First Laureate na nÓg

Irish Publishing News reports that Siobhán Parkinson has been announced by President Mary McAleese as Ireland's first Laureate na nÓg. She will hold the position for two years.

Established by a combination of the Arts Council, the Office of the Minister for Children and Youth Affairs, Children’s Books Ireland and Poetry Ireland the Laureate will promote children’s literature and build engagement wit young readers. The role is also supported by Eason’s and by the Irish Times.

Parkinson writes for both children and young adults whose work has been translated in several languages. She has won the Bisto Book award as well as been shortlisted for that award and several others. Most recently she co- founded New Island’s children’s imprint, Little Island.

Pat Moylan, Chairman of the Arts Council, said, ‘The Arts Council is proud to initiate Ireland’s first laureate for children’s literature. Laureate na nÓg seeks to broaden and enrich young people’s imaginative worlds, to encourage a love of reading and to inculcate the value of literature among children and young people.’

The new laureate Siobhán Parkinson said, ‘I am thrilled and honoured to be chosen as the first Laureate na nÓg. I believe that children’s literature lays the foundations of the imaginative life of a people, and that every child deserves to have access to a reading haven — a well-stocked and well-run library in their school and in their community.’

Young Playwrights Wanted

Tinderbox Theatre Company in Belfast is looking for applicants aged between 16 and 25 for its Fireworks – Young Writers Programme.

The Fireworks writers will be working with the actors in the Tinderbox Studio Ensemble. In addition writers will watch plays or readings and any Tinderbox productions that coincide with the programme, as well as read and analyse plays together.

Writers must be available in Belfast during a number of specific dates in 2010 - the information is on the web site.

To apply, you will need to send two pages of dialogue from a previous script (not written for this application), and a covering letter about yourself stating why you are interested in taking part in Fireworks, and your writing experience so far.

The deadline for entries is 3 May 2010

Roy Wins RTS Award

The Guardian reports that the BBC children's television comedy, Roy (JAM Media for CBBC), won a Royal Television Society award for Children's Drama.

Roy is a live action television series incorporating animation, and is based on the award-winning Irish short film "Badly Drawn Roy". The show continues to have a strong Irish connection with several Irish writers on the series, including Danny Stack, Neil Leyden, Alan Keane and Declan DeBarra.

DARE2BDRINKAWARE 09

Now in its third year, DARE2BDRINKAWARE.ie is a competition for third-level students, sponsored by drinkaware.ie and organised by the Digital Hub Development Agency (DHDA).

The aim of the competition is to highlight young people's attitudes to alcohol: through the use of digital media, students tell their stories and inform their peers about responsible drinking.

The competition is open to students of any discipline. Technical ability is just one element of the judging criteria.

To apply for this year’s competition please fill out the Online Application Form before Friday, 20th November 2009.

Last year’s winning film 'On The Cutting Room Floor' won all of the judges' categories, beating rival entries from colleges throughout Ireland and scooping a total of €4,000 in prize money.

To find out more details about the competition visit the web site.

Cinemagic Workshops

The Coca-Cola Cinemagic Film and Television Festival for Young People, which is taking place during from 18 November - 4th December 2009 in Belfast, is seeking young people aged 16-25 to participate in their ‘Talent Lab’ and Masterclass series - covering topics such as screen fighting, casting, makeup, production, acting and screenwriting amongst others.

The 2009 Masterclass lineup for the Cinemagic Festival includes: ‘Fights for Stage and Screen’ with Youngblood’s fight director Tim Klotz (Shakespeare’s Globe, Lyric Hammersmith, Royal Festival Hall); ‘Make-up for Film’ with Academy Award winning hair and make-up artist Christine Blundell (Topsy Turvy, Casino Royale, Sherlock Holmes); costume design guidance from Academy Award winning designer Jenny Beavan (A Room with a View, Gosford Park, Alexander); a script writing lesson with Ryan Rowe (Tapeheads, Run’s House, I’m on Fire); a film production session with Terry Bamber (Casino Royale, Quantum of Solace, Phantom of the Opera) and David Cain (Thunderbirds, Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, Hannibal Rising), casting advice from casting director Ros Hubbard (The Commitments, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Bourne Ultimatum), and location management pointers with Andrew Wilson (City of Ember, Middletown, Breakfast on Pluto).

