Scriptwriting in the UK

Prequel to Cannes & B-REEL

2012-01-15T11:30:00.005Z

As I type, it's the day before the Red Planet Prize deadline (Monday 16th January), so I'm sure a lot of you are getting your first ten pages ready to send *any* *second* *now*. I'll pretty much have my head down over the next few weeks reading the entries, not to mention busy with my own writing deadlines, but I just wanted to mention two networking events that might be of interest (especially to those local to Bournemouth/Poole): B-REEL and Prequel to Cannes.

First up, is White Lantern Film's B-REEL film networking and screening event, which this month takes place on Thursday 19th January. B-REEL is the only place in Bournemouth to see some of the world’s best award-winning short films programmed exclusively by FUTURE SHORTS, SHORTS INTERNATIONAL and DAZZLE FILMS. You can also submit your own short films to be screened through B-REEL SHORTS.

It all happens in the heart of Bournemouth at Pavilion Dance (great venue!), Westover Road, Bournemouth BH1 2BU. It's a top night out of short films and networking, so toddle along if you're free.

Also in Bournemouth, Rosie Jones has been running Prequel to Cannes networking event for the last few years, each time getting bigger and better than before. This year, she's pulled out all the stops, and has made the event a two-day networking and workshop extravaganza, taking place at the Lighthouse Poole (my absolute favourite arts venue, ever!).

I'll be doing a couple of workshops about being a jobbing writer and taking steps to be a director, Tim will be talking about his Cannes experiences (along with local legend Suki Singh), and Bang2Write will be doing a Pitch Factor, and there's lots more, so you MUST come along. Even if you're not from the area, it's quite cheap to travel down to Bournemouth for a day or an overnight stay, so we'd love to see you.

FULL RUNDOWN AND DETAILS OF EVENTS HERE.

There you go. I'm off to read some scripts. TTFN.

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: Goals

2012-01-10T16:06:00.003Z

A quick shout-out for the latest UK Scriptwriters podcast, with me and Tim Clague, where we round up the latest news (Red Planet Prize, Prequel to Cannes etc) and discuss New Year goals (goals shmoals?).

We've been doing some podcast extras over the last few months (Tim's interviewed Lord David Puttnam, I've interviewed Kill List's director Ben Wheatley & The Fades writer Jack Thorne, and other stuff), so we've put all the relevant links on the podcast's revamped Facebook page (previous group page being archived, or summink). So feel free to have a poke and a gander at all the extra goodness, or say hello, or suggest a topic, or all three! Whatevs that doth float ur boatz.

Anyway, thanks for listening, downloading, sharing, subscribing, delete as appropriate. In the cover photo, we're impersonating a pose by Laurel & Hardy. Uncanny, no?

Fleabag Monkeyface

2012-01-03T15:38:00.006Z

Fleabag Monkeyface is CiTV's new animation series. It's quite a big deal because it's their first UK commission in five years.

The series is based on the best-selling books by Knife & Packer. The mighty writing duo also lead the way for the TV series, together with producing partners Impossible Kids, Sparky Animation and Walker Books.

I'm delighted to say that I've written six episodes for the show (one of which was on Boxing Day; always nice to contribute to some Christmas telly!). It was huge fun to write, as it revels in everything gross and OTT-humour.

If you like a bit of gross-out fun (farts, bogeys, smelly diapers, evil villains, evil budgie henchmen etc), then Fleabag Monkeyface is the show for you. I mean, the kids. It's the show for the kids. Yes.

I'm currently writing more kids commissions with The Octonauts, which, if you haven't seen or heard about, then you must watch IMMEDIATELY (CBBC/Cbeebies daily).

In other news, right before Christmas, I had the opportunity to direct a short film, thanks to White Lantern Film. It's called After School Club and it's a fun, visual piece written by Nell Denton (only one word of dialogue) about two bored housewives who liven up their daily routine with a fight in the woods. We hope to have the film ready for a screening at the Southern Script Festival (where Nell's script was picked up) in February/March.

Also, last year I wrote a short film for director Adrian Tanner, which stars Roger Allam as a legendary guitarist with stage fright and, equally worse, a blocked toilet. Can the local plumber, who happens to be an obsessive fan, be the cure for both problems? WATCH THE FIRST TRAILER HERE!

What else? The deadline for this year's Red Planet Prize is fast approaching (don't forget the FAQ!), so I'm going to be busy reading the entries, as well as keeping my head down with some of the above, and a few other writing gigs that are on the go.

So, there may be some radio silence but I'll pop my head up every now and then to shout with some breaking news and key updates.

2012. Have at it!

Christmas TV!

2011-12-22T11:12:00.001Z

Now then, to get you in the festive spirit (and to round off the blog for 2011), here's an embarrassing clip of me on Irish telly, from December 1992, reviewing The Muppet Christmas Carol for RTE's Jo-Maxi (remember the other review that I posted earlier this year?).

WATCH OUT WINKLEMAN, FILM2012 IS MINE!

It's been an interesting 2011, and a busy run up to the holiday break, so I'll have an update on everything in the New Year.

Until then, Happy Christmas!

Ben Wheatley, Kill List interview

2011-12-12T13:54:00.011Z

More podcast-extras and interviews for you, this time in the shape of a half-hour chat with Ben Wheatley, writer and director of Kill List, the low-budget UK thriller that got everyone excited/horrified this year. He gives great value in the interview, full of passion and insight, worth checking out.

Here's a clip of Ben talking about film as a 'memory trick'.

We also refer to one of his self-made virals that got him a lot of attention. Here it is: 'cunning stunt' (you can follow Ben on Twitter here)

The interview (and more like it) is for Industrial Scripts' Insider Interview series, and you can download them here for free (email reg required). Previous interviews include Jack Thorne, actor Tom Hiddlestone, King's Speech producer Gareth Unwin, amongst others.

Podcast Extra

2011-12-08T09:42:00.003Z

A bit of a UK Scriptwriters extra for you.

Tim interviewed Lord David Puttnam, as you do, so asked him about what he thinks about scriptwriters and scriptwriting.

If you're a young scrippersnapper and don't know who Lord Puttnam is, well, at one point in the 1980s he was THE film industry in Britain, and briefly (but less successfully) in the US. The man's a legend. Thanks for the clip, Tim!

