Fancy yourself as a dab hand at turning out a witty script? Got a pilot in the works that you’re itching to get out there but don’t know how? Or have you made the rounds and are feeling a little disheartened?

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) will jet three unknown screenwriters across the pond to the New York Television Festival (NYTVF) in September 2011 and showcase their work in front of the cream of the US television industry.

BAFTA invites UK-resident new comedy screenwriters who haven’t yet had a full television series broadcast to submit a ten minute extract from their TV sit-com or sketch show to BAFTA for consideration for the scheme.

The Academy, working alongside its colleagues in BAFTA in New York, its key partners Rocliffe – the London organisation that founded the new writing forums – and British Airways, Official Airline to the Academy, has teamed up with the NYTVF, the industry’s first independent television festival to offer this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Not only will the writers receive a festival pass, British Airways World Traveller return flights and accommodation, they will also have their work performed by professional actors at a special BAFTA Rocliffe New Writing Forum at the NYTVF where a top TV industry guest will give them vital tips and encouragement in front of an audience of TV heavyweights from FOX, FX and IFC amongst others. The writers will also be given ‘Official Artist’ status at the festival, allowing them comprehensive access to all festival premieres, hospitality events, panels, screenings and special one-on-one meetings with US TV development executives.


Join the ranks of Rocliffe patrons like Julian Fellowes.

Can you say ‘hell to the yes’? This is the kinda stuff TV sitcoms are made of. Perhaps I should write a script on writing a script for this competition. It’ll all end with an explosion, and/or a whodunnit and a doughnut that’s still warm from the fryer set to a xylophone version of “Tik Tok/Everybody Wants to Rule The World” mashup. (Or has that been done?)

“Since the Forum’s inception in 2000, participants have gone on to award-winning success, including Jack Thorne, James Dormer, Claire Wilson and Josh Appignanesi. Now, as the forum moves across the pond, three undiscovered British comedy writers will have the rare and potentially career-changing opportunity to have their work performed in front of prominent US television industry executives. It’s a golden ticket for three lucky yet to-be-known writers.”

- Farah Abushwesha co-founder of Rocliffe.

Want to know more? Full application details and terms and conditions can be found on BAFTA Blog. The closing date for entries is 6 July 2011.