Hull screenwriter feels 'humbled' to see billboards for new Eddie Redmayne TV thriller

A screenwriter originally from Hull has written episodes for the new remake of The Day of The Jackal starring Eddie Redmayne and said the experience still feels "surreal".

Jessica Sinyard went to Newland School for Girls and did a degree in Film Studies at the University of Hull, later completing a master's at the National Film and Television School in 2019. Despite having no connections in the industry, she was determined to break through and hopes she can encourage other passionate writers to pursue their dreams.

She told Hull Live: "I started writing stories and scripts from a really early age, but took it seriously as a teenager. My background is in sports journalism — specifically boxing.

"At university, I was writing for a number of boxing websites and magazines, but I was also writing scripts for film and television in my spare time as a true passion. I knew that I wanted to be a screenwriter, but I wasn’t sure how I could bridge the gap with no prior industry connections.

"Once I’d completed a number of feature film scripts and television pilots in my own time, I began entering writing competitions and film festivals to receive industry-level feedback, and applying for local development schemes like Screen Yorkshire.

"It was the encouragement I got there, along with a firm foundation in film theory and analysis from Hull Uni — that meant I felt empowered to pursue screenwriting as a full-time career.

"Then I was accepted to the National Film and Television School in 2017 on a scholarship and signed with my agent just before graduating in 2019. Fortunately for me, I started working right away."

This year, Jessica wrote episodes for Vikings Valhalla on Netflix and The Day of the Jackal on Sky Atlantic. She said it "still feels surreal as it was such a high-profile show".

She added: "Screenwriting as a profession is intense, disciplined, and quite competitive, but I’m a compulsive and voracious writer and can’t imagine doing anything else. Don’t tell my employers but I would write for free!"

Jessica's dad Neil Sinyard, who she described as a "Hull lad", was an Emeritus Professor of Film Studies at the University of Hull where she studied after he retired. "He is undoubtedly where my love of classic cinema comes from and especially appreciating and interpreting films not just as entertainment, but as both art and history," she said.

Billboards advertising Day of Jackal, which is showing episodes now, have popped up all over the country and Jessica said it was a strange feeling to see one when she was in Beverley.

"Seeing the billboard was a strange blend of feeling both really proud and really humbled," she said. "Proud because hard work and passion had taken me into my dream career, but humble because of all the support and encouragement I’d benefitted from along the way.

"It felt really special to see the billboard in Hull too as many people who pass it may not have realised that one of the writers is from the city. I think Hull can often be overlooked in spite of its wealth of talent, creativity, rich history, and hard workers. I work in London and I’m always proud to tell people I’m a Hull girl."

Jessica said she has been inspired by many writers and directors and loves Alfred Hitchcock, Gillian Flynn, Kathryn Bigelow, David Fincher, and Akira Kurosawa.

She added: "My work is often inspired by the tautly-plotted, paranoid thrillers of the 1970s in particular, and especially themes of power, control, and ordinary people under extraordinary pressure. I love a twist, psychologically rich and challenging characters, and especially a really well-crafted investigative drive."

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Giving advice to others trying to break into the industry, she said: "I would love to encourage aspiring writers from an ordinary background such as mine to read voraciously and to write voraciously. Just start. Look for local resources — writers’ groups and local filmmakers — then expand to international festivals and competitions for feedback.

"If you don’t have any connections, like I didn’t, then this is a great way to make them. I would also encourage you: write in your own voice. Write to your own tastes, interests, and style.

"Not what you think is a trend or would sell. Being original and authentic is what will make you stand out, and it’s also the most creatively fulfilling. Trust your own voice."

The Day of the Jackal aired on Sky Atlantic and is available on Now TV