusiast and storyteller whose work centers on female-driven comedic narratives that challenge traditional and self-limiting stories. She’s been recognized by the Hollywood Radio and Television Society, Disney Entertainment Television’s PA Initiative, the Blacklist x WGA’s Michael Collyer Fellowship and multiple screenwriting competitions. Her writing appears in “The Rumpus” and PBS’s “American Portrait.” A Syracuse Drama alum, she has worked on sets for Disney+, Hulu, TikTok and Ondamax Films. Originally from San Francisco, Rohan now lives in Los Angeles and works with Script Anatomy and Agog: The Immersive Media Institute.
Category: Docs & True Crime
Fernando Grostein Andrade and Fernando Siqueira
Fernando Grostein Andrade is a filmmaker based in Los Angeles, recognized for his work as a director, producer, screenwriter and entrepreneur. Grostein Andrade is driven by a desire to shed light on obscurantism and to explore difficult, challenging aspects of the human experience. His work often delves into complex emotional terrain, using storytelling as a way to reveal, question and connect. He directed and produced “Breaking the Taboo” (Quebando o Tabu) and “Wandering Heart.” Together with Fernando Siqueira, he directed “This Is a Test”, a short film created for NASA that was sent beyond Mars orbit aboard the Psyche mission. His film “ABE,” starring Noah Schnapp and Seu Jorge, premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019 and earned international acclaim. A Harvard and Sundance fellow and Young Global Leader of the World Economic Forum, Grostein Andrade also taught theater in maximum-security prisons and co-founded an education movement in Brazil. His work has been honored by Cannes Lions and GQ’s Men of the Year.
Fernando Siqueira is a filmmaker, actor and singer based in Los Angeles, known for his work in theater, film and music. As a producer, Siqueira co-created, directed and starred in “Necklace,” a hybrid documentary-musical that premiered at the Rio International Film Festival and São Paulo International Film Festival, with live performances at SXSW. He also produced and co-directed the short film “This Is a Test” for NASA, which was sent to deep space as part of the Psyche mission. Siqueira’s work explores themes of identity, queerness, mental health and reinvention through intimate, emotionally charged experiences that invite audiences to feel rather than judge. He often uses music as a narrative tool, crafting unscripted stories that are raw and radically human. Siqueira is an associate member of Tim Robbins’ the Actors’ Gang and is currently completing a double album with renowned cellist Jaques Morelenbaum.
Jenny Gnirke
Jenny Gnirke is a veteran television producer with more than 15 years of experience in docuseries, including MTV’s “16 and Pregnant,” “Teen Mom,” TLC’s “Extreme Sisters” and Roku’s “Match Me in Miami.” As the showrunner of ID’s “Disappeared” reboot, she led teams in both field and post, known for delivering high-quality work under pressure and a passion for authentic storytelling.
Category: Formats & competition
Sam Blakk
Sam Blakk is an emerging force in unscripted television, bringing a decade of experience in film production, casting and storytelling. With early credits in reality casting for “Bad Girls Club” (seasons 7 and 10), Blakk brings a fresh perspective rooted in showcasing stories that resonate with diverse audiences, emphasizing emotional truth and relatable experiences. His unique blend of casting expertise and production experience makes him a valuable creative force in the evolving landscape of unscripted entertainment, transforming real-life moments into compelling television that captivates viewers. His producer credits include two independent short films (“Weighted,” “The Capitalist”), a feature film (“Last One”) and several notable webseries.
