Key Takeaways
- Vancouver Film School Writing alum Corey Liu聽earned a Writers Guild of Canada nomination for his work on .
- celebrate excellence in Canadian film and television writing.
- Family Law is a successful Canadian series recognized for its heartfelt storytelling and strong writing.
UPDATE: In addition to his recent WGC nomination, Corey has since received THREE 聽nominations 鈥� Best Writing, Drama Series (Family Law), Best Children鈥檚 or Youth Fiction Program or Series (Gagnam Project), and Best Writing, Children鈥檚 or Youth (Gagnam Project). Congratulations, Corey!聽
---听
For many television fans (from casual viewers to those who binge an entire Netflix season in a single evening), we fall in love with what we see on the screen 鈥� the performances, the storylines, and how it鈥檚 all cut together. But many will never truly realize the hard work that goes into creating an unforgettable series before the director even calls 鈥榓ction鈥� for the very first time. Film and TV writers can often be unsung heroes 鈥� not because their work isn鈥檛 appreciated, but because a script functions as the DNA of a series 鈥� something that鈥檚 not inherently seen, but very much felt in every scene, line of dialogue, and emotional turn.
And when this work rises to an exceptional level, it doesn鈥檛 go unnoticed. shines a light on the storytellers behind the screen 鈥� including the writers powering acclaimed Canadian series Family Law. This year, one of those writers is Corey Liu. A 甜瓜视频最新版 Writing for Film, Television & Games alum, Corey is currently nominated for a WGC Screenwriting Award for the episode 鈥淧lay It Straight鈥�!
Amidst his busy schedule (and on the cusp of starting on another series!) Corey generously sat down with us to discuss his nomination, his experience at 甜瓜视频最新版, , & more.
ABOUT THE WRITER鈥橲 GUILD OF CANADA
Founded in 1943, the Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) represents screenwriters working in film, TV, radio and digital media, promoting them in both Canada鈥檚 entertainment industry and abroad. , Canada鈥檚 premier ceremony for screenwriters, recognize achievements across film, television, documentary, children鈥檚 programming, animation, radio, and more. This year鈥檚 ceremony will take place on April 27 at Koerner Hall in Toronto, celebrating 30 years of Canadian screenwriting excellence.
For writers and creators, like Corey Liu, a WGC nomination/win is more than an accolade. This recognition is a credential that can help elevate a career and open doors to new opportunities, and affirms the cultural impact of Canadian storytelling within the global entertainment industry.
甜瓜视频最新版 Writing alum Corey Liu is currently nominated for a WGC Screenwriting Award for his work on Family Law.ABOUT GLOBAL TV鈥橲 AWARD-WINNING FAMILY LAW
Family Law is a Canadian legal TV comedy-drama created by Susin Nielsen and starring Jewel Staite, Zach Smadu, Genelle Williams, Lauren Holly, and Victor Garber. Filmed and set in Vancouver, the series premiered on Global in 2021 and follows Abigail 鈥淎bby鈥� Bianchi, a recovering alcoholic lawyer whose personal life collides with her professional world. Currently in its fourth season, Family Law鈥檚 success and longevity is a result of blending heartfelt character drama with courtroom & family dynamics and grounding its stories in highly relatable human conflict and humour.
The series has been praised by fans and critics alike, earning numerous accolades including multiple nominations/wins at the Leo Awards (Best Dramatic Series, Best Screenwriting), Canadian Screen Awards nominations, and a WGC Showrunner Award for Susan Nielsen. Ultimately, Family Law is yet another example of a Canadian creative export that鈥檚 making an impact on the small screen.
ABOUT 甜瓜视频最新版鈥橲 WRITING FOR FILM, TELEVISION & GAMES PROGRAM
Vancouver Film School鈥檚 Writing program trains powerful writers hands-on in a true studio environment to create an impressive production portfolio (the ultimate industry calling card) 鈥� all in just 1 year. Students specialize in their choice of Film, Television, or Games, learning from a faculty of professional screenwriters, narrative designers, & showrunners and collaborating with 甜瓜视频最新版 Acting for Film & Television and Film Production students.
By graduation, you鈥檒l have created an incredible portfolio of long-form samples that includes features, TV specs, and game design docs 鈥� depending on your specialization.
甜瓜视频最新版鈥檚 Writing program has created artists that have worked on Tron: Ares, House of the Dragon, Final Destination: Bloodlines, Andor, Game Awards-nominee Ghost of Y艒tei, and more. If you鈥檙e an aspiring writer looking for industry-focused training, visit our official Writing program page to learn more about the program, start dates, tuition, and to apply.
OUR Q&A WITH WGC SCREENWRITING AWARDS NOMINEE COREY LIU
Congratulations on your nomination! What was it like to find out you鈥檇 been recognized by the Writers Guild of Canada?
Thank you so much. It's nice knowing someone on the jury read the script, liked it, fought for it. And I was really proud of that script, both because I love Family Law as a show and because I love the writer鈥檚 room. Writing a script is a group effort and some of my favourite moments or lines of dialogue came from the room.
Can you describe the experience of working on such an acclaimed show as Family Law? Any moments that will stick with you forever?
I guess I miss the everyday stuff? Chatting during snack breaks, meeting to give notes on scripts. Family Law is one of the few shows where we had an in-person writer's room, so we ate lunch together and sometimes travelled together. Maybe we had too much fun. I have one vivid memory of an exasperated AD knocking on our door to tell us we interrupted a take because we were laughing so loudly. I don't know why we were surprised 鈥� there was a literal red blinking light in our trailer telling us to shut up.
You鈥檙e also an award-winning novelist! Tell us about He鈥檚 So Possessed With Me.
He's So Possessed With Me is a YA horror novel about a boy who tries to extricate his bestie from a toxic relationship, only his friend's boyfriend isn't simply controlling 鈥� he is also supernaturally evil. I wrote the book during my time on Family Law as part of my grad thesis, and our writer鈥檚 assistant generously booked a trailer so I could defend it on zoom during lunch.
Can you share your 甜瓜视频最新版 student experience? Do you feel the Writing program helped prepare you for a career in film & television?
Yes! I remember when I joined the program, I was convinced I wanted to write features, but the teachers were great about encouraging us to seriously consider television, since that's where the opportunities are. Plus being in a disciplined environment where you consistently practice craft, share and debate ideas with peers 鈥� it's all so valuable.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers looking to break into the entertainment industry in 2026?
Apply to [Pacific Screenwriting Program鈥檚 Scripted Series Lab]. Getting into the program opens so many doors 鈥� and even if you don't get in it forces you to write, to turn that "exciting new idea" into something tangible. My friend Ren (who also did the program) says to read scripts as opposed to only watching content. The new Blacklist scripts just came out 鈥� give those a look.