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"I Hire The Writers For Eastenders" (Sharon Batten Interview)

Sally Brockway talks to Sharon Batten, the Script Producer of one of THE UK's most prestigious - and most popular soaps, Eastenders. Do you want to know what it's like to be a writer in such a high pressured environment? And how you can get to BE one of those writers? Listen up... (Downloadable audio interview.) 

Eastenders. A British institution. A soap, set in a fictional square in East London, which never flinches from running controversial and hard hitting storylines - yet for the most part manages to deliver them in a highly authentic, unsensationalised manner.

It was first broadcast in 1985, and quickly became one of the most watched shows on British TV - a position it maintains solidly to this day - even with the pressures of having to deliver four half hour episodes a week, every week of the year.

Is it any good?

It's won five BAFTAs, the Inside Soap Award for 'Best Soap' for ten years running, eleven National Television Awards for 'Most Popular Serial Drama', and six awards for 'Best Soap' at the British Soap Awards.

It has also been inducted into the Rose d'Or Hall of Fame.

It's also won six TV Quick/TV Choice Awards for 'Best Soap', three TRIC Awards for 'Soap of The Year' and two Royal Television Society Awards for 'Best Continuing Drama'.

With that lot on its wall it's safe to say it's probably not bad.

Screenwriting Goldmine is proud to present this absorbing interview with Sharon Batten, who in her capacity as Script Producer is one of THE people directly responsible for the show's remarkable impact over the last year or so.

Among other things, Sharon gives direct information on: 

  • the process of working as a writer in this kind of environment - just what is the journey from first draft to broadcast?
  • how best to apply to write on the show
  • how just one well written scene can tip the balance in a spec script
  • Why those places that will only read the first 10 pages can miss out on great new talent
  • another strong recommendation for the BBC Writers Room as THE entry point into the BBC
  • the famous shadow script scheme - and how it works - and how your career as a writer could take off if you make it past this hurdle
  • how there is always room for new people - and how she is always on the lookout for the next core writer

   
And much, much more!

Listen to the interview.

You can find out more about the BBC Writers Room project that Sharon talks about here    

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adakchin  - miss adakchin bol     |2010-02-19 12:52:45
i think that it would be really cool if somewhere in the middle of bianca
and rickies relationship rickie sees sam again cheats on bianca then
bianca finds out then cheats on him but with phil mitchell but we only
sees bianca and not phil so who is bianca cheating on rickie with.
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Since 1995 Phil Gladwin has written or edited screenplays for all of these people:

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