Alistair Rutherford
With over fourteen years of professional experience Alistair has written scripts for the BBC, Ko Lik Film, Encaptivate Film, Storymix (Sweden) and the Stroke Association UK. Mostly he writes original stories but he also works closely with producers and directors to develop their projects for film or theatre.
Alistair has successfully adapted novels for film and stage and writes across a range of genres, including fast-paced thrillers, science fiction epics, romantic comedies and historical dramas.
Alistair has successfully adapted novels for film and stage and writes across a range of genres, including fast-paced thrillers, science fiction epics, romantic comedies and historical dramas.
THEATRE
2012 - 2013. Passing Through, a romantic comedy, produced by Peapod Productions, has a sell-out tour of Scotland, Italy and Switzerland.
2012 - 2013. A Most Curious Detour, the adaptation of the autobiography of a stroke survivor. Commissioned by Stroke Association UK.
2010 (and 2009) Happy New Year, a 30-minute comedy drama. Producer Bruce Young. BBC Radio Scotland commission.
2002-2006. Why Front. Writer for all 4 series of comedy sketch show. BBC Radio Scotland commission.
Scottish Book Trust / CBBC Writers Lab.
Screen Academy Scotland. Masters in Screenwriting.
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Emerging Writers’ Residency.
UK Film Council. Introduction to Screenwriting programme.
BBC Radio 4. Writers’ Lab. Programme of professional mentoring.
- An Island Between Heaven and Earth. Part of Edinburgh Fringe / Just Festival at St. Johns Church, Edinburgh.
- An Island Between Heaven and Earth. Tours to Iona and Govan at invitation of the Iona Community as part of their 75th Anniversary Celebrations.
2012 - 2013. Passing Through, a romantic comedy, produced by Peapod Productions, has a sell-out tour of Scotland, Italy and Switzerland.
2012 - 2013. A Most Curious Detour, the adaptation of the autobiography of a stroke survivor. Commissioned by Stroke Association UK.
- The Garden, Peapod Productions, completes a 7-venue UK tour, receiving excellent reviews, including a 5-star review from Joyce McMillan in The Scotsman.
- Lizzy Strata, adaptation of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata. Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Big Village Theatre production.
- An Island Between Heaven and Earth. Full-length stage adaptation of the original BBC Radio 4 play. Director Jim McSharry. Leith Festival.
- Hydrae Productions. Winner of Hydrae Playwriting competition with The Lazar House. Production, St. Ives Festival, September 2009.
- Leith Festival. Homecoming. Big Village Theatre. A Leith Festival commission. Director Jim McSharry.
FILM
- First and Only. Adapting this bestselling thriller novel into a feature screenplay for Magnus Wake of Encaptivate Films, UK.
- Foxhunter (w/t). Developing a feature screenplay for Weiwei Si of Brainstorm Films.
- Short film, Eight Words, screens at Edinburgh Short Film Festival.
- Short film comedy Lift Off screens at Edinburgh Short Film Festival. Director Weiwei Si.
- Backflip Sci-fi thriller feature is one of the winners in the London Screenwriting Festival “Girls on Film” Genre Screenwriting Initiative.
- Winner of the Wildsound Feature Screenplay Contest with Backflip.
- Gingerspot Productions. Eight Words. Short film drama. Director Christopher Hood. Screens in festivals in New York, California and Toronto.
- Storymix (UK & Sweden) Commissioned to write Vault, a feature-length action thriller screenplay. Producer Mattias Karlsson.
RADIO
- Markheim, a supernatural horror, adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s short story into a 30-minute audio drama. Fantom Films commission.
2010 (and 2009) Happy New Year, a 30-minute comedy drama. Producer Bruce Young. BBC Radio Scotland commission.
- BBC Radio 4. An Island Between Heaven and Earth, historical drama, (Afternoon Play). Producer Bruce Young. BBC Radio 4 commission.
2002-2006. Why Front. Writer for all 4 series of comedy sketch show. BBC Radio Scotland commission.
TV
- CBBC. OOglies Member of the writing team for this very popular comedy animation show. Ko Lik Films and CBBC.
- BBC1 Scotland & Ko Lik Films. Writer of additional comedy material for Haunted Hogmanay (British Animation Awards nominated 2008).
INTERACTIVE GAMES
- Crocodile Clips, Edinburgh: Writer of character dialogue for Bunja an MP3-based audio game for ages 6-11. Launched Dec 2007. www.bunja.com
FICTION
- Chosen for Edinburgh City Of Literature scheme, Story Shop, and gave a public reading of Haikus and Heavy in the Edinburgh Book Festival.
- 2008. Haikus and Heavy, a short story, published by Byker Books in Radgepacket Volume 1, Tales From the Inner Cities. bykerbooks.co.uk
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Scottish Book Trust / CBBC Writers Lab.
Screen Academy Scotland. Masters in Screenwriting.
Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh. Emerging Writers’ Residency.
UK Film Council. Introduction to Screenwriting programme.
BBC Radio 4. Writers’ Lab. Programme of professional mentoring.
Animation,Books,Children's writing,Comedy,Film,Radio,Short story,Television,Theatre
1 hour 15 minutes (Afternoon Play plus a 30-minute)