FREE WORKSHOPS
with industry professionals
We run at least six workshops a year, often more, inviting a wide range of fantastic guest professionals along to engage and enlighten us in topics including…
• The nuts and bolts of scriptwriting
• Writing for specific genres
• Writing for different media
• Adapting others' stories for stage or screen
• Presenting your work and getting commissioned
• Working as a script editor or a staff writer
Workshops are usually held on Saturdays at Leeds Playhouse from 11am to 4pm, and they’re absolutely free for members.
WORKSHOP DIARY 2024
The Script Doctor is online
Tuesday 1st October
7.30pm to 8.30pm online via Google Meet
Jonathan Hall is The Script Doctor! To To coincide with the submissions window for our next Page to Stage event opening on 1st October, and to help you get you fighting fit (or, rather, writing fit) for it, our illustrious Chair Jonathan is running this online session on making your short script sing and upping your chances of it getting selected.
The session will last an hour, with Jonathan sharing his observations about writing for the stage. He'll cover three topics and answer any questions you have.
The session will include Jonathan's thoughts on:
-
Figuring out exactly what story you want to tell
-
Where to start your story
-
Getting in late and coming out early
-
Why every word and action needs to earn its place in the story.
The meeting link will be shared with those who are registered ONE HOUR before the sessions
The writers' room experience with Ian Kershaw
Saturday 5th October
11am to 4pm @ Leeds Playhouse
In this exciting writers' room simulation, BAFTA-winning writer Ian Kershaw is giving you the chance to experience what it's like to work with a team of writers developing storylines for television.
Here's your brief from Ian:
Imagine we've been commissioned to storyline Series 3 of the BBC's crime drama Sherwood. Ahead of the workshop, you'll need to watch both previous series on iPlayer to get a firm handle on the characters you'll be storylining for.
Also prior to the workshop, you'll need to write a pitch for a story for one of the characters. Your pitch should be around 2 pages of A4 (no more than 3).
The character can be a main, established character, a lesser character who could be fleshed out more, or a hitherto unseen character who we can bring into series 3 and explore.
Your pitch can be a story for an episode or a series. It could even be a comedy strand or a love story - whatever you want to bring to the table.
Sherwood is our precinct for the purposes of the exercise, but we can do whatever we want - we may even relocate it to Roundhay Park!
ON THE DAY
Once we've set up shop in our simulated writers' room, we'll read the pitches out loud and build together, plotting and planning out the next series.
Ian's reassurance to you:
"There is no right or wrong, no pressure or stress! This should be an informative (hopefully) and entertaining (hopefully) day, and it will be much better than me droning on in a Q&A (definitely)!"
Sounds brilliant. So if you want to attend, and Sherwood's not on your radar already, best get binge-watching now! And set a reminder to nab a seat at the table when the booking window opens.
Booking window opens Saturday 21st September via the Events tab in your member account
HOW TO BOOK
-
Numbers are limited to 20 writers per workshop.
-
To attend, you must be a current paid-up member of Script Yorkshire. Join us!
-
Tickets are bookable via the events page in your Script Yorkshire account, and the booking window opens on the Saturday two weeks before the workshop date.
-
If the workshop is full, you can add yourself to the waiting list and you'll get an email if someone drops out.
-
If you book a ticket and discover you can no longer attend, please cancel your ticket as soon as you possibly can via your account so another writer will have the chance to come along.
PAST WORKSHOPS
2024
23 March: How does telly work? with Lisa Holdsworth
18 May: How to write a gripping monologue with Cheryl Martin
11 June: Writing for radio with Jonathan Hall
25 June: Writing for radio with Marion Nancarrow
9 July: Writing for radio with Jonathan Hall
16 July: Producing your own work with Dick Bonham
10 Sep: Opportunities at The Playhouse with Amy Leach/Rio Matchett
2023
10 January: The Proactive Writer with Jonathan Hall
11 February: Devising theatre with Actors with Lucy Campbell
18 April: Writing for radio with Oliver Emanuel
20 May: Writing & pitching a TV drama series with Jade Jones
17 June: Podcasting for scriptwriters with Pods Up North
14 October: Producing your own work with Gordon Meredith
2022
26 January: Reconnecting With Our Creativity with Script Yorkshire's workshop team
26 March: Writing Film Scripts with Julian Woodford
23 April: How To Put On Your Own Play with Dick Bonham
12 November: Writing a theatre play with Tom Wells
2021
11 & 18 January: How to Catch Ideas with James Moran
15 & 22 February: Shoot Your Script with a Smartphone with Wayne Sables
22 April: Unlock Your Creativity with Emma Adams
22 May: Sitcom writing with Bennett Arron
15 July: The First Ten Pages with Tom Needham
2020
8 February: Has it Got Legs? with Ola Animashawun
29 February: Writing for Video Games with Steve Ince
14 July: Writing for Radio Part 1 with Oliver Emanuel
18 August: Writing for Radio Part 2 with Oliver Emanuel
8 September: Writing for Radio Part 3 with Oliver Emanuel
7 November: How to Start a Podcast with Pods Up North
2018
27 January: Creative Kickstart with Ola Animashawun
10 February: Horror Writing Workshop with James Moran
17 February: Scriptwriting Essentials 1 with Lisa Holdsworth and Alison Hume
17 March: Scriptwriting Essentials 2 with Lisa Holdsworth and Alison Hume
28 April: Thriller Writing with David Allinson
26 May: Plays That Kick Ass with Ola Animashawun
16 June: How to Write for Radio Drama Q&A – Chris Reason, Gary Brown, Kamal Kaan, Everal Walsh
15 September: Using Historical Research in Story-driven Drama with Ciaran Bermingham
3 November: Writing Radio-ready Drama with Stefan Escreet
2017
18 March: Writing for Film with Jimmy Richards
27 May: Script Editing Workshop with Alison Hume
8 July: Adaptation Workshop with Martin Jameson
23 September: Writing for TV with Ian Kershaw and Debbie Oates
11 November: Writing Comedy Workshop with Toby Hadoke
16 January: Creative Workout with Emma Adams
13 February: Producing New Writing with John Tomlinson
7 May: Writing for Radio Drama with Chris Reason
16 July: How to Get Ideas from Absolutely Anywhere with Dan Bye
10 September: Ways to Use Autobiographical Material in Creating Drama with Matt Miller
5 November: Creating Drama from Original Sources with Vanessa Rosenthal
26 November: AGM/Writing and Producing TV Q&A/Christmas social
WORKSHOP ETHOS
It’s very important that our workshops are events at which people feel safe and included and can share their work without prejudice, regardless of their age, race or gender.
We ask that our members always show respect to each other in a mutually constructive and supportive way.
