Dr Toby Norways

Senior Lecturer in Scriptwriting

Toby Norways

Toby Norways is a Senior Lecturer in Scriptwriting at the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û.

He is an award-winning writer of script and prose.

His films have screened in diverse locations around the world, including BAFTA Piccadilly, Hollywood, and Iraq.

Toby was awarded funding by Newman аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û to research a PhD Creative Writing, completed in 2021.


  • PhD Creative Writing – Newman аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û
  • MA Screenwriting – London College of Communications
  • BA (Hons) English Literature and French - аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û of Reading
  • Diploma in Media Practice - Birkbeck аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û

Screenwriting

  • ‘Rojin’ script for Dir. Chiman Rahimi about Kurdish refugees. Prod: Poisson Rouge Pictures, 2009. Screened West End & Official Selections: International Film Festivals of Chicago, Tokyo, Dublin, and Renderyard (Spain). Winner of the Cinemoi Non-Multiplex Cinema Award, June 2011.
  • Ìý‘Rough Cut’ 25-minute script for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Filmed Nov 2008 Screened at the Gielgud Theatre, Feb 2009.
  • Ìý‘Exchange & Completion’ 30-min script. Winner of the TAPS ‘Continuing Drama Competition – Nations & Regions’ 2007. ‘Exchange & Completion’ shot at ITV Yorkshire, Nov 2007. Screened at BAFTA May 2008.
  • ‘³§¾±³ú²¹â€™ short script commission for Dir. C.Rahimi about ‘Honour Killing’ in London. Kurdish Film Festival, Kurdistan of Iraq, Sept 2008.
  • ‘No Brainer’ Feature-length thriller. Red Planet Picture Prize. Short-listed from 2100 entries. Tony Jordan’s script competition. Dec 2007.
  • Yoyo Media Ltd., Manchester. Development commission for new TV comedy series, plus pilot episodes, Sept 2007.
  • ‘D´Ç³¦³Ù´Ç°ù²õ’ (BBC). Trial episode approved by BBC script editor Terry Barker, Sept 2007.
  • We Are The Media Ltd. Drama Storyliner/Writer (salaried) for an Internet-based drama project. Short-term contract. Pilot filmed, July 2007.
  • ‘B°ù±ð²¹°ì´Ç³Ü³Ù’. Selected for a feature development program, Jan 2007. (paired with director Karen Palmer). Supported by the UK Film Council / Skillset / Warp X. Guest host: Gurinder Chadha
  • Ìý‘Life on Mars’ Dialogue Competition – Winner. February 2006. Judged by Ashley Pharoah – co creator of ‘Life on Mars’. BBC Writers’ Room ‘Inside the Box’ Invitational event: Ìý
  • ‘No Brainer’, 30-Minute TV Thriller. Short-listed for ‘Coming Up’ Competition, 2005. IWC Media and Channel Four.
  • Ìý‘T°ù´Ç±è³ó²â’. Short comedy script. A winner in the UK Film Council ‘Digital Shorts’ Competition 2004. ‘Official Selection’ in 2005 for the Los Angeles Short Film Festival. Theatrical screenings in the West End & Hollywood.
  • ‘Love Bites’. Short comedy script. Selected as a winner in the Screen East ‘Digital Shorts’ Competition 2003. Screened on Anglia TV, Dec 2004, in ‘Stephen Fry’s Shorts’. Produced by Screen East and the UK Film Council.
  • ‘The Rhythm Method’. Rom Com feature script. Winner: Euroscript Screen Story Competition, 2001. Awarded £5000 Development Funding from Screen East and the UK Film Council.

Prose Writing

  • ‘Brixton Sunset’. Short story. Winner of the Curzon Cinema ‘Workshop Competition’, November 2018.
  • ‘The Tooth Fairy’. Short story. Shortlisted for the ‘Twisted 50’ horror story competition 2017.
  • ‘M³Ü²Ô³ÙÂá²¹³¦â€™. Short story. Published in ‘Twisted’s Evil Little Sister’ anthology, part of the ‘Twisted 50’ horror story competition 2016.
  • ‘The Second Coming’. Short story. A winner (from 1,370 writers) in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Competition. Published in the Aesthetica Creative Writing Annual 2015.
  • ‘Anonymous Anonymous’. Short story. A winner of the аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û of Herts International Award 2007. Winner of the £9000 UH Creative Writing Scholarship. Published by Herts аÄÃÅÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±½á¹û Press.
  • ‘Is Harry Still on the Boat?’ Novel. Co-Writer with Colin Butts of the second novel in the ‘Is Harry on the Boat?’ series, for Orion Publishing, 2003. 30,000 copies sold.

Theatre

  • Ìý‘Fire and Water’. Short script. Winner of the London Film Academy’s short script competition, February 2006. Produced by the L.F.A. May 2006.
  • ‘Fur and Scales’. Sitcom. Selected by the Rocliffe Forum for theatrical showcase performance in Jan 2002.

Poetry

Stand-up poetry performer. Finalist in the Farrago UK Slam Poetry Competition, 2000.


  • Scriptwriting
  • Life Writing and Creative Non-Fiction
  • Short Story Writing