Script Lab 2023 is underway! Following an introductory lecture from our friends at Scriptwriting North and the first in a series of collaborative writing workshops, our 2023 Lab participants have begun the process of refining their ideas, redrafting their scripts and improving their short-form screenwriting skills.

Over the next few months, our annual writer development programme will support 10 emerging filmmakers in the North of England to develop a short film from an early-stage idea to a completed script.

Our 2023 cohort bring a range of creative experience to the Lab - from illustration to theatre, and poetry to performance. We’re excited to introduce them below, and we can’t wait to see how their projects will grow over the course of the programme.

Natalie Beech is a writer based in Manchester. In 2022, she was awarded the Channel 4 Writing for Television Award and is currently developing a TV pilot with Rollem Productions. Her debut play Collegiate had sold-out runs in London and Leicester, and her work has been selected for several competitions, with plays performed at theatres including The Pleasance, Arcola, The Bread and Roses Theatre and Attenborough Arts Centre.

Julian Beresford is a Black British illustrator, born and raised in London and currently residing in South Yorkshire. He has illustrated for the Reading Agency's 2022 Reading Challenge and has participated in the BBC Ignite scheme. Julian is also passionate about and involved in other creative practices, including animation, games, and film. Currently, he is working on picture books and a middle-grade novel that incorporates fantastical elements from Caribbean and West African mythology and folklore.

Rosy is a previous winner of the International Emmys' Sir Peter Ustinov Scriptwriting Award and a graduate of the 2018/19 Series Eyes writing course in Berlin. Since returning to her hometown of Leeds, she has written the TV thriller A View to Kill For for Reel One Entertainment and TF1, with another in development. Rosy was part of Screen Yorkshire's Flex scheme 2022/23 and the 2023 Series Mania Writers Campus.

Danielle is a Newcastle-based filmmaker and the creative director of a non-profit film company called Glow. Having started her career in documentary and factual television, she became drawn to more socially-engaged storytelling, and so for the last 10 years has worked on collaborative projects in communities and across artistic mediums including film, photography, and creative writing. Focussing on her own writing is a fairly new, but extremely exciting next step in her career, and she’s delighted to be taking part in Script Lab 2023.

Najma Heybe is a poet and aspiring screenwriter from Sheffield. Her passion for writing and poetry is driven by a deep desire to express herself and connect with others through the arts.

After graduating from Bournemouth University’s Scriptwriting course, Sam read scripts for the BBC and Carnival Films, amongst others, and received his first credit as Script Consultant on BBC2 short drama Sleeping Lions. Since then, Sam has storylined for Hollyoaks and now has projects in development with independent production companies. His horror feature script, Prettywood, is under option with Emmy Award-winning director/producer David Barnes. Sam is represented by Culverhouse Associates.

Kemi-Bo trained as an actress at LAMDA. Her theatre acting credits include roles in The Winter's Tale (Royal Shakespeare Company) and The Ocean at the End of the Lane (National Theatre); while her film/TV credits include roles in Dr Who and A Million Days. Her writing credits include All White Everything But Me (Alphabetti Theatre) and Golden Hour (Alphabetti Theatre); and her directing credits include Braids (Live Theatre) and Angela (Alphabetti Theatre). Kemi-Bo is currently an Associate Artist at Live Theatre.

Jasmin is a British-Iranian playwright and screenwriter from West Yorkshire. Her first full length play, Allah In the Walls was developed on the Catalyst Programme at the North Wall Arts Centre, and went on to be shortlisted for the 2022 Bruntwood Prize. In 2022, she was part of the BBC’s Northern Voices Scheme where she developed her first TV pilot.

It was writing up sketch improvisations for her comedy theatre group, Scarlet Lights, that encouraged Kerrie to write longer-form work for theatre. After being invited to a Royal Court writers group run by Middle Child Theatre Company, Kerrie was successful in gaining a residency with her hometown theatre, Hull Truck Theatre as part of their Grow programme. Since then, she has enjoyed several small commissions in theatre and has just begun shadowing in script editing for screen. TV and film are what originally inspired Kerrie, so she is extremely excited to learn more about writing for this medium.

Muj is an actor and writer from Bradford. He played one of the leads in the BBC3 Comedy Coconut, and has appeared in other shows such as Casualty. He started writing to better promote diversity and increase opportunities for people like himself. His first pilot script attracted the attention of BAFTA-winning director Declan Lowney (Ted Lasso). He recently completed a mentorship with Charlie Hyland (Digital Comedy Commissioner, Channel 4) and is currently being mentored by Nana Hughes (Head of Comedy, ITV).