Underlying Health Condition: A New Chapter for Disability in TV

If you've read this blog for any length of time, you'll know I'm not shy about talking about disabled issues in film and TV, as someone on the spectrum. Because of it, I've able to be part of some delightful things that have travelled the world (like the animated series Pablo). Representation is becoming a bigger talking point in this business, and I try to do my own little part to add an informed perspective to the conversation.

On Friday December 3rd, I was invited to the launch of Underlying Health Condition at none other than the Tate in London. What's UHC? a new report and initiative to improve what has been, frankly, the systemic failing of disabled talent in media in the UK for years. While headed up by award-winner Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, Skins, Enola Holmes), this was an event, and a project, dominated with actual disabled voices. Among some of the speakers and guests included actress Ruth Madeley, Genevieve Barr and Tom Wentworth (both working on the BBC's A Word spinoff, Ralph and Katie). Watch the event for yourself at the following link:

https://vimeo.com/652927043

 

 

Talent in various fields (screenwriting very much included) who, despite hard work and determination, have found themselves shut out of jobs and opportunities they were fully entitled to. Why? Because the industry couldn't be bothered to do the bare minimum. We have money for big star actors and elaborate VFX, but not for ramps or disabled-accessible toilets (know how many there are in UK film and TV? 1000? 100? Not, just one. In the entire country). 

 

They aren't asking for preferential treatment or some other tabloid nonsense about 'PC this, diversity quota that' - they are asking to be able to do their jobs. Because they are adults who want to work and create, not 'problems' or 'nuisances' to be brushed aside. They have the determination, the willpower and the work ethic to succeed, they only need space. If you recall my blog on it, Jack Thorne also discussed this at his powerful MacTaggart lecture - disabled people fighting hard and ending up with credit stolen or being unfairly dismissed from opportunities they were completely entitled to and had proven capable of doing.

Basic attention to detail and accommodation will do so much good - ramps, special kits, co-ordinators and proper toilets are the start. After that, actual sustained job support and training schemes that do lead to paid work and viable careers (for disabled writers, agents can also be a nigh-impossible hurdle to climb. I got lucky with mine, but how many others can say the same?). Merely more workshops or classes will not right a long-running ill, there has to be meaningful remuneration and strategy at play, an actual investment in the talent. Already, Channel 4 has adopted the proposed guidelines, and here's hoping more companies and broadcasters follow suit.

 Pictured: Not a valid reason to ignore someone

Will one initiative solve everything? No, but then UHC isn't a lone wolf - it works with and builds on other disability organizations, like DPTV (Disabled People in TV), 1-IN-4 Coalition, Triple C/DANC (Disabled Artists Networking Community, which if you're not, you should be a member. Lots of support and masterclasses available). Collective effort is how things will change in how disabled creators are perceived and hired.

 

If all of that sounds like soapboxing, then all I ask you people reading to keep an open mind and listen to what disabled artists and crew are saying in the video above. If nothing else, do watch the first ten minutes, which has a short film talking about what disabled people deal with on a regular basis in TV, including some faces you may know from your favourite shows. 

Jack Thorne's MacTaggart lecture: why 'Best Person for the Job' isn't an answer

Jack Thorne is a UK film and TV powerhouse (too much to list here) and staunch ally of disabled creatives. At this year's Edinburgh TV Festival, a major industry event, he handled the much-coveted MacTaggart to deliver a damning indictment of how the industry has time and again failed disabled people. As an audience, as creators behind the camera and as performers in front of it. Go watch it and come back here after.

So, pretty tough listening isn't it? And sadly, all too true. Speaking as an autistic screenwriter, though I can't claim to speak for all disabled creators (running all the way from the physical to the mental, with each have its own traits and challenges), it's mind numbing how little progress has been made, and how the success stories have made no difference to how shows are made, or how talent is reared and supported. I even commend Thorne for admitting his own blindspots (though obviously he didn't have the final say on casting in Wonder, as one of several writers on a Fox movie, to be fair) and glad to see his partnering up with more disabled creators like Genevieve Barr and Ruth Madeley. 

