Category: WriterSlam

  • Announcing UKTV WriterSlam Finalists!

    Following the initiative announcement earlier this year, UKTV and TriForce Creative Network today announce the four finalists of the UKTV WriterSlam competition for UKTV’s award-winning entertainment channel Dave. As part of UKTV’s commitment to shining a spotlight on diverse and emerging talent, the four single episodes (4×30′) include Dead Canny written by Anna CostelloHolier Than Thou written by Misha AdesanyaPerfect (W/T) written by Laurence Clark, and The Other Half written by Kate Reid and Zak Ghazi-Torbati.

    Fraser Ayres, CEO of TriForce Creative Network said:

    This has been a fantastic opportunity to build on our previous WriterSlam success. The partnership with UKTV has enabled us to offer writers’ not just a paid development commission but the chance to actually get their original scripts filmed and broadcast, fulfilling our ‘bedroom to broadcast’ aims. We are very excited to be taking Anna Costello’s script, Dead Canny, through to production with TriForce Productions and will be working with the other production companies involved to help them crew up in a diverse and inclusive way that reflects their projects through our sister company, Dandi.org.uk. 

    Sarah Asante, commissioning editor, comedy said:

    I was delighted to join the UKTV scripted comedy team just as they had launched a search for emerging diverse writers. The added commitment from the Dave team by offering the initiative a transmission target set the bar really high for our search. We have proudly developed shows that organically span the nations and regions, showcasing the breadth of storytelling from across the UK. This initiative has demystified the script to screen process in a unique way and has nurtured enormous growth in confidence and vision from the writers, which has been a pleasure to witness. It’s been heartening for us at UKTV to see what can happen when we invite new writers to share their dreams and talents with us and the wider industry. I also want to thank our impressive production partners for taking this leap and going on this journey with us.

    Each writer will be partnered with a production company to create the single episode for UKTV and filming will start in the new year, with casting underway for diverse and underrepresented talent.

    Dead Canny (Anna Costello) will be produced by TriForce Productions with Fraser and Minnie Ayres as executive producers and Jon Macqueen as producer. It follows a questionable young psychic from Consett, Co. Durham, whose ability to see dead people not only earns her a few quid cash-in-hand down the local pub, but also lands her as the prime suspect in a murder investigation.

    Holier Than Thou (Misha Adesanya) will be produced by Big Deal and executive produced by Thomas Stogdon (Dreaming Whilst Black). Set in contemporary Manchester, it follows the journey of three young adults as they navigate sex, faith, and relationships, while attending the conservative, African Evangelical church they were raised in.

    Perfect (W/T) (Laurence Clark) will be produced by Happy Tramp North and executive produced by Neil Webster. Set in Liverpool, three young disabled people become unexpected friends when they meet on a half-cocked and pointless work preparation scheme. Together they navigate life, dating, and a system that seems designed to only benefit the people who run it.

    The Other Half (Kate Reid and Zak Ghazi-Torbati) will be produced by Ranga Bee Productions with Romesh Ranganathan, Benjamin Green and Michelle Farr-Scott as executive producers. It follows 20-something Navid who is half-Welsh, half-Iranian and 100% that bitch, who gets the chance to escape his small Welsh town when he lands an internship in the big city: Bristol. But as he runs headlong into his new life, shacking up with his best friend and her painfully privileged family, he’s also running away from his old life in the closet, living with his overprotective father. And the more he tries to keep the two halves of his life apart, the more they keep crashing into each other.

    The series of episodes have been written as part of the UKTV WriterSlam, with TriForce Creative Network and Dandi.org.uk. The scripts are commissioned by Sarah Asante, UKTV commissioning editor, comedy and ordered by Dave channel director, Cherie Cunningham and Pete Thornton, UKTV’s head of scripted. Richard Watsham is the UKTV’s director of commissioning and Steve North is genre general manager, comedy and entertainment.

  • Laurence Clark joins UKTV WriterSlam!

    We have another addition to our UKTV WriterSlam pathway! Laurence Clark will be joining the team developing his sitcom idea, Perfect.

    Laurence Clark is an internationally-acclaimed comedian, writer and actor who has cerebral palsy.  His observational, political stand-up and filmed stunts demonstrate the endearing naivety and ridiculousness of human behaviour by seeing the world through his eyes with humour and warmth.  He’s performed everywhere from the House of Commons to a double-decker bus in Sheffield.

    We can’t wait to see the final drafts of all the writers work in the Autumn!

  • Calling Emerging Production Companies!

    As part of our UKTV pathway for writers, we are on the hunt for production companies with a keen love for talent and for bringing the best out of them!

