REGIONAL WRITING TALENT WITH NEW PAID PROGRAMME
Six partnered indies will provide six-month paid for development options for emerging writers
Northern SISTER, Saffron Cherry Productions, TriForce Productions, 5 Acts Productions, Hill 5.14 Media and Rope Ladder Fiction all taking part in exciting new initiative
17 October 2023, LONDON:
DANDI, the one-stop diversity and inclusion support service for the entertainment industry, and ScreenSkills’ High-end TV Skills Fund, is launching Regional Breakthrough Writers; an exciting new programme for writers based outside of the M25 looking to break into high-end television drama.
Commissioned and funded by ScreenSkills’ High-End TV Skills Fund, with contributions from High-End production, the groundbreaking programme delivered by DANDI will see six emerging writers from underrepresented backgrounds in the regions partner with one of six independent production companies that have committed to providing a six-month paid development role, alongside additional training and support.
The successful applicants will also be provided with regular training organised by the HETV Skills Fund and DANDI which was set up to help production companies, organisations and broadcasters find off-screen talent from all walks of life, and at all levels of experience – from trainee to HOD, intern to executive or clerical to creatives.
Each production company will recruit their own writers to be part of the programme and the selected candidates will be paid £15,000 for an initial option fee spanning six months. Not only will they get the chance to develop their brand-new High-End drama idea, but they will also gain the opportunity to hone their craft and develop their identity and voice. At the end of the process the partner production company will either decide to extend the option and continue to develop the project or return the rights to the writer.
The production companies participating include Northern SISTER (Manchester), Saffron Cherry Productions (Manchester), TriForce Productions (Nottingham), 5 Acts Productions, part of ITV Studios (Cardiff), Hill 5.14 Media (Bedford) and Rope Ladder Fiction (Manchester).
Sam Fray, Talent Development Lead at DANDI said: “DANDI was started to change the face of production crews and give genuine opportunity to talent from diverse backgrounds to work in the entertainment industry. This new programme is a major step forward in further in levelling up the playing field giving writers from all areas of the UK, the chance to have their experience, voice and point of view seen and heard and thanks to the ScreenSkills High-End TV Fund, they will be paid to do so for at least a six-month period. We couldn’t be prouder and more passionate to be part of it.”
Kaye Elliott, ScreenSkills’ Director of High-End TV added: “The Regional Breakthrough Writers programme, commissioned by the High-end TV Skills Fund’s Regions Working Group is an exciting chance to seek out and develop new potential writing talent to work in high-end TV production.
“Providing opportunities like this for under-represented new writers to get their work seen and their voices heard is another great example of how industry is working together to create opportunities and industry growth.”
The programme is open to any writer without a High-End television writing credit although writers with credits in Children’s and Continuing Drama are welcome to apply. You do not need to have agent representation to apply. The application deadline is 30th October, with final writers being selected and informed by mid-November.
To apply for Rope Ladder Fiction use the following link – https://zurl.to/yQBT?source=CareerSite
To apply for TriForce Productions please use the following link – https://zurl.to/KHPx?source=CareerSite
