Channel 4’s New Look
Channel 4 are renowned for giving young and uncredited talent the court. It’s a channel borne on the back of a sense of anti-establishment, and which has thrived for decades on creating new and exciting shows that force the viewers to ask important questions.
Now, having run their Coming UP talent scheme for 13 years, they are looking to shine the spotlight back on new writers and directors by using this strand to create a feature length drama.
Funnelling further monetary investment into the scheme, they are looking for up-and-coming British filmmakers to make a one-off feature length piece, which has also seen an increase in budget this time around.
From the applications that are submitted, Channel 4 will shortlist 6 finalists who will then be commissioned to write the full feature length screenplay, which will receive help from some of the channel’s top talent.
Three writers are then going to be selected to work with an established director, who will in turn shoot a short section of the script. This will then pass onto a panel of judges who will decide which screenplay will be turned into a full 90 minute feature to be broadcast on Channel 4 in 2015.
This is a great opportunity for those who want to build a career in television, for even if you don’t make it through to get your screenplay produced you will still be making incredible and otherwise unobtainable connections within the industry.
For full details and how to apply go to 4talent.
It’s worth bearing in mind that the application requires that as a writer you are uncredited or have a writing credit of less than 2 programme hours. Directors with no TV experience are also eligible, but they must be able to demonstrate that they know how to work with a crew, with a budget and schedule.