The Edinburgh International Film Festival has joined up with Skillset to launch a new screenwriting initiative called The Story Works.

The scheme, which will run from March 2010, will give ten experienced British screenwriters the chance to take part in a residential week of master-classes with screenwriters and film-makers.

The course will take place just outside Edinburgh and will run immediately before the 2010 edition of the festival. Participants will also have the chance to attend events throughout the rest of the year, as well as working with an experienced mentor on their chosen script or film.

The programme, which is being funded by Skillset, will be overseen by script editor Kate Leys, producers Finola Dwyer and Amanda Posey.

An advisory board, which includes producer Christian Colson, BBC creative director Christine Langan, producer Kevin Loader and Film4 chief Tessa Ross, will also be on hand to offer guidance to the screenwriters throughout the programme and are currently involved in the application process.

“This initiative is not about beginners’ skills, it is about bringing talented people together to talk about stories,” said Leys.

Neil Peplow, Skillset’s director of film, said: “Storytelling is at the very heart of our industry.  We need excellent scripts to continue creating the commercially and critically successful films that make the UK film industry a world leader.”

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