Do you need this information in another format?
Short Circuit is committed to offering clear and accessible application processes that are open to everyone.
We can provide this information in alternative formats including:
We can also offer support tailored to individual requests including:
You will be given the option to upload your application in an alternative format via the Application Form – e.g. audio or video recording.
Please email the Short Circuit team at hello@shortcircuit.scot if you require support to make your application or would like to discuss specific access needs.
Convergence is delivered by Short Circuit with Script Consultant and Screenwriter David Pope, who has worked with Academy and BAFTA nominated producers and screenwriters. His recent work includes consulting for the Rotterdam Lab Cinemart, the Rawi Screenwriting Lab for Royal Film Commission Jordan, Cannes Cinefondation, BFI, Irish Film Board and the British Council, among many others. He is also a co-founder of Stowe Story Labs in the US.
Short Circuit will select up to 8 applicants who will develop their screenwriting skills and industry knowledge through online and in-person development workshops, peer group discussions, masterclasses and 1-2-1 sessions.
The programme will start in early January 2024 and will run for three months until March 2024, where a final pitch event will take place in front of an industry panel. There is no cost to participate in the programme.
Applicants will finish the programme with a short film screenplay and a feature film treatment.
If you have personal access needs that will incur a cost during the period you are taking part in the programme, you can include these costs as part of your application.
These costs are not just Disability access focused and may also include additional costs that help reduce barriers faced by you as a creator, such as childcare.
We define such needs as specific support required in relation to a protected characteristic of the Equality Act.
If you are unsure whether your needs can be covered, please contact a member of the Short Circuit team at hello@shortcircuit.scot to discuss.
Access costs in this context can include, but are not limited to, the following:
Submissions are invited from Scotland-based professional writers, filmmakers and creative practitioners from other mediums who are interested in moving into writing for screen. Applicants must have had work professionally published, performed or produced but will not yet have a short film or feature film writing credit.
We are aware that within the screen industry that Disabled and D/deaf people, people of the global majority, women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Intersex people (LGBTQI+), and those who have been socially and economically disadvantaged by their circumstances and upbringing are proportionately marginalised. We encourage applications from individuals who are currently under-represented within the sector and seek to foster equal opportunities for new and emerging talent from diverse backgrounds, with support on hand for those who need it.
Applicants will need to submit a completed Application Form containing the following:
We welcome applications in alternative formats, such as audio or video recording. You will be given the option to upload your application in an alternative format via the Application Form. Please email us at hello@shortcircuit.scot if you have any questions about this.
Ideas for short and feature films can be original material or an adaptation of the applicants’ existing work, as long as they own the underlying rights to the material.
You will also need to complete an Equal Opportunities online questionnaire.
Once you have submitted, you will be sent an email confirming that we have received your application. If you have not received such email confirmation within ten working days of your submission, please contact us by emailing hello@shortcircuit.scot.
Please read both the Guidelines and the FAQs below carefully before submitting your application.
Successful applicants will be notified by no later than Friday 10th November 2023.
This programme will take place both online and in-person (see more information below in the ‘Key Dates’ section). It will include 7 workshop days with additional 1-2-1 sessions over the course of 3 months. A Pitching and Feedback Industry Panel will take place on Friday 8th March 2024, where participants will pitch their projects to a selected panel of producers and industry executives.
Participants will come out of the programme with a wider understanding of the film industry and the process of developing a screenplay from story outline to draft.
All applications that meet the eligibility criteria outlined within these guidelines will be assessed in full.
If your application is eligible, an assessor will look at your application, taking into account the following criteria:
1. When is the deadline for submitting applications?
All applications must be submitted by 10am on Monday 23rd October 2023 via the Application Form available on our website.
2. Who will read my application?
Applications will be read and assessed by the Short Circuit team and Convergence Programme Leader, David Pope.
3. I have had television work produced, am I eligible?
Convergence is primarily for writers who do not have experience writing for screen. If you have only written for TV specifically and feel you would particularly benefit from the course, you are welcome to apply; however please note that applicants with no prior screenwriting experience may be prioritised.
4. When will I hear whether I’ve been selected for the course?
We will notify all applicants no later than Friday 10th November 2023.
5. What should I include in my personal statement?
This is an opportunity for you to tell us about yourself and why we should offer you a place on the course; tell us about your background as a creative, why you’re interested in writing for film, and the kind of stories you are interested in bringing to the screen.
6. What type of films are you looking for?
We will consider any genre of film. For Convergence, we are expecting to see exciting and authentic stories that show potential for development as a screen-based work.
7. Can I apply with an animation project?
Yes, we accept projects intended as an animation, as well as live action. It just needs to be fiction.
8. What level of experience are you looking for?
You must have been the lead writer, creator or practitioner in at least one shortlisted or commissioned project from another artistic field, such as theatre, literature, radio, documentary or artists’ moving image.
9. I am a Scottish writer but am not based in Scotland. Can I apply?
No, you must be resident in Scotland to be eligible.
10. I am currently in further/higher education (university, film school, etc), can I apply?
No, you cannot apply if you are currently enrolled full-time in further or higher education.
11. I am currently a student but will have graduated by the time the course starts. Can I apply?
Yes, providing that you meet the criteria set out in the Application Guidelines.
12. I am under 18, can I apply?
No, you must be over 18 to apply to Convergence. If you’re 16-25 years of age, passionate about film and interested in a career in the film industry, you should get involved in the BFI Film Academy. Find out more here: https://www.bfi.org.uk/bfi-film-academy-opportunities-young-creatives.
13. What access support is available for course participants?
There is a space in the Application Form for you to inform us of any access requirements you might have, including those relating to a disability, communication support or contribution to childcare.
14. What is the time commitment of the course? Can I participate alongside other work?
The course is not full-time, though you should be prepared to devote significant time to training dates and your own writing. It is up to you to manage your workload for the course alongside your existing commitments.
15. I was a participant on SFTN’s ‘Write4Film’ course – can I apply?
While Convergence is a different programme, the learnings and outcomes are very similar to the training offered by the Scottish Film Talent Network. Therefore if you participated in this course previously, we would not advise you to apply for Convergence.
Please contact hello@shortcircuit.scot if you have any further questions not answered here.
