Are you an experienced writer based in the South West who wants to write original drama for television?

BBC Writersroom, BBC Independent Drama Commissioning, and South West Screen are pleased to announce a partnership to develop talented writers and their original TV ideas in the South West.

If you've had your work professionally produced or a script commissioned (for theatre, radio, television or film), have a distinctive and original voice, and a real passion to bring to television drama, we want to hear from you.

South West Voices is a professional development scheme which will mirror the BBC commissioning process. Selected writers will have direct input from BBC Independent Drama Commissioning, receive industry and peer group support, experience early stage project development, and build on their skills, knowledge and relationships for the future. This is not a scheme for brand new writers, but for those with professional experience and the drive to step up to the next level.

Writers must submit a pitch for an original series, serial or single drama idea for television (one page maximum), along with a full-length original sample script (for theatre, radio, television, or film). Submissions will be assessed on the originality of the idea, the quality of the writing sample, and the strength of voice and potential in the writer.

Up to 20 shortlisted writers will be invited to a workshop day in Bristol where they will meet BBC Writersroom, BBC Independent Drama Commissioning and South West Screen. This is an opportunity to get to know one another and will be part of the overall selection process.

From this shortlist up to eight writers will be invited to a three day residential workshop where they will have the opportunity to begin work on their ideas, paired with a mentor from the Commissioning team. Over the course of the subsequent three months, with support from their mentor, each writer will develop their idea into a pitch document (10 pages max).

The developed pitches will then be submitted in September and considered by BBC Independent Drama Commissioning, and a decision made about whether or not to commission a further full treatment or a script.

The panel selecting the final eight writers will include Kate Rowland (BBC Creative Director, New Writing), Polly Hill (Head of BBC Independent Drama, England) and Chris Moll (Executive Producer, South West Screen).

This partnership follows on from the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the BBC and the City of Bristol in 2009, which has already included the South West Screen/BBC Films iFeatures scheme. The region specified covers that of South West Screen - Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Gloucestershire, and Wiltshire.

For more information see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/south_west_voices.shtml