    We’re looking for emerging indie production companies with some experience in scripted production to come and join us on our mission to take exciting new writers from ‘Bedroom to Broadcast’ as part of a planned AMPLIFY season on Dave in 2022.

    We have filtered thousands of amazing submissions and have now selected 6 projects to develop further, 4 of which will go on to be part of an anthology series to be broadcast on Dave next year.

    Selected production companies will take on early drafts of each selected project, making full use of their own creative expertise whilst working hand in glove with the writers, script editors and the team at UKTV to help shape and polish these projects as we progress towards the final selection process and production dates towards the end of 2021.

    This is an opportunity for you to get the support you need to take your organisation to the next level, as well as being central to the creative journey that guiding a script successfully from first draft to screen involves.

    If you’d like to be part of this process, please email [email protected] and tell us about your production company and why you’d like to be part of the AMPLIFY season.

    DEADLINE: Wednesday 11 August 2021

  • WriterSlam Finalists Announced!

    UKTV and TriForce Creative Network announce finalists for WriterSlam!

    Our most popular WriterSlam competition yet, in partnership with UKTV, received close to 1600 entries with writers all vying for an opportunity to have their project produced for UKTV’s award-winning comedy entertainment channel Dave.

    1600 entries were shortlisted down to SIX and those writers will now receive paid development and an opportunity to work with a script editor to progress their idea into a 30-minute script.

    From those six scripts, UKTV will select four to be produced by either TriForce Productions or another independent production company before premiering on Dave in 2022!

    The standard was, as always, very high, so it was difficult to whittle down the entries, but we will have more opportunities later this year, so please do keep an eye on thetcn.com.

    And the finalists are….

    • Anna Costello
    • Misha Ade
    • Prithu Banerjee & Sruti Banerjee
    • Leon Mayne
    • Naomi Sumner Chan
    • Kate Reid & Zak Ghazi-Torbati

    Congratulations to everyone who was shortlisted – those entries constituted the top 3%.

    And a huge congratulations to our six finalists. We’re looking forward to working with you!

  • WriterSlam Shortlist Announced!

    Our most popular WriterSlam competition yet, in partnership with UKTV, received close to 1600 entries with writers all vying for an opportunity to have their project filmed and shown on UKTV’s award-winning comedy entertainment channel Dave.

    A team of readers read through all the entries and shortlisted 58 to go through to the next stage of the competition.

    UKTV will now choose just SIX and offer paid development and an opportunity to work with a script editor to develop those ideas into a 30-minute script.

    From those six scripts, UKTV will select four to be produced by either TriForce Productions or another independent production company before premiering on Dave in 2022!

    The standard was, as always, very high, so it was difficult to whittle down the entries, but we will have more opportunities later this year, so please do keep an eye on thetcn.com.

    Congratulations to all our shortlisted writers, we can’t wait to see which projects make it to the next stage!

    The shortlisted writers are:

    Aaron Robertson
    Abigail Weinstock
    Aimee Shenton
    Alice Marshall
    Andrew Boateng
    Angela Clarke
    Anna Costello
    Benjamin Cyrus-Clark
    Caroline Gardiner
    Charlie Vero-Martin
    Cherlynn Andrew-Wilfred
    Chizzy Akudolu
    Chris Sutherland
    Christien Bart-Gittens
    Christina Yianni
    Christopher Kerr
    Cindy Buist
    Connor Allen
    Dave Proctor
    Ellen Waddell
    Georgina Love
    Glen McCoy
    Hassan Khan &Ranjit Singh Shubh
    Imran Malik
    Jacob Mosha
    Jai Rajani & Craig Storrod
    Jaye Nolan
    Jaz Deol & Amit Dhut
    Joe Sellman-Leava
    Josephine Starte
    Kaamil Shah
    Kate Reid & Zak Ghazi-Torbati
    Laura Greenwood
    Laurence Clark & Matt Holt
    Laurence Josephson
    Layo-Christina Akinlude & Katie Payne
    Lee Phillips
    Leon Mayne
    Leroy Brito
    Linda Jane Butler
    Lynsey Martenstyn
    Michael Keane
    Michelle Strutt
    Misha Adesanya
    Molly Mcguinness
    Nadaav Soudry
    Naomi Sumner Chan
    Omar Khan
    Pauline Boateng
    Prithu Banerjee & Sruti Banerjee
    Sabrina Richmond
    Sebastian Umrigar
    Sherice Griffiths & Sophie Carswell
    Sherise Blackman
    Simone & Dawkins
    Temi Majekodunmi
    Wendy Yee Man Wong

     

  • WriterSlam Gets UKTV Boost

    UKTV are partnering with TriForce Creative Network to turbo charge their groundbreaking WriterSlam programme.  

