Channel 4 has launched an initiative to find new TV drama writers in the South West of England.
The C4 TV Drama New Writers Scheme (West and South West) was devised by the broadcaster’s Bristol hub in collaboration with Bristol UNESCO City of Film and its partners – BFI NETWORK (delivered regionally in the South West by Watershed), UWE Bristol and The Bottle Yard Studios.
The channel has said it is looking for applications from new and emerging writers in the region, with a particular focus on “diverse perspectives”. The scheme is open to unrepresented writers looking for their first writing credit and writers who are working on developing their own original series.
The 12 successful applicants will receive six months’ specialist support including in-person writing workshops and training in Bristol, industry mentoring and an introduction to scripted drama production companies. After completing the scheme, participants will be able to submit a first draft script for consideration and feedback from Channel 4’s drama commissioning editor, Gwawr Lloyd.
Ms Lloyd, said making sure the nations and the regions were represented in its dramas was a “real priority” for Channel 4.
She said: “This TV Drama New Writers scheme is a fantastic opportunity for the channel to identify talent from the region and to work with them to help us get authentic, original stories on screen – reflecting audiences back on themselves.”
Bristol mayor Marvin Rees said the scheme demonstrated the value of the partnerships being forged in the creative sector and would strengthen the region’s writing talent-base.
“[It will] hopefully lead to new stories that represent the diversity of our city and the wider region reaching our screens as TV drama,” he said.
The announcement comes a week after Channel 4 launched an alternative proposal to privatisation in a move it said could create thousands of jobs outside of London by 2030 and generate £11bn for the UK’s economy over the next decade.
The broadcaster set out its vision – dubbed ‘4: The Next Episode’ – as the Government starts the process of selling off the channel amid heavy criticism from executives and industry.
Channel 4 was set up by Margaret Thatcher in 1982 and is currently publicly owned and funded through advertising. Last year was a record-breaking financial year for the channel, which surpassed £1bn in revenue for the first time.
The deadline for applications for the C4 TV Drama New Writers Scheme (West and South West) is midnight on Sunday, June 12.
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