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: A Writer's Life

2011-12-05T16:47:00.004Z

In the UK Scriptwriters podcast this month:

- Red Planet Prize update.
- A discussion on the BAFTA/writer issue.
- Ways to improve your productivity.
- Plus special guest Johnny Griffith.

Listen, subscribe and share. Boil it in a bag, and serve it with rice.

Some links that refer to the scriptchat:
- James Moran's article in Broadcast about the BAFTA/writer issue, and their response.
- My open letter to BAFTA from December 2009 and their response.
- Red Planet Prize submission site.
- Mac Freedom, to block the internet on your computer and get some writing done!

Email us at ukscriptwriters@hotmail.com
Find us on Facebook (Group or Like page)
Follow us on Twitter
This blog has its own Facebook page HERE (news, updates, opportunities)
I iz on Twitter herez

Or email me/leave a comment for any suggestions regarding the podcast or blog, or anything that may be on your mind.

European Podcast Nomination

2011-11-30T09:54:00.003Z

Today is the last day of voting for the European Podcast Awards.

The UK Scriptwriters podcast is nominated for a gong in the 'Personality' section (wahey!).

If you listen to the podcast and fancy giving it a bit of support, then CLICK ON OVER to the voting page and give us your marks.

It only takes about 10 seconds (4 clicks, no sign up needed).

So, even if you've NEVER listened to the podcast, you could vote anyway because hey, that's what good blog readers do, OH YES.

And then catch up on all the podcasts you might have missed, and we can be, like, best friends forever. Totes.

Jack Thorne Interview

2011-11-22T13:45:00.004Z

Did you see The Fades recently on BBC3? Excellent, wasn't it? Missed it?? Catch up on iPlayer!

The whole series was written by UK script whiz, Jack Thorne. I sat him down over Skype to chat about writing The Fades, Skins, Cast Offs, This is England 86 (and upcoming This is England 88), Scouting Book for Boys, etc.

In the interview, he talks candidly about why pilot episodes are so hard, how the insecurity of Twitter reaction was driving him insane, and his general approach to writing, amongst other things.

The full 30-minute interview is available FREE via Industrial Scripts' website (email sign-up required), and there's also plenty of other free interviews with top industry bods.

Well worth a listen!

By the way, the photo above isn't Jack. That's the teen lead from The Fades. Here's Jack (from his cameo in This is England 86 - or is he auditioning for The Fades, series 2??)

Red Planet Prize: Frequently Asked Questions

2011-11-14T17:11:00.005Z

Or, RPP FAQ, FYI!

1. What is a single play?
A single play is a one-off story. For the purposes of the competition, this would be a one-off 60-minute TV script (typically 50 pages min - 80 pages max). In general, pilot scripts are more popular and common for submissions to the competition but feel free to submit a single play if you don’t have an idea for a pilot script.

2. What is a pilot script?
A pilot script is the first episode of a potential new TV series.

3. Will you accept 30-minute scripts or feature length (90-minute+) scripts?
No. 60-minute original TV scripts, please.

4. Is there any particular genre you’re interested in?
We’re interested in great writing, and don’t mind what genre it comes in.

5. Can I submit an adaptation I’ve written of a book/game/other source?
No. Original scripts only please, even if you’ve adapted from your own book/game/other source.

6. What’s a logline?
A logline is a brief description of your story idea. For example, ‘A British cop gets sent to the Caribbean to solve murders.’ A logline shouldn’t be mistaken for a tagline e.g ‘In space, no-one can hear you scream’ (from Alien).

7. Should the 100-word synopsis summarise the script, or the series as a whole?
Whatever you think best represents the idea, story or script.

8. For the first round of submission, why just the first ten pages of a script?
It’s a truth universally acknowledged in the industry that the first ten pages of a script indicate a great deal about a writer’s talent as well as how the script is shaping up.

9. If my first ten pages end in the middle of a scene, should I submit additional pages?
Please submit the first ten pages only, regardless of where the scene ends. Similarly, please do not send the full script at the first round stage. These will be immediately disqualified.

10. Can I enter more than once?
Writers can enter once as themselves, and once as part of a co-writing team. Multiple entries from an individual will result in disqualification.

11. Can I get feedback on my first ten pages, or on my script?
Unfortunately, due to the large number of submissions received, feedback cannot be given for scripts that are unsuccessful.

12. Should my script end on a cliffhanger?
That’s up to you, and the story!

13. I’ve rewritten my script that got rejected last year. Would it be a bad idea to resubmit it for this year’s competition?
Not necessarily. If the script represents your best writing, then feel free to resubmit.

14. When is the deadline?
16th January, 2012.

15. Should I wait to write the rest of the script?
We strongly advise that you write the entire script, as there will be little turnaround once we request the full script to read.

16. Can I submit a script that has been optioned by another producer or production company?
We want original scripts that have not yet been optioned or produced. If your script gets optioned (or an offer) whilst in consideration for the competition, please get in touch to let us know.

17. What happens if my first ten pages get through to the second round?
We will request the full script. Once all of the full scripts have been read and assessed, we will make a longlist of the scripts/writers we wish to put forward for the competition’s final stages.

18. What are the competition’s final stages?
A shortlist will be compiled. Tony Jordan and the other judges will choose a winner. We expect this to be around Spring 2012.

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: LondonSWF

2011-11-10T10:03:00.004Z

If you don't listen or subscribe to the UK Scriptwriters podcast (hosted once a month by myself & Claggy), then you would have missed the latest edition where we look back at the London Screenwriters' Festival, and catch up on all the hottest screenwriting news (Red Planet Prize, etc).

Not heard the podcast before? You can click & play right here:

We've also been nominated for an European Podcast Award, so please do head on over and VOTE FOR US (takes 4 clicks, no email registration required). Nice.

In the podcast, I mention David Mamet's famous memo to the writers of The Unit. You can read it here.

And here's the link to my interview with Jack Thorne (writer of The Fades, This is England 86/88 etc), which you can download free via Industrial Scripts (where there's other interviews and info worth checking out).

ENJOY!

Red Planet Prize 2011/2012

2011-11-07T23:35:00.004Z

The Red Planet Prize is back!

It's the best screenwriting competition in the world.

