Press Release
BBC, DIRECTORS UK AND CREATIVE SKILLSET ANNOUNCE NEW DIRECTORS’ TRAINING SCHEME FOR SECOND YEAR
21 October 2016
BBC Drama, Directors UK and Creative Skillset’s High End TV Council are delighted to announce the second year of their directors’ training scheme.
Following the success of this collaboration in 2015, this year will see nine drama directors mentored on one of the following continuing drama series: Doctors, River City, Holby City & Casualty.
Applications are now open for directors seeking to be trained on the award-winning daytime show Doctors, with entry closing at the beginning of November 2016. The remaining shows will begin their application process later in the year.
As part of their training, each director will observe and participate in the entire production process of an episode of Doctors, from pre to post production, and will ultimately take the helm for one full episode of the series to gain a directing credit. The scheme also offers the possibility of employment, after training as there is an ambition for the series to hire directors within nine months for a full directorial commission if the director has shown that they can meet the standards required.
The scheme is inviting applications from directors who have a genuine interest in the show and are passionate about developing their skills in continuing drama. Candidates are expected to demonstrate a solid knowledge of the drama, and is open to anyone who meets the requirements of the scheme.
Involved in the selection panel will be Anne Edyvean (Head of BBC Writersroom), Simon Nelson (Development Producer, BBC Writersroom), and a team of experienced TV directors and BBC Executives from Doctors.
This scheme is funded by the BBC, Directors UK and the High End TV Levy and is run by BBC Writersroom.
More information about the scheme can be found on the BBC website along with the application, via the link below:
Notes to Editors:
· DIRECTORS UK is the single voice of British screen directors representing the creative, economic and contractual interests of over 6,400 members – the overwhelming majority of working film and television directors in the UK. Directors UK campaigns for the rights, working conditions and status of directors in the industry and works closely with fellow organisations in the UK, Europe and around the world to represent directors’ rights and concerns. It also promotes excellence in the craft of direction both nationally and internationally, and champions change to the current landscape to create an equal opportunity industry for all.
· BBC WRITERSROOM is a department within the BBC with responsibility for developing and promoting new writers and directors across the whole of BBC Drama, Children’s & Comedy. We have offices across the UK dealing with several thousand scripts per year. BBC Writersroom has a mission to promote new talent to meet the creative needs of the future.
· CREATIVE SKILLSET works with the UK’s screen-based creative media industries to develop skills and talent from classroom to boardroom. We support high quality professional development across TV, film and related sectors – identifying skills needs, targeting skills investment, developing key skills and growing diverse talent networks. Through our industry partnerships Creative Skillset helps to improve productivity, creativity and employability across the UK’s screen-based creative media industries.
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