In this episode of The Directors' Take podcast, your hosts Oz Arshad and Marcus Anthony Thomas are joined by Writer Helen Black. Helen has transitioned into TV after writing a series of successful crime novels, picking up credits on shows such as Life and Death in the Warehouse, Grantchester and now the second season of the hit BBC show, TIME, starring Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance, Siobhan Finneran and Bella Ramsey. If you want to be a working director in TV, you will likely be brought onto a project closer to physical production, with the Producers and Writers likely being involved since its inception. Understanding their process, their intention and best collaborative practices are key to a successful career, so we got Helen on to help break down this process. This conversation includes:

-Her journey into writing.

-How she transitioned into writing for screen.

-What was the process of getting representation for screen?

-The collaborative process between her and Jimmy McGovern.

-How she collaborates with the series directors.

-What does her writing and rewriting process look like?

-What does the future hold for her now?

Biography

Helen Black was born and raised in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, and against everyone’s advice she studied Law at the University of Hull, becoming a solicitor for ten years.

It was in Helen's exposure to lots of peoples stories that inspired her to write herself, penning the novel DAMAGED GOODS, a story about a young person accused of murder, who is physically unable to defend themselves.

She then went on to write another 10 crime novels, with the latest one called HARD AS NAILS which was published in December 2020.

She has been transitioning into writing for screen over the last 7 years or so, winning a Kudos North Writers Award in 2017, a competition running in conjunction with BBC Writers Room and has been on a roll recently, earning writing credits on shows CLINK, DEATH IN PARADISE, the BAFTA nominated Single Drama LIFE AND DEATH IN THE WAREHOUSE, GRANTCHESTER. Most recently, she wrote all three episodes of BBC’s TIME season two alongside Jimmy McGovern, which stars Jodie Whittaker, Tamara Lawrance, Siobhan Finneran and Bella Ramsey.

Nuggets of the week

Helen: NF - Hope (Song)

Oz: Go Into The Story - Scott Myers (Website)

Marcus: Ridley Scott Picks a Favorite Shot From Each of His Most Iconic Movies | My Best Shots (YouTube video)

Additional links

-Writer, Directors and Producer Directors: A six-year overview of Diamond Data 2017/17 to 2021/22

-BFI Skills Review 2023

Credits

Music by Oliver Wegmüller

Socials

Helen: Twitter (X)

The Directors' Take: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Marcus: Twitter (X) & Instagram

Oz: Twitter (X) & Instagram

If you have any questions relating to the episode or have topics you would like covering in future releases, reach out to us at TheDirectorsTake@Outlook.com.

E138 - Writing BBC’s TIME Season 2 with Writer Helen Black

The Directors Take Podcast