While reception has been overwhelmingly positive, because this is about representation, there were the usual crabs-in-a-bucket with the same tired, boring, intellectually empty points: 'Acting is about pretending to be someone you're not', 'representation doesn't matter', 'best person for the job, background is irrelevant', 'meritocracy' and of course, splitting hairs about 'um ackshually, 20% of the UK population is not disabled because blah blah blah' from people who suddenly became expert data scientists. And next-to-none of whom are in the industry.

I've talked about representation in the past on here, as well as my experience on Cbeebies' Pablo, but this time I wanted to really zero in on why this attitude is a problem, the culture it creates, and where the audience has a role to play as well.

To begin, I get it: It's unrealistic to expect your average audience member to have the same in-depth knowledge of how film and TV works as an insider. From a certain POV, they shouldn't need to - fans are there to consume and talk about the content when its done, not engaging with broader production questions. The problem is the internet, and in particular social media, has broken down a lot of the walls. Now, talking to creators and companies has never been easier - the problem then becomes audiences are not used to a lot of industry chatter and so, wind up in discussions they, technically, have no business being involved. Big problems in the industry, whether it's the UK or US, Disney or BBC, relating to issues around outdated structures that artificially impede the career progression of people from a number of minority groups, seem like sudden changes to newcomers (even with multiple surveys and reports, like the ones Thorne cites in the lecture, showing how long this has been going on).

Because audiences don't have, or sadly in some cases, don't care, about all that background and don't understand when a creator is talking about issues with, say, more disabled characters in TV, it's easy to mistake a plea to fix a longstanding problem with some kind of sinister demand or entitlement. When you don't understand how hard it is for, say, a disabled writer to get the same shot, or at least the same amount of opporunity, as their able-bodied peer, it's easy to just say 'best person for the job' or 'I don't see disability, just the person'. How many times do you think these creators have been told that and not only not seen that sentiment lead to change, but now have it be used to tell them to, basically, 'shut up and be grateful' by people who don't even work in the arts at all?

And speaking of that, it's also tiring as a creator to see our achievements get blown aside in an instant when one of these types tries to tell our stories and royally bungles it. You may have heard of Sia's directorial debut, Music. The title refers to an Autistic girl, played by Maddie Ziegler, who is placed in the care of her drug dealer sister. With a premise like that, you can guess where it goes, but what's important is that A) Neither Sia nor Ziegler are autistic, B ) Autistic actors are not in the film, even in background roles, C) No Autistic expert or group was consulted during development, save for some brief interactions with the notoriously controversial Autism Speaks, widely condemned for treating Autism as a disease. As counter examples, Atypical and Pablo (Hey, that's a-me) all involved autistics in creative roles: yet, when Music became a hot topic, with discourse raging about its portrayal of the condition, were any of these shows mentioned? Did anyone cite that a show like Pablo, effectively, disproved both Sia's choice and, indeed, the very methodology of Music's development, treating actual autistic voices as tertiary? Nope. 105 episodes, airing on major channels, a worldwide fanbase and a much publicized selling point (a pretty good sign of a job well done. The BEST kind, if you will)... and it might as well have not existed.

However unintended, the message is clear: autistic creators are not to be given chances on larger projects, precisely the kind that can change the narrative, because a highly successful musician said so, and all the previous autistic movies and shows don't amount to a 'valid' counterargument. See how that applies to what Thorne is talking about here? How the disabled shows he was able to make were done on breadcrumbs, and even when they got acclaim, and he went on to work on big properties, still nothing changed. How broken is that metric where success doesn't equal 'make more'? The one thing that the film and TV industry can be reliably called on to do, and this is the exception? Because of that, I wrestle with creating autism-based scripts and often wonder if my mentioning it limits my job prospects. Why should it be like that though? Why should a script, that's been worked hard on, proofed, run by other peers and thought good quality, be arbitrarily denied a chance for something unrelated to merit?

