Skye’s the limit for screenwriters
Following the success of the Young Films Foundation’s (YFF) screenwriting residencies on the Isle of Skye, film and TV producer Chris Young is taking it to the next level this year.
Participants will be offered the chance to work with UK broadcasters, professional mentors and industry experts on a year-long programme to take their ideas from pitch to commissioned script.
Launching as a pilot scheme in 2017 and immediately dubbed ‘Sundance on Skye’, YFF’s talent development scheme was set up to support, encourage and nurture new Scottish writing talent.
In 2018 and 2019, YFF ran two, week-long intensive residencies on the Isle of Skye for six novice Scottish film and TV writers.
In 2021, producer Chris Young, whose credits include 2005’s Festival, The
Inbetweeners franchise and BBC Alba Gaelic-language drama series Bannan, has teamed up with award-winning producer and former head of drama at Channel 4, Beth Willis (Doctor Who, Eric and Ernie, Ashes to Ashes) from The Forge to expand the scope and ambition of the programme in creating a 360-degree commissioning experience for this year’s participants.
For the first time, each of the seven selected participants will receive a full TV drama, comedy or feature film script commission from either Channel 4 Drama, Channel 4 Comedy, BBC Drama, MG Alba/BBC Alba, BBC Films, Film4 or Sky.
They will receive a full script fee from the broadcaster with which they are partnered. Each broadcaster will have the first refusal option over the script commissioned.
Alongside Young Films, financial support has been provided by Screen Scotland, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Channel 4 Nations and Regions and Torabhaig Distillery.
In a further development, each participant will be assigned a leading industry mentor who will be give support and advice throughout the year-long programme.
It will culminate with a week-long immersive residency on Skye in May 2022, where participants, mentors and a number of the programme’s experts will come together to discuss and further develop their work ahead of script delivery to broadcasters two months later.
The scheme is open to writers resident in Scotland from all backgrounds, from experienced screenwriters looking to write their first feature film to novice screenwriters, as well as authors and playwrights looking for a change in direction.
Applications opened on March 8.
Full eligibility criteria and application details can be found at www.youngfilmsfoundation.co.uk.