Danú Media, in association with Greasán na Meán Skillnet and National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama are delighted to partner with Philip Shelley and bring Greenlight Screenwriting Lab back in 2026 for it’s fourth year running!
Course Director, Philip Shelley, has run the Channel 4 Screenwriting Course for 15 years and through that has worked with much of the best new talent in UK screenwriting.
Greenlight Screenwriting provides support and up-skilling opportunities to a new generation of emerging script writers and script editors through hands on industry-led training and mentoring, and will contribute to and enhance the Irish screen Industry. The course was launched in 2023, when six talented writers and three shadow script editors were mentored over the course of six months. During their six-month development period, writers had industry-led talks and workshops with people such as Peter McKenna (Kin, Hidden Assets), Des Doyle (The Art of Running a TV Show), Sam Atwell (Producer, Northern Lights), Heather Larmour (BBC Commissioning Executive), Ray Lawlor (Obituary) and Ursula Rani Sarma (Smother, Red Rock). The course ended with an industry networking event, where writers had the opportunity to meet producers and discuss their developed projects. After three successful years of Greenlight, we’re delighted to bring it back for it’s fourth edition.
'I'm delighted to be running the GREENLIGHT SCREENWRITING LAB for Irish screenwriters for the 4th year. It has been a privilege working with Danú Media and the writers and script editors on the first three years of this scheme and I think we have unearthed some real talent. I look forward to working with the pick of emerging Irish screenwriters and script-editors again in 2026.' - Philip Shelley, Course Director
Here are what some of our 2025 participants had to say!
I was fortunate enough to be one of the writers on the Greenlight Screenwriting Lab 2025. It was my third time applying, so if you are someone who wants to write for television do keep trying! What was transformational for me as a writer was having a script editor and shadow script editor help me interrogate my idea, guide me through writing a detailed outline and provide rounds of notes on my script. After six months, I had an episode of television that I simply wouldn't have been able to write without their support. Philip has so much industry knowledge and a wealth of experience that he generously shares with all of the participants. I can't recommend Greenlight enough! - Eimear Reilly, Screenwriter
Greenlight Screenwriting Lab was a wonderful experience; with the amazing support of Philip, Nadine, and my script editors, I was able to take an idea from a few sentences to a polished final draft in just 5 months. Not only do I now have a writing sample that I feel reflects my abilities, but I've also gained the skills needed to go through the development process (the ups, the downs, the late nights and frantic rewriting!). This wouldn't have been possible without the support and camaraderie gotten from the other participating writers, and seeing their work take shape was such a joy. The script I wrote on Greenlight has since gotten me an agent and opened many doors within the industry, and so I'm very grateful - and still baffled as to how! - I was included in the chosen writers. - Rían Smith, Screenwriter
With the support of National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama and Greasán na Meán Skillnet, Greenlight Screenwriting Lab will return in 2026 and offer an opportunity for six new script writers to be mentored by Philip and other industry professionals to develop a new TV drama series. In addition to this, the programme will also offer shadow opportunities for three people interested in script editing, who will have an opportunity to work closely with experienced script editors, including Philip Shelley and Nadine flynn (Danú Media).
Greenlight Screenwriting Lab will be open to any writers resident on the Island of Ireland and also any Irish writers who may be resident overseas. Criteria around Diversity, Equality and Inclusion will also be taken into account when short-listing writers for interview. The script submission window for applications will open on March 2nd until March 20th.
The working language of the training will be English; however, we particularly welcome writers who are fluent in Irish and wish to write material in Irish.
The National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama is an initiative of Screen Ireland and is managed by Ardán.
Gréasán na Meán Skillnet Ireland is funded from the National Training Fund through the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science.
For any other queries, please contact Nadine Flynn ( nadine@danumedia.com ) Head of Development at Danú Media,