A new film development programme is looking for emerging Northern screenwriters.
Each writer will be paired with a regional production company and then get ongoing development with a script editor to take their early-stage idea for a feature film into a treatment and deck to pitch to Film4.
Genre Feature Lab will be led by BAFTA-winning creative producers Ivana Mackinnon (Beast) and Emily Leo (Under the Shadow) from Wild Swim Films.
The partnership between New Writing North and Film4 is funded by North of Tyne Combined Authority, which is now administered by North East Combined Authority.
“Genre Feature Lab is a unique opportunity for Northern writers to learn from leading industry experts, develop bold new work and build a meaningful relationship with Film4,” said Roxy McKenna, Development Producer (Screen) at New Writing North.
“The support from the North of Tyne also enables us ensure North East production companies are at the heart of the programme, driving the development of cutting-edge genre work and making vital industry connections”
Running from September until March, it will be open to applications from writers based in the North and indies in the North of Tyne area. Writers should be “boundary-pushing” and have a “distinctive voice and point of view.”
“We’re thrilled to be collaborating with New Writing North, whose reputation for nurturing writers from the North is second to none,” added Amy O’Hara, Development and Production Executive at Film4.
“The genre lab gives us a focussed approach to developing relationships with storytellers from the region and we’re excited by the talent and ideas we’ll discover along the way.”
