Aristahas announced the eight screenwriters selected for its Adept 3 screenwritingprogramme, funded by Skillset (and the UK Film Council), the MEDIA Programmeand Arista's Writer Scholarship Fund.

Thenine-month programme supports MA screenwriting graduates who haven't yet made afeature film.

Thechosen writers are AndrewBernhardt, Fiona Birkbeck, Lucy Floyd, Helen Jacey, Phil Nodding, BerylRichards, Neil Wagstaff and Cas Willing.

The writersinclude BAFTA and Emmy nominees and Royal Television Society Award winners. Theparticipants previously worked in short film, television, and theatre.

"This year'sADEPT intake is full of talent. We're looking forward to introducing them andtheir work to the UK and international industry," said Stephen Cleary, directorof Arista. 'We're now going to match them up with mentors from all over thebusiness, improve their knowledge and contacts and develop their scriptsintensively. Our aim is to have the most promising development slate ofprojects and screenwriters in the country, bar none, within six months. Andwith this talent, we will have it."