OUR PROGRAMS

WBD Access Northern Writers' Programme

Four participants will be selected to embark on a paid six-month scheme in which they will hone their craft as writers and receive guidance and insight on navigating a career across stage and screen.

This bespoke development opportunity will be delivered in partnership by the WBITVP production company Wall to Wall North and the Royal Exchange Theatre.

During the programme, a unique package of workshops and tailored development opportunities will be delivered by expert mentors and industry professionals. Past masterclasses included conversations with guests such as Doctor Who showrunner and head writer Russell T. Davies OBE, Senior Vice President for HBO Drama Programming Nora Skinner, playwright and Succession Season 1 screenwriter Anna Jordan, and celebrated playwright and screenwriter Chloe Moss.

Over the course of the six-month scheme selected participants will write a one-hour TV pilot spec script; the process of which will include hands-on support from a professional Script Editor and an opportunity to experience the industry-standard script development process.

In addition, participants will be offered two one-to-one meetings with the Dramaturg from the Royal Exchange Theatre in which they will receive the opportunity to discuss their stage work and receive feedback to further nurture their skills as a playwright.

Apply to the Program

PROGRAM CRITERIA

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, applicants must:

Be at least 18 years old at the time of application
Have the right to work in the UK
Have their main residence be in the North of England - defined as Yorkshire and Humber, North-West and North-East England. For more information on this programme requirement, please see the FAQ below.
Do not have any broadcast screen/‘written by’ credits at the time of application [credits on shorts or other work that have not been broadcast on televisual platforms are permitted].

Application criteria

To be selected for the programme, applicants will need to further demonstrate through the expression of interest and the submission of a sample of previous writing that they:

1. Have experience of their work being performed live through a theatre.

2. Have a proven track record of meaningfully engaging with writing for screen with attempts to break into the industry [e.g. independent shorts, submitting to TV writing schemes, involvement with student film].

3. Are a writer that would greatly benefit from the opportunity of structured support and a bespoke developmental journey in writing for screen.

4. Have a distinctive, original voice and a strong drive to tell ambitious stories that will connect with a wide audience.

The sample of previous writing submitted will also be assessed on the quality of dramatic writing.

PROGRAM TIMELINE

The programme’s submission period will run across March-June 2024, with 3 selection rounds:

Round 1 to create a longlist of 20 applicants

To apply for Round 1 please answer the questions using the Submittable form below.

Round 2 to create a shortlist of 10 finalists

Applicants selected to progress to Round 2 will be contacted by the WBD Access team and asked to submit a full-length piece of existing work, along with a one to two page page pitch matching a brief.

Please do not submit these documents at this stage in the application. Longlisted applicants will be notified on the 10th May 2024 and asked to submit their full length sample of previous writing and pitches. This pitch will be the basis of the spec script the four participants selected for the programme will develop over six months with the support of the Executive Producer and Script Editor at Wall to Wall North. Building this pitch will serve as an opportunity for applicants to showcase their voices and demonstrate the stories and themes they are passionate about exploring while also working to a creative brief.

When thinking about the pitch, the idea must adhere to the steers detailed below.

The idea needs to have ambition and big stakes, rather than a small and intimate story.
We are interested in different genres such as contemporary thriller, a grounded horror, a high-stakes relationship drama – but we encourage applicants to think about how to create a compelling and addictive narrative that is entertaining and fun for audiences to spend time with
The idea should have a clear, propulsive story motor that pulls the reader through - what is the core quest for the characters?
The priority is contemporary stories that speak to the world we live in right now.
Please avoid the following: Dystopian futures & Deep Period; Pure Sci-fi & Fantasy; Police Procedurals; Comedies.

A more detailed version of this creative brief that further expands on these key steers will be provided when longlisted applicants are notified on the 10th May 2024.

Round 3 to select the four successful participants via an interview with the team from Wall to Wall North, the Royal Exchange Theatre and Warner Bros Discovery

Below is a summary of dates for our submission period. If you have further questions about the submission period or application process please visit the FAQ section below or contact us at access.international@wbd.com.

Submissions Open: Thursday 29th February
Online webinar Q&A for programme information: Friday 15th March

If you would like to attend the webinar to receive additional information about the application process, please sign up here.

Application Submission Deadline: Thursday 28th March 11:59PM
Round 1- Longlist notification: Friday 10th May
Round 2- Submission Deadline: Friday 24th May
Round 2- Shortlist Notification: Friday 21st June
Round 3- Interviews: 24th – 27th June
Successful Applicants Notification: Friday 28th June

Dates subject to change.

Following final selection, the programme kicks off in July 2024.

