| Start Date | Duration | Cost | Max Participant Numbers |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 2026 | 4 x Days | Approx. €495 | 12 |
Overview
Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet is seeking expressions of interest for a story workshop using a writer’s room format to teach the basics of structure for television episodes and TV series. There will also be a focus on the interpersonal and soft skills needed to thrive in a writers’ room environment.
The tutor, Ciarán Hayden, will act as a hands-on story producer / head writer to a team of 9-12 writers across four day-long story sessions. These sessions will be run over two blocks of two consecutive days. There will be collaborative writing exercises and individual or group homework at the end of most sessions.
THE SESSIONS ARE NAMED / THEMED AS FOLLOWS:
1.“Characters”
2.“Journeys”
3.“And then…”
4.“Series”
5.“Notes”
6.“Comfort in chaos”
Along with Ciarán there will be guest tutors over the course of the programme.
Learning Outcomes
The chosen writers will develop their story lining skills, while also learning how to pitch ideas, and give and receive peer feedback. The course will be placing a huge emphasis on building soft skills, which will help them navigate the sometimes-challenging group dynamics of a typical writer’s room.
Tutor information
Ciarán is a writer, producer, and story consultant with over twenty years’ experience in the television industry in Ireland and the UK. He has written, storylined, and script edited everything from childrens’ animation, to soap, to hour-long medical and police procedural dramas.
Ciarán was the Fair City series consultant for five hugely-successful years during which he ran the story and script departments and was responsible for setting a compelling editorial tone for the show. Previous to that, he was a writer and story producer on Red Rock, before he took on the role of story producer on Eastenders. Ciarán is also a QQI certified trainer, and recently mentored a group of new writers at the Catalyst International Film Festival in Limerick. He’s also been a mentor and tutor on John Yorke’s “Story for Screenwriting” course.
As a writer, Ciarán currently has a movie and a TV series in development, while in his other life, he is the Executive Director of the Writers’ Guild of Ireland .Ciarán Hayden started his career almost twenty years ago as an animation scriptwriter, before making the move to hour-long drama on The Clinic, where he worked his way up to senior script editor and story liner.
Who This Course Is For
Applicants should have a background in writing: a short-film, TV, or theatre credit, a published story or poem, or a BA / Diploma in an appropriate field.
To gain maximum benefit from the course, all chosen writers will be required to attend each session in person.
As part of their application, they will be asked to send in a one-page story for television.
Location
Dublin. Venue TBC.
Costs/fee
Course fee will be approximately €495 per person. (Without support from CCIS this course would cost €1.330 per person)
Deadline for expressions of interest
Please use this LINK to express your interest in participating in this course by Monday 25th May at 12noon
Dates and times of the course
July 2026
Due to our funding, this course is only available to those resident in the Republic Of Ireland.
For any queries, please contact frankeaveney@furthr.ie