Here's why:

- FREE to enter.
- A truly amazing prize: £5k, a script commission and an agent (if you don't already have one).
- Lots of opportunities and mentorship for the finalists.
- Robert Thorogood, a finalist in the inaugural 2007 competition, developed his new BBC series 'Death in Paradise' via the Red Planet Prize.
- Many other finalists have launched their careers through the scheme and have worked, or are working, on other shows.
- Quite simply, it's a screenwriting competition by writers for writers.

Here's how it works:

- Submit the 1st ten pages of a 60-minute pilot or one-off 60-minute TV script. Any genre you want. A 100 word synopsis and a 16 word maximum logline is also required.
- If we like your first ten pages, we invite you to submit the entire script.
- A shortlist is compiled. A winner is chosen from an esteemed line-up of judges.

Full details and how to enter can be found on the website. And/or click here to read how and why the competition started.

THE DEADLINE IS 16TH JANUARY 2012. Plenty of time to think of a new idea, polish the first ten pages to an inch of their life, AND have the entire script finished in case it gets chosen for the second round.

GET WRITING!

London Screenwriters Festival 2011: Day 3

2011-10-30T23:50:00.003Z

I'm awake at 5am. 5. A. M. And my watch is telling the correct time. I blogged Day 2 at 1.30am, for god's sake. What is wrong with me? I suspect it's the curry and the beer, and the general adrenaline buzz of being around such great screenwriting folk. Whatever the case, I'm awake.

Anyways, I don't feel too bad, and I watch the repeat of Match of the Day to keep me going 'till brekkie. I'm all bright eyed and bushy tailed, and make it to the festival just after 9am. I'm the first in the green room, and all seems quiet enough, but there's plenty of fresh coffe and I get stuck in.

The first session I attend is 'Hollywood Pitching' with David Reynolds (Pixar), Jonathan Newman (Foster) and Stuart Hazeldine (Exam). It's a lively, funny and informative session, full of tips on pitching in general, regardless of whether it's Hollywood or not.

Plenty of networking opportunities between sessions, and I enjoy an early lunch with Philip Shelley, Roland Moore, Lawrence Timms and Evan Leighton Davis, and grab some quick hellos with new friends.

After lunch, it's straight to the 'You're Commissioned!' panel (smoothly hosted by Jan Gilbert) with Roland Moore and Red Planet's own Robert Thorogood where they share their experience of creating and writing their own series, the lucky bastards. It all seems so simple. Well, um, not really. But it is possible! At the end of the session, I do a sneaky announcement of the impending launch of this year's Red Planet Prize (full details next week!).

I take it easy for a while, allowing myself some sugar to keep me awake, and then it's to the main stage for my final session (and the last of the fest) about 'Your Script and The 20 Most Common Pitfalls'. Hey, I started the festival on the main stage hosting a session and now I'm finishing it on the main stage as part of a panel. Now THAT'S the Chicago way. Or something.

It's a cracking panel that includes Paul Andrew Williams, Daniel Eckhart, Evan Leighton Davis and Steven Russell. We do a broad chat on some common mistakes, covering plenty of ground between dodgy creative choices in a script to equally dodgy approach tactics when you're trying to get a producer to read your work. There's some really good questions from the audience, too. Very enjoyable.

The discussion ends, and everyone gathers for the final send-off from festival guru Chris Jones. Sadly, I don't have time to stick around, and I head for Waterloo to get the train home (with Dom 'Schmoozer Is My Middle Name' Carver for company).

My phone is still playing silly buggers with its Bluetooth so, with muchos regret, I have no photos to share. My favourite photo of the festival is on Tim's iPhone, where he happily poses with his new agent Janice Day. But I'll let him fill in the details there.

HUGE thanks, and hats off, to Chris and his festival team for staging a terrific event; really slick, friendly and well-organised. Let's hope the festival becomes a firm fixture in the screenwriting calendar for many a year to come. As for now, time to go offline, go to bed, and tomorrow - get writing.

London Screenwriters Festival 2011: Day 2

2011-10-30T01:10:00.006+01:00

Had to endure truly appalling weather on my way to the train on Thursday night. So much so that once I hit the nation's capital, I had to buy a new pair of shoes to avoid walking around the whole weekend with squelching feet.

On Friday, Day 1 (keep up, yeah?), I had dutifully broken in these substitute shoes (£25, JD Sports, BARGAIN) by shlepping around Regent's College and Maryleborne High Street, happily teasing fellow delegates with the promise of delicious kebabs.

Saturday morning, then. Day 2 of the Screenwriters Festival. I'm ready to rock. That is, I'm ready to write! Instead of going directly to the mother ship, I stay put at my hotel, trying to make up for a few hours of work that the shenanigans of Thursday and Friday sucked up.

Despite being mildly hungover and not having much sleep, I have a Full English and load up the laptop. I put the #LondonSWF on standby to keep me up-to-date on anything that I might miss, and I get cracking on my current rewrite. Three hours later, and I've done solid writing work, and am ready to join the throng.

First up, at 2pm, 'Don't Wait to Be Discovered' by Christian Routh. Here, Mr Routh laid down his key tips about sales and marketing, and what a writer might need to consider when packaging or developing a script. Loglines, taglines, synopses, teaser trailers, etc. Useful stuff all round.

A brief networking break followed, and I was all set to attend 'Writing Fantastical TV' with Messrs Arnopp et al, until a unexpected twist of fate right at the last moment found me at the 'Failure to Launch' session, about why the first ten pages of your script are crucial. This had some golden nuggets of wisdom and advice, which was suitably packed-out in the main hall.

The subtext to the whole day though was 'FREE BAR' and this affected many people's choices of attending the final sessions of the day. Unsurprisingly, a good handful of delegates (me included) formed a random queue for the free bar that was being lined up by the Wellcome Trust at 6pm. There was a sudden scrum of orders, and poof, just like Keyser Soze, the free bar was gone, just like that. Cheers!

Lots of networking and good banter available here, and I finally get to catch up with Robert Thorogood, writer of Death in Paradise (via Red Planet Prize!), who I literally haven't seen since we had one too many cosmopolitans at Working Title's Christmas party in 2007.

By 9pm, with beer flowing, I need me some food. Luckily, Tim Clague agrees, and we rope in writing pal Rudolf Kremers for a curry down the road. It turns out the to be the BEST CURRY IN THE WORLD, no word of a lie. Tim's photo proof:

As I digest, I try to programme my new digital wristwatch (seen above) to accommodate the clocks going back but I get myself into a muddle, and suddenly, by my reckoning, it's 8pm. Tim and Rudolf mock me for my pathetic understanding of time, and we head for our hotels.