Program Schedule

Writers will need to be available for several in-person sessions* at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester on the following dates:

SESSION ONE – July – Friday 12th July
SESSION TWO – August – Friday 9th August
SESSION THREE – September – Friday 13th September
SESSION FOUR – October – Friday 18th October
SESSION FIVE – November – Thursday 14th & Friday 15th November
SESSION SIX – December – Friday 13th December – final session

*Where writers need to travel the day before accommodation will be provided

Program FAQs

What level of experience are you looking for?

The Northern Writers’ Programme is specifically tailored to writers who are already writing for theatre and have made meaningful steps to pursue screenwriting as a career, but as of yet do not have any broadcast writing credits. The programme focuses on professional development and career insight which will be emphasised in the delivery of sessions, while also giving participants the opportunity to sharpen their skillsets as writers through the development of their pilot scripts. This is not an entry level programme and the focus will not be on learning how to write for television.

This scheme is for Northern Writers. Who exactly is eligible to apply?

The Northern Writers’ Programme is open to applicants whose main residence is in the North of England. Main residence is defined as your permanent place of residence during the duration of the programme, i.e. July-December 2024. For the purposes of this programme we are defining the North of England through the first three International Territorial Levels (ITL 1s- Regional) as outlined by the Office for National Statistics. These consist of North East England, North West England, and Yorkshire & The Humber. For further clarification on the geographical logistics of these regions, please visit the Office for National Statistics webpage found here.

Why is this programme targeted at writers based in the North of England?

We at WBD Access are constantly aiming to create pathways into the industry for individuals who have been historically excluded due to barriers they may have faced in their professional journeys.

We have elected to run a programme specifically for writers based in the North of England due to the direct geographical obstacles that writers based in the North face. This comes in the form of a lack of tangible resource available in this region due to the British screen industries favouring London and surrounding areas when offering opportunities. Through this programme we hope to create a source of aid for writers facing geographical barriers and assist them in gaining exposure to opportunities and resources they would not have had access to otherwise.

When is the deadline to apply for this programme?

All first-round applications must be submitted by 11:59PM 28th March 2024. We unfortunately do not offer any exceptions for the deadline.

How do I apply?

All submissions must be made through our portal (see link above). Submissions via email will not be accepted.

What is the selection process?

Round 1: All Round 1 submissions will be read by at least two readers in the first instance against the selection criteria above to create a longlist of up to 20 applicants.

Round 2: The 20 longlisted applicants will be contacted on the 10th of May and will be asked to submit a longer pre-existing piece of work plus a 1-2 page pitch to be considered by the teams at Wall to Wall North and Royal Exchange Theatre to create a shortlist of up to 10 applicants.

Round 3: The 10 shortlisted applicants will be contacted on the 21st of June with the interview notification. The interview process will be conducted by the teams at Warner Bros. Discovery, Wall to Wall North, and the Royal Exchange Theatre during 24th – 27th June.

When will I find out if I am successful?

Applicants selected to progress from Round 1 to Round 2 will be notified on the 10th May 2024. After submitting further materials (detailed above), applicants progressing from Round 2 to Round 3 will be notified on the 21st June 2024. After final selection through interviews, our successful 4 applicants will receive notification of their placement on the scheme at the end of the interview week on the 28th June 2024.

If these timelines change, we will let applicants know.

What is the time commitment of the programme? Can I participate in other obligations while in the programme?

This is not a full-time programme; however, all successful participants are required to be available for a number of in-person sessions. In addition, you will be required to write a 1 hour pilot script over the six-month scheme which will require a significant time commitment in writing in your own time and meeting regularly with the Script Editor and Dramaturg at various points during the programme.

Please get in contact with us if you have questions about your specific circumstances concerning availability.

Following the programme, do I own the rights to my pilot script?

All copyright in the scripts remain vested in the writer. After programme completion, Wall to Wall North and WBD will have exclusive first-look rights to scripts produced by participants for a period of six months. After this period, if no further action by Wall to Wall North and WBD has been agreed upon, the first look will expire and the writer will be free to exploit the material elsewhere.

What personal expenses will be covered through the scheme?

Each writer will receive a £3,500 stipend and reasonable travel and accommodation expenses will be covered where required. If you have any other financial barriers that may prevent you from participating, please feel free to get in touch with us to discuss these.

I have some more questions, is there someone I can get in contact with?

Of course! For any further queries, please get in touch with our team via email at access.international@wbd.com.

Who can I contact about a technical issue I’m having with the Applicant Portal?

If you are still experiencing technical issues after reading through the above FAQ, please contact accessprograms@warnermedia.com.

Will my self-identification information be shared? How will this information be used?

Individual level self-identification data will never be shared. Since the programmes are designed to serve underrepresented communities, collecting and analysing the aggregate data allows us monitor diversity and review equal opportunities across our programmes. It will play no part in the application process. This self-identification section will be separated from your application on receipt. All self-identification questions are voluntary to answer.

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