As a screenwriter, Bryan was tasked with creating novel character designs and dialogue.
In 2007, Bryan created three potential new television series ideas. However, upon presenting them to his son (Jamie Brittain), he was met with a backlash – receiving harsh criticism that they were ‘too outdated and too middle-class’. Jamie suggested that ‘it should be about teenagers, for teenagers’. Bryan based the new series on the experiences his son had had in secondary school and sixth form, as well as taking character inspiration from his daughter’s school friends while she was at CSG. Bryan and Jamie worked together devising innovative plot lines and scripts and so the ground-breaking teenage series ‘Skins’ was born. Just six months later, Channel 4 began recording. The show became a massive cultural hit when it premiered on E4 in 2007, and will celebrate its 20th anniversary next year.
Bryan also worked with young aspiring teenage actors from the Hampstead Youth Theatre. One day, an actor from Bristol unexpectedly cancelled on him. Upon hearing this, Bryan asked a young boy, almost asleep at his desk, if he could act, and after hearing a reluctant ‘yes’, he was sent to Bristol to play the role of ‘Kenneth’ (otherwise known as ‘Posh Kenneth’). This young boy was CSG’s very own Daniel Kaluuya, who we all know went on to have a very successful career and to win two BAFTAs, a Golden Globe, and more.
Bryan encourages young people to not fear AI when considering entering the television and film industry. Instead, he comments that television will be one of the sectors least affected by AI due to being inherently creative and experimental – something that AI is not, as it is only able to rehash pre-existing ideas. Bryan emphasises the importance of passion and drive, alongside working with others, in order to create fresh and imaginative concepts for the screen. In fact, 5 times more TV is being made today than ever before, despite the rise of social media and streaming services.
He also commented on the progressive change that the industry has undergone in the past decade, and urged young people with a drive and passion for film to get involved. This talk was incredibly inspiring, and spiked the interest of many sixth form students.
Zizi
Sixth Form Prefect
