Writing an Original TV Drama
Applications
← Back to Courses
Writing an Original TV Drama Serial
From pitch to pilot – work on your original TV drama with top industry professionals.
Across 18-weeks, 15 talented writers will each develop an idea for a drama serial, write a 60-minute pilot episode and evolve a plan for further episodes – supported by the expert teaching of experienced screenwriter, producer and director Jamie Nuttgens.
Plus a series of six masterclasses from leading TV industry professionals, including Curtis Brown’s Theatre, Film and Television agents, and an in-depth one-to-one tutorial from an experienced script editor Clare Alan.
I am hugely grateful to this course for all I learnt and for introducing me to my now agent. The masterclasses from TV professionals and the tutor led sessions were incredibly informative. As well as helping me learn how best to write TV drama, I was also able to gain a greater understanding of the industry as a whole. A brilliant course for anyone wanting to start TV writing and also for authors like me who want to make the move across.
Former Writing an Original TV Drama Serial student
Tutors
Jamie Nuttgens
Jamie Nuttgens is an award-winning writer, producer and director in TV and Film with over 25 years’ experience working with writers across different genres and platforms. After a career in Rep and Devised Theatre and as a Writer-Producer in Commercial Radio, he joined BBC Drama Serials to Script Edit Jimmy McGovern’s The Lakes. After a stint at Casualty he moved to ITV to produce The Bill and a spin-off series, Burnside. For Channel 4 he developed and co-produced Red Riding, a series of TV films based on David Peace’s Northern Noir novels. He has produced the award-winning work of UK Indian writer-director, Smita Bhide, including Cup & Lip, The Blue Tower (Best UK Feature Raindance Film Festival) and Another Planet (Golden Award IFF Goa). His own writing has included Casualty, The Bill and Crossroads. He is currently Head of Drama at Ten66 Television (Black Lesbian Handbook / Love In The Flesh). At the Met Film School, Ealing Studios, he headed the MA in Screenwriting since 2013, is currently Lecturer in Screenwriting at Oxford University and has been a visiting lecturer at NFTS, La Femis Paris, Northern Film School, Westminster, Polish Film School Lodz, and Blanquerna Barcelona.
Clare Alan
Clare Alan is a script editor and producer who has worked on a range of TV and film projects in the UK and Ireland. Her script editing credits include Solomon & Gaenor by Paul Morrison and controversial C4 factual drama The Investigator by Barbara Machin for September films; Dangerfield and Silent Witness for the BBC, and four series of The Vice for ITV. Clare moved to Touchpaper TV as head of development in 2001 and began producing on shows by Julian Fellowes, Barry Simner, Edna O’Brien and Colin Teevan. In 2017 she set up Pamela Productions where she worked on ReefTV’s biopic of Mahler for BBC Music & Arts, Draco by Clive Bradley and A New Dawn by Bronagh Taggart for BBC Northern Ireland. She has also worked as executive producer on C4’s new writing and directing scheme Coming Up.
What does this course give you?
- Live teaching sessions in London: Jamie Nuttgens will teach on topics important for developing and writing a TV drama serial – and which support the masterclasses. Topics include character development, structure, plot, endings and more.
- A community of writers: Our selective applications process means that you will be writing your TV drama in a peer group of 15 students working at a high level. We have developed a bespoke learning platform exclusively for our students. Here you can give and receive feedback, and discuss the week’s topics with your fellow students and tutors. Many of our former students have found their trusted readers with us – and form strong working friendships with classmates which go on long after the course is over.
- Group workshops: On 10 evenings, Jamie Nuttgens will lead group workshops live in London or on Zoom giving dedicated feedback on 2,000-word extracts of your pilot script. Each student gets two workshops focused on their own work across the course.
- 1-to-1 tutorials: You'll get a 25-minute one-to-one tutorial with Jamie, as well as a 45-minute tutorial with professional script editor Clare Alan.
- 5 industry masterclasses: Top TV professionals share their expertise during five special Zoom/in-person sessions. Key leading figures from all key stages of the production process will guide students through the process of drama development, with focus on students' work.
- Agent Q&A: TV agents from Curtis Brown will talk about the agent's role and answer questions on the industry and how to get your work noticed.
- Pitching panel: Students will verbally pitch their TV project to two industry experts and get individual feedback on how to improve their pitch to make it as strong as possible.
- Share your work with agents: At the end of the course all students will be invited to informally share the first fifteen pages of your pilot script (max 2,200 words) plus 50-word pitch and 300-word outline for the series with the Curtis Brown agent team. Agents may request to see more.
Course schedule
All teaching and workshop sessions will take place on Mon or Thurs evenings from 7pm to 9pm (unless otherwise stated below). Classes will be held in the Writers' Room of the new Curtis Brown offices (Cunard House, 15 Regent Street, London, SW1Y 4LR).
Classes may be moved from London to Zoom depending on circumstances, with prior notification to all concerned.
We are passionate about the safety and comfort of our students, please read the current version of our Covid protocol here.
INTRODUCTION
Thurs 13 AprCONCEPT? PREMISE? WHAT'S THE STORY?
Thurs 20 AprTHE CHARACTER JOURNEY
Thurs 27 AprMASTERCLASS 1: SHOWRUNNER/WRITER
Tues 2 MaySTRUCTURING THE SERIAL
Thurs 4 MayMASTERCLASS 2: PRODUCER
Thurs 11 MaySTRUCTURING THE PILOT
Thurs 18 MayMASTERCLASS 3: SCRIPT EDITOR WITH CLARE ALAN
Thurs 25 MayBEGINNINGS & ENDINGS – TROUBLESHOOTING YOUR WORK
Thurs 1 JunMASTERCLASS 4: COMMISSIONER
Thurs 8 JunWRITING IS RE-WRITING & TECH TIPS
Thurs 15 JunSCENE WRITING: DIALOGUE
Mon 22 JunMASTERCLASS 5: DIRECTOR
Thurs 29 JunTHE FIRST 10 PAGES
Thurs 6 JulPITCH PRACTICE 1
Thurs 13 JulPITCH PRACTICE 2
Thurs 20 JulCONCLUSIONS, AGENTS & PITCHING
Mon 24 JulAGENT Q&A SESSION
Thurs 27 JulCONCLUSIONS
Thurs 3 Aug
Course fees
Our selective applications process means that you will be writing your script in a peer group of 15 students working at a high level.
The course fee of £2,800 (inc VAT) per student is payable, in full, by bank transfer. Funds must reach our bank account before the course begins. If you are unable to pay the full fee upfront, let us know and we can arrange an installment plan.
Application process
Please apply with the opening of your pilot script (up to fifteen pages – maximum 2,200 words) in industry standard format, 300 words synopsising your entire pilot episode and 300 words synopsising the rest of your serial. All of these materials need to be in the same document, as you can only upload ONE PDF file.
The CBC team will select applicants based on the quality of the writing sample provided. The deadline for applications is midnight, end of day Sun 19 Mar, and we will respond to applicants by Thurs 23 Mar.
Please upload your application via the form on this page. If you encounter any problems during the application process, or have any more questions about the course, please email help@curtisbrowncreative.co.uk for assistance.
Scholarship available
There is also one scholarship place available, we will award one talented writer with limited financial means a free place on this three-month Writing an Original TV Drama Serial course. To find out more and apply to the Breakthrough Scholarship for TV Screenwriters with Low Income please fill in the seperate application form found below.
Breakthrough Scholarship for TV Screenwriters with Low Income
Our London-based TV screenwriting course, featuring masterclasses from top TV professionals and Curtis Brown agents.
Tutor
Jamie Nuttgens