Nosara Episodic Lab 2025

 

Our Episodic Lab in Nosara was a magical time with four talented writers: Philippe Bowgen, Aissa Rose Gueye, Sejal Pachisia, and Rob Richert. Set against the lush landscape of Costa Rica’s Pacific coast, this program offered our cohort an opportunity to step away from daily life and fully immerse themselves in their original series projects, their craft, and the collaborative nature of episodic storytelling.

From our opening peer sessions to intensive Writers’ Room workshops guided by our expert mentors, everyone brought their full selves to the table. Over the course of the lab, we loved watching our writers push their shows in exciting new directions, discover fresh possibilities in their characters and worlds, and craft compelling pitches that brought their series to life off the page.

We are profoundly grateful to our showrunner mentors: Carly Wray, Donick Cary, Jason Kim, and Jennifer Yale, whose wisdom, expertise, and generosity helped shape learning and breakthroughs. We also thank our executive mentors Ben Wasserstein and Gina Kwon, as well as Ben Robbins and Carver Diserens, for their guidance and perspective on pitching. And a special thanks to our Coordinator Ali Golub for her work as our Writers’ Room Assistant and helping things run smoothly.

At the heart of the Nosara Episodic Lab is the belief that supporting writers means supporting the whole person—their voice, their vision, and their capacity to connect with others through story. This year’s cohort embodied that spirit, embracing vulnerability, collaboration, creative risk, and hard work with openness and dedication. The bonds formed here, between writers, mentors, and the land itself, were as meaningful as the work accomplished.

We are excited to watch these series continue to take shape and to follow the paths of these remarkable creators!

 
LYDIA CAVALLO ZASA