    The successful programme has been running for over ten years, with the very first winner, Sophie Petzal, now an award winning writer and many other first time writers getting their first development commission and an agent through the programme. Over the years the TCN has partnered with (amongst others) Amazon, Hat Trick, Audible and Sky on these events 

    UKTV will be taking WriterSlam to the next level, promising not just a development commission, but a greenlit season of originals on Dave in 2021/22.  

    As usual the WriterSlam competition is open to any UK resident, regardless of their previous experience or age. Whether your script is about telling a story we’ve never seen on TV before, or whether it’s simply a universal story told by a different voice, we want to hear from you. We want writers who represent the society that we live in, and who will offer different perspectives, experiences and opinions.  

    It doesn’t matter if you don’t have an agent, or have never written professionally before – if you live in the UK, and you’ve got an ideaor a story to tell, we want to hear it.   

    Competition Details 

    UKTV will select six writers who will receive a paid development commission to work up their original TV ideas into 30’ scripts suitable for broadcast and for potential expansion into full length series. These writers will benefit from several writing workshops in addition to working with a script editor and experienced executive producer over a three month period. Individual mentoring and support from TriForce Creative Network will also be available over this timeframe, culminating in a table read of all six scripts performed by a troupe of handpicked professional actors which will help inform the final selection process 

    Four of these scripts will then be green lit to be produced for Dave, with TriForce Productions taking on some of the shows but with others being produced by emerging Indies to make under their umbrella with support from TriForce Productions. All the productions will be supported by D and I – TriForce’s diversity and inclusion support service, to help them crew up in an inclusive way. Its anticipated that the season will air on Dave either in late 2021 or early 2022. 

    Pete Thornton, Head of Scripted, UKTV, said, “We’re excited to be working with TriForce Creative Network and DandI.org.uk on this unique UKTV WriterSlam and to be throwing this opportunity open to all underrepresented voices from any background. This is a truly inclusive initiative, and we want to hear from people from ethnic minorities, those from underserved socio-economic groups, the LGBTQ community, those who identify as having a disability and basically anybody who feels that their voice isn’t currently heard clearly on our screens. We’re offering dedicated support and mentoring over a three-month writing period and then the opportunity to see your show prepped, cast, shot, edited, marketed and broadcast on Dave next year.”  

    “This is what a ‘360° approach’ actually looks like“ said Fraser Ayres, Executive Producer and CEO TriForce Creative NetworkIf we’re going to find more Michaela Cole’s and Tim Renkow’s we need to develop pathways that provide access and then perhaps those much needed voices won’t have to traverse so many obstacles to be heard. This move is unprecedented and kudos to UKTV for taking this tangible and giant step to truly move the dial with us. 

    “By utilising our dandI.org.uk talent pool, we’re in a unique position to ensure inclusion and open access at all levels” added Minnie Ayres, Executive Producer and dandI.org.uk CEO. “From creatives to crew this will be fully inclusive, allowing us to also address the gaps we have identified by levelling up talent that is ready, but yet to be given their shot. 

    Writers will be asked to submit a onepage pitch of their idea, as well as a 10-15 page sample of their writing.  

    Submissions are open from midday Thurs 18 Feb – 11:59pm Thurs 25 Mar 2021. For more information on how to submit, go the WriterSlam page. https://thetcn.com/writerslam/ 

    A separate call out will be going out for emerging production companies to coproduce oa number of of the projects later in the year.  

    About WriterSlam 

    Building on the success of our MonologueSlam UK initiative for actors, WriterSlam UK is our programme to help TV production companies and broadcasters access UK based new and established writers from diverse backgrounds.  These TV industry professionals then support the writers in their career development, providing tangible outcomes for participants. 

  • WriterSlam Winner In Variety and Deadline

    It’s been exciting to see so much press coverage of our latest WriterSlam winner Tumi Belo in the industry press.

    You can read about her in Variety and Deadline this week!

    Click here for Variety coverage

    Click here for Deadline coverage

  • Prime Video WriterSlam Winner!

    We had a great time at our ONLINE #WriterSlam final this week, hosted by the wonderful presenter, Jacqueline Shepherd.

    The event, in partnership with Amazon Prime Video, was hosted on Twitch, with live readings of extracts from our four finalists’ projects, led by a fantastic cast including Ivanno Jeremiah, Lauren Drummond, Jennifer Nicholas, Amrita Acharia, Stephen Uppal, Michael Salami and Leon Finnan.