As an additional point, I do also think there is a blind spot in Thorne's lecture: staffing. He alludes to Silent Witness and Liz Carr's battles, but I feel this needed more hammering home from a writer/director angle. It's not enough just to greenlight disabled stories, as vital as that is: it's about getting disabled creators the experience and credits needed to not just get those shows in front of commissioners, but also to pay their bills and put food on the table. Disabled artists don't just want to talk about themselves: they're fans of shows like you are. They have dream jobs too, whether that's Eastenders, Casualty, Hollyoaks, Doctor Who or Call the Midwife. We need to ensure they have the same shot as anyone else on getting on this shows, and not just for 'the disabled story' but because they are professionals who can tell good stories period. As long as just blindly parroting 'best person for the job' is seen as the default response, this will not happen because it others disabled people as somehow 'not the best'.

This is as personal as I've ever gotten on this blog, but I need to say it: I am tired of having to fight for my basic dignity, and I've seen plenty of other disabled people share the same: tired of justifying ourselves, tired of asking to be treated like the thinking, feeling adults we are. Tired of being written off or insulted by quacks, anti-vaxxers and religious hypocrites who claim we are a 'mistake', a 'problem' that needs to be fixed or cured. Tired of constantly having to deal with nonsense about 'diversity hires' and 'affirmative action' being the reasons why we achieve anything, instead of y'know, hard work and our pure determination. We are people. We are human.

And at the end of this, what I think we have is a tale of two faults: the industry and the audience. A wealth of great talent is there, ripe for picking, and through them, exciting, funny or stirring stories. If we want to move the needle, then every level needs to address how we treat creatives from backgrounds outside the standard. Commissioners who will fight for change, and audiences who will be willing to take a chance and have empathy, or if they like what has been made, demand more. Otherwise, the cycle continues and benefits no one. Not talent, not the audience and not culture, and if we got the Snyder Cut and redesigned Movie Sonic through pressure, why can't we get this?

Screenwriting Professionally: 2020 edition

Back last year, I did a big recap post, going over the highs and lows of my screenwriting efforts. 2019 had been a year of halves: a quiet first was followed by a busy and exciting second. I got to visit Coronation Street, met some new contacts and got signed to prep Never the Bride. With that high, I set out to make 2020 the big push: get representation, score another broadcast credit and set up the pieces for future gigs.

Oh, little did I know...

Jan-Mar (Winter): Like with last year, the year began earnestly enough. I sent out my 1950s period drama spec, which had netted me the Corrie placement last year, with the intent of placing on shadow schemes, as well as attaining referrals to show to an agent. I went about my usual routine of setting up more meetings with development folk at various production companies, while also keeping an eye out for new schemes.

Then, Covid happened, and everything came to a screeching halt. Well, almost: one of the few upsides was that development people were still working and, with shows not being greenlit or proceeding in any fashion, it meant they had more time to read scripts. Indeed, I got some of my fastest responses and turnaround in this period, with agents consistently showing interest and asking for reads.

Apr-Jun (Spring):  One of the most surreal chapters of my life. Each day blended into the next in one long haze. I was sending out stuff, as mentioned, but time felt utterly meaningless. Writing, likewise, suffered greatly. The siren call of vegging out on Youtube was often too great at times, and the sudden evaporation of work did little to counter it.

I'm usually a machine, able to reliably turn around a script in, give or take, a week. That's how it's been the last few years. Now, that same script would take close to a month to get into any sort of shape, because of how 'out of it' I was. I wanted to do it; I had the enthusiasm and the ideas, but not the drive. When the world looked to be on such a knife-edge, it had me even questioning at points 'why bother?' It was the lowest I had felt since circa 2016, when everything fell apart on the animation project.

However, it wasn't a complete wash: Never the Bride took a big step forward when, after rewriting the series treatment, I got given the go-ahead to write the pilot script. Escaping to the dark, twisted and goofy world of Paul's books did help me get somewhat in the groove.

