The commitment to local writers in the North East goes from strength to strength with the renewal of a major partnership deal that supports emerging talent.
New Writing Northand Channel 4 have announced another three-year collaboration to find and nurture ‘extraordinary writing talent’ from across the north for TV. And that means a boost for new writers as well as those who may want to cross over into screenwriting.
Channel 4 has committed to the partnership through its 4Skills initiative and upcoming support for writers will be available in the form of bursaries, development programmes, help from experts in the screen industry, mentoring and networking. The good news was announced at a sell-out Screenwriting Weekender event hosted by New Writing North, the writer development programme which originally focused upon the North East and since has widened its scope across the north.
Sponsored by North East Screen, this weekender was opened on Friday by Gateshead-born writer Peter Straughan who is currently in the running for a best adapted screenplay Oscar for Conclave and who had received support early in his career from New Writing North.
Its executive director Anna Disley says the team is grateful about the renewed support. “Our long-established partnership with Channel 4, and now 4Skills, has enabled us to discover and develop some of the most exciting, diverse, and talented writers in the UK,” she said. But she added that the industry remains London-centric and this is often reflected in the stories shown on TV.
“New Writing North plays a vital role in creating change in the TV sector. And at a time of opportunity and investment in screen in the north, our partnership with 4Skills will enable us to do more to find talent from all corners of the north and help it find a place on national and international screens.”
The announcement follows on from exciting developments for the local writing industry. As previously reported, the Channel 4 Writing for TV Awards in October included honours for Newcastle’s Rebecca Glendenning-Laycock and Emily Low from the Tyne Valley. And last month, as part of a creative industry boost for the region, there came news of £5m package for New Writing North to establish a nationally-important centre for writing in Newcastle, with the historic Bolbec Hall set to be the likely location.
The partnership news confirms that, as part of the Writing for Television Awards, Channel 4 will support four emerging writers – picked through an open call – to take part in a development programme, which will include financial support and professional experience with a production company. There will be similar support for eight people to attend screenwriter weekends and for five more who already have screenwriting experience, to have their projects made screen-ready.
Up to 10 people will be able to attend script hubs and there will open-access events too. The news brings another share of the spotlight to the region at a time that New Writing North says talent is everywhere but opportunities are not.
It points out that the UK is said to create some the best film and TV in the world and 2022 saw whopping inward investment into Britain of more than £3.6bn for high-end TV and £1.7bn for film, yet BAFTA reports that only 9% of those working in the industry come from a working-class background.
So, the partnership aims to create pathways for talents from a range of backgrounds to reach global screens. And the time seems ripe as the North East is reported to have seen an 89% increase in film and TV production over the last two years and the Government is investing in Crown Works, a new £450m film studio to be built in Sunderland.
New Writing North also has increased its programmes of support for screenwriters in recent years.
Sinead Rocks, Channel 4’s managing director of regions, said the station is committed to nurturing new talent “particularly people from backgrounds who may have never considered a career in the creative industries”. She added: “The partnership between 4Skills and New Writing North will help identify talent from regions like the North East, voices which otherwise might go unheard just because of where or who they are.
“We are determined to address that imbalance and create opportunities for a new generation of writers which is why this partnership is so important and exciting.”
View news Source: https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/whats-on-news/newwritingnorthand-channel-4-renew-partnership-30922737