    Congratulations to all our finalists; Tarek Yassin Skylar, Joyce Datiles, Mwansa Phiri and Tumi Belo.

    Our winner was Tumi Belo with her script The Philadelphia Hope. She will receive a paid development and be mentored by Jonathan Lewsley, UK Head of Scripted for Amazon Studios, over 3-6 months to develop their idea into a full episode script.

    Here’s a little more info about our finalists projects – if you’d like to get in touch with any of our finalists, just email [email protected]

    Tumi Belo – The Philadelphia Hope

    A drama following the crack team of ambitious journalists behind an African American newspaper in 1920s Philadelphia.

    Tarek Yassin Skylar – Don’t Kill Anyone

    The stepdaughter of a low-level Barnsley criminal is forced to choose between her daughter, her future and her family after a forbidden relationship sets off an irreversible chain of events.

    Joyce Datiles – Moonfight
    An original fantasy series about young archaeologist HEN ARCLIGHT who develops celestial and lunar powers on her 25th birthday, a day which also conjures up a strange, full moon as well as several Time Travelers who have been waiting centuries for her.

     Mwansa Phiri – Killing Time
    How would you live if you knew the exact date you would die? In a world where death certificates are assigned at birth, a young woman is forced into hiding when she survives her expiration date.

  • Amazon WriterSlam Finalists Announced!

    TRIFORCE CREATIVE NETWORK AND

    AMAZON PRIME VIDEO ANNOUNCE WRITERSLAM FINALISTS

    We’re very excited to announce our four finalists for our Amazon Prime Video WriterSlam!

    The four writers were selected following a nationwide call out for original ideas, with writers invited to submit a synopsis and 15 pages of script for an audio drama or comedy, after TriForce Creative Network once again joined forces with Amazon after a successful WriterSlam in 2019. With over 1500 submissions, it was a mammoth task!

    The final script extracts will be performed by actors for a new online version of the WriterSlam Final on Tues 15 December which will be hosted on Twitch for an industry audience.

    The winner will receive a paid development and will be mentored by Jonathan Lewsley, UK Head of Scripted for Amazon Studios, over 3-6 months to develop their idea into a full episode script.

    Previous WriterSlam participants have enjoyed great success including paid development commissions with ITV, Tiger Aspect and BBC Radio 4 and mentoring placements with ITV, Tiger Aspect, Hat Trick and TriForce Productions. The writer behind new Irish drama Blood, Sophie Petzal, took part in Triforce’s very first writing competition at the start of her writing career.

    The selected writers and their projects are:

    Tarek Yassin Skylar – Don’t Kill Anyone

    The stepdaughter of a low-level Barnsley criminal is forced to choose between her daughter, her future and her family after a forbidden relationship sets off an irreversible chain of events.

    Tumi Belo – The Philadelphia Hope

    A drama following the crack team of ambitious journalists behind an African American newspaper in 1920s Philadelphia.

    Joyce Datiles – Moonfight
    An original fantasy series about young archaeologist HEN ARCLIGHT who develops celestial and lunar powers on her 25th birthday, a day which also conjures up a strange, full moon as well as several Time Travelers who have been waiting centuries for her.

     Mwansa Phiri – Killing Time
    How would you live if you knew the exact date you would die? In a world where death certificates are assigned at birth, a young woman is forced into hiding when she survives her expiration date.

    Jonathan Lewsley said “It was very tough to choose the final four writers but we’re really pleased to with the final selection of projects, they’re so original and varied. I’m really looking forward to seeing them performed at the event before we decide on the winner!

    Fraser Ayres (CEO, TriForce Creative Network), who will also be directing the extracts, said “We’ve had our largest number of submissions ever for this WriterSlam and we can’t wait to bring the finalists’ extracts to life for the event.”

     

  • Our Audible WriterSlam Winner!

    We had a great time at our very first ONLINE #WriterSlam final this week, hosted by the wonderful presenter, Ria Hebden.

    We moved the event online to make it completely Covid safe and entertained our industry guests on the Twitch platform where they got to hear our finalist writers audio dramas which had been pre-recorded by a stellar cast including Olivier Award Winning Sharon D Clarke! Our full cast included Robert Boulter, Laura Rollins, Ameet Chana, Wil Johnson, Shaheen Khan and MonologueSlam champion Maia Watkins.

    Congratulations to all our finalists; Lynsey Martenstyn, Joel Nazar, JC Servante and Tabitha Mortiboy.

