BBC Writersroom
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Introducing London Voices 2020
BBC Writersroom
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We are excited to announce our London Voices 2020; a group made up of talented, up and coming London-based writers who are eager to learn about writing for broadcast. This scheme is comprised of monthly sessions and masterclasses lead by industry experts who will give them an overview of the industry; from TV Drama to Children's and Radio. Our writers all come with different areas of interests but often find themselves newly intrigued by other mediums as they explore and learn through the workshops.
We kicked off in late January but have had to adapt to virtual sessions since March, which has also had its benefits as it has meant we can often open up the sessions between all of the Voices groups.
Our relationship with our Voices writers continues after the scheme comes to an end as we provide tailored support. Many of our previous London Voices writers have ended up graduating to our other development schemes including Drama Room and TV Drama Writers Programme.
If you would like…
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Lockdown Learnings from two of our Northern Voices writers
Sara Cocker & Léonie Higgins
Writers
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BBC Writersroom is as busy as ever during the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We asked two of our Northern Voices writers (Sara Cocker and Léonie Higgins, two-thirds of Manchester's Eggs Collective) to describe how their recent day devoted to Comedy writing played out in a socially-distanced world.
Léonie Higgins and Sara Cocker
Hi, we’re Sara and Léonie, a pair of writer-performers based in Manchester. We’re part of the BBC Writersroom Northern Voices group for 2020, which means we get access to monthly sessions led by industry professionals from across the broadcast landscape. There are 18 of us, and although we’ve only all met in the flesh twice, we’re using the time in lockdown to replicate the experience we should have had, trying just as hard as everyone else in the world to maintain breezy social bonds with only fibre-optic broadband and a couple of in-jokes.
This month’s session was about comedy writing. It all happened on Zoom (where else?), but we tried to make it feel less remote by firing…
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InterConnected - the Shortlist Revealed
BBC Writersroom
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We're delighted to announce the ten scripts and their writers that have reached the shortlist of our recent InterConnected opportunity. We had a record number of 6803 scripts submitted.
The scripts that will be developed are:
- A Month of Sundays by Anna Mawn
- Another World by Lizzie Nunnery
- Commuter Experience by Munro Gascoigne
- Fix by Vanessa Schofield
- Fred Gets Feedback by Jill Worsley
- No Place Like Home by Will Davis
- Party by Alegria Adedeji and Jeremy Oyo
- Psychic Overload By Amna Saleem
- Salvation Calling by Sinead Collopy
- Solitaire by Will Clempner
They are all original short-form scripts, between 5-10 minutes in length, about 2-4 characters who now find themselves in isolation, but connecting via video conferencing. Using modern technology to stay connected, they are stories that show a moment of human interaction in an otherwise socially distanced world.
The selected writers will each receive £300 and will now have their scripts developed with the support of the BBC Writersroom.…
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InterConnected - Longlist Announced
BBC Writersroom
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We received a record 6803 submissions for our InterConnected opportunity for short drama scripts to be filmed using video-messaging software during lockdown. Our freelance readers and the BBC Writersroom team have been busy reading and we are now delighted to announce the longlist of 50 scripts and their writers.
- A Month of Sundays by Anna Mawn
- And the Lilac by James Withey
- Another World by…
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InterConnected: Feedback and Advice
BBC Writersroom
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A record 6803 scripts were submitted for our recent InterConnected opportunity, an amazing feat of creativity!
We'd like to say thank you to everyone who took the time to send in a script. From feedback we've received it seems that for a lot of people this was the first time that they had attempted this form of writing. Hopefully you found it a rewarding experience regardless of the outcome.
Of course, the more entries we have, the more disappointed writers there will be, as only a handful of scripts will make it into production. Unfortunately we’re not able to provide individual feedback…
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Our Girl - An interview with the show's creator, Tony Grounds
Tony Grounds
Writer
Tony Grounds is the creator and writer of BBC One's Our Girl. We caught up with him to ask about his writing career, the origins of the show, coming up with new storylines and dealing with fan feedback. Our Girl continues on Tuesdays at 9pm on BBC One. You can catch up with the whole story so far on BBC iPlayer.
Watch the trailer for Our Girl Series 4
Were you always a writer even as a child and how did you first get into writing…
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Can you crack the Emoji Quiz?
BBC Writersroom
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Can you name the 30 current or former BBC scripted (Drama, Comedy or Children's) shows from the emojis?
Would you like to write for the BBC?
Our Wales Writer in Residence opportunity is open for entries until Monday 11th May at 11am. The Wales Writer in Residence offers two placements: 6 months with National Theatre Wales and 6 months with BBC Cymru Wales, a £12,000 bursary and a guaranteed commission with BBC Radio 4.
Can you name the BBC scripted show from the Emojis?
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InterConnected - An Update
BBC Writersroom
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InterConnected is our opportunity for writers to submit original short-form scripts, between 5-10 minutes in length whose 2-4 characters now find themselves in isolation, but connecting via video conferencing.
The characters may be friends, lovers, neighbours, colleagues, family or strangers. But they’re all alone together and using modern technology to stay connected.
We asked you for stories…
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Interviews with two Literary Agents
BBC Writersroom
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Some of the most frequent questions we are asked include: How do I find an agent? What does an agent do? What's the advantage of having an agent? So we took the opportunity to ask these questions and more to two literary agents, Bethan Evans (The Agency) and Mark Brennan (United Agents). Watch their interviews below.
Watch an interview with Bethan Evans (The Agency)
Watch an interview with Mark Brennan (United Agents)
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What is the BBC Studios Writers' Academy and Why Should You Apply?
Jess Green
Writer
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As the application window is announced for the next BBC Studios Writers' Academy, we spoke to writer Jess Green about what being part of the Academy has meant for her. Jess is currently writing her first episode of EastEnders before moving on to Casualty, Holby City and River City later in the year.
The aim of the BBC Studios Writers' Academy is to give writers the screenwriting tools and creative confidence to write for the BBC’s flagship popular dramas as well as create stunning series of their own. 80% of past graduates are still working in the industry – on their own shows, or with key…