Jul-Sept (Summer): Getting back on the bike and writing proved to be a challenge. I made several attempts when I wasn't working on Never the Bride, which I sent off in August. In the end, I managed to eek out a new draft on a first part of a three-part drama serial about a Spanish-British family coming to terms with an ugly past. It felt good just to have something, anything, down on the page in front of me: clicking 'Save As PDF' when I was done on Final Draft like some Olympic achievement. 

By this time, however, the agent race had cooled significantly - rejections came aplenty, though it was more down to the agents needing to prioritize existing clients, rather than due to poor work on my part. indeed, I received consistently enthusiastic and strong comments on my spec, which was a silver lining. Given I had tried to get an agent last year for a time, and was likewise met with no success, I was much more mentally fortified to deal with rejection this time. Indeed, it's important to remember none of this is personal - just wrong place, wrong time.

Oct-Dec (Winter again): Like poetry, time rhymed as the winter became so much like last year's: After so much fuss and bother, new opportunities began to manifest that gave 2020 a shot in the arm. I finally landed my first agent, Andy Townsend, in rather quick fashion after getting a referral from Toby Bruce at Dancing Ledge Productions; I then secured a place on the BBC New Voices Festival, a development opp for writers in children's television. The two day festival was very informative, stuffed with seminars from producers and script editors at CBBC and Cbeebies. The best part, for me, was a talk on animation by Andrew Burrell, of Danger Mouse, Demon Headmaster and Disenchantment fame. He brought a self-deprecating humour to the presentation that endeared him to all of us: plus, he was hugely detailed on his process of writing a script.

With the talks done, we were all sent a range of opportunities to apply for: joining writers rooms on several new shows; commissions on podcasts and webseries like My DG; mentorships with production companies; even the chance to work on a new Christmas Ballet to be broadcast on Cbeebies next year. I've been applying for the three I wanted, so now have to wait and see. Beyond that, me and Andy began reaching out to places, with several (hopeful) new projects next year looking for writers.

For all the things that can be said of 2020 (many with very colourful and fiery language), I can at least say it wasn't boring: scary, worrisome and annoying, to be sure, but never lacking in something to occupy my mind. Even if it wasn't the way I expected, or wanted, things to happen, I still achieved my main goals this year: secure representation and find new commissions. It serves as a reminder that you can get to where you want to be in your career: just be mindful of all sorts of left-turns and diversions that will get you there.

Screenwriting Professionally: 1 Year Later (2019)

There's much one can reflect on in a year, but since this is a screenwriting blog, let's keep to that. 2018 marked quite a few big steps for my career: my industry job as a reader, my first television credit in Pablo and even my first foray into theatre as a playwright with the live reading of Cull before a paying audience. It was quite a ride, and I went into 2019 with similar hopes. I tried, when I could, to network, email and just get possible things set up to continue the momentum I had generated.

But well, as the saying goes, the best laid plans... 2019 proved to be a year of halves: one was exciting, but frustrating and often tedious with little to show. The other was, however, more lucrative and even renewing. One started with me on a high, the other on a low. Steadily, that changed: I ended up with both my first project in development (as well as first adaptation gig), as well as finally getting onto a Continuing Drama Scheme at ITV to, knock on wood, get to work on Coronation Street.

But, let me back up. In this recap, I hope to show the kind of expectation newer writers should have about how things could go when you get those first sweet trickles of success:

Jan-Mar (Winter): Sent out specs and tried to set up a few jobs. I continued my strategy from 2018: get myself out there, set up meetings and trade on my success with Pablo. The most notable of these efforts were almost getting on a CBBC drama in its final season (sent in a swashbuckling spec; got good notice on it, producer was enthused), and then getting a script read in consideration for a Continuing Drama gig at the BBC.

I even finished up what was, at the time, my big spec for the year and the one that, I believed would take me to the next level - Maybe even land an agent. It was an hour-long fantasy-drama, set during the Spanish Civil War. It was dark, maverick and, I thought, reflected my voice and perspective as a writer. Like with companies, I had met some agents, chatted, and decided to send it in.

