The course offers 12 writers new to TV drama an insight into the industry, paying them a fee & providing a dry-run of what it’s like to write a drama commission. The purpose of the course is to offer 12 writers new to television drama an insight into how the industry works and to provide a “dry-run” of what it can be like to write under a television drama commission, specifically for one hour series and serial drama, and to work with them as they write an original drama script. One of the writers on the 2020 course was Abraham Adeyemi who says
“Entering 4Screenwriting, I was under no illusion of how great a programme it was – I’ve applied practically every year since its inception in 2011! Every single part of the course has been great, from the first weekend (where actually, I felt uncharacteristically nervous and under prepared – a testament to the brilliant minds and ideas I was surrounded by) to the actual writing process.
Above all, I feel so eternally grateful to my script editors. To have dedicated support like that to getting the best out of you is invaluable and I’ll forever appreciate them convincing me to write the script I wrote – a massive, ambitious story and world which I’ve dreamt of writing for nine years. 4Screenwriting was the perfect place to write it because you can throw the bulging bag of ideas around the room, with your script editors guiding you in how to make it the very best story that you are trying to tell.”
Writers will be expected to write an original C4 / E4 one-hour drama series or serial pilot episode, and 2-3 page outline / pitch for the series / serial as a whole.
Each writer will be assigned a script editor, who is currently working in the industry, to guide them through this process. Writers will meet at least twice with their script editor and should complete a 2nd draft script before the 2nd weekend of the course. Completed, 2nd draft scripts will be sent to the script editor and two other writers on the course, for workshop discussions at the second weekend.
FIRST WEEKEND
Writers, directors, producers and script editors in the industry will speak to the participants on a variety of subjects relating to writing for television, especially writing for series and serial drama. There will also be time set aside for writers to discuss their ideas for one hour scripts with their assigned script editor.
SECOND WEEKEND
This will be split between a reading of a section of each script by actors on the first day, and discussion and analysis of each of the twelve finished scripts in small groups on the second day, finishing with a screening / workshop and an overview of the course and of the specific requirements of Channel 4 series and serial television drama.
It is essential to the success of the second weekend that writers submit their scripts on time and make time to read the (2) other writers’ scripts.
DRINKS EVENING
There will be a drinks evening at Channel 4 in London on the evening of Tuesday July 6th 2021 for the course writers to meet industry producers, script editors, literary agents etc.
Deadline: Friday 2 October For eligibility and to apply click here.
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