Friday 18 May 2012, 18:22
Caution
We have been overwhelmed with Script Room submissions and with the deadline on Mon 21st at 5pm, scripts have been coming in thick and fast to our London Office. There has been quite a lot of people hand delivering their scripts to BBC Broadcasting House, where we are based. Please note that that we can’t accept any hand delivered scripts over the weekend. So if you do wish to hand deliver your script then we can only accept it on Monday 21st May before 5pm.
Also please make sure your script is accompanied by a completed Script Room Cover Sheet. Before sending us your script, please familiarise yourself with our Sending Your Script guidelines, our new Terms and Conditions and our FAQs.
Thanks and good luck!
The Script Room, is our brand new system for receiving unsolicited original scripts.
We’ve changed from a rolling submissions system to one with three annual windows when we will accept writers’ work. The Spring 2012 Script Room submissions window closes at 5pm on May 21st 2012
Tuesday 15 May 2012, 11:38
Henry’s calling. I know what he wants. It was the deadline for our short plays yesterday and yes, shock horror, I missed it. I ignore the call, send over the piece and call him back ten minutes later “shocked” and “surprised” his email blocked it the first time. (and people ask if I’m still acting!)
Despite this ropey start (I won’t even get into the details of how my first draft included a character whose name changed half way through) the play, after one night at the Live Theatre in Newcastle was selected to be transformed into a radio play for BBC Radio 3 show, The Verb. Amazing! They see my play, a play about race, about skin colour and hierarchy, a play that’s cast list read something a little like this- SAFIA-BLACK, TANIA-ASIAN, PETER-MIXED RACE… they saw this as being the perfect play for…. Radio?! Hang on a second…
But somehow it worked, without the line “Hello Tania, my India friend”, appearing once (though I did try and fight for that line to stay in). And I had done it. Had my first professional radio play produced by the BBC! My mom was beyond proud, and convinced me over the phone, as she made her way around Aldi, that this could possibly bump us...
Wednesday 9 May 2012, 11:51
I don’t feel like a writer. Writers have proper studies, bookshelves that line the whole room, buckling under weighty tomes, most likely the entire pantheon of Russian novelists that I’ve never read. They have newspapers delivered to be read over breakfast. Real writers have agents. Some of them have bizarre rituals involving special books, special pens and very special glasses of red wine before they start writing. And, most importantly, they shuffle off to their studies every day and stay there until the requisite amount of words have been produced, sweating and bleeding over their manuscripts in the pursuit of Great Works of Art.
I don’t do that.
My study is a table wedged into the space at the top of the stairs, lost under a sewing machine, various magazines and a cat. My books are piled up in precarious towers topped off with groups of Sylvanian Families figurines. I never read newspapers. Agent? Are you kidding me? Granted, I’m precious about my favourite pens and fret about the kids using them, but there’s no red wine sitting near the laptop or else I’d fall asleep on the sofa. Or spill it over the laptop, an even more disastrous prospect career-wise. More to the point...
Thursday 3 May 2012, 16:16
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To celebrate The Bread and Roses Centennial 1912-2012, we asked for scripts to respond to the themes of the Centennial; workers rights, particularly women workers rights, strikes, protest, immigration and capitalism.
We were looking for bold, engaging and intelligent writing, fresh characters, perspectives and ideas, by writer's, who feel passionate about the stories they want to tell.
Although we were impressed by the range of ideas and approaches, on this occasion we did not feel that any of the scripts were powerful or emotionally engaging enough to capture the spirit of this brief...
Thursday 3 May 2012, 13:59
In October 2011, we started work on Write by the Quays, a joint project between the University of Salford and BBC Writersroom North to celebrate the launch of Media City UK in Salford.
Over the course of the next three months, students from across the University of Salford worked closely with Henry R. Swindell, New Writing Manager at BBC Writersroom North, to develop short plays about or inspired by Salford – there was an opportunity to attend a launch event for the project, a pitching session and a development workshop.
In total, around 200 students benefitted from these workshops, including...
Wednesday 2 May 2012, 14:00
Along with writers Russell T. Davies, Abi Morgan and National Theatre Wales' John McGrath, BBC Cymru Wales' Head of Drama, Faith Penhale will be helping to judge our brand new Wales Drama Award for writers (Deadline: July 16th 2012).
At BBC Cymru Wales, Faith works closely with major writing and directing talent, as well as nurturing emerging writers for the BBC. We caught up with her to talk about why this is a particularly exciting time for writers in Wales, how drama can help redefine 'Welshness', and why she couldn't be stranded on a desert island without a Sherlock DVD.
1. When you read a...
Read more about Wales Drama Award: Interview with Faith Penhale
Tuesday 1 May 2012, 18:06
I’m running… Not really. But in addition to the sheer mass of things I learned doing the 2011/12 BBC Writers Academy I learnt to start with someone running. Obviously, they don’t have to be running. They could be on a horse; cycling; doing stag leaps; or none of the above. The point is if they’re running and the audience don’t know why, then they’re more likely to stay for an answer. Just a little something I learned. You’re welcome.
Before doing the academy, I’d heard some people refer to it as the 'easy' route in. Well it’s not. It’s bloody hard work. It’s harder than becoming...
Monday 30 April 2012, 15:13
In partnership with BBC Cymru Wales TV Drama and National Theatre Wales - we've launched the Wales Drama Award, a new biennial award of £10,000 for Wales-based drama writers. Launched to tie in with the opening of the BBC Roath Lock Drama studios this is a celebration of writers in the region and an open call to Welsh talent, emerging and established. We're looking for bold, original writers who want to write for two of the most dynamic companies. The winner of the Award will receive £10,000 with two runners-up receiving £1000 each.
Welsh Drama Award
Read more about Wales Drama Award: Interview with John McGrath
Friday 13 April 2012, 12:58
“There’s no point entering,” said an optimistic friend through a mouthful of sandwich. “There’ll be hundreds of submissions. The odds are not good.” I’ve only just seen the Writersroom Hackgate Rapid Response competition with six days to the deadline. “Don’t waste your time – you’ve no chance,” is his ego-bolstering parting shot. I don’t tell him he’s got egg mayonnaise down his chin. Six days to write a ten minute play? He’s probably right…but what if, hang on, what if I set it in someone’s voicemail? And what if…?
One day of thinking. Two days of writing. Three...
Thursday 12 April 2012, 16:59
newsjack
So, we’re at the end of yet another series – the sixth - of Newsjack. Six audience recordings, as many incredibly late Tuesday nights script-editing, a writing workshop for the JestingAbout-ers in Newcastle and a webchat have all been and gone.
And because the only things we at Newsjack love more than jokes are NUMBERS and FACTS, here are a few statistics:
As you may already know, the basis of our script is formed from material submitted by the public via email. Roughly half the emails we receive will have 3 sketches attached. The other half will have about 10 one-liners...
BBC writersroom identifies and champions new writing talent and diversity across BBC Drama, Entertainment and Children's programmes.
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