Richard is an award-winning Scottish scriptwriter and a returning writer for BBC’s prime time drama River City. In addition, he is currently developing his feature film screenplay Long Road Home with Mechabradypus Films. The project, having started life as a short film script which won Best Short Script at the European Independent Film Festival, was selected for the Scottish Film Talent Network’s Shorts2Features development programme.
Since gaining his MA in Television Fiction Writing from Glasgow Caledonian University, Richard has also been working on his own original television drama scripts. He is particularly interested in exploring contemporary relationships through comedy / drama, both grounded and high concept.
| Television (broadcast): | |
|---|---|
| River City | BBC Studios / BBC Scotland Writer for the prime time continuing drama from 2019. 3 x 60′ episodes commissioned |
| Film (in development): | |
|---|---|
| Long Road Home | Mechabradypus Films An estranged father and recovering addict son are forced to face their demons – and their own fractious relationship – on the long car journey from London to Glasgow. Will they make it home in one piece? |
| Short film (in development): | |
|---|---|
| Tempest | Mechabradypus Films A drag queen returns to his rural high school – but the man behind the makeup must overcome old ghosts and painful memories to make it on-stage and prove himself a star. |
| Short film (produced): | |
|---|---|
| Among the Stars | With the end of the world mere minutes away, two best friends ponder what awaits them after the blast. (Produced as an entry for London Screenwriters’ Festival’s The Impact:50 filmmaking competition) |
| Campaign! | It’s student election time! A camera crew follows four eccentric candidates as they vie for power in this madcap mockumentary. (Co-writer) |
| Awards & nominations: | |
|---|---|
| BBC Writersroom – Participant of River City shadow scheme, 2017/18. Past participant of “Intro to CDS” workshops. | |
| BAFTA Crew X BFI NETWORK – Participant in 2018/19 and 2019/20 programmes | |
| Scottish Film Talent Network – Shorts2Features development programme 2017/18 | |
| London Screenwriters’ Festival – Winner and triple-finalist of The Impact:50, 2016 | |
| European Independent Film Festival – Best Short Script, Long Road Home, 2015 | |
| ScreenCraft – Quarter-finalist, Short Screenplay Contest, 2015 |
| Professional training: | |
|---|---|
| MA in Television Fiction Writing (with Distinction), Glasgow Caledonian University | |
| BA (Hons) in Multimedia Journalism (with First Class Honours), Glasgow Caledonian University | |
| Story and Script Editing with John Yorke, BECTU | |
| Script Editing and Development Skills with Ludo Smolski, BECTU | |
| Pitching Workshops with JETS, Lichter Filmfest, Frankfurt |