BBC Studios is looking for the next generation of series creators.
One of the biggest hurdles for a writer is making the leap from working on someone else’s show to getting your own work produced. The BBC Studios Writers’ Workshop is designed to bridge that gap and give writers a paid opportunity to create their own drama series in partnership with BBC Studios.
The Writers’ Workshop gives writers the chance to develop their own original drama series with the help of acclaimed screenwriting expert and drama producer, John Yorke, and pitch that series to some of the British television industry’s top executives.
The programme has been designed to help writers already in TV make the leap from working writer to series creator. This is not an entry-level opportunity – to be eligible to apply, applicants must have written at least two hours of scripted TV over the course of their careers so far.
The 10 selected writers will be given the financial and editorial support to write a pilot script and a mini series bible over the course of six months. Throughout this process, writers will have access to a series of lectures, workshops, and networking opportunities with leading writers and key industry figures, designed to give writers a head start on becoming a commission-winning series creator.
At the end of this six-month writing and workshopping process, writers will have a finished pilot script, a series bible, and the chance to pitch their original series for development with either BBC Studios, or one of the BBC’s affiliated independent production companies, including Various Artists Limited (I May Destroy You), Clerkenwell (The End Of The F***Ing World), Cuba Pictures (McMafia), House Productions (Brexit: The Uncivil War), and Moonage Pictures (Curfew), to name just a few.
Course Structure
The Writers’ Workshop will be a virtual course, meaning any writer currently resident in the UK can apply without needing to relocate.
The course will run from January 2021 until June 2021. However, since almost all work will be independent, these dates can be flexible depending on writers’ availability – if need be, writers can start the writing process later than January 2021, and/or finish later than June 2021.
Aside from writing time, the time commitment for (virtual) attendance will be between 1-4 hours per week.
The opening date for submissions is Monday September 7th 2020
If you have any further questions, please contact script.works@bbc.co.uk
Please note that BBC Writersroom is not directly involved in the Writers’ Workshop, so BBC Writersroom will not be able to answer questions related to the programme or the submissions process. Please send all questions to the ScriptWorks email address above.
Deadline: 25 September 2020 at 12 noon
Source: BBC Writersroom