Climate Spring’s The Hot House development lab returns with focus on 'stories of the climate transition'

Climate Spring’s The Hot House development lab returns, incentivising screenwriters to craft ‘stories of the climate transition’, after 2023 iteration garnered nearly 500 submissions‍

Today, Climate Spring announces the return of its The Hot House development lab for scripted long-form TV and feature film projects. Following a hugely successful 2023 run with nearly 500 submissions, this year’s lab spotlights ‘stories of the climate transition’, incentivising screenwriters to craft engaging and relatable climate stories set in a near future without fossil fuels and polluting practices. The initiative is run in partnership with BBC Writers and Film London.

Launched in 2022 as part of Climate Spring’s writers’ development offering, The Hot House aims to stimulate a pipeline of new, engaging and commercially viable climate stories for film and TV, whilst offering industry exposure and development support to screenwriting talent. In 2023, successful projects were shared with a range of production companies and industry stakeholders, with several active negotiations currently underway for further development.

Recognising the power of storytelling in how we see and shape our world, this year’s The Hot House development lab focuses on stories of the climate transition. This brief has been chosen to encourage the creation of  entertaining and engaging stories on how humanity can navigate through this crisis collectively, as a counter to the dominant ‘doomsday’ narrative frequently encountered in the climate discourse.

Josh Cockcroft, Director at Climate Spring, said: We're delighted to bring back The Hot House development lab, this year with a focus on stories of the climate transition. There is an ever-increasing demand from screenwriting talent to tell the greatest story of our time; the story of the climate transition. With The Hot House, we want to empower our industry’s diverse and creative minds to craft compelling new stories that shine a light on the incredible transitions that are already underway, as we move away from polluting, damaging practices to a more regenerative economy.”
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Jess Loveland, Head of New Writing for BBC Drama Commissioning and BBC Writers, said: “BBC Writers is thrilled to be partnering with Climate Spring again on the second iteration of the Hot House Lab. The inaugural lab last year uncovered some incredible climate-focused stories and storytellers and we can’t wait to see what this new call-out brings.”

Laurence Johnson, Sustainability Manager at Film London, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to once again partner with Climate Spring. After the success of last year’s The Hot House: Shorts competition, we’re looking forward to seeing how long-form screen content can help open up our cultural discourse around climate. While the current challenges posed by the climate crisis are clear, this is a unique opportunity to help inform and shape a more environmentally and socially connected future. By supporting diverse and skilled talent through the programme’s development lab, the initiative will help voice narratives on the climate crisis which highlight the potential for a healthier and more equitable future.’’

For this year’s The Hot House development lab, six final projects will be selected to each receive an award of £1,000 and three months of development support. This includes editorial input from Climate Spring on how to successfully weave climate into the storylines, advice from industry partners on how best to best develop the projects as well as on how to pitch the project. At the end of the lab, the projects will be showcased to producers and will be considered for development funding from Climate Spring, in partnership with production companies.

Applications will open on 22nd April 2024 at 12pm, and will close on 30th June 2024 at midnight.

Climate Spring will hold an information webinar in May to provide more information about the creative brief and application process.

To find out more about The Hot House development lab 2024, and to apply, visit: https://www.climate-spring.org/latest-categories/opportunities

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For further press information please contact: Sara Oberthaler, Communications & Events Lead at Climate Spring: sara@climate-spring.org


Notes to the editor:
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About Climate Spring’s The Hot House:

The Hot House is part of Climate Spring’s writers’ development offering and comprises two programmes - The Hot House development lab for feature-length TV and film projects and The Hot House: Shorts, a development grant for a short film about climate change. This initiative aims to incentivise and stimulate a pipeline of new, diverse and commercially viable climate stories for film and TV, whilst offering industry exposure and development support to creative screenwriting talent.

About Climate Spring:‍

Climate Spring is a global development fund and a screen industry insider organisation aiming to harness the storytelling power of film and TV to shift how society perceives and responds to the climate crisis.

Working closely with screen industry partners, gatekeepers, commissioners, creatives and producers, Climate Spring identifies, incentivises and supports new, engaging and commercially viable climate stories with potential to be developed into mainstream film and TV content.

Led by a collective of screen industry and climate experts, Climate Spring offers early-stage development funding for scripted and unscripted content; editorial consulting on the climate elements of feature film and TV projects for writers, commissioners and producers; training and writers development opportunities; and support in moving a project from idea to distribution.

Climate Spring is currently funding, co-financing and supporting a range of leading production companies, screenwriters and talent, in a range of genres from crime to thriller to romantic comedy.

Website: www.climate-spring.org
Instagram: @climate__spring
X: @climate__spring
LinkedIn: Climate Spring

‍About BBC Writers
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BBC Writers is part of BBC TV Drama commissioning. A cross-genre department for scripted content, it also works with CBBC, CBeebies, radio, online and others to develop new and experienced off-screen talent. It has bases in London, Salford, Glasgow, Cardiff and Belfast.

About Film London

‍Film London is the capital's screen industries agency. We connect ideas, talent and finance to develop a pioneering creative culture in the city that delivers success in film, television, animation, games and beyond. We work to sustain, promote and develop London as a global content production hub, support the development of the city's new and emerging filmmaking talent and invest in a diverse and rich film culture. Funded by the Mayor of London and the National Lottery through the BFI, we also receive support from Arts Council England, ScreenSkills and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Film London's activities include:

• Maintaining, strengthening and promoting London's position as world-class city to attract investment through film, television, animation and games
• Investing in local talent through a range of specialised production and training schemes
• Boosting employment and competitiveness in the capital's screen industries by delivering internationally facing business development events
• Maximising access to the capital's film culture by helping audiences discover film in all its diversity
• Promoting London through screen tourism

Film London also manages the British Film Commission (www.britishfilmcommission.org.uk) through a public/private partnership which is funded by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport through the BFI, and the Department for International Trade.

www.filmlondon.org.uk

@Film_London

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