BBC Studios has updated the entry criteria for its 2020 Writers\u2019 Academy to enable writers without a professional credit or an agent to apply for the scriptwriting masterclass.<\/p>\n
Led by John Yorke, the Writers\u2019 Academy provides training schemes for new writers and offers up-and-coming talent the opportunity to hone the skills to write TV drama and broadcast episodes for such BBC continuing dramas as\u00a0EastEnders<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Casualty<\/em>. \u00a0Successful applicants receive three months of paid training, including weekly individual tutorials on all aspects of dramatic technique and structure. They will also hear guest lectures from such established TV screenwriters as Jed Mercurio (Bodyguard<\/em>,\u00a0Line of Duty<\/em>), Sophie Petzal (Blood<\/em>, Red Rock<\/em>), Russell T Davies (Doctor Who<\/em>, Years and Years<\/em>), Anna Symon (Mrs Wilson<\/em>, Deepwater<\/em>), Tony Jordan (EastEnders<\/em>, Life on Mars<\/em>) and Jimmy McGovern (The Street<\/em>, Broken<\/em>).<\/p>\n Applications for the BBC Studios Writers’ Academy open on March 30.<\/p>\n Last year\u2019s alumni graduated with\u00a0up to four scripts under their belts and have been commissioned to write broadcast episodes of\u00a0EastEnders<\/em>, Casualty<\/em>\u00a0and\u00a0Holby City<\/em>. They will then go on to have their services optioned by BBC Studios for the next two years. The Academy also offers writers the chance to work with BBC Studios\u2019 portfolio of equity-owned independent production companies to develop their own original series ideas. Current graduates are developing original series with the companies behind\u00a0The End of The F***ing World<\/em>, Gentleman Jack<\/em>, Les Mis\u00e9rables<\/em>, McMafia<\/em>, Brexit: The Uncivil War<\/em>, Curfew<\/em>\u00a0and more.<\/p>\n Yorke, head of BBC Studios Writers\u2019 Academy, said: \u201cI\u2019m thrilled that BBC Studios have decided to make such a major investment in new talent. At a time when it\u2019s harder than ever for new writers to break in, this course allows writers from less privileged backgrounds to get their first important step into television.\u00a0 The Writers\u2019 Academy is a perfect example of the BBC\u2019s remit\u2014it\u2019s a huge commitment to nurturing new talent from every sector of society.\u201d<\/p>\n Katerina Watson, one of the 2019 Writers\u2019 Academy graduates, added: \u201cThe Writers\u2019 Academy has quite literally changed my life. I would never have found my voice, nor felt like it was important to be heard and hold my own with it, had it not been for the BBC Studios Writers\u2019 Academy support, encouragement and mind-blowing teaching. It\u00a0has been an absolute privilege.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BBC Studios has updated the entry criteria for its 2020 Writers\u2019 Academy to enable writers without a professional credit or an agent to apply for the scriptwriting masterclass.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1033,"featured_media":12925,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[1138],"class_list":["post-12924","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","","category-top-stories","tag-bbc-studios","pmpro-has-access"],"yoast_head":"\n