Cinemagic are running other special events in November. Amongst these is an ‘In Conversation with’ session with Muppets Potto and Hilda on November 20th who will be screening ‘Sesame Tree’, the Northern Ireland adaptation of ‘Sesame Street’. There will also be an acting masterclass with IFTA winning actor Ciaran Hinds (The Eclipse) on November 23rd where the actor will deliver a practical workshop in acting for film. Another masterclass being held on the same day is the Channel 4 Programme Making Workshop, hosted by Neil McCallum (head of music at Channel 4) and other members of the Channel 4 Production Team, which aims to expand the skills of individuals who already have gained a degree of experience in areas such as presenting, producing and directing. The Channel 4 Programme making workshop will run for two days.

The Twelve

The Royal Exchange is looking for submissions for The Twelve, its Young Playwrights Course (YPC), which is a free four week course aiming to identify and develop writers of potential between the ages of 18 and 30.

Meeting on Saturdays 17 and 24 October (10am – 5pm) and 31 October and 7 November (10am – 1pm), twelve writers will be taught the craft of writing – from the principles of story and plot through to the structuring of scenes, the development of theme and the generation of ideas. By the end of the course, the writers will have generated an idea for a play and developed this into a storyline. They will then have a further six weeks to write that play. The course will be led by Jo Combes, Associate Director at the Royal Exchange, and award-winning dramatist Nick Leather.

In January 2010 the young playwrights will be given one-to-one tutorials on their plays, and advice on the future. All of the writers who complete an original play on deadline, and to an acceptable standard, will pass the course. The graduates of the YPC will continue to have a relationship with the theatre and have access to the Literary Department.

In addition to their tuition, they will receive two scripts to read before the start of the course and must write a short review on each. Each week they will receive a further script to read and review for the following week. They will also be eligible for discounted tickets to selected productions at the theatre throughout the course.

During the course, the young writers will have access to an online message board, allowing them to share and discuss their ideas and stories together. Following the course, all graduates will have access to a further message board which will allow them to stay in touch and provide mutual support via an online community.

This intensive course will aim to be prestigious, both for the theatre and the graduates, and be built around creating the best environment for promising young writers to fulfil their potential. Over time, the YPC should generate an exciting group of playwrights, who would carry the good name of the theatre on all their future achievements.

The deadline for entries is the 4th September 2009, and information on how to apply is available from the web site.

Awards for Young People's Theatre

The Theatre Centre in the UK wants submissions for its Brian Way and Adrienne Benham awards

To qualify for the TC Brian Way Award, the play must have been written for young people and been professionally produced between 1 October 2008 and 30 September 2009. The winner of the TC Brian Way Award 2010 will undertake a limited yet specific role in delivering TC’s vision as an ambassador and expert in the field of new writing. It is awarded as a cash prize of £6,000.

The TC Adrienne Benham Award for New Promise is presented to an emerging playwright who displays an interest in writing for young audiences. It is awarded as a £2,000 Seed Commission.

The deadline for submission for both awards is 1 December, 2009.

The criteria for submission and the application forms are on the web site.

NI Funding Arts and Sports

Six Northern Ireland projects, which bring together arts and sports, have been selected by Legacy Trust UK (LTUK) to receive funding of £1.31million in the lead up the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

The Arts Council of Northern Ireland (ACNI), will be responsible for the delivery of the funding to the project lead partners, coordinating the programme and ensuring that it provides a legacy beyond the Games in 2012.

The following six organisations have been selected to become project lead partners and coordinate each project:

• Dance and Sport – Echo Echo Dance Theatre Company
• Physical Theatre/Circus and Gymnastics – The BEAT Initiative
• Music /Poetry and Sport – Ulster Orchestra
• Children's Theatre and Children’s Sport – Bardic Educational Arts & Media
• Visual Arts/Film and Sport – Northern Ireland Screen
• Disability Arts and Sport – Open Arts

Young Wicklow Filmmakers Bursary

IFTN reports that Wicklow County Council has launched its 2009 Bursary Awards for Young Wicklow Filmmakers.

The awards for film makers, aged between 18 and 25 years, will be presented to the applicants who are deemed "Best Short Filmmaker" across two age categories.

This initiative, which was started in 2007, alongside Wicked Young Filmmakers Festival will award a total of €2,750 will be awarded in the following categories:

Category One – Best short for age category 22 – 25 years - €1,000
Best runner up in age category 22 – 25 years - €500

Category Two – Best short for age category 18 – 21 years - €750
Best runner up in age category 18 – 21 years - €500

The successful applicants will be selected by a panel of judges including film practitioners and representatives of Wicklow County Arts Office and County Wicklow Film Commission.

A selection of successful shorts will be screened in the Greystones Theatre at the Wicked Young Filmmakers Festival (August) and awards will be announced and presented at this event.