On my way back, I bump into fellow writing Corkman, Brian McEvilly, who tries to tease me into a local pub where a merry band of screenwriting delegates are enjoying a nightcap. Do I accept? HELLYES. Hey, you only live once you know, 8pm or not. One pint later and the barmaid says it's midnight and we have to go. MY WATCH SAYS IT'S 9PM, SHE HASN'T A CLUE, HAHAHAHAHA!

I fix my watch to the right time and return to my hotel, having a good chinwag with punk-haired Sean Kelly on the way (not Irish, or Cork, as far as I know).

For some reason, my WiFi service at the hotel is improved but my Bluetooth on my phone isn't working, so I can't update my photos of the day/evening. Instead, I can only regale you with photos stolen from Tim's Facebook. What time is it again?

(Me and an empty tub of yoghurt. It was raspberry.)

(I share an HILARIOUS joke-text with Chris Hill but he remains unmoved)

London Screenwriters Festival 2011: Day 1

2011-10-29T00:50:00.003+01:00

The second London Screenwriters Festival got underway with a lot of style today. Here's what I did:

10:30am I'm hosting the first session of the day, after the keynote speech. The first session! And it's in the main hall! No pressure, then. Hey, pressure's for tyres. OK, so I'm a bit nervous.

I've never actually moderated a panel before and the line-up's pretty impressive: Martin Gooch, Vadim Jean, Berni Corbett and Chris Hill. We're there to deliver 50 tips about breaking into the business. It's officially 'Another 50 tips', as they had a similar session last year, but they only got through around 7 tips and had a general chat.

I'm determined to get through 50 tips, so, with the help of my fellow panellists, I've compiled a list beforehand so that the audience get bang for their buck (list available as handout via the festival). Tim bets me a tenner that we won't get through all 50 tips. We get through around 40, which is pretty good going, but the chat doesn't feel like a dull list checkpoint. I think it went OK. I officially brand it THE BEST SESSION OF THE FESTIVAL, mainly because it's the first session, and there's no other session to compare it to yet, but hey, whatevs.

We have a scriptchat afterward with a few eager scribes who have questions, and then it's lunch already. I bulk up on the salad bar. It's this kind of detail that keeps you glued to the blog, I know.

(Tim tweets for @UKscriptwriters!)

After lunch, it's straight to the cinema for a Q&A with Edgar Wright, a last minute addition to the schedule. Edgar is easygoing, charming and candid, and gives good detail about how his career started, how it developed and how he's got to Hollywood.

(Photo of bald man with hat, watching Chris Jones & Edgar Wright)

The next Q&A, in the main hall, is with Joe Cornish, the perfect sequel to Edgar's Spaced-out chat. Joe is equally easygoing, charming and candid, and gives good detail about how he wrote Attack the Block, and what it was like writing for Spielberg (for TinTin, which he wrote with Edgar). The key theme that I take away from both their talks, however, is the VALUE OF RESEARCH, and how it can inform everything, even the most mundane or trivial research topics.

(Joe Cornish hides his pet hamster inside his jacket before the Q&A begins)

There are half hour gaps in between each session, which gives everyone plenty of time to network, get caffeinated or take time-out, or all three.

Tim's hosting a talk about writing for games, so I head along to that with Chris Hill, and we enjoy the wit and wisdom of Tim's vastly experienced panel.

(Tim finally figures out what hashtags are for on Twitter)

Time for the bar! After a couple of sherberts, I duck out for a kebab on Maryleborne High Street - delicious! - but even though I'm only gone for a half an hour, the bar crowd has significantly thinned-out on my return. Me, Chris Hill, Alli Parker and Andy Conway stick around till closing, and are the last to leave the bar. We're, like, so not tired, so we grab a nightcap on Maryleborne High Street (although we lose Alli along the way). I pitch Chris and Andy the delights of my earlier kebab and now they want a piece of the action but when we follow the trail, the kebab shop's just closing up. Denied!

There you have it. A terrific day of screenwriting buzz, and in great company with new and familiar faces. Roll on day two!

London Screenwriters Festival 2011

2011-10-24T11:07:00.004+01:00

Who's going to the London Screenwriters Festival this year? I'll be there for the whole weekend (The. Whole. Weekend. *giddy laugh*) and will be talking on a few panels, too, namely: Another 50 Ways Into The Biz, 20 Common Pitfalls of Scripts and possibly one or two others yet to be finalised, plus news on this year's Red Planet Prize. We'll also try to grab a few soundbites and/or interviews for the UK Scriptwriters podcast. It's all kicking off!

The schedule is shaping up HERE, and it all looks to be bigger and better than last year. If you're thinking of going but still haven't bought your ticket, then hurry up as it's 95% sold out. Get £30 off with discount code SCRIPTWRITINGUK (all caps). See you at t̶h̶e̶ ̶b̶a̶r̶ the various inspiring and informative sessions!

Short Film Festival Strategy

2011-10-19T12:43:00.008+01:00

Origin, my supernatural short film, is going to screen at the Purbeck Film Festival on Friday 21st October (WAHEY!). Details here. Never heard of Origin? Watch the trailer, or read all about how I went about making it.

ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 1
ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 2
ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 3
ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 4
ORIGIN Cast & Crew

Purbeck Film Festival marks the sixth festival that Origin has played. Coincidentally, someone asked me about what kind of festival strategy you should have once you have a short film in the can, so here are a few thoughts on that very subject. But first, here's a photo of me directing a few trees on the set of Origin. Look how I get them inspired to act!

You can never start too early with a festival strategy. It helps to know what kind of festivals you have in mind while you're prepping the script, never mind post-production.

So, the first consideration is: what type of film is my short? Of course, we all think our films are great, or will be great, but the answer needs to come with cold perspective and slicing honesty.

For example, is it, or will it be, a perfectly well-made short that's decent and presentable but not particularly original/distinctive with its idea, story or execution (the majority of short films). If a short falls into that category, then you can plan to go far and wide with the festival submission, load up your details on Withoutabox and cry as your credit card gets stung as quickly as a swarm of a thousand bees pouncing on your sensitive skin.

