Serena Tateo

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Serena Tateo is a graduate of International TV Writing and Producing from Serial Eyes at DFFB Berlin. She has worked for The Pills and as a writer with The Jackal, and Fanpage. She created the female-led sketch comedy 'Sbratz,' aired on Rai3. She wrote for Serena Dandini's 'La TV delle Ragazze' and 'Gli Stati Generali,' two prime-time RAI3 shows. In 2020, HarperCollins published her first book, 'TEA.'
Her feature, 'Noi anni luce,' written with Isabella Aguilar, had its theatrical release in July 2023. It was one of the twelve films in contention to represent Italy at the Oscars.
She wrote the second season of 'Il Santone' for RaiPlay, set to be released in 2024. Serena has developed original ideas for movies and shows for companies such as Cattleya, Lux Vide, Lucky Red, Paco Cinematografica, Palomar, BlackBox Multimedia (UK), and Odeon Fiction (Germany). She currently has an exclusive writing deal at Lotus Production (Leone Film Group), where she also works as an executive.

 

Writing Experience

 

TV

 

RAI – Rome, Italy                                                                                                          May 2019 – Jan 2020

RAI is the national public broadcasting company of Italy operating many terrestrial and subscription tv channels.

“Gli Stati Generali” is a satirical prime time Italian TV program comparable to “SNL” in the States hosted by the well-known Italian TV personality Serena Dandini.

Staff Writer

Worked on 6 episodes aired between 2019/2020

 

BlackBox Multimedia – London, United Kingdom                                              September 2019 – Jan 2020

BBM is a global production company based in London, producing scripted TV shows and films for International and local audiences.

Creator and Staff Writer

Developed “High Ladies”, 30-minute comedy series based in Naples, Italy.

 

Nightswim – Rome, Italy                                                                                       June 2019 – October 2019

Nightswim is a Rome based production company established in 2015 by three well known professionals in the Italian film and television industry.

Creator and Staff Writer

Developed concept and bible for a 50-minute teen drama TV series. 

 

Lux Vide – Rome, Italy                                                                                       May 2019 – November 2019

Founded in Rome in 1992, Lux Vide is a leading European television production company with a strong international vision.

Creator and Staff Writer

Developed concept for a 30-minute drama series.

 

RAI – Rome, Italy                                                                                               May 2018 – November 2018

RAI is the national public broadcasting company of Italy operating many terrestrial and subscription tv channels.

“La TV delle Ragazze” is a satirical prime time Italian TV program written, developed and directed only by women.

Staff Writer

Worked on 4 episodes aired between 2018/2019

 

RAI Tre – Rome, Italy                                                                                           May 2018 – January 2020

RAI Tre is one of the TV channels operated by the Italian public broadcaster RAI.

Created, wrote and directed a few episodes of this Italian sketch comedy program.

Creator, writer, director

Worked on “Sbratz”, the first Italian comedy show only focused on women. Wrote approximately 30 sketches.

 

Lucky Red – Rome, Italy                                                                           November 2017 – November 2018

Worked for the production arm of Lucky Red, an established film and television distribution company.

Staff Writer

Developed a one-hour drama TV series called “Gli Imperfetti”.

 

Palomar – Rome, Italy                                                                                        February 2016 – June 2018

Palomar is one of the oldest Italian television and cinema production companies, a market leader in Italy in the drama sector for the major Italian TV networks.

Creator and staff writer

Developed a one-hour comedy series (“I Geni del Male”).

 

SKY Italia (Comedy Central) – Milan, Italy                                                    February 2016 – March 2016

Sky Italia is an Italian satellite television platform operated by Sky.

Writer

Developed comedy monologue for the TV show “Natural Born Comedians” (stand-up comedy special).

 

FEATURE FILM

 

Cattleya – Rome, Italy                                                                                                    June 2018 – Current

Cattleya is an Italian production company and the creator of successful films and TV series such as: “Gomorrah”, “Romanzo Criminale”, and “ZeroZeroZero”.