Closing date for receipt of completed application form is 5.00pm on Friday 26th June 2009. Details from Wicklow County Arts Office at 0404 20155 or wao@wicklowcoco.ie

CBI Conference

Those writing for children should mark on their calendars the annual conference by Children's Books Ireland, which takes place from 16-17 May in the National Gallery of Ireland, Dublin.

Tackling the pertinent theme of Challenge and Change in Children’s Books, this year’s speakers will bring a huge wealth of knowledge and expertise to the table, promising an exciting weekend of discussion and debate.

On the home front, Ireland is well represented by the talents of Celine Kiernan (The Poison Throne), Andrew Whitson and Caitríona Hastings (An tSnáthaid Mhór), Orla Kenny & Mary Branley (Kids' Own) and Eoin Colfer (Artemis Fowl, Airman), who will close proceedings on Sunday in conversation with Robert Dunbar.

From the UK, CBI is delighted to welcome illustration expert Martin Salisbury (Play Pen), award-winning authors Patrick Ness (The Knife of Never Letting Go) and David Almond (Skellig, Jackdaw Summer), as well as writer and publisher Verna Wilkins (Tamarind Books), who will present this year’s Ibby Ireland session.

Making perhaps the longest commute ever in the history of CBI conference speakers will be the celebrated Australian author and illustrator Shaun Tan (The Arrival, Tales from Outer Suburbia) who makes his first visit to Ireland especially for the conference.

Children's Playwriting Competition

Imaginosity Children's Museum, in conjunction with the The Natural Confectionery Company (TNCC), has issued a call for entries to an inaugural playwriting competition for Children's theatre. Imaginosity will have first option on producing the winning play for the "TNCC Kids Stage" at Imaginosity, which attracts almost 130,000 visitors each year.

The panel that will adjudicate the entries include: Victoria Smurfit (Actress and Writer), Peter Sheridan (Writer and Director), Marie Louise Fitzpatrick (Children's writer), Jim Culleton (Artistic Director, Fishamble) and Orla Kennedy (CEO, Imaginosity).

The competition is open to writers 18 years and over. The first prize winner will take home a cheque for €1,000, with €300 for second place, and €200 for the third placed play.

The panel is looking for plays with originality and flair that will appeal to children up to 10 years of age.

Outlining what he is looking for in entries, Peter Sheridan explained, "I am looking for imagination, humour, emotional engagement, good characterisation and writing that deals with contemporary concerns of children."

Submissions will be accepted between January 19th — March 13th 2009, and the winner will be announced on Monday March 30th 2009.

The details on how to enter and the application form are available from the web site.

Skin Up

E4 is running a screenwriting competition for young writers, and the prize is the chance to write a Skins mini episode, which will be screened online (and possibly on TV) in summer 2009.

Each entry must be a short comedy-drama under 1,600 words that doesn't use an existing Skins character, but contains a minimum of three characters in fewer than five locations. The deadline for entries is 6pm on December 9th 2008.

Before you get too excited about this opportunity it's best to read the restrictions: entrants must be aged between 18 and 23 years and resident of the UK. Proof of age and identity will be required.

A set visit will take place one day between 15th and 19th December 2008, which you will be required to attend.

On the 12th January, you will be required to attend the first meeting with the rest of your team. Another three meetings will be arranged subsequently, and will take place between January 13th and 16th March 2008.

Your time attending the writer's room will begin mid January. We expect you to attend a maximum of 10 sessions. There's a chance that once these 10 sessions have been attended, you may be invited back to the writer's room as a contributor, this decision is at the discretion of Company Pictures.

The filming of the Skins mini episode will take place between 16th March and 20th March 2009 in Bristol. You will be required to attend the four day shoot where you get to witness the mini episode being filmed.

For all meetings, set visits and shoots, accommodation and travel (if necessary) will be paid. You will also be paid a day rate for your time (amount to be confirmed with the winner).

Calling Young Screenwriters

The Galway Advertiser reports that the Galway Junior Film Fleadh is looking for submissions for its junior screenwriting competition.

The competition is open to those aged between 13 and 18 years old. Entrants must write a 500 word idea for a story which could be for a feature film, short film, a documentary, book, or video game!

The Junior Galway Film Fleadh is encouraging Galway teens to draft their idea, and then practise to family and friends performing the story outline. Five ideas will then be selected and the five authors will be asked to present it on the stage of the Town Hall Theatre from November 12 to 14.

