Red Planet Opens Writers’ Room

The U.K. indie Red Planet Pictures has opened a writers’ room initiative, designed to launch Britain’s next generation of showrunners.

Red Planet has invited four rising screenwriters to join the program, to be paired with an established showrunner to develop an original idea from concept to production. In the first program, the writers will be developing a new eight-part contemporary crime thriller. Set in London, the series will be developed from start to finish by the writers’ room, which in this instance will be led by Red Planet CEO Tony Jordan.

The writers selected for the inaugural Red Planet Writers’ Room are Maya Sondhi (Mount Pleasant, EastEnders, The Kumars), Laura Poliakoff (Holby City, EastEnders, Casualty), Johnny O’Neill (The Accident, Community Service, EastEnders) and Nathaniel Price (The Job, Baller, The Break II).

Jordan said: “We’re thrilled to announce this new initiative, building on the work we’ve done with new writers for more than ten years. Developing the Red Planet Writers’ Room program, we are building a creative model that will not only give new writers a chance to learn what goes into being a showrunner but will also generate successful new series ideas for years to come.”