麻豆约拍

Here at we’ve been trying to find the right opportunity for a while to work together with 麻豆约拍 Radio 1Xtra because we share the same ethos of championing new talent. Our hope was to find a project where writing and music could combine to make something that felt uniquely 1Xtra and also created a development opportunity for emerging writing talent. 1Xtra Live Manchester presented that opportunity.

In the run up to each Live event 1Xtra runs an outreach programme of workshops to engage young people called . In these workshops, you can learn how to produce, present, start your own business or become a star on social media.

We decided we wanted to make short films for social media inspired by a song from the 1Xtra Live Manchester playlist and the city of Manchester itself. 1Xtra DJ, , made which was posted on social media to help get the word out. We invited writers to apply for our workshop with a sample of their writing and set up a writing challenge on the platform which gave them the playlist, parameters, and pointers about how to write a one minute film. Here, they could practise this format and be ready to hit the ground running at the workshops.

Twenty-seven writers were invited to the workshop on Saturday 28th October at where we listened to songs, talked about what makes brilliant characters and how to give a story a beginning, middle and end in one minute. Most importantly: how can you hook your audience in the first few seconds of the film?

By the end of Saturday’s workshop, the writers submitted their scripts and we had some tough decisions to make about who to invite back for day two on the Sunday. We settled on nine writers who were given notes on their scripts and had the opportunity to hear them read by actors. While they redrafted again, we auditioned actors. By the Sunday evening, we were cast and had seven films we shot over two days at locations around Manchester.

With such a short timeline to include callout, workshop, script, shoot and edit, we were up against it, but the professionalism, grace and talent of all the writers and actors involved, made this a brilliant process. I suspect this isn’t the last we’ll hear from this amazingly talented bunch!

Watch the films and meet the writers

‘BLACK ‘ by

I saw the competition advertised on the but really only glanced at it. It wasn't until I saw 1xtra retweet it the night before the closing date did I take notice. I listened to all the songs and felt Black by Donae'o resonated with me the most.The themes of forgiveness and the sense of black power and pride are two very interesting concepts, especially in 2017.

The first workshop day was brilliant as all the writers helped each other and we read each other's work and said you know this may work better here etc. Waiting for the phone call on the Saturday night was nerve-wracking but when I got it I immediately felt a rush of calm flow over me.

On the second day, with help from members of the 麻豆约拍 Writersroom team, we all cut and chopped and changed and amended our monologues. We then had actors come and read them out around a table. The sense of pride watching the work you've written come to life for the first time is something you will never forget. Getting the phone call to tell me my monologue was one of the ones chosen and would be getting made was a mix of sheer adrenaline and pride. I know the actor in my monologue, , is amazing.

This has easily been one of the best experiences of my life and I am extremely grateful to 麻豆约拍 Writersroom and 1Xtra for giving northern talent a platform and for giving young new writers confidence, help and a writing credit.

You, Me & Her by

I really enjoyed the process of writing this monologue and seeing it performed. I thought the prompt was great, as I often write to music or take influence from particular genres in my work. Stefflon Don is making her mark and I love it, so there was no debate really - I just had to write a piece inspired by her music.

The whole process was wild, in a good way - like Supermarket Sweep but without the coloured tins and inflatables (well, maybe one of the latter...). Writing, editing, chopping and changing in such a short space of time was certainly challenging but really made me focus in on giving my character a strong voice, despite the limited amount of screen time for her to exist. I am very much a waffler so the time constraint encouraged me to be a ruthless editor of my own work - a skill that'll definitely come in handy in future.

Writing for screen is a completely different avenue for me (as I usually write for stage), but I'm really excited to see where the beginning of this writing adventure leads.

‘The Cheek of IT’ by

My monologue The Cheek of It was inspired by the Stefflon Don song Envious. I felt that the lyrics and themes of the song really inspired me to think about relationships and how men and women can view being in a relationship as giving them a sense of status and identity, especially in modern culture where millennials use social media as a platform to explore their identity within a relationship and using terms such as #relationshipgoals as a way of gaining validation for themselves. I really enjoyed exploring the opposite of this and creating a strong independent character, open to being themselves and single, and not envious of other people's relationships (as referred to in the song) and actually quite upbeat and happy. I connected to the sense of a young woman being liberated from these constraints and independent not only of her ex but also of societal views.

It was fun working with the 麻豆约拍 Writersroom team and just being inspired by the other writers on the project. I feel I have acquired valuable skills which I can take on in the way I write and create a narrative. It's so exciting to see my script be brought to life and it surprised me how powerful the words feel once they are being performed. It was quite emotional to see someone embody the character I had created. I feel very proud and hope others connect to the piece as well.

‘Catching Feelings’ by

Arriving at a 麻豆约拍 Writersroom masterclass was daunting to say the least. I had only moved to Manchester a mere 6 weeks previously, and was still new to the hustle and bustle of Manchester city centre. I had prepared myself for a very technical day and had practised my best posh voice (I’m Scottish). I was delighted to find that everyone was incredibly lovely, genuine and only wanted to push my writing into its best possible form. I was impressed by their sound judgement on each writer’s work, their ability to grasp the essential component of the piece that would improve it, and their care and attention to detail. When I found myself struggling with my monologue, there was always someone available for a chat.

I am honoured to have been part of such a collaborative process. To hear my words be read aloud by such a talented actress was incredible, and to hear people laugh at your own jokes will never get old. Thank you 麻豆约拍 Writersroom!

Grim Up North by

This is the first piece of writing I have shared with anyone but myself, I went to the first workshop and was inspired by the 麻豆约拍 Writersroom and 1Xtra team to really get my pen to paper and produce something that meant something.

I’m an actor myself, so it was great to see the other side of the table - as a writer. Through this project I am now able to see my monologue transported from my page to screen. This has ignited another creative spark which I didn’t know I had - all thanks to the 麻豆约拍 team!

The monologue is inspired by the song ‘Memory Lane’ - Bugzy Malone. It tells the story of a working class lad from Manchester who has a talent, a talent being ignored by the world which is more accommodating to the elite… but this isn’t just any lad from Manchester. He knows what he wants, and he’s going to get it.

A Date with Destiny by

Working with 麻豆约拍 Writersroom and 麻豆约拍 Radio 1Xtra granted me the opportunity to explore the fundamental steps of bringing something to life. I relished the experience of seeing something of original thought, shaped and reshaped into a piece of film. Not only that, but taking part in this opportunity has given me valuable insight into the professionalism and standard required in the industry. Watching the final product was rewarding of course, but it has left me as hungry as ever.

Morning After by

Hello! I’m Conor, writer of Morning After, inspired by Addison Lee by Not3s. I tend to write duologue plays for theatre, so the opportunity to not only write for screen, but in the form of a monologue really excited me, as it is completely out of my comfort zone.

The weekend, led by 麻豆约拍 Writersroom and 1xtra was fantastic, we were so well supported by the team and had the chance to have really open conversations about our work, from the initial idea right through to the structure – without which I know wouldn’t have led to the same film being possible.

I’m so excited to see my piece brought to life, and what I think is so great with this project is that the writers have a visual, final piece which we can use in future portfolios! It really emphasised to me that actually fundamentally writing for screen is rewriting. I was surprised how much of a story you can tell in just 60 seconds, and how much it can change the structure, as you don’t have time to establish the scene, you have to jump right in at the heart of the story. I can’t thank 麻豆约拍 Writersroom enough.