Banijay is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay is present in 16 territories.
Banijay is the world's largest independent content creation Group for television and multimedia platforms. Banijay is present in 16 territories.

Tag Archive: Banijay Bootcamp

  1. Banijay Bootcamp Returns to Strengthen Scripted Talent Worldwide

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    Content powerhouse, Banijay Entertainment, today announces the return of Banijay Bootcamp. Designed to sharpen creative talent across the footprint, its global scripted initiative pairs in-house development talent with emerging writers in two intensive week residency. Following 2024’s triumphant inaugural cycle, the second edition is already in full swing, with sessions continuing this month.

    In this year’s edition, six Banijay Entertainment development executives, and their chosen writers, will once again be mentored to elevate their projects to reach full potential. The Banijay Bootcamp participants include Miguel Lorenzo (DLO Productions, Iberia) with Adrià P. Xancó, Mirko Schulze (MadeFor, Germany) with Henning Wagner, Renato Fagundes (A Fabrica, Brazil) with Marcelo Antunez, Max Malka (Banijay Finland) with Cristal Snow, Marta Hopfer-Gilles (Rubicon), and Grace Blick (The Forge, UK) with Sarah Gordon.

    Led once again by Steve Matthews, Head of Scripted, Creative at Banijay Entertainment, alongside Portocabo’s Head of Content, Nina Hernández, and guest tutor Tatjana Samopjan, the Bootcamp is delivered in collaboration with the MIDPOINT Institute’s Series Launch programme. Over two intensive residencies in Prague, participants will sharpen their storytelling skills, develop original scripted projects, and expand their professional networks within the Banijay Entertainment ecosystem.

    Steve Matthews, Head of Scripted, Creative, Banijay Entertainment, says: “In an ever-evolving industry, pushing creative boundaries and investing in fresh storytelling talent is more important than ever. Banijay Bootcamp leverages our scale, enabling our producers to supercharge slates to create more original, exciting and ambitious content.”

    Nina Hernández, Head of Content at Portocabo adds: “Banijay Bootcamp brings together a diverse cohort to create bold, market-ready original ideas. By nurturing both writers and development executives, we’re not just strengthening storytelling, we’re fuelling the next generation of talent.”

    Banijay Bootcamp is one of several initiatives designed to supercharge creativity and accelerate talent, including Banijay Launch, which supports women creators in unscripted, offering mentorship and development opportunities to bring new formats to market.

    Based in Prague, MIDPOINT Institute is an international centre for audiovisual training and networking, providing professional support in film and series development. The institute is dedicated to advancing emerging and mid-career professionals, helping them refine their craft and bring compelling new projects to life.

  2. WRITER IN RESIDENCE SCHEME LAUNCHED BY CONKER PICTURES NORTHERN IRELAND

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    Belfast-based TV production company, Conker Pictures Northern Ireland (part of Banijay UK), is looking for up-and-coming writers from Northern Ireland for their brand-new, year-long Writer In Residence scheme.

    The scheme, which runs from January-December 2025, is being launched to help nurture the next generation of showrunners from Northern Ireland.

    It is being aimed at emerging and established writers who can represent the culture of Northern Ireland with authenticity – for example they may be from, or have lived or worked in, Northern Ireland. They will need to have had one script produced in either theatre, TV, radio or film, but ideally no more than one produced credit in film or TV.

    The chosen writer will have access to development meetings, writers’ rooms, feedback on ideas and scripts, invitations to industry events and mentoring workshops with leading industry creative talent. The scheme will culminate in a guaranteed in-house script commission that will be pitched to broadcasters with a view to getting the idea on TV.

     Kim Varvell and Tommy Bulfin, Conker Pictures CEOs, said: 

    “We’re delighted to be launching this writer in residence scheme out of our new Northern Irish base for Conker Pictures. Northern Ireland has such a long history of talented creatives from screenwriters, authors, playwrights and poets. We’re really thrilled to be nurturing the next generation of screenwriting talent from the region and can’t wait to get started.”

    Agents should email info@conkerpictures.com with a bio and sample for any writer they would like to put forward for the scheme. The closing date for applications is Friday 18th October. The recipient of the writer in residence scheme will be announced during the week of the Belfast Media Festival (w/c 11th November).

    In line with Banijay Entertainment’s commitment to championing new voices with creative ambition, this scheme is supported by the company’s Scripted Fund. Available to producers across the group’s footprint, the fund enhances the scope of projects, allowing creatives to fully realise their vision. Other recent scripted initiatives include Banijay Bootcamp, which paired in-house development executives from five different countries with emerging writers in a dynamic residency.

  3. Banijay Unveils New Scripted Initiative Banijay Bootcamp

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    Media and entertainment powerhouse, Banijay, today announces Banijay Bootcamp, a new creative programme for scripted talent, set to facilitate collaborative storytelling by pairing in-house development executives with emerging writers in a dynamic residency.

    Led by Steve Matthews, Content Executive at Banijay, Banijay Bootcamp is facilitated through the established MIDPOINT Institute’s Series Launch programme which Matthews has been part of since its inception in 2015. Working with Matthews is Portocabo’s Head of Content Nina Hernández along with guest tutor Tatjana Samopjan.

    Starting this week in Prague, with two residencies across three months, a cohort of five Banijay development executives from Mexico, Spain, France, Israel, and the Netherlands, will each be mentored with a writer to develop an idea, storyline, plot and script.

    Participants in the inaugural Banijay Bootcamp include Clara Machado (Endemol Shine Boomdog) with Carl Zitelmann, Anita Pico (Zeppelin) with Carlotta Dans and Lucía Estévez (Portocabo), Héloïse Ridoux (Banijay Studios France) with Quentin Elles, Adi Bar Yossef (Endemol Shine Israel) with Elad Laor, and Claire Zhou (NL Film) with Leon Golterman.

    Steve Matthews, Content Executive at Banijay, says: “Banijay Bootcamp will see our in-house development storymakers and their chosen writers sharpen skills to further understand the deep structure of an idea and how to make it the very best version possible. They’ll expertly demolish and rebuild to make projects sharp and – yes, commercial. In an increasingly competitive market, productions need to be really, really, good, so this is really about supporting development executives and writers, strengthening the next-generation across the footprint.”

    Banijay is home to a diverse range of over 60 labels working within scripted. Highly-anticipated forthcoming titles include Ripley, This Town, Supersex, Ronja the Robber’s Daughter, Carême, Elixer, Supporting Actor, Like Water for Chocolate, series two of The Golden Hour and many many more.

    Banijay Bootcamp is one of many of the group’s initiatives designed to accelerate and support talent and supercharge creativity, including Banijay Launch, which supports women creators with promising unscripted formats, providing in-house mentorships to aid them in developing bold new formats from concept to pitch to sale.

    Based in Prague, MIDPOINT Institute is an international centre for audiovisual training and networking which offers comprehensive professional support in film and series development, individual skills development, and post-production. MIDPOINT is devoted to helping emerging and mid-career professionals advance their projects and improve their craft.