, 主播大秀 Drama Commissioning and 主播大秀 Writersroom announce the Scottish Drama Writers’ Programme 2021. The programme has partnered Scottish based writers with Independent production companies to develop bold, authentic network drama for the 主播大秀.
Following on from the successful 主播大秀 Writersroom pan-UK TV Drama Writers’ Programme, the Scottish initiative will fund and partner eight writers with a Scottish independent production company who will support them in developing an original TV script aimed at 主播大秀 One or 主播大秀 Three.
Within the year-long programme, the selected writers will have access to 主播大秀 Writersroom led writer sessions and workshops with experienced British TV writers and industry experts to assist in developing their scripts. The aim is that the writer’s series or serial will be taken into full development by the 主播大秀.
Long term, the aim of the Scottish Drama Writers' programme is to be a catalyst for the selected writers and independent production companies to establish working relationships and to support the wider creative broadcast industry in Scotland.
Scottish Drama Writers' Programme (l-r top row Anita Vettesse, James Price, Emma Lennox, May Sumbwanyambe, Jenni Fagan, bottom row Raman Mundair, Rob Drummond, Maryam Hamidi)
The participants in the 2021 programme and the production companies that they have been partnered with are:
- May Sumbwanyambe - Two Rivers Media
- Anita Vettesse - 主播大秀 Studios
- Jenni Fagan – STV Studios
- Emma Lennox – TOD Productions
- Raman Mundair – Synchronicity Films
- James Price - Balloon Entertainment
- Maryam Hamidi - World Productions, Scotland
- Rob Drummond – Freedom Scripted Entertainment
Find out more about the writers below.
Rob Drummond
Rob is an award-winning playwright and performer who has worked with the most prestigious theatres in the UK. He is an associate artist at the Traverse Theatre and his wide-ranging work includes ‘The Majority’ (National Theatre), the multi award-winning ‘Bullet Catch’ (The Arches), the critically acclaimed thriller ‘Grain In The Blood’ (The Traverse) and dating show ‘In Fidelity’ (HighTide), in which Rob helped audience members find love live on stage.
Rob is currently under commission to Kiln Theatre, The National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and in TV, Rob has original series in development with Freedom Scripted Entertainment and Two Rivers Media.
Rob is represented by Casarotto, Ramsay & Associates.
Jenni Fagan
Jenni is a critically acclaimed novelist, poet and screenwriter. Author of four novels and five poetry collections, her work is available in eight languages. Her third novel ‘Luckenbooth’ came out in Jan 2021 and Irvine Welsh described it as “One of the most stunning literary experiences I've had in years. Luckenbooth is the quintessential novel of Edinburgh at its darkest." Her novel ‘HEX’ came out in 2022 to great critical acclaim, described by Alisdair Whay as “a masterclass in how to tell a story”. Her stage adaptation of ‘The Panopticon’ for National Theatre of Scotland performed a sold out, critically acclaimed run and lead role Anna Russel-Martin won a coveted CAT critics award for her performance of Anais Hendricks. Jenni’s ‘libretti’ film for Scottish Opera saw great reviews. She wrote and filmed a short cine poem which will be on Happenings at the Traverse Theatre.
Awards include Granta Best of Young British Novelist and Scottish Author of the Year. Jenni has three degrees, most recently a PhD, and is a Dr of Philosophy. She is currently adapting ‘The Blade Artist’ by Irvine Welsh, as a six part series with Robert Carlyle for Buccaneer Media. They will then be following this with Jenni's adaptations of ‘The Panopticon’ and Luckenbooth for television.
Jenni's memoir was recently picked up in a two-book deal and will be published by Hutchinson Heinemann in Autumn 2023. Her poetry collection ‘The Bone Library’ is out in Sept and her bone art engravings and poetry are on display in Summerhall.
Jenni is Represented by Tracy Bohan, The Wylie Agency
Maryam Hamidi
Maryam has written/directed short films 'Bahar' (Moquette films/Short Circuit/BFI Network) and ‘Bloody Love’ (Clan/SFTN). She was selected for Edinburgh International Film Festival’s Talent Lab 2022, the inaugural 主播大秀 Scottish Drama Writers’ Programme, the 主播大秀 Writersroom Scottish Voices Comedy scheme and was shortlisted and mentored by Channel 4 Screenwriting 2021. She received the Playwright’s Studio ‘New Playwright’s Award’, Fire Exit’s ‘Pyromania’ Award and her solo show 'the Chronicles of Irania' (co-writer Catrin Evans) was shortlisted for the Amnesty Award.
Her recent credits include ‘The Words’ (a Play, a Pie & a Pint), ‘Ghost Stories: I look down on myself’ (Pitclochry Festival Theatre), ‘United Kingdoms: Govanhill’ (主播大秀 Radio 4), ‘Drivetime’ (主播大秀 Radio Scotland), multiple episodes of kids comedy drama ‘Molly & Mack’ (CBeebies) and more recently on series 2 of ‘Silverpoint’ (Zodiak Kids). She is currently developing TV projects with World Productions, Two Rivers Media, Ossian Pictures, Objective Fiction and The Forge and is also writing for ‘Hollyoaks’ (Lime). Her play ‘Moonset’ is being produced by the Citizens Theatre in the new year.
