New Writer Focus: Writer Spotlights
Writer Spotlight: Colum Eastwood
For Colum Eastwood, the New Writer Focus scheme marked more than just a step forward—it was a turning point. As an early-career screenwriter, the structure, feedback, and support provided by the scheme gave him the discipline and confidence to take his writing seriously and connect with the local industry. In this spotlight, Colum reflects on how the experience helped shape his craft, build resilience, and ultimately paved the way for his first feature, Black Medicine, and beyond.
How did the NWF shape or support your journey as a writer?
The New Writer Focus scheme really marked a turning point in my fledgling career! Going through a structured development process that provides regular feedback and deadlines instils a level of discipline and professionalism in your writing. It also offers a fantastic introduction to the local industry and a potential pathway to production – something that is really unique in the UK and Ireland.
What inspired you to apply for the scheme, and what would you say to someone hesitant to apply?
To someone hesitant to apply I would say just go for it, the industry is full of rejection, it’s part and parcel of the process – you have to show your work and get feedback and try to improve. It can be an uncomfortable process but you have to develop a thick skin as a writer if you want to progress. The scheme is truly a very forgiving and collaborative place, you will make friends within the group and you’ll all work together on improving your projects. There’s a camaraderie there that is really nice for an often solitary writing process.
What’s one piece of advice you wish you had known before starting the scheme?
One general thing I think I’d have liked someone to advise me earlier in my career is that there is no ‘perfect’ opportunity. You cannot wait for your ship to come in, you have to swim out to it. Applying for the scheme is a great way to get started and setting a goal to write a script to apply with is a great objective for any writer’s year.
Could you share any details about the project you developed or upcoming projects you’re excited about?
My own script BLACK MEDICINE ended up going into production not long after the scheme, this led to many opportunities and ultimately my second feature THE MORRIGAN – also produced in NI with Northern Ireland Screen’s support. None of this would’ve been possible without the scheme. I have two more projects in development currently and the lessons I learned from those days still apply – writing is rewriting. Resilience and the ability to rip up what you’ve done/kill darlings/start again is still as relevant to me now as it was then.
Would you recommend Northern Ireland Screen’s New Writer Focus Scheme?
I’d highly recommend applying to this year’s New Writer’s Focus, not only with the goal of getting accepted but also just to get writing more. Sadly there aren’t many shortcuts with writing and you’ll have to put down a lot of words before they’re likely to be any good! I’d certainly say don’t be discouraged if you aren’t accepted straight away, the more writing you do – the better you’ll get. And if accepted, the scheme 100% will advance your writing and your career so it is well worth the effort.
If you’re considering a future in screenwriting, the New Writer Focus scheme could be your next step.
Find out more and start your application today: New Writer Focus 2025-26 – Northern Ireland Screen
Writer Spotlight: Carly Mills
Carly Mills’ journey as a screenwriter took off through Northern Ireland Screen’s New Writer Focus scheme, where she developed her debut feature Can’t Abride It. In this spotlight, Carly reflects on the process of turning an idea into a script, the support she received, and how the scheme helped her take her writing more seriously. For anyone wondering what it takes to get started in screenwriting or looking for a bit of inspiration, discover more about Carly’s story and her candid look at the journey from passion project to professional opportunity.
How did the NWF shape or support your journey as a writer?
NWF was the start for me; it was the first feature I’d written, the first time I’d been given the time, space and feedback to really scrutinise a script, and to examine what I was trying to say with it. It provided such a firm foundation to my writing practice – I learned about working to a deadline, being held accountable to deliveries, and was treated seriously as a writer.
What inspired you to apply for the scheme, and what would you say to someone hesitant to apply?
It was Spring 2020, and I had been taking advantage both of having time off my day job and the many screenwriting workshops and classes that had moved online due to the pandemic. I’d had a nugget of an idea for a film, so when the New Writer Focus Opportunity came up it seemed like a goal I could really focus on and challenge myself to get the words on the page.To someone hesitant to apply, I say – do it! You have nothing to lose, and writing a feature in itself is an incredible learning curve and a huge achievement. Putting your writing out there can be terrifying, but NWF is a great place to start.
What kind of support and guidance did you receive from Northern Ireland Screen?
Stacks! Apart from regular check-ins with Ursula Devine (Scripted Content Manager at NI Screen), we had talks from agents, producers, development execs and professional writers to tell us more about the craft of screenwriting, the wider industry, and what a career as a working writer would look like.It was great to be given space to make mistakes, to try different things with the script and know that it was part of the process and could always be undone. Across the nine-ish months the scheme ran for, we would meet every few weeks to share our latest drafts, and having that ‘safe space’ for discussion and feedback with Ursula and the other writers in the cohort was so helpful.
Did participating in the scheme open any unexpected opportunities for you?
Absolutely. Thanks to New Writer Focus, I developed a Daytime TV Romantic Comedy script, was invited to be part of a BBC Hothouse Development Programme, and have written for children’s television. It opened so many doors for me, and really rocketed my writing career from ‘noodling about with a notepad and a few lines of dialogue’ to taking myself seriously as a writer.
What’s one piece of advice you wish you had known before starting the scheme?
Be prepared to work, and even if you’ve redrafted your script a hundred times, be ready to view it as ‘draft zero’. It’s going to change, and that’s a good thing.
Could you share any details about the project you developed or upcoming projects you’re excited about?
The script I developed was a coming-of-age comedy about a girl planning her wedding and dealing with her emotions about moving on to the next stage of her life. It explored the contradiction of how traditional weddings infantilise women but ‘marriage’ suggests a degree of competent adulting, both of which my messy, chaotic protagonist struggled with.In terms of upcoming projects, off the back of New Writer Focus and the introduction to a Producer, I have had two short films developed through NI Screen. The first, Polished, is set in a nail bar and is about an unlikely friendship between the school bully and her bookish classmate, while the second, Post Partum Sex is about couple trying to reconnect after the birth of their first baby. Polished has been entered into a few festivals and Post Partum Sex is finishing up in the edit, I’m really excited for both.
Would you recommend Northern Ireland Screen’s New Writer Focus Scheme?
Big Fat Yes. I loved it, learned so much from it, and it has been such a major turning point in my writing career.
