Spotlight TV Comedy: 14 emerging TV writers selected for Screen Ireland’s flagship screenwriting scheme
Posted: 27th April 2022
14 writers out of a record-breaking 300 applications selected for Screen Ireland’s mentored writing development scheme
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (Screen Ireland) is delighted to announce and congratulate the successful finalists for the TV comedy round of Spotlight, Screen Ireland’s flagship writing talent development scheme aimed at discovering and developing original and underrepresented new voices.
11 writing teams (comprising 14 new and emerging screenwriters) will develop a bible and pilot episode screenplay for a 30 minute TV comedy or comedy-drama series.
Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Screen Ireland, said:
“We are delighted to congratulate the 11 successful writing teams selected for the TV Comedy round of Spotlight this year. Screen Ireland is committed to discovering and developing new creative talent, particularly voices that represent the full breadth and diversity of modern Ireland. We look forward to seeing the results from this year’s Spotlight writers, and are delighted to support them as they develop their craft alongside fostering connections with Irish and international industry.”
The successful Spotlight projects and writers are as follows:
- Cabaret Cartel by Tania Notaro
- Old Goose by Martin Angolo and Gerard Staunton
- Stepping Out by Arianne Hutch
- The Importance of Eyebrows by Darren McMahon
- Paper by Diandra Xavier
- C'mere to Me by Robert O'Sullivan
- Waking Ireland by Melissa Nolan and Melanie Phillips
- I'm the Boss by Lee-Loi Chieng
- Good-Bi by Eleanor Rogers
- The King of Tory Island by Shannon Welby
- Scouting For Boys by Allie O'Rourke and Matthew Tallon
Eimear Markey, Screen Ireland’s Development Manager, said:
“We are delighted to welcome this year’s Spotlight writers in TV Comedy, and to congratulate the finalists on what has been an incredibly competitive and difficult selection process. Out of 300 extremely strong applications, these 11 projects represent some of the funniest, freshest and most innovative voices from across Ireland. I would also like to thank our fantastic external consultants Tara Flynn, Pauline McLynn and Stephen Bradley, as well as Jennifer Smyth and Jade Murphy.”
This year, the Spotlight Scheme has partnered with the newly established National Talent Academy for Film and Television, who will facilitate the structured development programme for the new screenwriters, including a series of virtual webinars and masterclasses, as well as an industry networking event. Mentors and contributors on the programme will include screenwriters and producers of ITV’s Holding, Dominic Treadwell-Collins and Karen Cogan, Extra Ordinary writer/director team Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman, Barunka O’Shaughnessy (Motherland, Hunderby) David P. Davis (Industry, Electric Dreams, Doctor Who) Michael Zam (Feud: Bette and Joan) comedy producer Ana Garanito (In The Long Run) Motherland and This Way Up producer Clelia Mountford and The Dry writer and producer Nancy Harris.
The Spotlight Scheme was established in 2018 as an opportunity for new writers to develop a project with guidance and mentorship from leading industry figures at the start of their writing careers. This round received over 300 applications, a significant increase on the 2020 scheme’s total of 195 applications.
Due to the high standard of applications this year, Screen Ireland will release a shortlist of projects that were not selected as finalists but came highly commended by the judging panel. This shortlist will also be accompanied by further details on the Spotlight: TV Comedy finalists, the first stage in connecting the projects to relevant producers, agents and industry professionals over the next six months.
About the Spotlight Scheme
Spotlight is Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland’s highly competitive, flagship screenwriting talent scheme aimed at discovering and developing fresh and exciting new voices. Established in 2018 as the New Writing Scheme, the programme’s aim is to discover original and diverse screenwriting talent, particularly for projects that are inclusive and representative of modern Ireland. As such, the organisation has and continues to strongly encourage and actively seek applications from a diverse range of voices, particularly those from minority ethnic groups currently underrepresented in the screen industry in Ireland, as well as applicants who have never applied to Screen Ireland and have no previous credits as a feature or television screenwriter. The 2022 Spotlight scheme will be run in smaller, themed rounds across specific creative disciplines, genres and formats, with the first iteration beginning with TV Comedy.
To find out more about the previous year’s Spotlight 2020/2021 participants and projects that have been developed with the support of Screen Ireland, visit their digital showcase here: www.screenireland.ie/spotlight
About the National Talent Academy for Film and Television
The National Talent Academy for Film and Television is an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and is managed by the Galway Film Centre. It is part of the National Talent Academies network, which also includes the National Talent Academy for Animation, managed by Animation Ireland and a number of regional Crew Hubs managed by the Atlantic Academy (Danú Media) in Galway, Film in Limerick in Limerick and Clermont Enterprise Hub in Wicklow. The network has been established to develop a highly skilled, diverse talent and crew base throughout the country and to further build capacity within the sector. The Academy, which was established earlier this year, aims to roll out a suite of experiential and exciting programmes and opportunities – with a focus on diverse and regional creative talent — across 2022. You can find more information about these initiatives on www.nationaltalentacademies.eu.