Writing For Young Audiences: Why It's The Best Gig In Town

with Chris Hill, Tim Bain, and Tony Cooke
moderated by Guy Rowland

Watch This Session

Children are a huge, diverse audience – and massive consumers of drama: on TV, at the movies and online. What’s more, writing for children is very different to writing for teens … One size does not fit all!

Writing for Young Audiences offers a unique challenge: kids and teens are quick to bore and are now more media literate than ever. Keeping them engaged without patronising them is a huge skill.

Screenwriters Guy Rowland (Sam Jackson’s Secret Video Diary), Rob Sprackling (Gnomeo & Juliet), Chris Hill (Skins), Tony Cooke (The Legend of Dick And Dom) and Tim Bain (Dennis And Gnasher) offer their experiences up writing for young audiences, giving writers a fantastic opportunity to see how this difficult, but rewarding job works under the microscope.

Appearing in this session

Tim Bain – Screenwriter

Credits include: PJ Masks, Fireman Sam

Tim has written hundreds of episodes for some of the world's most beloved children's shows.

Tony Cooke – Screenwriter

Credits include: The Legend of Dick and Dom

Tony was a lead writer and co-wrote 17 episodes of the BAFTA nominated CBBC sitcom The Legend of Dick and Dom.

Guy Rowland – Screenwriter

Credits include Sam Jackson's Secret Video Diary

Screenwriter, composer and sound designer with a passion for storytelling in all of those forms.

Chris Hill – Screenwriter

Credits include: Skins, The Last Station, Butterfly Kick

Young gun Chris has his first feature screenplay due to start shooting later this year.