If you've got a short that you genuinely, GENUINELY, think is something special, then you can plan to be a bit more ambitious. For example, hold out for the BIG festivals that only accept a short if it receives its world premiere at its festival, like Cannes (NOT Short Film Corner, any schlub can upload a film there), Edinburgh (although I think their premiere rules have changed), Sundance (who, surprisingly, don't have premiere rules, but they are big) etc. The downside of this is WAITING for these festivals to come around (you could have your film ready, essentially doing nothing while you wait for the likely rejection), and you've wasted valuable time in your short film's festival lifespan (typically around 18 months after your film is finished).

Most filmmakers think they have a short film that falls somewhere between the first category (a decent short) and the latter category (this will win an Oscar!!). This pushes you to submit to the bigger festivals but also hit the well-established (Raindance, London Short Film Festival etc). A lot of filmmakers get disappointed and disillusioned when they can't get in to any of these (competition is FIERCE with a capital FIERCE), and end up having to be content by getting into some local film festival being held by a bunch of students in a barn.

It's good to be ambitious with submitting your short to big festivals, especially if you really believe in your film, but be realistic, and go for the well-established and boutique festivals (lots of smaller but well-respected festivals around, like Brancharge and Berlin British Shorts).

It all depends on how much budget you have for festival submission, and if your strategy matches your funds. Sending it to the big festivals, and as many as you can find, will cost a lot of money; not to mention the DVD duplication and promotional materials. Try to allocate a budget now so you know you have the money to go for the festivals you want, when the time comes. The submission/acceptance ratio goes something like 1 festival entry to 6 festival rejections. So that's a slog of seven submissions before you get into just one! And the cycle continues!

For Origin, I had such a nightmare trying to finish the film that it sucked up all my resources. When it came to festival submission, I could only afford a good handful, and naturally I went for the big ones. I took a chance and submitted it to other festivals, and I thought whatever festival came first got the premiere (which was at Brancharge).

I would have loved to have had wider festival exposure but I simply ran out of funds and energy (festival submission is exhausting and demoralising). On the plus side, there are well-respected festivals that are FREE to enter, so that's good, but a bit hit and miss.

While getting your film into a festival is exciting and a great boost of confidence, the actual experience of the festival can be quite flat and disappointing, as the audience is either full of the other short filmmakers in your line-up, or worse, the screening is barely attended. But if your film gets nominated or wins something, then that's the real kicker to help promote your film to execs and the industry at large.

For much more information, check out Film Festival Secrets. There's also a great download from Scottish Screen called 'I've Made a Short, Now What?' and Chris Jones has an excellent online seminar, which is very practical and inspirational (I did it before I started Origin).

Also, the British Council help short filmmakers by submitting the film to various festivals on your behalf. Of course, you have to apply, and they're quite picky, but the festivals they have lined-up usually qualify for BAFTA and Oscar consideration, so it's well worth a punt. If the British Council say no, you can always apply to the BAFTA/Oscar-credited festivals yourself, which is what you'll probably be doing anyway because, well, your film is special, right?

The Rule of Hard Work

2011-10-13T09:39:00.003+01:00

There are no shortcuts to success. If you want to progress in the world of screenwriting, you're going to have to put your head down and write. However, writing a script is just the basic essential. Now you have to pitch and hustle for work, and start writing a new script (or two). It's an endless and demanding cycle. It's bloody hard, and the constant rejections slice a dagger in your heart at every turn.

We're not really programmed to seek out difficult situations in our lives. The human condition prefers to take the path of least conflict so it's only natural to lean on books, courses, opportunities and technological devices to make our screenwriting lives easier. These sideshows of support are useful, of course. They provide some knowledge and inspiration, and sometimes even lead to work, but don't get sucked into embracing this milieu as the way to live your life.

Whenever people can't access the internet, they wail in anguish that they can't do any work (the recent Blackberry meltdown led to some people 'unable to function' as they couldn't message each other, or update Facebook, or whatever it was they needed to do, and some of these complaints from companies in the City!). This form of reliance on an external influence gives a false sense of importance to your personal working habits; a necessary distraction to maintain a decent display of being busy.

But how busy are you really being? Are you reading (and developing envy) about other people's luck rather than forging your own success through your own hard graft? Spending too much time online ostensibly networking but essentially not working? Or even seeking out blog posts like these to stir the screenwriting muse? If these questions strike a chord, then be brutally honest with yourself in terms of how productive you are with your writing habits and modes of procrastination. Change your routine accordingly. Write. Work. Repeat.

If you examine any person's success, there is one guaranteed element that helped them earn their place at the table: they worked extremely hard. Their sheer focus and grunt effort will far outweigh any slice of luck or favour that may have helped them along the way. Indeed, it's only through proactive endeavour that favours and opportunities arise ('the harder I work, the luckier I get', a fitting quote from Samuel Goldwyn, film producer). So, by all means embrace the technology or opportunities that may help you gain screenwriting success but there is no substitute for constant hard grind - not just to get ahead, but to stay ahead, too.

Crowd Dialogue

2011-10-05T14:59:00.005+01:00

In the latest UK Scriptwriters podcast, Tim and I discuss dialogue: the good, the bad and the exposition. I got this follow up Q, which might be of interest:

"If you are creating dialogue that reflects a crowd's uttering and you want the speakers to be heard but not seen can you put them under a title of 'Various' and how do you separate each speaker in the dialogue text?"

Yes, you could put 'Various', that would work, something like:

Or you could put 'Crowd' instead of 'Various'. Or space out each line to an individual crowd member:

As long as it's clear and doesn't disrupt the story, or the reader's understanding of what's happening, then you should be fine.

Shooting People's Film Of The Month

2011-09-29T09:30:00.002+01:00

Just a friendly reminder to head on over to Shooting People, watch Sam Morrison's 5 minute film, Greetings, and, if you're a member, LIKE it so it can win film of the month! Sam will buy you a pint.*

It's neck and neck the last time I looked. So tense! So, if you like the film (and why wouldn't you? it's GENIUS) and are a SP member, be sure to LIKE!

*A virtual one.

