Screen Ireland has announced the finalists for Spotlight: Stage to Screen, the third iteration of Screen Ireland’s flagship writing talent development scheme, aimed at discovering and developing fresh and original new voices.
With 10 final projects, a total of 12 writers with a background in theatre and/or radio drama have been selected out of 120 applicants, to adapt a piece of their own stage or radio work for the screen.
“We are delighted to congratulate the ten successful writing teams selected for this year’s Stage to Screen edition of Spotlight,” said Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Screen Ireland. “Screen Ireland is committed to discovering and developing new creative talent, particularly voices that represent contemporary Ireland. We look forward to seeing the results from this year’s Spotlight writers, and are delighted to support them as they develop their craft and foster connections with Irish and international industry.”
Each Spotlight writer or team will be paired with a script editor and mentor specialising in writing for stage and screen for the duration of the program. A series of virtual webinars and masterclasses will be held throughout the program, culminating in an alumni networking event with industry members and the past participants of the Spotlight scheme in attendance.
“We are delighted to welcome this year’s writers to Spotlight: Stage to Screen, and to congratulate the finalists on what has been an incredibly competitive and difficult selection process,” added Eimear Markey, Screen Ireland’s Development Manager. “These 10 projects represent the strength of writing across theatre, radio drama and now screenwriting – and all of the projects promise original stories from fresh and innovative perspectives. A special thanks to all who applied – and to course coordinator Jennifer Smyth, as well as our Development, Communications and Skills teams who do so much to make Spotlight a success.”
Spotlight was established in 2018 as the New Writing Scheme and is now/Screen Ireland’s flagship screenwriting talent scheme aimed at discovering and developing fresh and exciting new voices. The theme for the next round of Spotlight 2024 will be announced soon, with applications opening shortly after that.
The Spotlight projects and writers are as follows:
Down with Jazz by Esosa Ighodaro
Just Like You Said It Would Be by Anna Ní Dhúill
Looking for América by Janet Moran and Federico Julián González
The Community/Singing for Survival by Aisling Byrne
The Window Smashers by Rían Smith
Platforms by Ally Ryan and Becky Cheatle
Walk For Me by Kate Stanley Brennan
Feis Moms by Jonathan Hughes
Appropriate by Sarah-Jane Scott
Joss Paper & Roast Duck by Eve Li
To find out more about the writers/writing teams and their selected projects, click here.
