‘This Is Going To Hurt’ Honored At WGGB Awards; BBC Appoints Unscripted Commissioning Editor; British Urban Film Festival Names Artistic Director; Cowshed Digital Expands — Global Briefs
‘This Is Going To Hurt’, ‘Munich – The Edge Of War’ Scribes Honored At WGGB Awards
The scribes behind This is Going to Hurt and Munich – The Edge of War were among those honored at the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain Awards last night at the Royal College of Physicians in London. Best Long Form TV Drama went to Adam Kay for BBC One’s medical comedy-drama This is Going to Hurt, while Jack Rooke took away the Best TV Situation Comedy gong on Channel 4’s university-set Big Boys. Best Screenplay went to Ben Power for German-British period spy thriller Munich – The Edge of War and playwright David Edgar was presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award by his wife and sometime co-writer Stephanie Dale. Rebecca Hall won Best First Screenplay for romantic drama film Passing, which is based on Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel of the same name. Neil McKay won Best Short Form TV Drama for his television serial Four Lives, which follows the true story of the families of four young gay men who were murdered by the same man. Former Great British Bake Off presenter Sandi Toksvig is President of the WGGB.
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BBC Promotes ‘The Traitors’ Developer Syeda Irtizaali To Unscripted Commissioning Editor
The BBC has promoted Syeda Irtizaali, who helped develop cult gameshow The Traitors, to Editor for Unscripted Commissioning. Irtizaali, who is currently Portfolio Editor for channels and iPlayer, will drive the pubcaster’s unscripted editorial strategy alongside Unscripted Director Kate Phillips and working with Senior Heads of Commissioning. Irtizaali is a respected UK entertainment vet who commissioned the likes of The Last Leg at Channel 4 before moving to the BBC and helping develop and oversee The Traitors. She starts on 30 January in the new-look team that recently saw Phillips take the helm following a botched interview process.
British Urban Film Festival Names Paula Crickard Its Artistic Director
The British Urban Film Festival (BUFF) has named Paula Crickard as its Artistic Director. The 30-year film industry veteran has worked for companies such as Killer Films in New York, Wild Bunch in France and Millennium Media in LA, and spent several years as Head of Production at Finite Films and TV. The co-founder of animation and gaming firm HaZimation, her film production credits include Liam Neeson-starrer Memory and Absolutely Marvellous, featuring British heavyweight boxer Joe Joyce. Crickard is the latest addition to the BUFF team, which Director Justin Chinyere leads. Muriel Narh recently joined as Lead Script Judge, replacing Clare Anyiam-Osigwe, who has been directing episodes of Channel 4’s Hollyoaks since August 2022.
Cowshed Digital Names New Head Of Production
UK-based digital content firm Cowshed Digital has named Joana Gutscher as its Head of Production. She joins from LADbible Group, where she was Head Of Production, Originals & Branded, part of the team that began a push into original formats and IP ownership. She also worked at Somethin’ Else and Evoke Films. Her hire comes soon after Cowshed Digital hired BBC Studios exec Matt Ford as Managing Director.Former Unilad execs George Corwin and Ryan O’Shea launched the business three years ago.
Uncork’d Entertainment Takes Owen Conway Western ‘Ghost Town’ (Exclusive)
Uncork’d Entertainment has acquired Owen Conway horror-western Ghost Town and will release it in March. The film, written, directed by and starring Conway (Eminence Hill), features Eva Hamilton (Death Kiss), Becky Jo Harris (Spiked) and Amelia Haberman (The Covenant). The film’s set in 1877 Arizona, where a drifter takes a job as a barman and after a series of bizarre and horrifying deaths, finds himself the target of suspicion. Executive producer Robert Conway negotiated the deal on behalf of the film team with Keith Leopard of Uncork’d Entertainment.
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