BBC Studios TalentWorks has named two new recruits for its next Creator in Residence programme, who will focus on scripted projects within the BBC Studios portfolio.
Actor Hammed Animashaun has joined BBC Studios Comedy Productions for a six month placement, to develop original TV content. Animashaun has worked in television, film and theatre with credits that include BBC Studios Comedy Productions Black Ops, Amazon Studios’ The Wheel of Time, Paramount’s Time Bandits, films such as The Loneliest Boy in the World and Film 4 and Fudge Park’s The Festival, and theatre productions ranging from A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Three Penny Opera, Master Haroldand Barbershop Chronicles at the National Theatre and The Producers at Manchester’s Royal Exchange.
Hammed Animashaun said: “I can’t find the words to describe how excited and blessed I am to be a part of this programme! I can’t wait I can’t wait to hopefully create something special and extremely funny! (no pressure at all HA!)”
Josh Cole, Head of BBC Studios Productions Comedy added: “Hammed is an electric talent. He is also an exceptionally funny man and we are thrilled to be working with him on exciting new top secret comedy projects!”
Playwright and comedy screenwriter Liz Daramola, has joined Baby Cow Productions, a BBC Studios Production Label, for a six month placement to develop new original TV content. Whilst part of Soho Theatre’s Writers Lab, Daramola developed her debut play Bonhomié, shortlisted for the Tony Craze Award in 2020 and longlisted for the Mustapha Matura Award in 2021. In 2020, she was part of Edinburgh TV Festival’s The Network, and in 2021, she joined the Royal Court Writers’ Group and BBC London Voices. She is currently writing on Frogbox’s PJ Masks for Disney. She also works as a Literary Associate at the Lyric Hammersmith.
Liz Daramola said: “I’m delighted to join Baby Cow as the new Creator in Residence. It’s always been a dream of mine to create content with one of the UK’s leading production companies. I can’t wait to work with the brilliant team and see what the next six months produce! Thank you to BBC Studios TalentWorks and Baby Cow for this fantastic opportunity.”
Sarah Monteith, CEO Baby Cow Productions added: “Like everyone at Baby Cow, Liz has something to say. She’s also dedicated to spotting and nurturing talented, young and diverse voices. We were bowled over the moment we met her!”
BBC Studios TalentWorks Creator in Residence programme offers paid placements within BBC Studios Production Units, Production Labels and Invested Indies. They give emerging creators the chance to develop their skills , develop new scripts, programme concepts or even present.
Mark Linsey, MD Scripted, BBC Studios Productions said: “BBC Studios TalentWorks was set up to support new voices and to open up the media landscape to creatives from all backgrounds. We are incredibly excited that Liz and Hammed are joining our Creator in Residence programme. They are both an exciting new generation of talent with an exciting and varied six months ahead of them. We can’t wait to see what they develop and deliver.”
Amongst previous alumni is journalist and documentary filmmaker Layla Wright, who joined the BBC Studios Factual Podcast Unit in 2022 and later BBC Studios partner indie, Mindhouse, Louis Theroux’s production company. She went on to present her first BBC One Panorama, The Champions League Final: What Went Wrong?
RTS Young Filmmaker of the Year in 2021, Max Tobin joined the BBC Studios Science Unit in 2022 as part of the Creator in Residence programme. Max has since written and presented his first pilot for BBC Reel, entitled How does it Feel to Die? and fronted Fractured Reality, a five-part series for BBC Earth Lab’s YouTube channel which explores the science behind perceptions of reality and has recently been shortlisted in the Debut Presenter category at the Edinburgh TV Festival’s New Voice Awards.
Comedian and writer Mary O’Connell completed her stint as a Creator in Residence at Baby Cow in 2021 and has since been hired permanently at the indie as an Assistant Development Producer.
Following her Meta-funded residence, British Born Chinese influencer Shu Shi Lin has been employed as a Junior Researcher in the BBC Studios Digitial Originals team.
After a successful residency with BBC Studios invested Indie Various Artist Limited, makers of the multi-award winning I May Destroy You, comedian Charlie George had her script optioned by the production company.
As well as its Creators in Residence programme, BBC Studios TalentWorks also offer development funding, commissions content and runs workshops, training and networking events.
In 2021, BBC Studios TalentWorks announced a development, production and distribution deal with Joe Sugg’s new production company, Final Straw Productions, which will focus on developing entertainment and factual entertainment formats.
Jon Creamer
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