Arista, BBC Films and Capitol Films Production, with the support of the UK Film Council and Film London, launch SCRIBES 2, an accelerated training and development programme for black and minority ethnic UK screenwriters.

Eight chosen screenwriters will go through an intensive project development programme and on into “first-look” deal with BBC Films and Capitol Films Production.

The eight writers selected for the programme, from over 65 applications, are Anthony Alleyne, Paul Anungawela Shekar Bassi, Shalinder Bassi, Yousuf Ali Khan, Emma Ko, Melanie Martinez and Mark Tonderai.

SCRIBES 2 is a screenplay development programme spread over a period of eight months, designed to fit around the working lives of participants, which gives eight Black and Minority Ethnic screenwriters (the SCRIBES), a combination of intensive project development, general screenwriting training and industry experience.

The participants have already enjoyed an intensive three day sales and marketing workshop in Italy by way of introduction to the scheme, which puts an emphasis on developing commercially viable projects. Over the next eight months, participants will attend further residential workshops and receive one-to-one script development guidance from Arista tutors. Participants will also be offered mentoring, meeting and industry placement opportunities to allow them to understand the business of, and foster relationships with, producers and development executives. As well as key executives from BBC Films, Capitol Films, UK Film Council and Arista, representatives from Capitol Films Productions’ Super Slate producers - Cuba Pictures, Element Films, Feel Films, Samuelson Productions and Tiger Aspect Pictures - will attend the launch and offer their support to the scheme throughout.

During the programme, each SCRIBE will develop two projects, one original screenplay and one outline. The programme culminates with an exclusive “first-look” deal between the ARISTA SCRIBES’ developed projects, Capitol Films Production and BBC Films. If Capitol Films Production and/or BBC Films then decide to take any SCRIBES project further, each project will be optioned for a guaranteed fee of £2,000 and a revised draft commissioned for a guaranteed fee of £10,000

For further information please go to www.aristadevelopment.com and click on SCRIBES.