Northern Laughs

BBC Comedy, BBC writersroom, Northern Film & Media, Screen Yorkshire and North West Vision + Media are searching for exceptional writers from the North who want to write comedy for television. If you can make us laugh, have a passion for TV Comedy, a strong individual and funny voice and excellent characterisation skills, you could take part in our new scheme.

Northern Laughs will provide a fantastic training and development opportunity for up to three comedy writers from each Northern region. The selected writers will learn about writing for television comedy through workshops which will give a detailed and invaluable insight into writing comedy for the BBC and mentoring from leading comedy writers including Jeremy Dyson.

Each writer will receive a development bursary from BBC writersroom and there will be an opportunity for a writer representing each region to have their work showcased at the Edinburgh Festival in August 2009.

At the end of the development process each script will be considered by BBC Comedy and the best ideas will be put forward to the BBC Comedy Commissioner in the North. Writers will also have a calling card script with which they can then apply for the BBC’s College of Comedy 2010.

How to apply to Northern Laughs

The scheme is open to anyone living within the North East, Yorkshire, or North West region. If you wish to discuss your eligibility, please contact your local Screen Agency.

You will need to submit the following:

• 2 copies of a completed application form, available from your local screen agency
• 2 copies of your CV with details of your experience and training (please include dates)
• 1 copy of the original script you are submitting to the scheme (10 - 30 pages) (Please make sure that your your name and contact details are not on the script )

You can download the guidelines and an application form from the following screen agency websites:

North East - Northern Film & Media
North West - North West Vision + Media
Yorkshire - Screen Yorkshire

Please note that the Northern Laughs comedy workshops are now full - no further places are available.

Please print off your application form from your relevant screen agency website and attach and send with the rest of your submission paperwork by post to

Northern Laughs
BBC writersroom
Grafton House
379 Euston Road
London
NW1 3AU

The deadline for completed applications is Noon, Thursday 12 March 2009