Future Talent Award: My experience as a finalist
| 12:21 UK time, Monday, 9 January 2012
When I entered the Future Talent competition during Christmas 2010, I genuinely didn't expect to win. The only other competition I'd ever entered was for a Pokémon game in the late nineties (I was a cool kid and they were crazy days) and I didn't win that, even though I put a load of Pokémon stickers on the envelope. I didn't actually win the Future Talent thing either, but I was one of the three finalists, which is why they asked me to write this, I guess.
Having been the first script I'd properly finished, I was totally self conscious about my entry for the competition. There are some people that love to put themselves out there, but I'm not one of them. Prior to sending it, I only actually showed it to one of my flatmates, and he was watching Neighbours so he wouldn't read it. I tried showing it to him later that day, but it was five-thirty and he was watching Neighbours again. The people you meet at uni. Anyway, I needn't have worried, because everyone at writersroom was completely peachy about it and I got some really helpful feedback.
One month later, I'd made it on to a longlist and then a shortlist, before eventually making the final three. The other two finalists and I received invites to Ö÷²¥´óÐã North's Developing Talent Conference in Preston, the highlights being talks from Victoria Wood and Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park. The latter was a real buzz for me, not least because Park's perhaps the most famous graduate of my university, Sheffield Hallam. He's also won Oscars, which is cool, but just to reiterate: Sheffield Hallam grad.
I met some lovely people at the conference, and as a result of placing in the Future Talent competition my script got passed onto another Ö÷²¥´óÐã contest, Laughing Stock, and I was fortunate enough to make the finals in that as well. Almost a year on and I'm currently writing my first episode of Hollyoaks, which has been awesome and just a great opportunity to get a few months after graduating from university. It's also one I wouldn't have got had I not entered Future Talent in the first place.
This year's Future Talent Award for Writers is open NOW to entries from students/recent graduates from one of the Ö÷²¥´óÐã North Developing Talent partner organisations in the North of England - find out how to enter. The deadline has been extended to 1st February 2012.
Comment number 1.
At 9th Jan 2012, Hopeful wrote:First let me say congratualtions. The competition out there is immense and the standards very high so for you to have reached the finals is fantastic. Would you be willing to provide some information (I suspect the Ö÷²¥´óÐã will need to OK you writing another blog for them but for me this would be really useful) on how the writing for Hollyoaks went. For example how are you, organised, do you write alone, are you amongst another group of writers all in a room together, do they send you off home with a brief saying "write something for this" - how does it all work because I know I would find the experience extremely worrying, particularly on such a successful and long running show. Please share.
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Comment number 2.
At 11th Jan 2012, Ian McDonald wrote:This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the house rules. Explain.
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Comment number 3.
At 12th Jan 2012, DJM wrote:Hey there Hopeful, If you drop me an email to cjem2nd@hotmail.com then I'll do my best to answer any questions you might have.
Daniel
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Comment number 4.
At 21st Feb 2012, Kate wrote:Hi
Thank God others feel the way i do, I'm entering this years competition and am already feeling unworthy. I usually write, then stick the script in the cupboard and God forbid if some one wants to read it, I freak out! Not the best way to get out there but what's a girl to do when she's got no balls, quite literally! I'm already feeling that my comedy is not main stream enough and not what the Ö÷²¥´óÐã will be looking for, but I've decided God loves a trier (he should meet my ex!) and maybe the Ö÷²¥´óÐã do too. Maybe I'm just creating excuses not to enter, I don't know, but reading your blog has inspired me, after all ,you gotta be in it to win it all though I know I won't, stop it woman!
Cheers for the inspiration,congratulations and wish me luck!
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