Maryam is represented by Jessica Cooper at Curtis Brown.
Emma Lennox
Emma is the writer/creator of Unfair- a channel 4 comedy blap set in a showman’s yard in Glasgow. The project was developed from her own experiences which she presented to industry reps at the Young Films Foundation in 2019. She wrote episode three of Channel 5 psychological thriller ‘The Holiday’ (2022) and is currently developing more comedy/drama ideas with Hopscotch Films, Channel X and TOD Productions. She has previously written shorts for 主播大秀 Learning, 主播大秀 Scotland and radio. Her short film ‘Grimm Street’ was selected for the Scottish Film Talent Network and in 2016 she won the BAFTA new talent award for best actress. She devised and directed web documentary ‘Boswell in Space’ which was selected for the Sheffield International Documentary Festival, 2011. Emma won the best script prize at the Caledonian University Masters in TV writing in 2012.
Emma’s background is in journalism, and she worked in factual TV production for ten years before making the jump to full time writing. Emma enjoys both dark psychological mysteries and comic relief.
Emma is represented by The Agency.
Raman Mundair
Raman is an Indian born writer, screenwriter, director, filmmaker, artist, poet and playwright. She is the award-winning author of ‘Lovers, Liars, Conjurers and Thieves’, ‘A Choreographer’s Cartography’, ‘The Algebra of Freedom’ (a play) and is the editor of Incoming: ‘Some Shetland Voices’. Her short film ‘Trowie Buckie’ was shortlisted for Sharp Shorts 2020.
Raman was the recipient of an All3media scholarship award for her scriptwriting and she is a graduate of the National Film and Television School. https://rmundair.wixsite.com/website
Raman's script ‘Tongue’ has been chosen for Sharp Shorts 2022 and her script ‘A Girl Called Elvis’ has been awarded a First Features award. She is currently under commission to the Traverse Theatre and is an IASH Theatre Writing Fellow.
James Price
James is a self-taught BAFTA Scotland nominated writer/director from Springburn, Glasgow. He taught himself how to write screenplays in his teenage years by studying the screenplays of films he admired. His work is usually based on moments or feelings from his life and the lives of those closest to him. He has made short films for 主播大秀 iPlayer and had some of his work televised on 主播大秀 Scotland.
He is currently in production on a project for 主播大秀 Scotland and iPlayer, a 60 minute original work that James has written and is directing. James has film and TV drama projects in development with leading independent production companies.
His semi-autobiographical short film ‘Boys Night’ was nominated for Best Short Film at Edinburgh International Film Festival 2019 and won the audience award at Glasgow Short Film Festival 2020. His BAFTA Scotland Best Short Film nomination ‘Dropping Off Michael’ is currently in development as a feature film with Sigma Films.
James is represented by United Agents.
May Sumbwanyambe
May is a librettist, radio dramatist, academic and playwright from Edinburgh. Previous productions include:
‘Ghost Light', (Edinburgh International Festival and National Theatre of Scotland), ‘Joseph Knight’, (主播大秀 Scotland, National Theatre of Scotland), ‘After Independence’ (Arcola Theatre, Papatango Theatre), ‘The Parrot House’ (Guildhall School of Music and Drama) and ‘The Trial of Joseph Knight’ (主播大秀 Radio 4).
He is currently writing new stage plays for The National Theatre of Scotland, the Citizens Theatre and Gridiron Theatre with the National Trust for Scotland, all of which are about the historical visibility of Black people in Scotland. He is also developing a new TV Series for Two Rivers Media and a new radio play for 主播大秀 radio 4.
May is currently an artist in residence at Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity. His last stage play, which the Evening standard called “A notable debut play” and the Times called “A debut of astonishing maturity” also saw him described by The Times as “a rare discovery” and The Telegraph as “a writer of terrific potential.”
May is represented by Berlin Associates.
Anita Vettesse
Anita co-created 主播大秀 Radio 4’s crime drama, ‘This Thing of Darkness’ (Winner of the British Podcast Award 2021 and nominee for Best Writer Tinniswood 2021). She has just finished writing the latest series which can be found on 主播大秀 Sounds. Anita has also written ‘Falling’ for 主播大秀 Radio Scotland. Anita was selected for the 主播大秀 Scottish Drama Writers’ Programme and has written the pilot episode of a 3-part revenge thriller with 主播大秀 Studios. Anita is currently writing on ‘Grantchester’ as well as continuing to be a core writer on 主播大秀’s ‘River City’.
Her theatre work includes: ‘Ringroad’ which was nominated for best new play at The Critics Theatre Awards; ‘Happy Hour’ and ‘From The Air’ for Oran Mor as well as ‘Eddie and The Slumber Sisters’ for Catherine Wheels/National Theatre of Scotland. Anita was writer in residence at The National Theatre Scotland in 2021 as part of the John Mather Trust Award and has written a new dark thriller, ‘Pick Up Point’. She is also currently co-writing another musical for them. Anita has just begun writing a brand new Ghost Story for Perth Theatre called ‘56 Days’ to be performed in autumn next year.
Anita is represented by the Haworth Agency.
Read the Scottish Drama Writers' Programme press release on the 主播大秀 Media Centre
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