Apr-Jun (Spring): This was when things started to go a little south. The CBBC gig didn't materialize: the producers opted to stick with veteran writers, so I and other hopefuls got cut. Ah well, it happens. It was also a no on the CD front. The script just wasn't quite a match for them: thankfully, they were graceful, and said I could stay in touch (just a reminder of how good manners are an important skill).

I also started to get back word on the SCW spec: people liked it, thought it was distinct and had an evocative era, but was getting passed on. A lot of 'just not for us', which is a phrase I've gotten used to and, what's more, now have direct experience with after hearing of it from other writers in the past. At first, yeah it does sting. You wonder 'what did I do wrong? Did they not get it?', but you accept that people's tastes won't always line up with yours and that it plays as big a role as any level of 'objective' quality. (Indeed, this spec will come back in a bit, to highlight the taste element).

Jul-Sept (Summer): This was when I was hitting a low, and felt spent and irritated. An attempt to get on another CBeebies series also fell through, and as it was the summer, shop was closing up for the moment. I kept on writing and polishing specs (including one which will come into play shortly), reading scripts and watching what I could. However, I was starting to get a bit of a brainworm, making me doubt myself and worry if my momentum had been spent up.

Little improved, after the holidays, in September. A spec had collapsed and needed drastic reworking, of which I was sloppy on and regret. Thankfully, there was an upside to all this: the Pablo Series 2 launch in Belfast. Such a wonderfully humbling and marvellous event, it gave me a much needed booster.

Oct-Dec (Winter again): Ooh hoo, now things got cooking again! My SCW spec landed me Never The Bride, and then a month later, I secured a place on the ITV Original Voices scheme with my newest drama spec, a period piece about migrants in 1950s Camden. After I attend a Corrie story workshop, up in MediaCity, well, we'll see... In the meantime, CBBC started airing a delightful new drama that I just fell in love and immediately contacted the Head Writer to gush about. Shortly after, we followed each other on Twitter and have exchanged many jokes. If they get another series, I will fight tooth and claw to get on it.

Indeed, I decided, following both this and the Pablo event, to lean more into my history and connection with autism in my writing. I was figuring how to use it to sell myself and my work to people: this was a perspective that I could bring into shows and rooms. This was what set me apart. This was how I was going to give myself a brand, of sorts.

When taken as a whole, it was a great, if irritating, learning experience. It was also, as I've said many times, a lesson in tempering and managing one's expectations, and being ready when the ducks don't line up in a row. It happens, and being grouchy about it won't help. Doubly so if you're on the spectrum, where it's easy to overthink it. It happens. However, being proactive and chasing any opportunity can help to ease this, as does just writing solid specs - if you feel passionate, so will the reader.

Pablo Series 2: The Launch Event and Belfast Adventures

I was fortunate enough to be able to go to the launch for the second series of Pablo (now broadcasting on CBeebies and RTEjr). Our wonderful producer and brains behind Pablo, Grainne McGuiness, flew over the writing team for the launch of Series 2 on Oct 1. What follows is an account of that experience and, possibly, one of the most humbling days of my life.

I flew out on Sunday from Heathrow Terminal 2: long story short, it became complicated and the flight was delayed from around eleven to nearly nine at night. Officially it was due to bad weather, though a different source claims it was kamikaze birds. Still,  I met up with two other members of the amazing team, Paul Isaacs and Sumita Majumdar and chatted over Pepsi and peppermint tea, so not all bad.

Monday is where things really got started: we conveyed for a day-long writer's room to talk shop about the future of the franchise in multiple areas. Sat in a fancy conference room up at the Clayton Hotel, we did a dry-run for Tuesday's panel, before jumping in on pitching stories for the (potential) third series. Pablo was aging, so we had to take that into consideration. Following a sandwich-based lunch, we then brainstormed plot for a stage musical based on the series, doing it in partnership with Selladoor Worldwide/Productions, debuting hopefully next Christmas for a nationwide tour.

