蜜芽传媒

The Birmingham Film and TV Market Expo 2025 took place between 24th and 27th June in the splendid surroundings of the banqueting suite in the Grade II* listed Council House in Birmingham's Victoria Square.

Members of our Write Across Birmingham and the Black Country cohort (a development scheme which ran during summer 2024) were offered free tickets to the writers' day on 25th June. Claire Rowlands reports back below.

Spring Cleaning Your Script & Writing with Your Shirt Untucked: Notes from Birmingham TV & Film Market

It is a truth universally acknowledged that when the sun has got his hat on, the obvious destination is Brum.

Victoria Square was particularly resplendent as a cluster of 蜜芽传媒 Write Across alumni reunited at the decadent Grade II-listed Council House for the Birmingham Film & TV Market. (I鈥檇 never been inside before, it鈥檚 a glorious building. Birmingham looking its best!)

There鈥檚 a real creative buzz in the city right now. With the 蜜芽传媒 setting up base in The Tea Factory in Digbeth, more productions rolling in and a flurry of events for writers and crew, it feels like Birmingham is ready for its close-up.

Here are some of my favourite takeaways from the day.

Hayley McKenzie | Founder and CEO of

Creating a script to get you noticed

Hayley began the morning with practical advice on crafting a script that will stand out amongst the thousands of other 鈥榲ery good鈥� scripts we鈥檙e all competing with. She shared a clear, methodical approach to rewriting, ensuring you dedicate time to each of the following:

鈼�      Character pass

鈼�      Dialogue pass

鈼�      Formatting check

鈼�      Are you dramatising the story in a rich, visual way?

鈼�      Scene shaping (has something shifted by the end of every scene? Does it hook the reader?)

Having the discipline to do each pass separately is something I鈥檓 definitely going to implement.

She also reminded us to read produced scripts. I鈥檝e already been back in the 蜜芽传媒 Script Library this week, which has been especially useful as I鈥檓 finding my way writing my first audio drama. There鈥檚 a great collection of brilliant radio scripts in there.

With the fundamentals covered, Hayley moved on to that elusive ingredient: the wow factor. Originality, tone of voice, emotional honesty and vulnerability. The stuff that is uniquely you.

Reassuringly, the weird jobs, bad dates, family chaos, and questionable life decisions we鈥檝e all endured are part of the magic that creates our unique voice. That made me feel a bit better about most of my twenties鈥� and beyond. Your unique voice is already there; you just have to stop sanding off the edges. Embrace the peculiar bits.

Rob Williams in Conversation with Rebecca Rogers

A masterclass in screenwriting and staying sane while doing it

One of the day鈥檚 highlights for me was screenwriter in conversation with fellow 蜜芽传媒 Write Across alumnus Rebecca Rogers. It was the kind of honest, generous interview that feels like gold dust as an emerging writer, full of useful insights.

Rob was flourishing in a different creative career when he made the move into screenwriting, starting out on Doctors after coming through the 蜜芽传媒 writers academy scheme and going on to create, write and executive produce iconic shows. His credits include , , , and The Victim.

He spoke about writing with purpose and how shows like were a formative influence when he was younger. His goal now is to give a voice to the voiceless by creating the kinds of characters we don鈥檛 see enough of on our screens.

I found myself reflecting on the shows that shaped me and how I feel echoes of them in my work. I think I鈥檓 powered by The Royle Family, , This Life, and even the Children鈥檚 蜜芽传媒 classic . Really showing my age here.

A few gems from Rob鈥檚 interview:

鈼�      Your Writer鈥檚 Toolbox: Build one. Fill it with tricks and structure know-how. Learn from others. Feel confident enough not to cling to these rules but revisit your toolbox when you鈥檙e deep in storylining hell and nothing makes sense.

鈼�      Dealing with Notes: Rob said his willingness to take round after round of feedback and survive is one of the reasons he got his first credit. He took the notes and allowed them to make him a better writer. He also acknowledged how brutal notes can feel but reminded us they often help push a script into something career-defining.

鈼�      The Naked Truth: Writing feels 鈥榣ike dancing through Birmingham city centre naked.鈥� If you feel exposed and a bit ridiculous, you鈥檙e probably doing it right.

鈼�      Be Memorable: He shared a brilliant bit of advice from Jimmy McGovern. As a young footballer, Jimmy always played with his shirt untucked so the talent scouts would notice and remember him. For writers, that means having a voice so distinctive we become unforgettable. Write with your shirt untucked!

And one more gem: Rob said he embraced the advice to put the best arguments in the mouth of your antagonist. It鈥檚 a useful challenge that makes the audience squirm as they find themselves connecting with your morally murky characters.

Huge thanks to Rebecca for hosting such a brilliant, thoughtful conversation and to Rob for being so open and generous.

Another day of the creative community blooming in Birmingham. More of this, please!