NBCU LAUNCH, the umbrella brand encompassing the company’s comprehensive inclusion initiatives in entertainment television, has announced the 2024-26 class of the NBCU LAUNCH TV Directors Program. This initiative provides experienced directors with distinct creative perspectives an opportunity to break into episodic television. Participants will direct at least one episode of an NBCU series, supported by mentoring and development opportunities.
To prepare the directors for their first scripted episodes, NBCU LAUNCH paired them with alumni mentors, including SJ Main Muñoz (“Fear the Walking Dead”), Brenna Malloy (“On Call”), Kim Nguyen (“Survival of the Thickest”), and Dinh Thai (“Wu-Tang: An American Saga”). These mentors, now accomplished television directors, provide guidance on navigating the production process. Participants also completed a six-day workshop led by acclaimed directors Mary Lou Belli and Bethany Rooney, covering technical and creative aspects of directing. NBCU LAUNCH continues its commitment to inclusion, supporting directors with diverse experiences and unique creative visions. Applications for the next class open in the second half of 2025.
This year’s selected directors will contribute to acclaimed NBCU series: Parisa Barani on “Law & Order”, Winter Dunn on “The Irrational”, Nina Kramer on “St. Denis Medical”, and Liz Sargent on “Chicago Med”. Exploring the 2024-26 Class of NBCU LAUNCH Directors, let’s take a closer look at each of the talented directors shaping the future of television through this program.
Parisa Barani is an award-winning queer Iranian-American-Canadian director with a passion for telling authentic, boundary-pushing stories. She has participated in several prestigious programs, including Netflix’s Directors on the Rise masterclass, the ViacomCBS Emerging Directors Program, and the Universal Directors Initiative. Her notable works include “Human Terrain” (starring Maggie Siff and Sarita Choudhury) and upcoming feature projects “Haram” and “Haji”. Barani’s films have screened at international festivals like SCAD Savannah and Bentonville Film Festival. Beyond filmmaking, she contributes as a curator and speaker at SXSW and Outfest, advocating for diverse voices in cinema.
For her part, Winter Dunn is an award-winning filmmaker amplifying BIPOC narratives through a universal lens. Her short film “Dear Mama” won an NAACP Image Award and premiered on platforms like The New Yorker’s Screening Room. Her latest project, “Play Hard”, debuted at the 2024 Tribeca Film Festival. Dunn has also directed digital content for major outlets, including Vanity Fair and Architectural Digest, showcasing talent like Viola Davis and Billie Eilish. With a focus on heartfelt storytelling, Dunn bridges the worlds of film and digital media, crafting compelling narratives that resonate widely.
Meanwhile, Nina Kramer is a Chilean-American director celebrated for their comedy-driven projects. Their work includes high-profile campaigns for brands like Amazon and Disney, as well as award-winning narrative films. Kramer’s commercial for FUJIFILM earned the American Advertising Award in 2023. Recently, they directed an episode of “General Hospital” through Disney’s TV Directors Program and shadowed on “Abbott Elementary”. Kramer’s work balances absurdity with emotional sincerity, and they are developing a series inspired by discovering their mother’s South American political heritage.
Finally, Liz Sargent, a Korean-American adoptee, creates award-winning works exploring themes of adoption, disability, and family. Her film “Take Me Home” premiered at Sundance, won the Grand Jury prize at PROOF Film Festival, and screened at the White House. With her choreography background, Sargent’s storytelling is deeply emotional and visually dynamic. She is developing the feature film version of “Take Me Home” and has received the SFFILM Rainin grant to support the project. Sargent’s work celebrates the complexities of intersectional identities, connecting her personal journey to broader cultural narratives.