The atmosphere was electric, and everyone was on top form. We joked, spitballed and pondered a number of topics - school, sports, the myriad manifestations of autism, Dead Ringers sketches, old Gerry Anderson shows. Alas, I cannot discuss more details of either project at the moment, but sufficed to say, I was really proud of what we came up with.

Then, we had a few hours free in the evening, I pottered around Belfast City centre, did a bit of sightseeing in the rain and bought Kraven's Last Hunt, an iconic Spider-Man story from the 80s, for a cheaper price then I'd find online or here in London. Not that this is a vital part of the trip, but when else am I going to bring that up in conversation?

Onto Tuesday, the day of the panel and premiere. Dressed up and checked out from the Clayton, we were all taxied down to Queen's University Belfast for the event. The room was set up with a number of tables: the event was organized as a lunch, with a buffet stand nearby. Many of the invited were child actors on the show and their families, in addition to press and television people. Just seeing these kids there, how their lives had been changed by both watching the show and then acting in it... it was one of the most amazing moments of my life. There and then, I felt like, in my own small way, I had helped give these children something that they'd never access otherwise.

As for the panel, the writers would get on stage, have clips from their episodes play, and then discuss the genesis of said episodes. Being me, I opened with some quick jokes before diving into mine: seeing a clip of Oink Cluck Neigh getting a big laugh was just delightfully reaffirming. Afterwards, we adjourned for steak pie and then watched the first episode of Series 2, The New Sofa by Michael White. A funny and sweet romp, it could not have closed the event off better.

What a time. Sure, it was bookended by delayed flights (thankfully shorter on the return), but being in that room with all those families.... what an honour. Here's hoping Series 2 is everything fans love, want and more. Hopefully, it won't be long before I return...

Five things I learnt from writing Pablo - Working in Preschool TV

Almost a year on from delivering my last draft of my second episode, and I still can't believe I got to work on this amazing and progressive little show. Pablo has helped open up a conversation and humanity previously not common in mainstream representation of autism, especially with an audience this young.

Having just had such a wonderfully humbling experience, attending the launch for Series 2 (starts today, Oct 7), I figured I'd go back and talk about what I learnt, as a screenwriter, from working on the show with PaperOwlFilms and Andrew Brenner.

1. Tailor your ideas to the show; don't be generic.
Kids shows, especially pre-school, can often seem like they recycle a lot of plots and concepts: birthdays, making friends, sharing, family troubles, playing games, learning about rules and manners etc. However, the nature and cast of the show will often provide a framework that dictates what will and will not work, so going broad doesn't work.

In the case of Pablo, it was important to tailor the stories to be about autism and how it can affect one's perception and interaction with the world. Generic stories of mischief and messing about were not going to cut it (I foolishly tried early on), and through that, I came up with Headache Volcano and then, through a lot of trial and error, Oink Cluck Neigh.

2. Be concious of other languages and cultures.
Every language is different: not simply in the obvious, but also in terms of colloquialisms, sayings and maxims. Not every phrase or word can be translated, and this becomes even more tricky when dealing in metaphor. The saying 'peachy' may have a clear meaning in English, but does it make sense in Italian or Greek or Swahili or Japanese? And that's just one example.

It's also a matter of practicality: the animation's audio can be dubbed easily, but the live-action requires lip-sync and, of course, animation cannot always be redone for visual symbols anchored to a specific saying and culture. When you are selling to countries whose languages don't have equivalents can create problems for whoever's doing ADR and even the editing (alternate cuts of episodes are hardly uncommon). In an increasingly globalized marketplace, accessibility is key.

3. Even when you get commissioned, you get rejections.
Many newer screenwriters believe that just being commissioned is the end of the struggle: you've been hired, so you're good enough. You just pitch and write, cash and cheque and that's that.

Well, not exactly... 

 Aside from just coming up with appropriate ideas, as discussed above, there's also the process of redrafting and rewriting.

