In our nation-wide search for new drama writing talent in commercial radio, 8 writers and their scripts were chosen from 500 submissions to our online competition run in Spring 2007. On 20th April 2007, these eight aspiring writers – an actor, a doctor, a musician, an entrepreneur, two teachers, a creative consultant and a radio presenter – completed a radio drama writing workshop at Channel 4. As well as being introduced to the Channel’s commissioners in New Media and Radio, they worked with top radio drama experts.

In Workshop 1, the shortlisted writers were introduced to the rudiments of radio drama, their scripts were unpicked and they met young but top writers for inspirational sessions. They were given two further weeks to do re-writes at which point our Adjudicators choose the best four revised drafts. The winners attended a second more intensive workshop where they got to

• Develop their scripts
• Receive top industry mentoring
• Win studio time and drama expertise to produce their 15 minute plays
• Work with directors from TV & stage making their radio drama debuts
• Have their work streamed on Channel 4.com & eventually aired on 4Radio

Actors experienced in Radio Drama gave unrehearsed readings of the winning scripts as follows:

Lynne Verrall playing older female parts

Adjoa Andoh playing younger female parts

Carl Prekopp playing younger male parts

Sam Dale playing older male parts

Jason Chan playing Chinese immigrant in The Interpreter & other smaller parts

Trainee TV / Film director, Robin Field assisted producer Maud Hand in the delivery of the workshops.

The videos were produced by Keep-Up-To-Date.

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