Felix Dexter Bursary - BBC Comedy Commissioning + BBC Writersroom

FELIX DEXTER BURSARY | BBC Comedy Commissioning + BBC Writersroom | Opening: Monday 22^nd May 5pm - Deadline: Monday 12th June 5pm

BBC Comedy Commissioning is the largest comedy department in the UK, responsible for some of the most watched and critically acclaimed programmes in the world. BBC Comedy prides itself on working with the very best in comedy talent, new and established, on and off screen; across radio, online and all four BBC television channels.

We want to give participants from black, Asian minority ethnic (BAME) backgrounds an insight into production and development and encourage comedy writing talent to gain the skills, knowledge and experience and to encourage them to participate in future opportunities whether in the BBC or elsewhere in the industry; via a detailed training programme which will be based at the BBC in London across 6 months.

Writers' Guidelines

This Bursary aims to make a positive intervention to address an under-representation of black, Asian minority ethnic professionals in comedy production and development in the broadcast industry. This training scheme will provide a unique opportunity to gain experience in the programme making world with access to top tier production facilities where participants can learn and hone their writing craft across radio comedy, television comedy, panel shows and comedy entertainment shows

Application Questions:

Q1 – Write your own obituary from the perspective of someone you don’t get along with (500 words max)

Q2 – Write a sketch incorporating a first date at a funeral (1000 words max).

Q3 - Please critique two examples of comedy programming from the last 6 months. Please describe one you enjoyed and one you felt could have been improved – please justify your answers; what would you have done differently?   Please answer in no more than 500 words.

Answers to the above must be saved as one single PDF file, no larger than 10MB, with each question and answer clearly defined. (Do not include your name on this document as all submissions will be read blind, in the first instance.)

 Entry Requirements:

• A good knowledge of British comedy and comedy television in general
• Experience of writing to a brief set by others – to be outlined in your Writing CV
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to express all issues and ideas clearly and concisely
• Experience of working to a deadline – to be outlined in your Writing CV
• Duos can submit, but no writing teams
• Entrants must submit a Writing CV document as well as a short bio, to be entered on your Writersroom E-subs profile
• Entrants must be over the age of 16 at the time of submitting

Deadline: Monday 12th June at 5pm.