With the days getting shorter, and a festive break insight, here is the penultimate The Write Room newsletter of 2020.
So, why don’t you take a break from putting up your decorations and online shopping to find out what’s going on with all things writing this week…?
Competition for Radio Comedy
Independent comedy producer Pozzitive has launched Funnydotcomp to find four radio scripts for development. Open to single writers and teams, as well as to existing acts or writer/performer combos. The only criterion is that any submissions must be a 30 minute audio comedy script. Further information is available here. The deadline is January 10.
Aspiring Scottish-based Screenwriters
Short Circuit is a new film talent initiative accepting applications for a new programme aimed at Scotland-based aspiring screenwriters. The Convergence programme will support professional writers, filmmakers and creative practitioners from other mediums who are interested in moving into writing for screen. A total of eight applicants will be selected to develop their screenwriting skills and industry knowledge with Script Consultant and Screenwriter David Pope through online development workshops, peer group discussions, masterclasses and 1-2-1 sessions. Further information is available here.
Call for Feature Film Ideas
Netflix and Imagine Impact are looking to develop new feature films across four genres, written by up-and-coming screenwriters. The deadline is January 3. More information is available here.
BAME Scriptwriters
The Thousand Stories competition has announced that this year it will be focused on writers from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds. They are seeking scripts for a pilot episode of a TV drama or comedy series of between 30-60 minutes. The winning writer will receive a prize package that includes mentoring, development plans and networking opportunities – as well as guidance about creating a treatment for the winning original series idea by guru John Yorke. The deadline is Friday (December 18). Find out more.
Writers’ Festival Social Media Role
Bloody Scotland, Scotland’s International Crime Writing Festival, is seeking a new freelance Digital and Social Media Manager to join its team on a part-time basis. The deadline for applications is this Friday (December 18) at 5pm. Discover more here.
BBC Scriptroom
BBC Writersroom’s annual window for accepting drama scripts is currently open for submission of unsolicited scripts, which can be written for TV, film, radio, stage or online platforms. Writers can enter their work anytime up until 5pm on January 6. Find out more here.
Emerging Playwrights
Bush Theatre is seeking playwrights that tell contemporary stories with wit, style and passion. They want to hear voices and stories that reflect the diversity of contemporary society featured in plays that are both provocative and entertaining. Full length plays (i.e. those running at 60 minutes or more) are accepted from writers based in the UK or Ireland up until January 10. More information on its website.
BAFTA Q and A’s
BAFTA is holding a series of virtual Q and A’s with directors, actors, and writers, over the next few weeks. You can find out more about these free events and sign up for sessions of your choice here.
Just a reminder…
Interested in Children’s TV?
ScreenSkills and the Children’s TV Council have launched a mentoring scheme for those with TV experience interested in working in kids’ telly. Open until January 4, you can find out more here.
International Screenwriting Opportunity
TIFF Writers’ Studio is opening up its Canadian programme to international screenwriters and writer-directors. The programme offers a whole host of mentoring and workshops for anyone at mid-level in their career and, for this round, it will all be delivered online. Applications close this Friday. For more, visit the TIFF website.
Call for Plays
Act Your Age has a call out for writers who have written plays that feature actors over the age of 40. They are looking for either one act plays or radio series of either four or six episodes. The vast majority, if not all, of the characters have to be playing roles over 40-years-old and plays should be of 30, 45 or 60 minutes long. They can be in any genre, but must be fully formed and complete. The deadline for submissions is also this Friday. Find out more on their website.
Prize for Authors
The Nine Dots Prize asks writers to respond to a question in 3,000 words, with the winner receiving $100,000 to write a short book expanding on their ideas. The question for 2020/21 is: What does it mean to be young in an ageing world?. Entrants must submit their 3,000-word response, an outline structure for their proposed book, and a justification statement of their ability to complete the book within seven months. The deadline is January 18. Find out more here.
Writing for TV Awards
The TV Foundation, in association with the Edinburgh TV Festival, is calling for emerging and established writers to enter its 2021 New Voice Awards. Information about the categories, which also includes producers, directors, presenters, (as well as companies and agencies), can be found here. The deadlines for applications for all categories is January 25.
And, if you hear of any interesting opportunities for writers, please do get in touch and we can circulate them for FREE to our growing community of budding and accomplished writers. Simply drop us an email using the button with ‘Newsletter’ in the subject line.
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