One pagers, treatments and even scripts can get shot down or scrapped at any time, for any reason. Even if an aspect or the core is good, it may simply not be doable on the budget; the time; be too similar to something they're making concurrently or evolves into something that doesn't fit. It happened with Oink Cluck Neigh: that went through several versions and alternative plots that were just unworkable with what we had

4. Don't underestimate kids.
An enduring stereotype about kids TV is that it's made by cynical hacks who believe kids are stupid and need something bositerous and loud to keep them amused while their parents do something they're actually interested in.

While bad media does exist, it's important not to assume that as the default and come into work with a negative attitude. Children are the most honest audience: if you're boring, they will let you know. However, they can quickly pick up symbols and meaning, and get deeper implications of relatively simple stories (think of say, Aesop's Fables or various fairy tales)

5. 'Being gentle' is not the same as 'dumbing down'.
Pablo is a gentle, delicate show: it's light and fun and colourful, perfect for the intended young audience. However, as anyone's who's watched it can attest, it is not twee or slight in the least: we've used the show to talk about everything from communication difficulties, social anxieties and illnesses to science, maths and art.

The key is being mindful: we don't go too hard or be really obvious when discussing something potentially distressing like social events or life changes. Using metaphor and proxies, creating universally-comprehensible subtext, enabled us to tackle an impressive amount of topics that children with autism face on a daily basis. This, paired with the above-conciousness for the wider market, challenged me and others to create something anyoen and everyone could get.

More Pablo and Bang2Write - Ringing in 2019

So, belated Happy New Year to everyone. Hope 2018 was good to you, and here's hoping 2019 has more in store. It was quite a whirlwind year for me, with many highs and lows, but I managed to get my first few baby steps into the business, so hooray! 

So, a few announcements. First, I can now confirm I've written a second Pablo episode for the next series. In total, that brings my episode contributions to 2, and very proud I am of them. It's been an entertaining and highly educational experience. Andrew Brenner and Paper Owl Films were really cool to work with and knew exactly what they wanted. If and when there's a Series 3, I'll be all too happy to jump back in!

Next, I have contributed to jack-of-all-trades writing website Bang2Write with their little miniseries, What 22 Industry Pros Don't and Do Want. The articles are what they sound like: readers, producers and development folk in both film and TV as well as in books give their two pence on what they do or don't like when they see a new piece of work come in.


 

 
First up, here are the DONT'S.
And now, the DOS.

I'm also in very early stages of a new ten minute play, to be potentially produced by the Oast's Sandra Barfield (who helped bring Cull to life last year) but as said, it's still early days. Beyond that, working as always on new specs and honing my craft.

Got my first TV Credit - Pablo

So, BIG BIG news everyone: just got my first legit, signed-on-the-dotted-line television credit. I'm writing an episode of the popular CBeebies animated series Pablo (also broadcasts on RTEjr and CBC).

 
The series, produced by Paper Owl Films and CAKE, is about the misadventures of the titular six-year-old, who has autism. The series focuses on how Pablo interacts with the world and how his atypical mind can make seemingly mundane things like clothes, baths and toys feel like great conundrums.

It's a great honour to be working on Pablo, having been diagonsed on the spectrum as a kid. I wish I had something like this when I was growing up (and I doubt I'm alone in that, given we're on a second series now). Naturally, this (hopefully) won't be the last, as I've continued to pitch ideas, some further along in development then others.

Now, not to get overly schmaltzy, but I have to extend a big thanks to several people: first, to my wonderful script editor Andrew Brenner, who has been very helpful and supportive; to Helen Stroud over at Collingwood&Co., who introduced us and was my 'Yes'; to Dominic Carver and my tutors at Met Film School who helped me create and hone the spec that lead to this.

When further arises, you'll be the first to know.,.

Abel Diaz - Complete Credits

Just a little record I keep of what I've done, on top of my IMDB page (and will still keep even after that, as its reliability is notoriously unwieldy at the best of times). Stuff both on-screen and off, for your perusal.

