BBC Drama Writers Academy 2009
This year's BBC Drama Writers Academy is now open for applications.
The Academy offers writers with one or more professional commissions the opportunity for three months training, followed by a rotation across the BBC's Continuing Drama series.
You can find out more on our Writers Academy webpage and read an interview with Michael Levine, one of last year's graduates.
If you don't yet have a professional commission, don't forget that you can always send your work to us at the BBC writersroom.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~15~RS~)
Comments
Sign in or register to comment.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
"If you don't yet have a professional commission, don't forget that you can always send your work to us at the BBC writersroom"
Any chance of a little more information about the means and selection methods of the writersroom? To be honest this is an area where the BBC seems to lack transparency. I have a few other concerns with respect to this before I'd be willing to submit.
I can bullet point a few questions here, but I don't want to side track your blog.
Complain about this comment
You can read all about our selection process here. We also have a flowchart describing each of the stages a script goes through when it gets to us.
Complain about this comment
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Hi Piers
Just a quick question about the 'professional commission' stipulation. A while ago I sold a short script - for money! Is the deed of assignment for that sufficient to qualify?
Thanks
Tom
Complain about this comment
@ TomMurphyBR3
Yes it is. Good Luck!
Complain about this comment
Hi, on the Academy website last year's graduate Micheal Levine mentions that the shows - Doctors, Eastenders, Casualty, Holby - have their own channel of entry for writers. As I really want to aspire to write for these shows and have had a full read with feedback with a medical drama script, is there a way that aspiring writers can send a calling card script, not a copycat script, direct to the specific show's producer/head writer? I presumed not until I read his comment - could you explain more? Also, at the Bristol roadshow I asked if there were writers still submitting who had recieved five or six full reads with feedback and Paul replied yes - as writers are not permitted to send in more than one submission at a time and a full read takes about four months that's a lot of years and not a lot of submissions. Just wondered what the usual progression is. Thanks, Michelle Copelin.
Complain about this comment
While people are asking questions, I'm an experienced writer who's written for most of the departments shows. Would there be any point in me applying? Seriously.
Complain about this comment
@ medicaldramaqueen
All the shows read scripts directly, but only from agents, or those passed on to us by the Writersroom They all run shadow script schemes for writers they're interested it, which is what Michael was referring to.
@ Brucewriter
Interesting question... In the initial stages of selection you are judged purely on your original script. If you make it through to the shortlist we'd then take look at your experience and whether you'd benefit from the course. Experienced writers who've written for the shows have been on the course in the past... so, seriously?, yes.
Complain about this comment
Interesting answer, but I've written lots of eps... going back over a decade. I've even been told that some of my work has been used to teach on the course in the past (but then that might have been - this is how you don't do it!) Would an application be seen as taking the michael? I've got another experienced writer mate who's thinking of doing the same thing!
Complain about this comment
In the end it's the decision of the Executive Producers on the shows... We've certainly had writers that have written for some shows and not others.
Complain about this comment
Can you apply on PDF it says Word preferred but my original script is in Final draft which only seems to save as PDF?
sorry for boring technical question which could probably be answered by ringing the recruitment line.
Complain about this comment
Writeress, if its any consolation, I was going to ask just that exact question. Also, my original script, I was thinking of submitting the (commissioned) pilot ep for a new series. Does that still qualify as an original script?
Complain about this comment
Most people can read PDFs - that's the whole point of them really. But, if you want to convert from FD to Word:
Save the FD doc as a .rtf (rich text format) - that'll give you something that look like Word .doc (but isn't), and then save that as as .doc: usually 2003-2007 Word.
What you'll find is that you'll have to reformat some of it as things like 'more' and 'cont'd's can get lost. And it won't carry sc numbers across...v.annoying. Otherwise, it's pretty good. Good luck.
Complain about this comment
@ writeress
PDF is fine
@ Brucewriter
Yes, it does
Complain about this comment
Out of curiosity, given that Final Draft is now pretty much a standard, why don't you accept it?
Complain about this comment
View these comments in RSS