The new talent initiative from BBC Writers is pairing fresh voices with production companies based in the region to develop ambitious short films, continuing its commitment to champion regional voices. Among the seven compelling stories, Doppleganger from North East writer Alison Carr and North East production company, Candle & Bell, stands out.
Doppleganger explores identity and the unsettling experience of meeting one’s double. Written by Alison Carr, Doppleganger brings Carr’s originality to the screen in this brilliant short.
Gateshead-based Candle & Bell, a female-led indie known for nurturing northern talent and producing award-winning content, led a full North East crew and cast to shoot Doppleganger entirely in the North East earlier this year.
Development Director, Lisa Laws:
Doppleganger is exactly the kind of bold, character-driven storytelling we love to see coming through broadcast led writers initiatives. Its the kind of creative risk-taking we’re championing here in the North East – full credit to Alison Carr and Candle & Bell for creating this superb short made entirely with talent from the North East.
“Production in our region is up 131% in the last year. As our screen sector continues to grow, stories like this show audiences what our next generation of home grown writing and production talent can deliver. We’re proud to support the storytellers who are taking their first steps into broadcast and putting the North East on the map.
Long Story Short is the result of a brand-new talent initiative from BBC Writers, created to shine a light on the next generation of UK screen writing talent. Spanning all four nations of the UK, Long Story Short pairs fresh writing and directing voices with local production companies to develop authored, ambitious short films destined for BBC iPlayer and BBC Three. The result is a slate of seven remarkable short films, each one a testament to the energy, imagination and craft of the teams behind them. Long Story Short champions homegrown storytelling, amplifying voices from every corner of the country, and providing a platform for fresh perspectives that reflect the richness and diversity of the UK today.
The seven writers are alumni of BBC Writers talent-development work. Each film is produced by an independent production company which has been supported by the BBC’s Small Indie Fund.
This project was made possible thanks to the support of colleagues across BBC Drama Commissioning, BBC Three, BBC iPlayer, BBC Scotland, BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Wales, alongside screen agency partners Creative Wales, North East Screen, Northern Ireland Screen and Screen Scotland.
