Event: Is it worth writing for TV now?

A West Midlands Writers' Guild Event

An evening with Tony Garnett & Hilary Salmon hosted by David Edgar

Friday 21st May at 7:30pm

Venue: BCU School of Art, Margaret St., Birmingham B3 3BX

www.bcu.ac.uk/about-us/maps-and-campuses/school-of-art-margaret-street

Last year Cathy Come Home producer Tony Garnett caused controversy by attacking the current state of BBC TV drama in a powerful viral email, in The Guardian and other media and in his article How To Kill Creativity While Claiming To Make It Grow. (www.guardian.co.uk/media/2009/jul/15/tony-garnett-email-bbc-drama). His criticisms have stirred much discussion and caused other writers and producers to come to the BBC’s defence. We continue this vigorous debate here in the Midlands with Tony himself and BBC executive producer Hilary Salmon, responsible for several hard‑hitting BBC TV dramas. It promises to be a lively and informative evening. We hope you will be able to attend.

Tony Garnett’s long and prestigious television career includes Z-Cars, The Wednesday Play, Cathy Come Home, Kes, Ballykissangel, The Cops, Law & Order, Between the Lines, This Life and No Angels. Along the way, he has helped to develop the work of Ken Loach, Mike Leigh, GF Newman and Roland Joffe among others. Born in Birmingham, he is an avid Aston Villa supporter. www.tonygarnett.com

Hilary Salmon is a BBC executive producer. Based at BBC Pebble Mill during the 1990s, she has worked in London since 1998. Her credits include: Criminal Justice, Five Days, Moses Jones, The Passion, Maxwell, House Of Saddam, Silent Witness, The Long Firm, Shoot The Messenger, Babyfather, To The Ends Of The Earth and Nature Boy. Her work has won RTS, Bafta and Prix Italia awards. She supports Liverpool FC.

Places are limited for this event. Please reserve a place by emailing WmidWritersGuild@aol.com

Free to Guild members. £5 for non-members.