John Hickman
John is a screenwriter based in North Shields. He’s written for a number of TV series including EastEnders, Doctors, The Dumping Ground and the upcoming Silverwood, and he’s currently developing several film and TV projects, including work with Clerkenwell Films and the BFI. He has been selected for several high profile mentoring schemes including programmes with Guiding Lights and BAFTA, as well as the BBC Writersroom Comedy Room. His TV script, The Things, was a winner of the BAFTA Rocliffe writing competition.
He collaborates with a group of North East-based filmmakers, with whom he has written and directed several shorts, which have played and won numerous awards at worldwide film festivals. Formerly a social worker, John has an MA in Creative Writing as well as a PhD, with a focus on the onscreen fictional depiction of looked-after children.
CV
2020
The Thirst – feature collaboration agreement with Meloni Poole
Little Snake – BFI / Shudder Films – TV bible and pilot episode commissioned
Lost Ones – BFI / Shudder Films – feature treatment commissioned
Hood – Lime Pictures – original series treatment optioned
The Dumping Ground Series 9 – CBBC – script commissioned
Doctors – BBC Studios – script commissioned
2019
One Big Mad Family – Lime Pictures – original series treatment optioned
The Wild – Clerkenwell Films – series treatment and 6 x scripts commissioned
Silverwood – Zodiak Kids / CBBC – 2 x scripts commissioned
The Dumping Ground Series 8 – CBBC – 2 x scripts commissioned
Monkey’s Blood – Eastlake Productions – one act play (co-writer/director)
Doctors – BBC Studios – script commissioned
2018
Beyond Sunlight – Shudder Films – feature screenplay commissioned
Doctors – BBC Studios – 2 scripts commissioned
EastEnders – BBC Studios – 2 scripts commissioned
The Dumping Ground Series 7 – CBBC – 2 scripts commissioned
2017
The Dumping Ground – CBBC – script commissioned
The Dumping Ground – CBBC – compilation script commissioned
Doctors – BBC Studios – 2 scripts commissioned
Collection Only – Constant Productions – short film (co-writer / co-director)
Awards: Winchester Film Festival (special mention)
Tone Death – Green Boy Films – independent feature film (co-writer / co-director)
Awards: Triple Six Horror Festival (best feature film)
Deadline Day – Theatre N16 / Eastlake Productions One act play co-written with Stephen Robertson
Akita – Green Boys – short film (co-writer/co-director)
Screenings: London Short Film Festival / Exit 6 Film Festival
Awards: Indie-Lincs Film Festival (Best UK short) / Reading Fringe Film Festival (Best Actor) / Malatesta Short Film Festival, Italy (Best fiction short) / Exposure Film Festival (Best UK short)
Competitions/schemes:
BBC Writersroom Comedy Script Room (2019)
BFI Network/BAFTA Crew mentoring programme (2019)
BBC EastEnders Scheme (2018)
Guiding Lights 9 mentoring programme (2017)
BBC Doctors Shadow Scheme (2016)
BAFTA Rocliffe Children’s Writing Winner with The Things (2014)
BBC Writersroom Scriptroom 7 Winner with The Things (2014)
Competitions/schemes – shortlisted:
BBC Studios Writers Academy (2019)
BBC TV Drama Writers’ Programme (2018)
Channel 4/Blacklight 4Stories (2018)
BBC Writersroom Comedy Script Room (2018)