Meet The Producers - panel talk

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Panel of producers and screenwriters for insights into what television production companies are looking for, how to pitch, who to talk to and insights into how the production process can work for writers.

Hosted by Ric Michael (script editor and ex Head of Development, Baby Cow Manchester), this event also features guest speakers working in television, including Katherine Beacon (development producer, BBC Children’s), screenwriter Lisa Holdsworth (Fat Friends, Emmerdale, New Tricks) and Cathianne Hall (Story Editor for BBC Children's and former Storyline Writer/Editor  across Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and CBBC).

This session was an opportunity to learn about the commissioning process and ask advice from those working in the industry.

About the panelists

Katherine Beacon is a Development Producer at BBC Children’s, working primarily on the development of new live action comedy and comedy drama projects. She was Head of Development for Jellylegs Productions from 2011 to 2014, seeing a number of new comedy series through from script to screen. Prior to that Katherine was project Manager for BBC writersroom North and also worked for a number of years for BBC Radio Drama, developing, producing and directing new comedy and drama for BBC Radio platforms. 

Lisa Holdsworth is an award-wining and BAFTA nominated screenwriter who has written episodes for a number of well-known TV productions, including Fat Friends, Emmerdale, New Tricks, Robin Hood and Waterloo Road.

Cathianne Hall is a theatre, film and TV writer and author based between Leeds, London and Manchester. Her practise is about researching hidden history and forgotten folklore to create modern fables that are relevant to today’s audience, aiming to tell stories that resonate across the years about ordinary but ultimately extraordinary people.

Until May 2019 she is Drama Development Script/Story Editor for BBC Children's In-house Productions working on new commissions for transmission in 2019/20.

Cathianne's previous TV experience is as a Storyline Writer/Editor  across Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Hollyoaks and CBBC. She storylined almost 3000 episodes of popular TV. Stories she’s worked on have achieved BAFTAs, NTA awards and Broadcast awards.