Each idea will be critiqued by the award winning Irish screenwriter, Christian O'Reilly (Inside I’m Dancing, On Home Ground), and following this, the assembled audience will vote on the best pitch/idea.

The first prize is a script training scholarship at the Galway Film Centre. The runner up will receive a book voucher for Charlie Byrne’s book shop.

The deadline for entries is October 24. Entries can be posted to the Junior Galway Film Fleadh Script Competition, Cluain Mhuire, Monivea Road, Galway, or emailed to festival@juniorfilmfleadh.com.

More information and entry forms are available from www.juniorfilmfleadh.com, www.spunout.ie, www.galwayfilmcentre.ie, and Charlie Byrne's Bookshop, Middle Street, Galway.

Free Theatre for Youth in UK

The Stage reports that in the UK Culture secretary Andy Burnham has announced a new £2.5 million scheme that will give out a million free theatre tickets to under 26-year olds in 95 venues across England over a two-year period.

Launching the programme, Burnham said that it would mean "a whole new audience will get the chance to enjoy the best our theatre has to offer". He added: "Theatres up and down the country will get the chance to work with us to provide a million free tickets to productions over the next two years. So it will be good for theatres, who will see their audience broaden, and it will be good for actors, who play at their best when performing to a full house."

The programme, which has been developed from initial proposals for a free week of theatre suggested by the McMaster Report into excellence in the arts, will be operated by ACE.

Badly Drawn Series

The Sunday Business Post reports that Dublin company Jam Media will produce a new €5 million BBC animation series.

The BBC will provide over the half the funding, with additional money coming from Irish sources.

John Rice, managing director of Jam Media, said that the series should air on RTÉ in 2010. He added:

"The big advantage with producing the series in Ireland is that you can go to the BBC, for example, and tell them that you could get between 30 and 50 per cent of the necessary funding in Ireland yourself with initiatives like Section 481, the BCI and Irish Film Board."

Principal photography work for Badly Drawn Roy began last week. The series will debut on the BBC next March.

"This is our most ambitious project so far," said Rice.

"We'll be producing the series in Ireland and contracting in 90 writers, crew, actors and animators to work on the project in addition to our own staff. We're looking at a 12week live action shoot and 30 weeks in animation production."

The BBC picked up the series following Jam's short film release of the same name in 2006.

Produced under the Frameworks Scheme with funding from RTE, the Arts Council and Irish Film Board, the original film was presented as a mock documentary about an animated character called Roy and his life as part of an ordinary live action' family in a Dublin suburb.

Rice said the format for the new BBC series had been re-jigged to appeal to a pre-teen audience.

"It was commissioned by BBC drama, which is really unusual for a kid's TV series," he said. "The idea is that it might appeal to children on the verge of puberty who often feel kind of different - Roy is a cartoon boy living in the real world.

The original short film upon which the series is based was co-written by Alan and Frank Shannon, and directed by Alan Shannon.

Screenwriting for Children

FÁS Screen Training Ireland is running a screenwriting for children course on two weekends (2nd – 4th Sept; 29th Sept – 1st Oct 2008) at the Adelaide Chambers, Peter St, Dublin 8. The course costs €400.00.

Participant Profile:
Professional writers writing for children’s television animation/live action, or children’s books/theatre writers who wish to enhance their scriptwriting skills for programmes aimed at the 6-11 age group.

Course Profile:
This course provides practical training in scriptwriting for six to 11 years-targeted programmes. Through project-based course work, the course enhances participants’ ability to develop character, story, humour and dialogue suitable for a six to 11-year-old market in live action and animation. Participants will enhance their understanding of these issues through intensive, practical work on their own projects with the course tutors.

The deadline for applications is August 21st, 2008. Information on how to apply is available on the web site.

Lights Out! 2008

Lights Out!, the Irish Film Institute's new national film festival for young people, which will take place from July 12-26 all around Ireland, has announced its programme. It will offer a selection of films aimed at young people in locations around the country, as well as seminars and masterclasses on working in the industry. Perfect for those looking for shelter from our Irish summer during their holidays.

Cinemagic Dublin

Teenagers, and adults with children might be interested to know that Northern Ireland's Cinemagic Film & Television Festival for Young People is setting up in Spencer Dock, Dublin from April 23 - May 1. There will be plenty to do: screenings, workshops, masterclasses and special secondary School education workshops.

Filmbase is running a competition to win 2 festival passes (each pass admits up to 5 people) for the opening film of Cinemagic Dublin on the 23rd April. All you have to do is answer the following question and email it to Filmbase by Thursday 17th April. Details are on the web site.