Black Britain Unspoken Returns for a Third Series
Black Britain Unspoken, part of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) Access, the talent development division for underrepresented creatives, is returning for a third series in 2024.
Black Britain Unspoken aims to give opportunity and voice to Black British filmmakers who are breaking into the industry, as data shows Black people continue to be underrepresented across director, writer and producer roles in the UK.1
During WBD’s fireside chat on Wednesday, 27 March, 11:30 – 12:15 at TNB XPO, Black Britain Unspoken alumni will join Rico Johnson-Sinclair, Training & Skills Director CrewHQ, to discuss the programme and the impact it has had on their career to date.
Launched in 2022, Black Britain Unspoken gives filmmakers a pitch-to-production experience. Delivered in collaboration with Media Trust, three aspiring filmmakers will also be offered professional development sessions focused on media training and career progression. This year, award-winning UK production company Wall to Wall, part of Warner Bros. International Television Production, is joining the programme as production partner alongside Bounce Cinema, who partnered with Black Britain Unspoken in 2023, will continue its support through the judging stages, training, and as premiere event partner.
To date, Black Britain Unspoken has identified and supported six incredible filmmakers. The 2023 cohort included Alterior by Terrie Aghaizu, Beats From Heaven by Eden Igwe and Food, Music & Vibes by Monique Needham, each providing authentic, original perspectives of what it means to be Black and British. Since taking part in Black Britain Unspoken, Eden has been awarded an Honourable Mention for her film at the UK Seasonal Short Film Festival and Monique has been nominated for The Victor Adebodun Award for Debut Director (Unscripted) at the Edinburgh TV Foundation New Voice Awards, whilst 2022 filmmakers have had their films recognised at industry leading festivals such as Unscripted at the Edinburgh TV Festival and the International Shorts Film Festival.
The 2024 selected films will launch on discovery+ in October as part of WBD’s Black History Month celebrations in the UK. Applications are open until Monday 08 April.
Asif Sadiq MBE, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer Warner Bros. Discovery said, “We’re delighted to launch series three of Black Britain Unspoken. We are so proud of the six fantastic directors we have been able to identify and support. Working with industry leading partners like Media Trust, Bounce Cinema and now Wall to Wall – we’re able to not only improve access and opportunity but deliver best-in-class training, mentoring and experiences.”
Reflecting on their favourite part of the process, the Black Britain Unspoken S2 filmmakers said:
Terrie Aghaizu “It’s hard to choose my favourite part! I think the process of talking to my contributors and engaging with them in such an intimate way to ensure I told their story correctly is definitely up there. I worked very closely with my editor throughout the post-production process to piece my story together. This was very interesting as otherwise the structure of the film could have been very different.”
Eden Igwe “A huge highlight was the shoot day where we recorded the contributor interviews. Working with an experienced team in such a beautiful studio setting filled me with so much joy. Every time I looked at the monitor, I saw the magic of months of work coming together. It’s an awesome feeling that I don’t think I could compare to any other experience!”
Monique Needham “I was so nervous in the build-up to my pitch, but it felt so freeing to sell my idea on my own terms and style. Before the shoot I was super nervous, but the day itself was so much fun. The team we had was great and I had actually worked with some of them before, so it definitely made me feel more relaxed.”
WBD Access is also bringing its Northern Writers’ Programme, in partnership with Wall to Wall North and the Royal Exchange Theatre, back in 2024 for a third series. The programme offers theatre writers from the North of England an opportunity to branch into television, empowering them to carve out successful careers across both stage and screen. Applications are open until Thursday 28 March.
In addition to the commitment to increase access to the industry for underrepresented creatives, WBD has also broadened its skills offering with the launch of CrewHQ in November 2023. The new on-site training centre based at Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden is designed to support existing crew, create career routes for people of all backgrounds and foster the next generation of Film and TV production talent.