YFF23
PARTICIPANTS
YFF23 ANNOUNCED
SEVEN SUCCESSFUL WRITERS SELECTED FROM OVER 250 ENTRIES FOR YOUNG FILMS FOUNDATION SKYE SCREENWRITERS’ RESIDENCY PROGRAMME 2023/24.
This year the YFF Skye Screenwriting Residency Programme had over 250 applications for just
6 places on its exciting new edition which will run from September 2023 to November 2024.
The programme begins on the 26th of September 2023 and will provide the lucky participants with the unique opportunity to develop a screenplay for a feature film or TV drama or comedy series with individual support from established industry mentors as well as receiving inspiring masterclasses and tutorials from well-known Film and TV writers, directors, and producers. This year also sees the addition of a Script Editor to the programme team, providing dedicated support to all our participants throughout the development of their scripts.
Each script will be commissioned and paid for by one of the following Broadcasters – BBC Drama, Sky Studios, Channel 4 Drama, Channel 4 Comedy, Film4 and BBC Film. The programme will culminate in writers bringing their developed scripts for a week-long residency in Skye in September 2024 where every aspect of their scripts will receive in-depth analysis from mentors, experts, and commissioners. Time will also be given for the writers to work with established actors and directors on scenes from their draft scripts in the studio in Skye.
The successful 2023/24 screenwriters are:
Once again I’m delighted by the quality and the quantity of our applications - we have been inundated with hundreds of applications and this clearly demonstrates both the strong demand and the obvious value of our screenwriting programme. We are so pleased that our partners - BBC, Channel 4, Film4, BBC Film and Sky continue to give us such valuable support. And we are especially pleased that Screen Scotland have increased their support this year, allowing us to hire a dedicated script editor for the entire programme. I share Isabel Davis’ recent inspiring call for us to focus on the development of locally originated film and television and where else does this start but with screenwriting?
Our new 7 participants takes the number of new Scottish screenwriters nurtured and developed by the Young Films Foundation to 27 - we are immensely proud to have the privilege of supporting these writers and providing them with this unique opportunity to step up and realise their talent on the global stage.
Scotland will only sustain a film and television industry if we can match our ambition for success with screenwriting at the highest level and this programme aims to deliver exactly that.
Chris Young
YFF Founder
It is fantastic to be able to support Young Films Foundation again this year, with this edition promising to be even stronger with Chris and his brilliant team consistently finding ways to improve the already excellent programme. The seven chosen were selected from an incredibly competitive field and shone through with outstanding ideas and writing samples. We are really excited for them to begin what will be a great year and an important moment in their career.
Kieran Hannigan
Head of Scripted, Screen Scotland