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The Producers Guild of America (PGA) is pleased to announce that it is now accepting applications for its twelfth annual POWER of DIVERSITY Producers Workshop. Applications will be accepted until 6pm Pacific Time on Sunday, April 17th. Ten participants will be selected to take part in the eight-week workshop that will run from mid-June through mid-August in Los Angeles. The POWER of DIVERSITY workshop is designed to foster the development of aspiring and seasoned producers who bring diverse perspectives to television, film and digital media. In the past eleven years, the workshop has generated top creative talents who have gone on to achieve success in the industry. The POWER of DIVERSITY is offered free of charge to participants.

This two-month program provides participants with master classes headlined by some of today's top producers, as well as one-to-one mentoring with members of the Producers Guild Diversity Committee. Topics are tailored to the participants and their individual projects, and include a broad range of producing skills, such as story development, pitching, packaging, financing, marketing and new media opportunities.

"We are thrilled at the surge of commitment to diversity in the industry, bringing with it the recognition that inclusion is also good business. Through the POWER of DIVERSITY Producers Workshop, the Producers Guild has been at the forefront of inclusion in film, television and new media for more than a decade," said the Chairs of the PGA Diversity Workshop, Julie Janata and Christina Lee Storm. "World-renowned producers and individual mentors challenge diversity participants with state-of-the-art tools to prepare their projects for today's marketplace. We celebrate all ethnicities, all religions, all genders, all sexual orientations, all ages and levels of ability, as we empower these creative producers to bring their full passion and unique voice to the screen."

A number of diversity participants have gone on to produce major films and top television shows, including Aaron Rahsaan Thomas ("Sleepy Hollow", "CSI: NY", "Southland"), Ben Lobato ("The Unit," "Justified"), LaToya Morgan ("Turn"), Sarah DeLeo (BLESS ME, ULTIMA) and Holly Overton ("The Client List").

Past speakers have included top producing talent such as Bruce Cohen (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, MILK, AMERICAN BEAUTY), Mark Gordon ("Grey's Anatomy," "Criminal Minds", STEVE JOBS, SAVING PRIVATE RYAN), Bruna Papandrea (GONE GIRL, WILD, MILK), Lori McCreary ("Madam Secretary", INVICTUS), Marshall Herskovitz (BLOOD DIAMOND, THE LAST SAMURAI, TRAFFIC), Shonda Rhimes ("Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal", "How To Get Away With Murder", "The Catch"), Damon Lindelof ("Lost," STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, TOMORROWLAND), Paris Barclay ("Sons of Anarchy", "In Treatment", Directors Guild of America President), Caryn Mandabach ("Nurse Jackie," "That 70s Show"), Lindsay Doran (Past President, United Artists Pictures and Sydney Pollack's Mirage Productions), Luis Barreto ("America's Next Top Model," "LA Ink"), Ali LeRoi ("Everybody Hates Chris," ARE WE THERE YET?), Ralph Winter (X-MEN, FANTASTIC FOUR), and Bonnie Arnold (HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON franchise, TOY STORY, DANCES WITH WOLVES), among many others.

In addition, the PGA Diversity Committee has fostered partnerships with international producing organizations, bringing producers from around the world into the POWER of DIVERSITY Producers Workshop, as well as teaching the workshop on three continents in Jordan, South Africa and Taiwan.

For further information and application forms please go to pgadiversity.org

About the Producers Guild of America (PGA)
The Producers Guild of America is the non-profit trade group that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media. The Producers Guild has more than 7,000 members who work together to protect and improve their careers, the industry and community by providing members with employment opportunities, seeking to expand health benefits, promoting fair and impartial standards for the awarding of producing credits, as well as other education and advocacy efforts such as encouraging sustainable production practices. For more information and the latest updates, please visit ProducersGuild.org, www.PGAGreen.org, and www.PGADiversity.org, and follow us on Twitter @ProducersGuild.