Red Planet Pictures MD Tony Jordan has announced that two aspiring writers have been chosen as the joint winners of the company’s annual writing competition.
The Red Planet Prize 2014, held in partnership with Kudos, has been jointly awarded to documentary editor Paul McIntyre and former film art executive Tracy Ann Baines.
Paul McIntyre’s tense drama, The Family Next Door, tells the story of a woman who finds a mysterious hole leading to her neighbours’ house – and a series of revelations about long-buried family secrets.
Tracy Ann Baines’ script, called Iron Roads, is a bold nineteenth-century drama about the men on the frontline of the industrial revolution, building the iron roads for Britain’s railways. This epic yet intimate tale highlights the role of these forgotten men and their families.
On announcing the winners, Tony Jordan said: “The quality of this year’s competition was extraordinary, perfectly illustrated by the fact we have two winners. They were two wonderful scripts and we look forward to working closely with Tracy and Paul at Red Planet Pictures in the future.”
Commenting on this year’s award winners, Karen Wilson, Executive Producer, Kudos said: “We have a long history of nurturing and developing new talent and were struck by the creativity and quality of Tracy and Paul’s scripts. This is a unique opportunity for emerging talent and we can’t wait to read what Tracy and Paul produce next.”
The Red Planet Prize is open to any UK writer and the winner is decided by an industry panel, including Tony Jordan, Kudos CEO Jane Featherstone and Channel 4’s Deputy Head of Drama, Beth Willis.
Previous finalist Robert Thorogood created the BBC One smash hit series Death in Paradise, now starring Kris Marshall and produced by Red Planet Pictures, which returns to BBC One for a fourth series in the new year.
