Warner Bros. Ireland has awarded a scholarship to Miriam Devitt, an MA Screenwriting student at the National Film School at Dublin’s Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT), it was announced today by Josh Berger, President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain.
The Warner Bros. Creative Talent scholarship will, over the course of the year, provide Miriam with funding support and a short paid placement at Warner Bros. Ireland’s Dublin offices, as well as access to screenings and mentoring support from Warner Bros. executives in the country.
The two previous Warner Bros. Creative Talent scholars from Ireland have both gone on to enjoy successes, with Ciaran Dooley’s short film “The Great Wide Open” receiving a nomination for an Irish Film and Television Award. The short, starring John Kavanagh, also picked up awards at the 60th Cork Film Festival and the San Francisco Ocean Film Festival. Daniel Kelly has also celebrated award success after winning an Irish Writer's Guild Award in 2015 for best Screenplay with his film “Into Night”.
Josh Berger CBE, President & Managing Director, Warner Bros. UK, Ireland & Spain, said:
“Warner Bros. Creative Talent is part of our continued commitment to supporting the next generation of talent from the creative industries and I am thrilled to welcome Miriam into the programme. Our previous two scholars have seen fantastic success and I look forward to seeing how our support will help to nurture and grow Miriam’s impressive talent during these important first few steps of her career.”
Rónán Ó Muirthile, Head of the National Film School IADT said "IADT is again delighted to welcome the continued support of Warner Bros for our MA in Screenwriting. The scholarship they provide is a recognition of the importance of good visual storytelling and opens an important door for our students to the world of professional screen writing."
The Irish scholarship is an extension of Warner Bros. Creative Talent, a key part of Warner Bros. long-term investment in UK creative industry skills and training. Announced in 2013, Warner Bros. Creative Talent’s multi-layered investment encompasses scholarships at some of the UK’s most respected higher education institutions; apprenticeships with roles ranging from set-lighting to post-production; trainee positions on every Warner Bros.’ UK film production; year-long training course places for young people at inclusive theatre company, Chickenshed and work experience placements for schools local to Warner Bros.’ London HQ.
Warner Bros. has a storied film-making history in Ireland, most notably the 1996 production of Michael Collins, which became the country’s top-grossing film on release and still remains the highest grossing Irish film of all time. The film’s Academy Award-winning director, Neil Jordan, is also behind other Warner Bros. hits including Interview with a Vampireand award-winning film The Butcher Boy.
