By Jeremy Blacklow, Director of Entertainment Media
GLAAD, The Black List
Four of Ten LGBTQ-Inclusive Scripts from the Inaugural List have been Optioned
In January 2019, as Deadline reported, GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, in partnership with The Black List, an annual survey of Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced screenplays, announced the creation of The GLAAD List, a curated list of the most promising unmade LGBTQ-inclusive scripts in Hollywood that have been hosted on blcklst.com or were included on the 2018 year-end annual Black List.
Today, the two organizations announced that the second annual GLAAD List will be unveiled at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2020, the same location from which the inaugural GLAAD List was launched earlier this year. The Black List and GLAAD issued a call for submissions for LGBTQ-inclusive scripts from screenwriters. Writers, filmmakers, and creators can submit a script for consideration by uploading it to The Black List website before November 5th. More information on how to upload scripts here.
GLAAD today also announced that since releasing the inaugural GLAAD List in January 2019, 4 of the 10 scripts from the first year have been optioned, with one (Queen) currently being fast-tracked into production. See the inaugural “GLAAD List” here.
More information on submitting to the 2020 GLAAD List can be found here:
“GLAAD is thrilled to be partnering with The Black List for a second year on The GLAAD List as they continue to be a leader in elevating all marginalized voices in the film industry,” said Jeremy Blacklow, GLAAD’s Director of Entertainment Media.
“The scripts on The GLAAD List represent LGBTQ stories that studios should consider,” Blacklow continued. “With the proper attention, and with the collaboration of the right directors and actors, the scripts on the list show tremendous promise and should one day become films that will both entertain audiences and change hearts and minds around the world.”
“The Black List is honored to be making a return engagement with GLAAD to shine a spotlight on brilliant LGBTQ-inclusive scripts hosted on the Black List and beyond. There are so many stories to be told. As a GLAAD partner, I’m thrilled to be a part in helping find them. As a future audience member, I’m even more thrilled to get to see them,” said Franklin Leonard, creator of The Black List.
Several of the authors honored on the 2019 GLAAD List have shared updates on activity surrounding their scripts since they appeared on the inaugural list.
“Paragraph 175 was recently optioned by Relentless Lane Productions, and I was hired by Bee Holder Productions to write a script with a unique gay love story at is core; Bee Holder is currently searching for a bold director,” said Paragraph 175 author Diane Hanks. “I’ve been writing since grad school, but Paragraph 175 is the script I’m most proud of.”
“We are so grateful for the enormous honor and blessing it has been to be a part of the GLAAD List,” said Dave Carlson and Cedar Miller, the authors of Trouble Man. “The connections we’ve made as a result of this opportunity may prove to be game-changing. With the weight of GLAAD behind our story, we’ve managed to get it into the hands of giants.”
Since the creation of The GLAAD List, The Black List has gone on to similarly partner with The Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment to create The CAPE List and The Latin Tracking Board, Mijente, NALIP, The Nathan Cummings Foundation, Remezcla and UnidosUS to create The Latinx List.
Scripts, provided by The Black List, are evaluated by GLAAD using the following criteria:
1. Fair, accurate and inclusive LGBTQ representation
2. Boldness and originality of the content
3. Potential impact of the media project
4. Overall quality of the written project
5. Passes GLAAD’s Vito Russo Test*
*To pass the Vito Russo Test, the following must be true:
- The film contains a character that is identifiably LGBTQ
- That character must not be solely or predominantly defined by their sexual orientation or gender identity (i.e. the character is comprised of the same sort of unique character traits commonly used to differentiate straight/non-transgender characters from one another).
- The LGBTQ character must be tied into the plot in such a way that their removal would have a significant effect. Meaning they are not there to simply provide colorful commentary, paint urban authenticity, or (perhaps most commonly) set up a punchline. The character should matter.
Unlike The Black List, an annual survey of Hollywood executives’ favorite unproduced screenplays, The GLAAD List is curated based on a pool of the highest-rated scripts provided by The Black List which feature LGBTQ characters. A script may remain active on The Black List and The GLAAD List up until the first frame has been shot during production.
The Black List website is a two-sided marketplace where screenwriters can upload their scripts for a monthly fee and make them available to industry members. They may additionally purchase evaluations completed by professional readers. The website also serves as a database where the industry can discover original feature film and pilot scripts.