ScreenSkills: from Development to Delivery- AI in HETV Unscripted & Unscripted content programme

AI is rapidly reshaping HETV unscripted and unscripted television across the entire production pipeline: from development and idea generation through to post-production and delivery. 

This four-part online course goes beyond surface-level experimentation to explore practical, real-world applications: how AI is influencing not just workflows, but storytelling itself. It will explore how ideas are developed and communicated, through to reconstruction, visual approaches and editorial decision-making. 

Grounded in case study-led learning and designed for freelancers working under increasing creative and production pressures, the course equips you with the tools, frameworks and critical awareness to use AI confidently and responsibly.

It addresses the growing need for ethical awareness when working with AI, including authorship, ownership, transparency and responsible use. 

Alongside current tools, participants will be introduced to emerging approaches such as agentic AI, helping them understand how unscripted workflows are beginning to evolve. 

Participants will leave with practical skills they can apply immediately, a more confident and strategic approach to AI across the production pipeline, and a critical understanding of how to use it in ways that genuinely enhance creativity, efficiency and the quality of their work.

The 4-part course is delivered by Unscripted TV Producer/Director and award-winning AI filmmaker and trainer Stephanie Ronan-Chlond.

This session is supported by the ScreenSkills High-end TV Skills Fund with contributions from UK high-end TV productions and the ScreenSkills Unscripted TV Skills Fund which invests in training for the unscripted workforce thanks to contributions from broadcasters, SVoDs and production companies.

WHO IS IT FOR

This training is for HETV unscripted and unscripted TV freelancers across editorial, production and post-production roles, including researchers, assistant producers, producers, directors, development teams and senior creatives.

It is suited to beginners and those already experimenting with AI who want to move beyond trial and error towards a more confident and strategic approach.

The course supports early-career and experienced professionals looking to strengthen their development workflows, improve efficiency and enhance employability.

This is a nationwide programme, delivered online, so we welcome applications from across the UK. 

We always welcome applications from under-represented groups, including, but not limited to: those from minority ethnic backgrounds; people with a disability; people from the LGBTQ+ community and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.

We offer inclusive training. If you have any needs which we can accommodate during the recruitment process and beyond, or would like support completing the booking form and/or would like us to send it to you in an alternative format please email the pipeline here.

You will need to be able to attend all four online sessions to be accepted onto the course.

WHAT IT COVERS

This course offers a practical, industry-focused overview of how AI can be applied across the full unscripted production pipeline, combining real-world examples with hands-on exploration. Participants will build practical knowledge of both current tools and emerging workflows, with a focus on how AI can support day-to-day tasks while also shaping future production practices.

The course content consists of 4 x 2-hour online sessions.

Session 1 – AI Foundations for Development and Production Workflows

Build confidence and establish core concepts.

  • Understanding current AI capabilities and limitations
  • Ethical and compliance considerations introduced upfront
  • LLMs for research, idea generation and format development
  • Emerging agentic workflows for organisation, research and production support
  • Supporting pitch materials: decks, visualisation and image generation
  • Practical examples and exercises

Session 2 – AI in Storytelling and On-Screen Content

Explore how AI is influencing storytelling, reconstruction and visual approaches within unscripted content.

  • Reconstruction and visual storytelling
  • Contributor protection and anonymisation
  • Video generation for sizzles and development
  • Asset creation for production
  • Editorial decision-making and storytelling possibilities

Session 3 – AI in Post-Production and Audio

Focus on practical tools that support the edit.

  • Logging and transcript analysis
  • Editing workflows
  • Translation and subtitling
  • Voiceover, dubbing and voice transformation
  • Music generation and audio clean-up
  • Agentic AI in post-production ecosystems

Session 4 – Ethics, Compliance and the Future of Production

Help participants understand responsibilities and emerging industry trends.

  • Q&A and discussion
  • Accuracy, bias and representation
  • Authorship, ownership and transparency
  • Broadcaster policies and compliance considerations
  • Shared responsibilities across editorial and production teams
  • Future developments in agentic and enterprise AI

The training is delivered through a combination of expert-led teaching, case studies, and guided exercises, alongside opportunities for discussion and Q&A. Sessions are designed to be accessible and directly relevant to industry practice, cutting through jargon while highlighting both the opportunities and risks of AI in unscripted production. Participants will leave with practical techniques they can immediately apply within their roles, greater confidence in using AI responsibly, and an understanding of how unscripted production workflows are evolving.  

TRAINER BIOGRAPHY

Stephanie Ronan-Chlond has over 15 years of experience in the screen industries, working as a Producer and Director on documentaries for the BBC, ITV1, Channel 4 and Sky One. Stephanie now works at the intersection of unscripted storytelling and creative AI as an award-winning AI filmmaker and trainer. Her work spans emotion-driven AI short films, branded content and artistic collaborations. She is also undertaking a practice-led PhD exploring AI filmmaking as a new creative medium. Stephanie delivers training to industry professionals on how AI can support development, production and creative workflows across film and television, and is passionate about helping storytellers enhance workflows, unlock new creative possibilities and navigate the rapidly evolving media landscape responsibly.

Course dates: over 4 days- 9, 16, 23, 30 July
Times: 10:00-12:00 hours
Deadline for applications: Monday 22 June
Cost: Free
Age: 18+
Location: Online

Apply now

*this link will take you direct to the ScreenSkills hub to apply.