AGENT: Andy Townsend, Long Road Talent. (Contact here.)

Film/TV Credits:

PRODUCED/PLACEMENTS/AWARDS

• 2022: ITV Original Voices 2021 (Opportunity for BAME/Disabled writers to train on ITV Continuing Drama Emmerdale).
• 2021: Doctors (TV, BBC One). Daytime drama. Completed Writer's scheme.
  
• 2020 - BBC New Voices Scheme (Development opportunity with CBBC/Cbeebies)
  

• 2020: Pablo (TV, 2x11mins, CBeebies/Paper Owl Films). Pre-school, animation. A 6 yr. old boy with autism explores the world in his own unique way. 

- Participated in writer's room for Series 3 (TBA). 
- #2.38/83 Oink Cluck Neigh: Pablo doesn’t want to leave the city farm, so he decides to become an animal and live there! 
- #2.36/81 Headache Volcano: Pablo has a funny feeling in his head when he plays on a hot afternoon, and it won't go away.

• Finalist - ITV Original Voices Scheme 2019 (Opportunity for BAME/Disabled writers to train and write for ITV Continuing Drama Coronation Street).

• 2018: Wrapped Up (short film, 15 mins.) Dark comedy. A lovestruck finds herself in deep when she kills her boyfriend, who was sleeping with her brother.

       - Winner - Best Student Film: Kiev International Film Festival 2019.

• 2017: Creative Access: Bobette’s Story (Promo, 2 mins.) A recruitment video for Creative Access (a service that enables B.A.M.E youth into internships in media industries), centring on one of their success stories, theatre manager Bobette.
• 2015: Silver (short film, 10 mins. Dir. Zay Basile. Script editor, credited under ‘Special Thanks’). A tale of love between two living statues in the heart of London.
• 2015: Spiderfly (short film, 5 mins.) Romantic thriller. Two lawyers, following the closure of a murder case, embark on a ‘killer’ affair of their own.

DEVELOPMENT

• Never The Bride (TV, 6x60mins, Free@LastTV). Horror-fantasy-drama, based on the books by Paul Magrs (Doctor Who). The life-after-life of Brenda, the Bride of Frankenstein, moonlighting as a supernatural-busting gumshoe in the coastal town of Whitby.

Film (Crew):

• 2020: The Reason I Jump (Feature film. Dir. Jerry Rothwell. Transcription assistant). A documentary about autism, based on the best selling book by Naoki Higashida.
• 2019: Love Sarah (Feature film. Dir. Eliza Schroeder. Floor Runner). A young woman who enlists the help of her mother’s best friend and her eccentric estranged grandmother to fulfill her late mother’s dream of opening a bakery in Notting Hill. Stars Celia Imrie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel) and Rupert Penry-Jones (The Strain).
• 2014: Shattered Reflection (short film, 10 mins. Dir. Katarina Leskoova. Producer). A young woman battles with bulimia, embarrassed to tell her friends.

Non Film/TV work:

• 2023: I Am, You Are: Let's Talk About Disability, Individuality and Empowerment (disability consultant, non-fiction book. Ladybird/Penguin)
  
• Pablo The Official Guide (contributing writer, non-fiction book. Paper Owl Films/Penguin) - TBA
  
• Pablo The Stage Musical (co-writer of book, Selladoor Worldwide/Paper Owl Films) - Southbank Centre, TBA.
• 2016: Iron Joe (published short story for Doctor Who charity anthology Time Shadows). The Sixth Doctor and Peri travel aboard the newly inaugurated Transcontinental Railroad, only to come face to face with the ultimate terror of the West: a bandit made of metal known only as ‘Iron Joe’.

Articles/Other Writings:

• 2021, Bang2Write - 18 Experts Share Their Submissions Pet Peeves
  
• 2019, Bang2Write - 22 Industry Pros Share Their Advice on What They Don't Want
  
• 2019, Bang2Write - What 22 Industry Pros DO Want From Your Writing