Written by Kianna Best on Apr 22, 2024. Posted in General Interest

Climate Spring announce return of The Hot House development Lab

Today, Climate Spring announced the return of their The Hot House development lab for scripted long-form television and feature film projects. Run in partnership with BBC Writers and Film London, this year’s initiative will incentivise screenwriters to craft engaging and relatable climate stories set in a near future without fossil fuels and polluting practices. Applications are open from today until 30 June at midnight.

Image courtesy of Tobias Rademacher by Unsplash

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.”

Since 2022, The Hot House has been encouraging the creation of “engaging and commercially viable climate stories for film and TV,” from upcoming screenwriting talent. Following the initial launch, as part of Climate Spring’s writer’s development offering, 2023 saw successful projects shared with an array of production companies and industry stakeholders, with several negotiations taking place and many underway for further development. This year, the initiative will focus on the climate transition, aiming to encourage the creation of engaging content that displays how humanity can navigate through the crisis collectively, countering the looming “doomsday” narrative.

Image courtesy of BBC

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.’’

Applications opened today and will close at midnight on 30 June 2024. More information on The Hot House can be found HERE.