Sex Education producers Eleven, backed by Sony Pictures Television, has announced an expansion of its Duly Noted scheme, partnering with the BBC for a second time in three years of the scheme’s history.
For 2023, Duly Noted has an enhanced focus on attracting regional and national participants from across the UK, with backing from Screen Scotland. Whilst Duly Noted’s workshops will take place in London, as they have historically, the participants subsequent 12 week production placements will be based in a variety of productions across the UK.
The final cohort will again be offered a 12 week placement on production.
Duly Noted was launched by Eleven’s Carissa Hope Lynch in 2021 as a training programme designed for under-represented groups in comedy and drama development, who wanted to gain more scripted experience in order to advance their careers and to become script editors.
The initial launch of the scheme got more than 200 applications. For Duly Noted’s second year, applications were encouraged from all people from historically excluded groups; this includes but is not limited to candidates from across the UK who are from ethnically diverse backgrounds, deaf, disabled, neurodivergent, from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and LGBTQIA+.
The 2022 programme was expanded to include on the ground placements in productions across the industry, helping them to earn their first broadcast credits. Placements were facilitated by the BBC and SPT, and will return this year in partnership with a number of producers from across the UK.
The Duly Noted team has expanded too, with the return of facilitators Carissa Hope Lynch and Writer Tolula Dada, and the addition of Eleven’s Inclusion and Training Officer Sophie Wood who oversaw access at all stages of the scheme in 2022.
Carissa Hope Lynch, Founder of Duly Noted and Eleven’s Creative Director, says: “After the first two years of Duly Noted our alumni are all going from strength to strength, cutting their own paths through the landscape. We’re so lucky to have worked with such talented, ambitious, and diligent brains: Andin Ngwa script editing on big shows like Riches and The Rig to an inhouse role with Firebird; David Cheung stepping up on Silent Witness 25 and then moving onto The Ballad of Renegade Nell for Disney+; Amir Amirsolimani working on Bad Sisters for Apple, then segueing into an editorial role with SunnyMarch; Uju Enendu racking up the credits like a champion, working with heavyweight companies, the likes of Mammoth, ITV Studios, and now Netflix; and Marissa Ogbeide joining the stellar team at Federation Stories. Each journey is staggering in their own right, I feel fortunate that Duly Noted has been a short stop along the way.”
“We’re so excited to expand the reach of Duly Noted this year. Inclusion is at the heart of this scheme,” says Sophie Wood, Eleven’s Inclusion and Training Officer. “I’m incredibly proud of the consideration that has gone into who the scheme represents, who it’s here for, and what effective support looks like for our final cohort. Schemes like Duly Noted continue to be necessary for our industry, and it’s an honour to be co-creating its most ambitious year yet with likeminded industry professionals.”
Duly Noted is funded equally by the Sony Pictures Television International Production’s Creative Diversity Fund and the BBC. The CDF is a direct-action initiative to increase opportunities for diverse talent working across SPT’s International Production group of companies, which includes Eleven. For Duly Noted 2023, Screen Scotland are also contributing funding support.
The Duly Noted website will open for applications between Monday 6th March and Friday 24th March 2023. More information on the scheme are on Eleven’s website: https://www.elevenfilm.com/duly-noted-2023/
Jon Creamer
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