Lena Waithe to Champion Emerging Voices With Sight Unseen Pact
The Emmy winner is teaming with the financing and production company to develop and finance film and TV projects that identify and champion emerging voices who are underserved in the marketplace.
Lena Waithe is looking to provide a platform for emerging voices currently underserved in the marketplace.
The Emmy-winning Master of None writer and her Hillman Grad production company are teaming with financing and production company Sight Unseen Pictures to champion new voices with the goal of creating new film and TV projects.
"I'm so excited to be partnering with such a forward-thinking production company like Sight Unseen. My mission is to help introduce the industry to new and exciting voices, while putting money in those writers pockets," Waithe said.
Formed by Julia Lebedev, Eddie Vaisman and Oren Moverman (Dear White People, The Dinner), Sight Unseen Pictures will develop and finance independent projects that identify and champion emerging voices who are currently underserved in the marketplace via the pact with Waithe.
“All of us at Sight Unseen are thrilled to be partnering with the exceptionally talented Lena Waithe. We share the same goal of championing fresh, new and interesting stories and Lena embodies that unique perspective. We aim to continue to elevate talented writers and directors who tell stories that push cultural and social boundaries,” said Lebedev, Vaisman and Moverman in a joint statement.
Waithe became the first African-American woman to win an Emmy for comedy writing (for Netflix's Master of None, in which she also co-stars). She also created and exec produces Showtime's The Chi, recently renewed for a second season; and exec produces TBS comedy pilot Twenties. She next appears in Ready Player One. The deal reunites Waithe with Lebedev after both produced Justin Simien's Dear White People, with the latter also serving in the same capacity on the Netflix show based on the movie.
Sight Unseen, formed in 2016, recently financed and produced Sundance special jury prize winner Monsters and Men.
