A Chance to write for children's TV

BBC writersroom has teamed up with the BAFTA winning channel to launch a brand new competition, GET A SQUIGGLE ON! It will give new writers from different backgrounds and experiences an opportunity to develop their professional skills working with the CBeebies team. 

The competition aims to inspire writers to be as creative and imaginative as they like in order to write a 20-minute live action script that will captivate young minds. It can be in any contemporary genre, including Drama, Comedy, Music, Dance, Puppets, Educational (with a light touch) or a combination of more than one.

A shortlist of 20-25 writers will be invited to a masterclass, where they will hear from experienced writers and CBeebies experts, and get an invaluable opportunity to hone their writing skills. The lucky final 8-10 shortlisted writers will spend an intensive residential week developing their work, bolstering their writer’s ‘toolbox’ and craft, and working with the CBeebies team. 

A selection of tailored learning resources are available on the BBC writersroom website to help get people inspired and guide them through the competition process.  Click on the title of this post to go straight there

The closing date for entries is Thursday 14^th July

LAUGHING STOCK 2011 - be bold, funny and original

BBC Writersroom and BBC Comedy Commissioning are joining forces in a nationwide competition to find new comedy gold. If you can invent LOL characters, tell stories that keep readers on the edge of our seats, and tease the audience to come back for more, then the BBC want to hear from you.What is on offer is a comedy masterclass and an intensive week away developing your ideas  with BBC comedy producers and established comedy writing talent. You may even get the chance of having your work performed at the Sitcom Showcase in the newly opened Studio in Media City, Salford.
The challenge is to write an original comedy script which has the potential to be a series.
It has to be between 15 – 30 minutes long and you also need to produce a one page outline of how your series would develop.
Judges:
Cheryl Taylor (Controller, Comedy Commissioning for the BBC)
Kate Rowland (Creative Director of New Writing for the BBC)
Writer, Simon Nye (Men Behaving Badly, Reggie Perrin, Doctor Who)
To enter, send your script and one page outline to:
Laughing Stock
BBC writersroom
Grafton House
379 Euston Road
London
NW1 3AU
CLOSING DATE: Monday February 21st 2011
MASTERCLASS: Tuesday 5th April in Manchester 2011
WINNERS ANNOUNCED on or before Tuesday 31st May 2011
RESIDENTIAL WEEK: w/c 6th June 2011
SITCOM FESTIVAL (in Salford): Autumn 2011

Writing for BBC SOAPS

John Yorke, Controller Drama Production & New Talent, will answer questions about writing for continuing drama shows  such as EastEnders, Casualty and Doctors  as well as the BBC Writers Academy in a Q&A session with Kate Rowland, BBC Creative Director of New Writing.

WHEN: Thursday 4 March 2010 from 6:00pm - 7:30pm 

WHERE: The Drill Hall, 16 Chenies street, London WC1E 7EX

 Tickets are free.To add your name to the guest list email writersroom.events@bbc.co.uk.