Unscripted TV development assistant producer training programme

• Are you working as a Development AP and looking to upskill in your role?  
• Are you newly appointed in a Development AP role and keen to hone your skills?
• Are you an experienced Development Researcher ready to move up to a Development AP role?

The brand new Unscripted Development Assistant Producer training programme delivered by Mission Accomplished may be for you.

The training will run in two cohorts (one in May, and one in July – precise dates tbc) Training sessions will take place on weekdays during standard office hours. The schedule includes: 

• 4 x 3-hour online sessions (including an array of guest speakers)
• 2 x in-person training days (Birmingham)
• 1-2-1 session with the course leader
• 6-month work placement as a Development AP – with partial salary support from the ScreenSkills Unscripted Skills Fund.

This training programme is funded by the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

Who it's for

We’re looking to recruit 20 delegates based across the UK.

This programme is aimed at those who have demonstrable experience working in unscripted TV development at development AP or development researcher level. You could be a newly appointed development AP eager to hone their skills and build confidence, or an experience development researcher ready to step up into a development AP position.

You can access this course in two ways: 

• Independent Route: If you’re a freelancer or between contracts you can apply for one of our dedicated placement opportunities. – Please note the you will need to be approved by both the training provider and the placement company to be selected for the training.
• Company Route: If you are currently working for a company as a Development AP or just about to be stepped up from Development Researcher and your current production company is supporting your application, you can apply with a letter of recommendation. - Please note that the company must be committed to a six-month placement and agree to top up the salary contribution provided by the ScreenSkills Unscripted Production Fund. No more than 50% of the places will be allocated via this route and host companies must evidence a need for partaking in the programme to create this opportunity. 

There is a fee of £300+VAT for this course which is payable upon enrolment. Bursaries are available for this course and will be prioritised for independent applicants.

We always welcome applications from under-represented groups, including, but not limited to: those from Minority Ethnic Groups; people with a disability; people from the LGBTQ+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

If you would like support completing the application form and/or would like us to send it to you in an alternative format, please email training@mission.guru 

What it covers

This course is aimed at addressing the lack of training for development AP talent and is aimed at ensuring they are ready to tackle the current and future challenges within the unscripted TV sector.  

The course will cover the development process within a production company: 

• Brief  
• Ideation 
• Formulating the Idea 
• Creating Pitch Decks
• Sizzles  

Course content headlines include:  

• Thriving as a Development AP in an evolving landscape
• The business of creativity
• Maximising creative performance
• Leadership, managing teams and setting boundaries
• The Developer’s Guide to Production
• How to be the best Dev AP you possibly can 

By the end of the course participants will: 

• Understand the role and responsibilities of a Development Assistant Producer
• Have the skills and knowledge to take on a role at Development Assistant Producer level
• Know themselves and their creative identity
• Know their buyers (channels / SVODs) and how to crack them
• Understand the need to look at ideas afresh and be continually challenging their thinking
• Have started to develop Leadership and Management skills needed for the role
• Have developed their brainstorming and ideation skills and upscaled their creative processes
• Understand access, talent, their assets and how to sell them 

Subject to market conditions, the placements will run concurrently with the training to maximise opportunities to implement the learning. The training itself will be split across two cohorts:

Cohort 1 dates (placements beginning in May):

• Friday 9th May 2-5pm - Online
• Tuesday 20th & Wednesday 21st May - In-person full days in Birmingham
• Thursday 5th June 2-5pm - Online 
• Thursday 19th June 2-5pm - Online 
• Thursday 10th July 2-5pm - Online 

Cohort 2 dates (placements beginning in July):

• Thursday 3rd July 2-5pm - Online
• Monday 14th & Tuesday 15th July – In-person full days in Birmingham
• Thursday 7th August 2-5pm - Online
• Thursday 21st August 2-5pm - Online
• Thursday 4th September 2-5pm - Online

Course Director  

Alison Grade describes her key skill as transforming creative ideas into a business reality. She accomplishes this with the films she produces, the creative entrepreneurs she mentors, SMEs and freelancers she advises and in her Penguin published book The Freelance Bible.

Alison has a unique skillset in that she has formal academic training (INSEAD MBA); has worked at senior level in many media companies; is an entrepreneur who has established several businesses and is a Nesta accredited Creative Enterprise trainer and mentor. She brings her passion, knowledge and experience with her in all the work she does.

Trainer

Sophie Morgan is an experienced TV and multi-platform content creator, screenwriter and development consultant with over twenty-years working as award-winning creative director, commissioning editor and BAFTA-nominated producer. Working in the UK and US, she has developed and exec produced hundreds of hours of TV content including Britain’s Next Top Model, RuPaul’s Drag Race, London Ink and Jade.

In 2021 she founded multi-platform ideation and development consultancy Pontariva Media with the aim of adding value to production companies, multiplatform content studios and broadcasters like Channel 4 and Sky. They do this by helping them devise more ambitious, omni platform content and find innovative ways to exploit IP, use emerging technology and design new funding models.

She also devises and delivers industry training on topics including Gen AI, agile leadership, industry diversification and best creative practice and runs regular workshops for ScreenSkills and Creative Enterprise as well as the NFTS and Warwick University. She chairs several industry panels for Broadcast’s AI summits and is a neurodiversity advocate and mentor. She has written two novels and two screenplays for Sky and the BBC. 

How to apply

Click ‘apply now’ at the top of the page and follow the instructions to apply for your place: you must login or register before you are able to complete your application. 

You must have demonstrable experience working in unscripted TV development at Development AP or Development Researcher level.

In the application, you will be asked to specify whether you are applying for support as a freelancer or an employee of an unscripted TV company. If you are applying as an employee, you will need to provide your company name and the person we can contact if you are successful. 

You will also be asked for your three most recent credits, please provide the programme/series title and your job role.  

While most questions in the application form are multiple choice or require short answers, four questions will require longer answers. For your preparation, these four questions are:  

• Why do you feel you are a suitable candidate for this training programme at this time in your career?
• What are you looking to achieve by completing this training programme?  
• Do you have any other hobbies, interests or specialist knowledge that could influence your practice?  
• What is your future career goal? 

If you need additional support to complete your application or require the application form in an alternative format please contact USF@screenskills.com

Judging information

Key Dates:

Cohort 1 (starting in May):

• Application Deadline – Sun 30th March 2025
• First round interviews with Mission Accomplished commence – Thu 3rd April 2025
• Second round interviews with production company offering placement commence – Mon 14th April 2025

Cohort 2 (starting in July):

• Application Deadline – Sun 1st June 2025
• First round interviews with Mission Accomplished commence – Mon 2nd June 2025
• Second round interviews with production company offering placement commence – Mon 9th June 2025

Please note, if you wish to be considered for Cohort 1 (starting in May) you must apply by 30th March. There will then be a brief pause in applications before they are reopened until 1st June. Applications received after 30th March will only be considered for the Cohort 2 (starting in July).

You will need to be approved by both the training provider and the placement company to be selected for the training.