We are delighted to announce the 4 writers/writing partnerships shortlisted for the NI Writers Award.
Selected from an extremely competitive field, each writer/writing partnership will now receive a paid treatment commission to develop an original series idea with Element Pictures, and one treatment will subsequently be selected to be developed to a full pilot script.
This scheme is run by Element Pictures (Normal People, The Favourite) in partnership with ±«Óãtv Writersroom and ±«Óãtv Drama Commissioning to uncover stories that haven’t yet been told about Northern Ireland: the emotionally powerful, thought-provoking, inspiring, celebratory, relevant or surprising narratives that reflect the variety and diversity of life there today – and can also speak to a global audience.
If you would like further information about any of the writers, please feel free to contact writersroom@bbc.co.uk or their agent.
The four selected writers/writing partnerships are:
- Nicola Cassidy
- Paul Skillen and Aaron Gray
- Matthew McDevitt
- Michael John O'Neill
Find out more about each of them below.
Aaron Gray and Paul Skillen
Aaron Gray and Paul Skillen
Aaron Gray and Paul Skillen have co-written a number of award winning short films. 'THE WAY BACK' (2015) and 'ECHOES' (2018) successfully played international festivals, winning awards, and were subsequently broadcast in the UK and USA. Their longer form work includes 'DINOSAURS' (2016), a pre-apocalyptic television pilot broadcast in Ireland, and eco-horror 'BELOW' which is in development with a major UK production company. An audio series based on BELOW is due for release early 2022. GRAVEYARD SHIFT, their project that has been selected for the Element Pictures NI Writers Award, is a noir thriller set in the world of social media content moderators.
The writers also have a number of feature films projects are various stages of development. Their folk horror 'MAIDENSANDS', has been optioned by an American production company and they are exploring opportunities for their sci-fi feature 'THE SILENCE'.
Paul and Aaron also develop their own projects. Paul has written for ±«Óãtv Radio, ±«Óãtv Bitesize and his short film THE MUSIC TEACHER is currently in preproduction. Aaron has a wealth of experience in developing television factual content and also has writing credits on ±«Óãtv Radio. They are both represented by Sayle Screen.
Michael O'Neill
Michael O’Neill
Michael John O’Neill is a Northern Irish playwright, dramaturg and theatre producer based in Scotland. In 2019 Michael became the inaugural recipient of the Bruntwood Prize’s Original New Voice Award for his play AKEDAH. In 2020 his short monologue SORE AFRAID was produced as a digital project by the National Theatre of Scotland, the Citizens Theatre, and ±«Óãtv Scotland. In 2021 his play THIS IS PARADISE had a short run at the Traverse Theatre during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and won the Popcorn Writing Award. He is developing new plays with the National Theatre of Scotland (as Writer on Attachment), Hampstead Theatre (as Writer on Attachment) and Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland (as winner of their New Playwrights’ Award). Michael is currently under commission with the Almeida Theatre as one of the six ‘Genesis Almeida New Playwrights, Big Plays’ writers for 2021/22. His work as a theatre producer includes as Artistic Producer of the Tron Theatre (2014-2020), where he commissioned and produced such work as Isobel McArthur’s PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*SORT OF) which, after its life at the Tron, went on to have a large-scale UK tour 2019-2020 and transferred to the West End in Autumn 2021.
Nicola Cassidy
Nicola Cassidy
Nicola Cassidy is a screenwriter and author from Co. Louth, Ireland.
In 2021 her crime drama pitch was selected from over 500 entries as a winner of the Stellify Media / Sony Pictures All Ireland Screenwriting Prize and was optioned for television.
Her short film ‘Chop’ was named a finalist in the Austin Comedy Film Festival 2021 and she was a finalist in the Dublin International Screenwriting Festival pitching to producers competition.
She was named Meath writer-in-residence in 2020 and was a finalist in the Wexford Literary Festival in 2017, with her play produced for stage.
She has published three historical fiction novels, the latest of which tells the forgotten story of Fred Astaire’s sister, Adele. She has recently completed her fourth novel, based on the true story of a young Jewish refugee’s journey to Ireland in 1939.
She holds a BA in Journalism and previously worked as a political press officer and marketing professional in engineering, hospitality and legal services.
Nicola Cassidy is represented by for screen projects.
Matthew McDevitt
Matthew McDevitt
Matthew McDevitt is a Derry based native who participated in the ±«Óãtv Writersroom’s 2020 Drama Room scheme. His first ±«Óãtv commission was a radio comedy-drama, Lock In, starring Conleth Hill, which was broadcast on Radio Ulster and Radio Scotland in 2018. Matthew has also contributed material to all three seasons of Soft Border Patrol, on ±«Óãtv NI.
Matthew was previously selected for the Belfast Voices writer development scheme.
His other works include, The Greasy Apple, a music mockumentary for Resonance FM; the script for the 3D Installation Talking Heads - as part of his hometown's acclaimed Halloween Festival; and the satirical game-show, Let's Get Quizzical which featured in Bob Slayer's, 'Heroes of the Fringe' and Belfast Comedy Festival 2016 and 2017.
His short story Handy Number was broadcast on ±«Óãtv Radio 4 in February 2021 and performed by Tara Lynne O’Neill. Matthew has recently been commissioned for a half hour comedy pilot entitled Softboiled.
See the Longlist for the Element Pictures NI Writers Award
Matthew McDevitt recently wrote a guest blog post for ±«Óãtv Writersroom: WRITING TODAY - Space to Write
Michael John O'Neill won the Popcorn Writing Award at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2021 - Entries for 2022 (in partnership with ±«Óãtv Writersroom) are open until 24th June