** UPDATE 20TH OCT 2011 ** DESPITE GETTING MOST LIKES AND VIEWS, SAM DID NOT WIN, REPEAT, DID NOT WIN FILM OF THE MONTH. GAH, IT'S A FIX, HOW CAN THAT BE? THE NOODLES ARE BOILING! MATT GROENING DID SEND SOME LOVELY FEEDBACK, THOUGH. SWEET **

Screenwriting Bullet #13: Format

2011-09-25T12:59:00.003+01:00

Format is really the number one screenwriting fundamental yet it continuously gets disregarded by new (and occasionally not so new) writers. Essentially, if a script looks and feels like a script, with Courier Pt12 font, suitable left and right margins, appropriate tabs for characters' names and dialogue, then it's job done. If a script is written in Times New Roman in a Word document, with everything centred, or centred and all in capitals, then it just shouts AMATEUR.*

Stick to the basics. Invest in Final Draft software, and let the pre-programmed format do the work for you. Final Draft is widely considered as the industry standard, and many TV programmes will work to existing formats within the specific software (EastEnders included). There is free software available, such as Celtx, and files can easily be transferred into a PDF format, which is now the common document in which to send and receive scripts.

So, no more excuses. Scripts in proper script format. No more coloured fonts, screaming capitals**, or centred action. If you're going to look like a pro, you're going to have to start writing like one.

* Photo from Script Nurse

** The BBC Script Smart format for sitcom scripts do put everything in capitals, with the description on the right hand side of the page. This type of format developed when normal scripts were transferred into production drafts, so that the director and other departments could make notes on the left hand side of the page. It has become an acceptable way to format scripts, mainly in the sitcom genre, and should have a page count of around 50-60 pages.

UK Scriptwriters podcast: Dialogue

2011-09-20T15:09:00.003+01:00

The latest UK Scriptwriters podcast with me and Tim Clague is all about dialogue: what is good dialogue, how do you write good dialogue, what are the four main functions of dialogue, etc?

Plus, there's news on the London Screenwriters' Festival. If you're going but haven't bought your ticket yet, get £30 off with discount code SCRIPTWRITINGUK (all caps).

Listen to the podcast via the embed below, or the main site, or subscribe via iTunes. You can email us with any suggestions or feedback (or just say hello!). Find us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Cheers!

Thanks, as ever, to Industrial Scripts for their ongoing support to make the podcast happen.

Sam Morrison: Greetings

2011-09-09T11:32:00.004+01:00

Some of you may be aware that I do some regular co-writing with Sam Morrison (animator/writer/director/Everton fan). Crikey, ever since 2000 in fact, when I script edited a pilot he was doing for Channel 4.

Since then, we've adapted Conrad's War, an award-winning children's book by Andrew Davies ("the script perfectly captures the spirit of the book"), written our much-loved Aliens FC as a script AND a book (getting close to production, publication and awards on numerous occasions), and also written many pilots for various production companies that have been awesome but sadly never been made or gone to series.

If you want to know why I love working with Sam so much, then you simply must check out his latest 5 minute animated short, Greetings. It's about a neurotic card designer who has a rather unorthodox idea for a greetings card, which suitably represents his ever-growing disillusionment with life. Voiced brilliantly by Michael Rosen!

Greetings is up for Shooting People's Film Of The Month so if you're a SP member, please do watch and *LIKE* it to help it win.

Go on, it'll cheer him up. He supports Everton, remember.

London Screenwriters Festival: Discount!

2011-09-05T16:34:00.005+01:00

Going to this year's London Screenwriters' Festival? (Friday 28th October-Sunday 30th October 2011)

Want £30 off the ticket price?

Then use my discount code SCRIPTWRITINGUK (all caps).

Looks like another great line-up so snap up your ticket while you can.

Liquid Lunch: Omnibus Video!

2011-09-01T12:10:00.000+01:00

If you missed any of Liquid Lunch, my recent comedy web series, here's all of the episodes in one handy 12 minute video!

Personally, I think it's interesting to watch the series in this cohesive chunk as you get to see how the characters and story develop from what is essentially just two blokes talking within a deliberate proscenium* visual style. For example, a lot of story happens off screen to ensure the required pace and banter from episode to episode. An interesting exercise in exposition and time jumps! (It also shows how I should have got the actors to drink their pints from time to time!)

Check out the 'How I Made A Web Series' posts for the inside info on why, what, where and how it all came about. Here's a behind the scenes vid that shows the t̶o̶r̶t̶u̶r̶e̶ fun on the set.

And here's some outtakes!

* A fancy word I learned from some of the feedback I received.

UK Scriptwriters podcast, ep 13!

2011-08-30T09:58:00.003+01:00

Tim and I recorded a podcast over the Bank Holiday weekend (we're, like, SO dedicated... or sad). If you missed it, let me point you in the direction where you can play, download, subscribe or share.

We talk about "How Do I Get An Agent? NO, REALLY, HOW DO I GET A GODDAMN AGENT?!" Plus there's our fab competition with Industrial Scripts (this time with Tim doing a cockney gangster rendition of a famous line of dialogue, it's got to be heard to be believed! All within the first five mins). Go on then, hit that play button.

Don't forget you can email us with any suggestions or feedback (or just say hello!). Find us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Cheers!

Screenwriting Bullet #12

2011-08-23T10:48:00.004+01:00

PITCHING

Pitching is an unavoidable task. Even if you're the world's most reclusive hermit, at some point you're going to have to tell someone what your latest script is about. The good news is that pitching is both a verbal and written task. The writing pitch chain goes like this: logline (25 words of less), pitch paragraph, one/two page outline, outline (3-6 pages), treatment (6 pages or more). So, if you manage to avoid pitching your story verbally, then it would probably come in one of the above forms.

Unfortunately, one-to-one verbal pitches take on a world of pain as insecurity and performance anxiety usually take hold. However, a good basic template for a formal verbal pitch would be:

Introduce yourself.
Talk about where you got the idea from or why you are so interested/passionate in the subject matter.
Give the logline/25 words or less description.
Expand on this logline, giving the broad summary of the plot, including the end.
Thank the pitchee for their time and ask if they have any questions.
Get out, have a stiff drink.

Related Posts
What's The Big Idea?
Pitching 2.0
Pitch Perfect
Pitching Follow Up
It's Breakfast Club meets Psycho
Professional Documents

6th Blogoversary!

2011-08-19T10:31:00.003+01:00

(don't know who owns the image but I got it here)
-------

Friday 12th, August 2005. That's when it all kicked off. I wasn't quite sure what I was doing but I had just stumbled on the world of blogging (James, James and Tim, mainly, after exhausting Word Player), and was hungry for more screenwriting procrastination.

