North East Screen, the screen agency for the North East of England, has selected three stand up comedy creators who will each receive £1,000 in development funds to help prime them for the wave of opportunities coming into the region in 2023.
Sammy Dobson, Raul Kohli and Scott Turnbull, all talented comedy creators from the region, will each receive the development fund as well as support to help pair them with development producers and production companies and provide them with industry networking opportunities.
12 runner up comedy creators will get the opportunity to work with NE Screen’s Comedy Hot House. Jess McDonagh, Bridgett Deane, Lauren Stone, Lee Armstrong, Matty Ride-Smith, Nic Owen, Penelope Yeulet, Rachel Stockdale, Sian Armstrong, Caden Elliott, Beth Chapman and Alison Stanley.
The BBC Small Indie fund has supported a year of outreach activity across the North East culminating in the BBC Comedy Creator Development Fund, co-ordinated by NE Screen Comedy Hot House.
Lisa Laws, Head of Talent and Business Development at North East Screen, said: “This was an opportunity for North East comedy creators with their sights set on scripted comedy to pitch themselves and their ideas to us. It’s been fantastic to find so many up and coming comedy creators in the region and brilliant to see such a range of talent and ideas. We can’t wait to introduce them to producers with inroads to broadcasters.
“All applicants to the scheme have opportunities to meet the region’s comedy companies and development producers who pitch to broadcasters. Well done to everyone who has been part of the process and we are excited to see the ideas and comedy creations develop.”
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