Writing TV Drama – Three Months
Applications
Writing TV Drama – Three Months
Our London-based TV screenwriting course, featuring advice from top TV professionals and Curtis Brown agents. Scholarship place available.
Tutor
Jamie NuttgensLength
3 monthsLocation
LondonWriting Goal
Develop your writingFrom pitch to pilot – work on your original TV drama with leading industry professionals.
I am hugely grateful to this course for all I learnt and for introducing me to my now agent. The masterclasses from TV professionals and the tutor led sessions were incredibly informative. As well as helping me learn how best to write TV drama, I was also able to gain a greater understanding of the industry as a whole. A brilliant course for anyone wanting to start TV writing and also for authors like me who want to make the move across.
Former TV student
With weekly teaching and group workshopping on Thursday evenings in the Curtis Brown offices on Regent Street, this course will help you hone your craft and make real progress with your TV script. It’s ideal for those looking for a practical in-person alternative to a postgraduate screenwriting course.
Across three months, 15 talented writers will each develop an idea for a drama serial, write a 60-minute pilot episode and evolve a plan for further episodes – supported by the expert teaching of experienced screenwriter and producer Jamie Nuttgens.
Plus you’ll attend three masterclasses from leading TV industry professionals, including Curtis Brown’s Theatre, Film and Television agents, and an in-depth one-to-one tutorial from an experienced producer or script editor.
Tutor
Jamie Nuttgens
Jamie Nuttgens is an award-winning writer, producer and director in TV and Film with over 25 years’ experience working with writers across different genres and platforms. After a career in Rep and Devised Theatre and as a Writer-Producer in Commercial Radio, he joined BBC Drama Serials to Script Edit Jimmy McGovern’s The Lakes. After a stint at Casualty he moved to ITV to produce The Bill and a spin-off series, Burnside. For Channel 4 he developed and co-produced Red Riding, a series of TV films based on David Peace’s Northern Noir novels. He has produced the award-winning work of UK Indian writer-director, Smita Bhide, including Cup & Lip, The Blue Tower (Best UK Feature Raindance Film Festival) and Another Planet (Golden Award IFF Goa). His own writing has included Casualty, The Bill and Crossroads. He is currently Head of Drama at Ten66 Television (Black Lesbian Handbook / Love In The Flesh). At the Met Film School, Ealing Studios, he headed the MA in Screenwriting since 2013, is currently Lecturer in Screenwriting at Oxford University and has been a visiting lecturer at NFTS, La Femis Paris, Northern Film School, Westminster, Polish Film School Lodz, and Blanquerna Barcelona.
What does this course give you?
- Live teaching sessions in London: Jamie will teach on topics important for developing and writing a TV drama serial. Topics include character development, structure, plot, endings and more.
- A community of writers: Our selective applications process means that you will be writing your TV drama in a peer group of 15 students working at a high level. We have developed a bespoke learning platform exclusively for our students. Here you can give and receive feedback, and discuss the week’s topics with your fellow students and tutors. Many of our former students have found their trusted readers with us – and form strong working friendships with classmates which go on long after the course is over.
- Group workshops: On 10 evenings, Jamie will lead group workshops live in London or on Zoom giving dedicated feedback on 2,000-word extracts of your pilot script. Each student gets two workshops focused on their own work across the course.
- One-to-one tutorials: You'll get a 25-minute one-to-one tutorial with Jamie, as well as a 45-minute tutorial with an experienced producer or script editor.
- Three industry masterclasses: Top TV professionals share their expertise during these special in-person sessions. Key leading figures of the TV production process will guide students through the process of drama development, with focus on students' work. In one session, TV agents from Curtis Brown will talk about the agent's role and answer questions on the industry and how to get your work noticed.
- Share your work with agents: At the end of the course all students will be invited to informally share the first fifteen pages of your pilot script (max 2,200 words) plus 50-word pitch and 300-word outline for the series with the Curtis Brown agent team. Agents may request to see more.
Course schedule
All teaching and workshop sessions will take place on Thursday evenings from 7pm to 9pm (unless otherwise stated below). Classes will be held in the Green Room of the Curtis Brown offices (Cunard House, 15 Regent Street, London, SW1Y 4LR).
In extenuating circumstances, classes may be moved from London to Zoom, with prior notification to all concerned.
Please note that precise dates of sessions and details of course speakers are subject to change.
Introduction
Thurs 15 May, 7-9pmWeek 2
Thurs 22 May, 7–9pmWeek 3
Thurs 29 May, 7–9pmWriter/Showrunner Masterclass
Mon 2 Jun, 7–9pmWeek 4
Thurs 5 June, 7–9pmWeek 5
Thurs 12 June, 7–9pmWeek 6
Thurs 19 June, 7pm-9pmProducer/Commissioner Masterclass
Mon 30 Jun, 7–9pmWeek 7
Thurs 26 June, 7–9pmWeek 8
Thurs 3 July, 7–9pmWeek 9
Thurs 10 July, 7–9pmAgent Masterclass
Mon 14 Jul, 7–9pmWeek 10
Thurs 17 July, 7–9pmWeek 11
Thurs 24 July, 7–9pmCOURSE CONCLUSION
Thurs 31 July, 7–9pm
Course fees
Our selective applications process means that you will be writing your script in a peer group of 15 students working at a high level.
The course fee of £2,100 (inc VAT) per student is payable, in full, by bank transfer or debit/credit card before the start of the course. (Please note, card payments will incur an additional transaction fee.) However, if you are unable to pay the full fee upfront, let us know and we can arrange an instalment plan.
Ready to apply?
Please apply with the opening of your pilot script (up to fifteen pages – maximum 2,200 words) in industry standard format, 300 words synopsising your entire pilot episode and 300 words synopsising the rest of your serial. All of these materials need to be in the same document, as you can only upload ONE PDF file.
We will be reading and responding to applicants throughout the application window. We, therefore, advise people who are keen to join this course to apply early.
The final deadline for applications is midnight, end of day Sunday 27 April.
The CBC team will select applicants based on the quality of the writing sample provided.
Please upload your application via the form on this page. If you encounter any problems during the application process, or have any more questions about the course, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk for assistance.
SCHOLARSHIP PLACE
There's one new screenwriting scholarship place sponsored by the UTA Foundation available. One talented writer with limited financial means will receive a place to join us in London for our Writing TV Drama – Three Months course. Deadline Monday 21 April.
UTA Foundation Scholarship for TV Screenwriters with Low Income
