Off the back of a very difficult year for live theatre, Swamp Motel are looking to support creative talent in the live theatre and entertainment industries through a new paid commission programme, Room 21. Swamp Motel are opening their doors and asking for submissions – be that an original script or creative idea to adapt and produce into an online entertainment experience.
Room 21 is a virtual room in ‘Swamp Motel’ that the company are offering to a writer to then develop their original script / idea into a multi-platform narrative that can be told through an online, audience-led experience. Applicants could be amateur, professional or completely undiscovered writers. They could be university students, school leavers or 40 years into their career. Swamp Motel are welcoming creative applications from those who have not ventured into digital formats before.
The motivation behind Room 21 and welcoming new creatives into the fold at Swamp Motel to new talent is all about providing opportunity for people who have been affected by the government’s closure of the live theatre and entertainment experiences because of Covid-19.
Over 2020-21 Swamp Motel has diversified their creative offering. The Swamp Motel Trilogy began with ‘Plymouth Point’, in the autumn followed ‘The Mermaids’ Tongue’ and in March 2021 the final part in the trilogy ‘The Kindling Hour’. The success of the trilogy has enabled growth from 4 – 40 staff in the team, and extended capability to work with brands on tailor made experiences.
Taking theatrical storytelling to new audiences, the Swamp Motel Trilogy has been experienced by over 40,000 people. The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish commented how the experiences ‘feel very now.’ Firmly established as part of their work moving forward, when in-person performances resume, this sub-genre will continue to bring gamers towards theatre and vice-versa.
Comment from Swamp Motel:
“We’ve always had to innovate in how we deliver our storytelling. Working across many formats in our careers – from the stage, warehouses, basements, street corners, trains. Most recently, we’ve used the internet as our playground, which has allowed us to take our storytelling to new audiences who may never have been able to come to one of our live shows. Now, we’re so excited about collaborating with other talented storytellers to help bring their stories to life in new places that they may not have thought of before.”
Applications will be judged by Swamp Motel’s Directors, including Clem Garritty and Ollie Jones. The winning writer will receive a fee of £2,000, and a month working in collaboration with the Swamp Motel Creative Directors. Additional fees, royalties, administrative, production and marketing support will also be provided should the script move into production.
Applications for Room 21 are open now and close on 14th May 2021. For more information about Room 21 and how to enter, visit swampmotel.co.uk.
Ends.
For media enquiries, please contact Storytelling PR:
Miriam Attwood: miriam@storytellingpr.com
Emma Costello: emma@storytellingpr.com
Notes to editors
The commissioning programme will provide:
- A writer’s fee of £2,000 (a non-returnable advance against royalties)
- A month working in collaboration with Swamp Motel Creative Directors (Working virtually of course)
- An additional writers fee of £2,000 should the script move into production (a non-returnable advance against royalties)
- A ticket royalty of 10% on net box office profits
- Administrative, producing, production and marketing support from the Swamp Motel team
Eligibility criteria:
- You must be a UK resident.
- You must be 18 years of age or over.
- We cannot accept scripts or ideas that have been commissioned for another organisation.
- Ideas must belong to the applicants
- We’re open to applications submitted from more than one person.
Application Guidelines:
- A cover sheet, detailing contact information, name, email, phone number, address, website (if you have one) and 150 words on your reasons for applying
- An A4 one- page treatment OR an online link to one 3 minute video based treatment delivered by yourself. Treatment should include the following:
- Outline the narrative premise
- Highlight the key characters
- Detail any other creative features of note that help to communicate your creative vision.
- Why this piece is perfect for an online immersive format.
- Your CV (or combined CV if more than one person)
Decision-making process:
- There will be a collaborative shortlisting and decision-making process led by Swamp Motel’s Creative, Production and Marketing teams. Please note we will be unable to give feedback to unsuccessful applicants who are not shortlisted.
- Shortlisted applicants will be contacted and invited to a 60 minute discussion with key decision makers from Swamp Motel via video conference. Further detail regarding the format and attendance of this discussion will be shared in advance to all shortlisted applicants.
- The final decision will be at the discretion of the Directors at Swamp Motel, and may or may not require an additional meeting post the shortlist interviews.
Timings:
Deadline for applications: 14th May 2021
Successful awardee notified: By 30th June 2021
Writers residency: July 2021