I had no idea what I was getting into, or what the blog would come to represent; in essence, it has defined my profile and has invariably helped my career (possibly hindered on a couple of occasions), not only with commissions but through panel appearances, random perks and general internetworking.

And, of course, without the blog, I wouldn't have had the idea for the Red Planet Prize, or I wouldn't have been able to make Origin, my ambitious short film. (When I started the blog, I was in post-production with my very first short film attempt, On The Death Of His Wife, a no-budget affair to see what could be achieved with a morning's filming.)

To celebrate six years (this is post 653), I thought I'd share the Top 5 Blog Posts Of All Time (So Far). These are the posts that get the most hits and bring new readers to the site. So, hello, welcome, thanks for stopping by, or if you're a regular reader, then mine's a pint. Here's to the next 6 years!

TOP 5 BLOG POSTS

5. How To Get An Agent
Do you need an agent? How do you attract their attention? What's the best way to make an approach?
(I'm going to do a new post on this topic soon)

4. Broadcast Comedy Forum
This is actually a guest post by m'regular co-writer Sam Morrison but is insanely popular as it breaks down what the key players in UK comedy are looking for (well, last year anyway).

3. Script Reader UK
How to be a script reader, and what it's actually like.

2. Beat Sheets
Just what in the hell are these blasted things?

1. Joss Whedon's Top 10 Writing Tips
Another guest post, essentially, as it's an article reproduced from a magazine but this one spread across the interwebs like wildfire, and continues to fan some flames of interest from a wide array of screenwriting aficionados.

Script Reading Summer Sale!

2011-08-16T10:47:00.003+01:00

August is typically quiet, with everyone either on holiday or up there in that fancy Edinburgh for the festival. Plus, I'm currently winding down from a few commissions (several episodes of a new kids' show, exciting!) and resetting myself for the September push. All of which means I've got some free script reading time on my hands.

So, if you fancied some 'Stack Attack'* action on your latest script, just whack me an email. 15% discount available for all my online chums! Full details over on the dedicated page.

* (c) Tim Clague/Suki Singh

Talent Connector

2011-08-10T12:06:00.005+01:00

Industrial Scripts recently launched a new service - Talent Connector - where they will personally recommend new writers and their scripts to the key players in the UK film and TV industry. From Industrial's press release: "the ongoing programme... champions the best unrepped talent to come through the company’s coverage system. It is the first of its kind in the UK and Industrial Scripts neither charges writers fees to market projects, nor takes a fee if projects sell or attract the representation of an agent."

What I really like about this is that it's a genuine proactive push to help new writers get the right kind of attention when, previously, they might have struggled with the industry-wide 'no unsolicited scripts' policy. Personally, I've always been passionate that the industry could and should do more to discover and champion new talent (hence my idea for the Red Planet Prize, and whatever I can do via this blog), so Talent Connector is a welcome addition to the fold.

The cost is effectively free (once you've had your script covered by Industrial's script reading service, which is fair enough) and their industry-reach is very impressive indeed. I've always been a huge fan of Evan's passion, determination and focus, and what he's doing here with Talent Connector (and Industrial Scripts in general) is only a good thing for UK writers. Please note, this is not a fast-track system providing short cuts or false promises. Good writing is the key, and if your script survives the initial industry review, then there's a solid chance of interest from a wide variety of producers and agents.

Check out their FAQ section for the full downlow. "Talent Connector is continuously open for submissions, all year round, and will culminate each December with the announcement of the Industrial Scripts Gold List – when the best 10 scripts to pass through the coverage system will be revealed, and prizes awarded."

Industrial Scripts also sponsor the UK Scriptwriters podcast, and each month they give away a place on their Effective Script Reading course. I think Evan's giving the option of choosing one of the other courses, like Screenwriting for Beginners, or Making the Low Budget Film (highly recommended), so all you have to do is give our podcast a listen (around 4mins30 in) and enter the competition from there. It's all free of charge, baby!

The podcast was recently nominated for an European Podcast Award (wahey!), so do vote for us if you get a moment (no email or register needed, takes 5 secs). Cheers!

European Podcast Award

2011-08-01T12:39:00.003+01:00

Wow, the UK Scriptwriters podcast has been nominated for an European Podcast Award! Apparently. Just getting my head around it at the moment, but nice to be nominated! If you'd like to vote for us, simply click on the vote below (or follow this link). You don't need to sign up or register or anything, just vote! Cool and the gang!

UK Scriptwriters podcast, ep 12!

2011-07-29T11:00:00.001+01:00

It's our first year anniversary of the UK Scriptwriters podcast, hurrah!

In this special edition, we discuss writer's block (is it real?), run through a script checklist for when you finish a first draft, and we've got our regular competition with Industrial Scripts.

As ever, you can email us with any suggestions or feedback (or just say hello!). Find us on Facebook. Follow us on Twitter. Cheers!

Liquid Lunch: Tackling The Internet

2011-07-22T16:07:00.008+01:00

Part 6: How I Made A Web Series

Here's the final part of my recent mini-internet adventure. Last month, I made a comedy web series (Liquid Lunch) but pretty much didn't know anything about the finer details of where it should be seen and how to promote a show online.

So, this post focuses on stuff wot u need to do once you've filmed a series exclusively for web consumption. It's not a complete list of tips by any means - there's still an endless expanse of info, widgets, platforms and social media tips to learn - but hopefully some of it will be new and/or useful to those who are thinking about doing something similar.

It's a long post, too, unsurprisingly, so pull up a chair and grab yourself a nice java while I regale you with my internet wisdom!

(photo from No Film School: Tips For Building Buzz for a Web Series)

The basics:

Make a website for your show. Let this be the focal point and anchor for the entire series, so that audience has a 'go to' place if they struggle to find it elsewhere.

Then, decide on the major platforms that you want your show to be seen. Do you want it to be exclusive to the website? Or free to share everywhere? Or would you rather earn some money first before you put it up for free?

If you want the content exclusive to the website, you can easily embed your videos with your preferred site-builder (or perhaps someone is doing the website for you). I made the Liquid Lunch website myself using Moonfruit but there are plenty of good web-builders around. Make it simple, clean and accessible. Don't try to be too fancy or overload it with graphics/data that's going to take an age to load.

