RespectAbility Entertainment Professionals Lab 2024
Dani Hanks
Dani Hanks (they/she) is a disabled Webby-award winning writer/director who challenges the status quo through quirky stories with a bit of comedic flair. Their Banff-nominated web series, Fake News Writer, was optioned after winning the Webby against Hasan Minhaj and James Corden. Since then, they have worked on projects in development at FilmRise, RKO, and TikTok. Their work has been showcased in more than 30 film festivals around the world. Most recently, their original pilot was selected for the Stowe Story Labs TV Writers’ Room.
After receiving their BFA in drama at NYU Tisch, Hanks finally “came out” as a writer/director, according to friends who had “known since high school.” Major themes in Hanks’ work include gender, sexuality, mental illness, and disability. A direct result of inhaling too much formaldehyde as a kid in their parents’ pathology lab, the stories they’re drawn to are often weird, darkly humorous, and off-the-beaten-path.
Hanks daylights as a laboratory technician cutting animal tissue at NYU Langone, much to the dismay of their pet rats. They love baking from scratch, playing board games, writing and singing indie songs, and chatting in American Sign Language.
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After an extensive search and interview process, 25 individuals were invited to participate in the Virtual Cohort of RespectAbility’s 2024 Entertainment Lab taking place May 7 – September 24, 2024. This 5-month Lab aims to develop and elevate the talent pipeline of disabled entertainment professionals working behind-the-scenes in television, film, and streaming, while connecting them with industry professionals and creatives. Participants include people with physical, cognitive, sensory, mental health, and other disabilities ranging in age from people in their 20’s through their 60’s. The Lab is a recipient of The Roddenberry Foundation Impact Award.
