Six young writers will be selected to take part in a workshop to develop Every Cloud Productions’ online drama series Deadlock.
UK-based Bryan Elsley, creator and co-writer of the teen series Skins, will run the script lab in Byron Bay from December 14 – 18, supported by Screen Australia's Enterprise Stories Program in partnership with Northern Rivers Screenworks.
The workshop will use an innovative story development approach to mentor emerging screenwriters and explore the best ways to reach the target audience.
Elsley will work with Every Cloud Productions executive producers Deb Cox and Fiona Eagger, multi-platform writer Mike Jones and local Indigenous writer Jon Bell to guide young writers through the intensive script lab.
To ensure authenticity, the workshop will be supported by teenagers from the Northern Rivers who will help inform content and relevant delivery platforms.
Eagger said, “By bringing together a collaborative team of emerging screenwriters, local youth and experienced storytellers, we hope to craft a series that engages a wide audience, and offers content current and honest enough to provide genuine insights into the ‘secret’ life of youth.”
Deadlock is an original concept by Deb Cox which will combine authentic voices with stories that reflect youth culture and complex issues faced by teenagers in Australia, with humour, courage and energy.
At the core of Deadlock lies the mystery of what happened one fateful night in an idyllic coastal town in North East Australia. When long-standing teenage regional rivalries are stirred at a late night party a short drive to a neighbouring town ends with a catastrophic car crash.
But the accident is only part of the picture and as the circumstances leading up it are unravelled, the many stories of the youth of this fictional town are peeled open.
Cox said, “The international success of Skins has proven that well-written and well-produced youth drama, guided by the story-telling craft of accomplished practitioners but authenticated by young screen creatives, can travel across the globe. We’re aiming to work with youth to create original story content on platforms they connect with and convey opinions and attitudes that more honestly reflect their world.”
The deadline for applications is November 2. For more information and how to apply visit www.deadlock.tv. Successful applicants will be notified by November 12.