Derry-based Amanda Doherty completed a Future Screens NI Future Creatives project to create a writers’ workshop. 6 emerging working-class writers were chosen to develop their writing, develop industry contacts, and find their creative voice through a funded writing group. Every person has the right to be an artist; however, working class voices are those which we are most likely to lose when writers are priced out of our industry. Each writer was paid for their time as they developed 5-page screenplays which have been developed with established screenwriting professionals.
This 5-day course, specifically for women and non-binary people, ran from 28th November to the 2nd December at Accidental Theatre from 10am-3pm, with writers chosen to partake in this course reimbursed £500 for their time. Through this course writers were guided through key screenwriting practice such as screenplay formatting, dialogue, character, and 3 & 5 act structure, amongst other areas- completing a 5-page screenplay by the close of the week.
This group of writers comprised of those who faced economic barriers to screenwriting but will now be able to pursue this area of the film industry with more confidence, knowledge, and skill.