Formerly Known as Women Wednesday
NEXT GEN:
EXECUTIVE DIVERSITY MENTORSHIP PROGRAM
The Mission
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The Reel Champions NEXT GEN Executive Diversity Mentorship Program seeks to uplift women and non-binary people of color in the executive pipeline of the entertainment industry in the hopes of sculpting a more diverse array of decision-makers. By forming and nurturing mentorship relationships, we hope to create an exceptional class of executives, producers, agents, managers, and more.
Spanning from March 2024 to March 2025, the Next Gen program will match early career individuals with carefully selected seasoned mentors, who will provide guidance and serve as allies to mentees experiencing the unique and challenging waters of one’s first few years in the entertainment business. Mentors will also be provided with leadership and management training throughout the program to continue their own growth and development.
By the end of the program, our goal is for mentors to feel better equipped to be mindful, self-aware leaders, and for mentees to feel prepared to succeed in this business long-term.
Application Timeline
Wednesday, Janurary 17th 2024: Mentor Applications Open
Monday, February 12th 2024 @ 7PM PST: Mentee Applications Open
Monday February 19th 2024 - Friday March 8th 2024: Mentee Applicant Interviews with Head of Mentorship
Monday, February 26th 2024 @ 11:59PM PST: Mentor and Mentee Applications Close
Friday, March 15th 2024: Announce Mentor and Mentee Acceptances
Monday March 25th 2024 - Friday April 5th 2024: Mentorship Trainings and Announce Mentorship Pairings
Thursday April 11th 2024: NEXT GEN Soiree
FAQ
Who is the ideal mentor?
Although our mentorship program is for women and non-binary mentees of color, we are looking for mentors from all backgrounds.
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We are seeking entertainment industry professionals who are experienced in production, representation, marketing, advertising, and creative development in any genre or medium. Because our mentees range from recent graduates to junior executives, we are seeking mentors with 3+ years in the industry.
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The most important quality is a strong desire to impart knowledge and guidance to their mentee. A successful mentor is one who is willing to give candid advice, support the next generation of decision makers, and teach them things they wish they knew when they were first starting out.
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What are mentor expectations?
Mentors are expected to have availability to meet with their mentee in person or virtually at least once a month.
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Mentors are expected to keep open communication with their mentees and be accessible through their preferred method (email, text, slack, etc.).
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Ideal mentors are able to practice empathy and offer honest and constructive feedback, even through the rough times of a mentee’s journey.
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Mentors are expected to touch base with our Head of Mentorship when they receive check-ins as well as communicate if there are any complications or issues throughout the mentorship.
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Can I apply again if I participated last year?
We welcome past mentors to apply again. If you previously participated in the WW mentorship program as a mentee, we ask that you please not reapply as a mentee candidate, and consider applying as a mentor. Your experience can be monumentally valuable to a new incoming applicant and we hope you'll join us in this new rotation as a mentor.
Who is the ideal mentee?
This mentorship program is specifically for women and non-binary folks of color who want to become producers, executives, agents, or managers. For this cycle, we are focusing on those living in the LA area so we can prioritize in-person events.
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What are mentee expectations?
As we welcome mentees from all experience levels, it is important for each mentee to feel comfortable asking questions, be open to feedback, and come with a positive attitude and eagerness to learn.
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We expect each mentee to initiate communication with their mentor at least on a monthly basis. During these monthly check-ins, they will be expected to come with agenda items and updates on the goals set together at the beginning of the program. Our mentees will be expected to be excellent communicators who respect mentors’ boundaries.
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Our ideal mentee is motivated to succeed, can commit enough time to the program, and are ready to take ownership over their experience to make mentoring worthwhile.
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How many people are in the program?
We will be accepting approximately 50 mentors and 50 mentees.
Can I be both a mentee and mentor?
While you may qualify for both in terms of experience, you may only apply as either a mentee or a mentor for a given program cycle.