Creator and staff writer

Currently developing a comedy feature film from an original idea.

 

Paco Cinematografica – Rome, Italy                                                              November 2017 – March 2018

Paco Cinematografica is an independent production company based in Rome.

Staff writer

Developed a thriller feature film adapted from a published novel (“L’Altra Madre”).

 

GreyLadder Productions – Turin, Italy                                                                         April 2017 – Current

Grey Ladder Productions is a young production company that develops Indie TV and film content to be either distributed or adapted for various international markets.

Creator

Documentary film presently in post-production.

 

DIGITAL AND COMMERCIAL CONTENT

 

Think Cattleya - Rome, Italy                                                                                         May 2018 – Jan 2019

Think Cattleya is the advertising production department of the Cattleya group focused on commercials for the international markets.

Copywriter

Developed the 2018 “Nutella” advertising TV campaign. Worked on numerous TV spots.

 

The Jackal – Naples, Italy                                                                          February 2015 – September 2018

The Jackal is a company specializing in the creation, development and distribution of videos, viral campaigns on web and TV. Their Facebook page has three million likes.

Copywriter

Worked on numerous digital and TV commercials for clients such as: Ferrero, Vodafone, Netflix, Huawei, RAI, SKY.

 

 

FanPage – Naples, Italy                                                                                        September 2016 – Current

FanPage is an online publication that has more than 8M likes on Facebook and an average of 3M readers daily.

Copywriter

Working on numerous digital branded content and on-line viral campaigns for clients including: Nivea, Dove, McDonald’s.

 

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

 

Lucky Red – Rome, Italy                                                                           November 2017 – November 2018

Founded in 1987, Lucky Red is the first Italian independent film distributor. A few years ago, it opened a production arm and developed some successful films and tv series.

Development Coordinator

Responsibilities include: creative analysis of scripts and treatments; story notes; pitches and soliciting material.

 

BOOK WRITER

 

HarperCollins - Milan, Italy                                                                                     January 2019 – Current

HarperCollins Publishers is the second-largest consumer book publisher in the world.

Writer

In partnership with other three writers, currently creating a high-concept comedy book from an original idea.

 

EDUCATION

 

Serial Eyes – DFFB, Berlin, Germany                                                                  September 2019 – Current

Serial Eyes is a fellowship writing program held DFFB German Film and Television Academy Berlin. The program boasts top-notch international lecturers such as: Frank Spotnitz (“The Man in the High Castle”, “The X-Files”, “Hunted”), Ben Harris (“The Musketeers”, “Hunted”, “The Devils”), Nicola Lusuardi (Sky), Sven Clausen, three-time winner of the Emmy Award for Danish serial Drama. The program hosted classes with Peter Morgan (“The Crown”), Jenn Carroll and Gordon Smith (“Breaking Bad”, “Better Call Saul”).

Serial Eyes is aimed at up-and-coming TV writers who have worked professionally in their home market and are now ready to step up to an international level. 

During the program students are required to work and develop a one-hour tv series pilot. The program will be completed in June 2020.

 

London Film Academy | London, UK                                                               May 2015 – September 2015

Diploma

London Film Academy is now internationally recognized as an innovative film school that offers more than just an education in film.

 

Scuola Omero – Rome, Italy                                                    September 2013 – June 2014                        

First and second level diploma

Scuola Omero is a writing academy based in Rome. The TV series course is held by the screenwriter Isabella Aguilar (known for the Netflix tv show Baby and many others).

 

Roma Tre University – Rome, Italy                                         September 2010 – June 2013

Media and Communication Studies

Roma Tre University is an Italian public research University.

 

LANGUAGES

 

Italian, mother tongue

English, fluent

Spanish, colloquial

 

SOFTWARE

Final Draft, CELTX, Adobe Premiere, Office, Final Cut