BET Plus said it will be producing a new original series, Birth of Cool, in partnership with Macro Television Studios and Hillman Grad Productions.
The 10 episode series is a dramedy following the students and teachers at Crispus Attucks High, a predominantly Black school in Compton.
Birth of Cool was created by writer-director Juel Taylor and writer Tony Rettenmaier. Taylor will direct the pilot.
“BET Plus continues to be the home for best-in-class creatives to tell their original stories about the Black experience,” said Devin Griffin, executive VP and general manager of BET Plus. “We appreciate Lena’s creative vision and continued trust and are thrilled to partner with a skilled group of creators from Macro Television Studios and Hillman Grad to bring this series to life.”
BET Plus is a joint venture between BET Networks and Tyler Perry Studios.
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“We are excited to continue Macro’s commitment to excellence in content creation and to be partnered with Juel and Tony and help bring their unique vision to the screen,” said Marta Fernandez, president of Macro Television Studios. “Along with our partners at BET Plus, Hillman Grad and Endeavor Content, we passionately support their voices and dedication to telling authentically Black stories.”
“Our goal at Hillman Grad is to find the next generation of visionary filmmakers who challenge the ways in which we typically represent characters of color on screen. Juel and Tony are exactly that. We’re so excited to have been on this journey with them and can’t wait to introduce the world to the brilliance, humor, and depth of Birth of Cool,” said Rishi Rajani, president of film/TV at Hillman Grad.
Fernandez and Mark R. Wright will oversee for Macro Television Studios. Macro Television Studios’ partners on the TV series are Endeavor Content and Hillman Grad Productions, with Charles D. King, Fernandez, Lena Waithe, Rishi Rajani, Taylor, Rettenmaier, Aaliyah Williams and David Morris serving as executive producers.
