RTÉ and Northern Ireland Screen have announced a new season of Storyland, the award-winning commissioning project that gives emerging Irish drama talent an opportunity to make original programmes, viewable to a global audience via the RTÉ Player.
Storyland continues to offer a springboard for Irish writing, directing, producing and acting talent throughout the island of Ireland. The fifth series of Storyland which ran on RTÉ Player earlier this year has already won a number of international awards and generated additional opportunities, both within and outside RTÉ, for writers, directors and producers to apply and develop their talents.
For the sixth series, RTÉ and Northern Ireland Screen will commission five single dramas of up to 20 minutes duration, available both nationally and internationally on RTÉ Player. Each commission should have a prologue and a clear three act structure which will enable writers, directors, producers and actors to tell bigger, deeper stories with more scale. If you have a great dramatic story to tell, Storyland provides an excellent platform for you to share it with a global audience.
Launching the sixth season of Storyland, Jane Gogan, Head of Drama in RTÉ Television said: “Storyland continues to play a significant role in the development of the television and film industry in Ireland. The opportunity is there for Irish talent to showcase their work and become the key creators of television drama and film for an audience that craves brilliant stories.”
Aspiring and experienced drama production teams are now invited to pitch their ideas to make one of five drama commissions. Two information Open Days will be held for television, film and digital content professionals - one in RTÉ at 7pm on Wednesday 3rd and a second, hosted by Northern Ireland Screen, in The Mac, Exchange Street West, Belfast at 1pm on Friday 5th June. The closing date for submissions is 31st July.
Now in its sixth season, Storyland has proven to be a successful commissioning platform to bring fresh creative ideas to RTÉ and identify emerging creative talent for the TV and film industry in Ireland. Storyland has been a springboard for writers, directors and producers and actors, who include, among many others: Thomas Martin (‘Danger High Voltage’, ‘Jenny Was a Friend of Mine’, ‘Raw’, ‘Ripper Street’) Kevin McGahern (‘Republic of Telly’, ‘Hardy Bucks’); Marie Caffrey and Nikki Racklin of Zanzibar Films (‘Cuckoo’); Paul Duane, Rob Cawley and Gary Duggan (‘Happy Slapper’) who went on to make ‘Amber’ for RTÉ One; actress Charlie Murphy (‘Love/Hate’/The Village’); ‘Hardy Bucks’ who went on to have an RTÉ2 TV series and a feature film following their Storyland success.
Glen Killane, MD RTÉ Television, welcomed the alliance with Northern Ireland Screen saying: “We are delighted to welcome Northern Ireland Screen as partners in the sixth series of Storyland and we look forward to working closely with them in the coming months. Their involvement reflects our shared commitment to providing valuable platforms for creative writing, directing, producing and acting talent on the island of Ireland to reach audiences, both here and internationally.”
Richard Williams, Northern Ireland Screen, Chief Executive, said: “One of Northern Ireland Screen’s main aims is to support the development of, and invest in, a new generation of creative talent, so teaming up with RTÉ on Storyland is a perfect partnership for us. Storyland provides a real chance for writers, directors and producers to make a wholly original drama allowing them to grow and hopefully become the hit makers of tomorrow. We look forward to finding new exciting projects through the scheme.”
Five series will be commissioned each consisting of one 20 minute episode. The closing date for submissions is 31st July. Interviews will be held in September with the commissions being announced in early October.
To reserve a place at the Storyland Open Day information event in RTÉ, interested parties are asked to email storyland2015@RTÉ.ie. To reserve a place at the Belfast Storyland Open Day email rsvp@northernirelandscreen.co.uk.
For further information, visit: https://www.facebook.com/RTÉStoryland.