    Our winner was Tabitha Mortiboy, with her script, Bent. Tabitha will now get a paid development commission with Audible UK and develop her idea into a full episode with the support of Commissioning Editor Lydia Shamah.

    All our finalists will meet with Audible to discuss their projects and the commissioning process at Audible.

  • WriterSlam with Amazon Prime Video!

    Prime Video in search of new writers for paid development commission!

    Building on the success of the 2019 partnership, WriterSlam have once again joined forces with Prime Video to offer one new writer the opportunity to develop a new script. The process will last for six months.

    Whether your script is about telling a story we’ve never seen on TV before, or whether it’s simply a universal story told by a different voice, we want to hear from you. We want writers who represent the society that we live in, and who will offer different perspectives, experiences and opinions.

    It doesn’t matter if you don’t have an agent, or have never written professionally before – if you are a UK resident that is over 18, and you’ve got an idea, we want to hear it.

    Competition Details

    The four selected finalists will have extracts of their work performed by actors at an online showcase event on Tuesday 15th December 2020, when the winner will be selected by Jonathan Lewsley, UK Head of Scripted for Amazon Studios. Industry guests will be invited to attend the online showcase, giving our finalist writers a further opportunity to share their talent.

    One winning writer will be selected by Prime Video. Following their win, the writer will receive a paid development commission where they will be mentored by Jonathan Lewsley, UK Head of Scripted for Amazon Studios, for a six month period to develop their idea into a full episode script.

    We’re really excited to be partnering with WriterSlam again – we were delighted with the 2019 submissions and our winners Celia and Omari,” comments Jonathan Lewsley, UK Head of Scripted for Amazon Studios. “We know there is a vast reserve of writing talent in the UK that, for one reason or another, haven’t had the chance for their voice to be heard, and that needs to change. As an industry, there’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re committed to being part of that change.”

    Please note: securing this placement does not guarantee a full commission.

    For more information and to enter, please go to our WriterSlam page.

    About WritersSlam

    Building on the success of our MonologueSlam UK initiative for actors, WriterSlam UK is our programme to help TV production companies and broadcasters access UK based new and established writers from diverse backgrounds.  These TV industry professionals then support the writers in their career development, providing tangible outcomes for participants.

  • Audible WriterSlam Finalists Announced!

    TRIFORCE CREATIVE NETWORK AND AUDIBLE ANNOUNCE WRITERSLAM FINALISTS

    We’re very excited to announce our four finalists for our Audible WriterSlam!

    The four writers were selected following a nationwide call out for original ideas, with writers invited to submit a synopsis and 15 pages of script for an audio drama or comedy.

    The final script extracts will be performed for a new online version of the WriterSlam Final on Tues 27 October with an industry audience. The winner will work with Lydia Shamah, Audible’s Commissioning Editor for Scripted Content over three to six months to develop their idea into a full episode script, with the potential for further development into a series for Audible.

    In a new development for the Audible WriterSlam, the finalists’ 15 page extracts will be fully recorded as audio productions for the WriterSlam Online Final. The Final will be hosted on Twitch for an industry audience.

    Previous WriterSlam participants have enjoyed great success including paid development commissions with ITV, Tiger Aspect and BBC Radio 4 and mentoring placements with ITV, Tiger Aspect, Hat Trick and TriForce Productions. The writer behind new Irish drama Blood, Sophie Petzal, took part in Triforce’s very first writing competition at the start of her writing career.

    The selected writers and their projects are:

    JC Servante – Invulnerable
    After attempting suicide, a teenage girl discovers that she’s not only immortal but superpowered.

    Lynsey Martenstyn – Keeping Mum
    Three very different, mixed-race sisters reunite when they believe their free-spirited, recently widowed mum has been kidnapped in Ghana.

    Tabitha Mortiboy – Bent
    A tense crime thriller investigating a brutal attack on an interracial queer couple from the perspective of one of the victims.

    Joel Nazar – Love and War
    Catlin’s new novel is a bestseller: a gripping story about a Middle England husband who murders his lover and buries her in a field. But when the police find a skeleton a short walk away from Catlin’s home, suspicion falls on her own husband, Rich.

    Lydia Shamah said “We were so impressed by the standard of scripts we received and it was incredibly tough to narrow it down to just four writers. We’re really looking forward to recording the extracts and hearing them as fully realised audio dramas!

    Fraser Ayres (CEO, TriForce Creative Network), said “We’ve thoroughly enjoyed reading the many fantastic scripts that were submitted. We’re looking forward to working with all four finalists!”

    For more information, go to https://thetcn.com/writerslam/