Dr Toby Norways

Senior Lecturer in Scriptwriting

Toby Norways

Toby Norways is a Senior Lecturer in Scriptwriting at the University of Bedfordshire.

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 University to research a PhD Creative Writing, completed in 2021.


  • PhD Creative Writing – Newman University
  • MA Screenwriting – London College of Communications
  • BA (Hons) English Literature and French - University of Reading
  • Diploma in Media Practice - Birkbeck University

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.
  •  Rough Cut’ 25-minute script for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art. Filmed Nov 2008 Screened at the Gielgud Theatre, Feb 2009.
  •  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.
  • Siza’ 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.
  • ‘Doctors’ (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.
  • ‘Breakout’. 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
  •  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:  
  • ‘No Brainer’, 30-Minute TV Thriller. Short-listed for ‘Coming Up’ Competition, 2005. IWC Media and Channel Four.
  •  ‘Trophy’. 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.
  • ‘Muntjac’. 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 University of Herts International Award 2007. Winner of the £9000 UH Creative Writing Scholarship. Published by Herts University 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

  •  ‘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