Three producers and directors have been invited to take part in a paid internship scheme set up by an independent TV production company to help Scotland-based documentary-makers secure network commissions.
Peter McQueen – producer/director of the upcoming six part BBC Alba observational documentary series, Partaig; Stephen Bennett – producer/director of BBC Scotland documentaries, The Walking Wounded and Pride and Privilege; and Tom Watt Smith – producer/director of several episodes of Channel 4's Location Location Location, as well as BBC 1 documentary, Dwarfed by India – have all been awarded a place on the programme launched by Glasgow-based indie, Matchlight, in July of this year.
Backed by Channel 4, among others, the 12-week placements will see the trio receive substantial support from Jacqui Hayden, Matchlight’s head of development, and Ross Wilson, the company’s International Emmy and BAFTA award-winning creative director, who will each take on a mentoring role in a bid to help the prospective producers and directors develop their TV programme ideas.
The scheme, which has also received backing from new arts body, Creative Scotland, and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, aims to help emerging screen talent secure their first, hour-long UK network commission.
Says David Smith, Matchlight’s managing director: “We were really impressed with the calibre of applicants we received for internship places but Peter, Stephen and Tom all stood out.
“Each has shown real determination and ambition and all three share Matchlight's desire to make popular and intelligent documentaries for as wide an audience as possible.”
A fourth internship will be open for applications from October 1st until February 26 next year and will commence in June next year.
Applicants can download an application form from the Matchlight website, from October 1.