On the main website, try to offer an email sign up as that's helpful for people to know when there's new content. You can always TELL them there’s new content via popular social platforms but not everyone will be paying attention. Also, email lists of any kind are useful for contacting people directly. They usually provoke a better response than just a tweet, Facebook mention or blog post.

If you want to share the content everywhere, then load it up on any platform you can find. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are the front of the scrum in this regard, and will do a lot to push your series into decent view. Then there's Funny Or Die and Web Series Network, Tubefilter and Vimeo which you might want to use. Check out other sites or platforms that might be suitable; there are a few others if you Google hard enough.

If you want to make money first before you make your stuff available for free, then you should probably launch the series on Blip TV. Not quite sure on the rate of return here but it all depends on the amount of viewers you get, and it seems like a reliable and popular site.

Promotion:

Create a YouTube channel or use your existing channel if you have one. Create a Facebook page (not a group) and get yourself a Twitter account, although if you have a hefty following under your own name, it's probably wiser to stick to that to promote all your stuff.

Don't be afraid of over-promotion. Only around 5% of followers see a Twitter feed at any one time (or so I'm told), so a repeat tweet of 'hey, check out ep1' would be fair game every hour or so! Or, try to make the promotion fun and useful. Do lots of behind the scenes if you can, people like behind the scenes (interviews or videos). Do some flyers or website banners, if possible, and try to get the word out there as much as possible, basically!

If you don't have internet helpers or a marketing budget, then getting the word out there can be all-consuming and exhausting. You may think that Twitter and Facebook are golden platforms in which to whip up a willing audience, but it's not the only place to find people or promote the show. Plus, you can easily piss people off online. Not everyone will appreciate your constant plugs, or may think your series is a waste of time (and some of them could be your friends!).

There are plenty of internet forums you can try in order to promote your series. The tip for these would be to be as transparent as possible - don't be sly or chummy or disingenuous. Tell people what you've done, ask them to check it out, and solicit feedback, or whatever. Ideally, the forum will be directly relevant to the type of series you’ve made. Some comedy forums are actually quite helpful and supportive (British Comedy Forum) while others can tell you to f**K off before you've even said hello. (I did some promo on Zoetrope & Trigger Street forums, too, reluctantly at first, fearing the worst. But I didn't get bitten at all, quite the opposite in fact - nice!)

Co-writer and co-star of Liquid Lunch, Dan Doolan, took on some of the Liquid Lunch tweets, and Dee Moore, a kind soul I had befriended online, did some amazing promotional work on my behalf, which definitely helped to ease the load when I was going cross-eyed from the interwebs. Plus, I had actual paid work and deadlines to meet, so I couldn't devote all of my time to spreading the word. If you can rally two or three people to help you with the promotional effort, that's the way to go.

Daily promotion and reminders in between scheduled episodes are very important. Try to shake it up between interviews, behind the scenes and anything fun or useful. Solicit feedback and get people talking about the show. I focused on my initial social network of screenwriters/filmmakers, so my 'extras' were behind the scenes stuff and things that would be of interest to them, while also hoping that independent viewers outside of my social network would pick up on the series and behind the scenes info.

Media outlets:

If you know a major personality on Twitter, then ask them to do a shout-out for you. In fact, ask all your followers to tweet and/or blog, Facebook about the show to try to make it go viral. If you don't know a major personality on Twitter, they will probably ignore your request but there's no harm in trying, especially if you do it well (and consistently as they may miss your first tweet - they get deluded with @ replies and requests).

Write a press release and get it out to any media outlet you can find. Industry papers like The Stage and Broadcast are interested in web series, and may want to give it a mention, especially if the show hasn't started yet or if it's got a star name attached, or whatever.

Every Wednesday evening on Twitter, there's a live #webserieschat which is great for tips and getting to know a truly global community. (Random fact: Canada make a lot of web series.) Also, you might want to register your show on Slebisodes and Web Series Today, not to mention the British Web Series Directory.

Marketing Targets/Expectations:

From my initial research, I found out that a new web series with no marketing budget could expect to reach 200/300 viewers with a half-decent online push.

My target for Liquid Lunch was 1,000 views per episode. I launched episode 1 & 2 together, to get people into the gist of the series, and to avoid the dreaded 'audience drop off' (typically 20/30%) between the excitement of a launch (where people will willingly check out something new) and the next episode (where people have forgotten or can't be bothered).

Even with the double episode approach, episode 2 of Liquid Lunch experienced a drop-off (so far 600 views or so behind episode 1). Episode 1 stormed to 2,000 views fairly quickly, and the rest of the series has managed to maintain its core audience of around 1,000 views each, which I'm absolutely thrilled about (especially as I took a break over the last few weeks to catch my breath). Even so I still haven’t properly cornered the target audience for the series (students/graduates, 16-24) so I’m hoping to focus on that over the next few months. Word does seem to slowly spread but the good thing about internet views is that your stats can only go one way, and that's up! (thank god, imagine if you got MINUS viewers?! Agh!)

Phew, that feels like a lot of info but I haven't even really scratched the surface! There are no hard and fast rules about promoting your work online. Anything goes really, so just plug yourself in, strike up a few conversations, throw around your links and see what happens!

For more info, check out Making Web Shows (for free marketing checklist download, too), How To Build An Audience For Your Web Series download or a variety of links through this Google search. Also, nearly forgot to mention Storygas, a general resource for web series, run by Neil Mossey, one of the writers from Kate Modern etc.

How I Made A Web Series
Part 1: The Idea
Part 2: Writing & Casting
Part 3: Rehearsals
Part 4: Production
Part 5: The Shoot
Part 6: Tackling The Internet

Liquid Lunch: Omnibus & Outtakes!

2011-07-02T11:51:00.005+01:00

If you've missed any or all of Liquid Lunch, my six-part comedy web series, OMFG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN LOLZ U R DEAD TO ME ETC.

Don't worry, I've got an instant fix. You can check out the entire series via this playlist that has all the episodes to choose from at your whim and fancy, including the epic finale! (totes running time 13mins, approx 2mins per ep)

There. All caught up? Good. I thank you. We can be friends again. Want more, you cheeky pup? Well, there's plenty of behind the scenes action on the website but here you can watch the heeeeellarious outtakes from the making of the show!

I feel a bit dirty now with all the shameless promotion (normal blogging will resume shortly) but here's the more useful bit of the post, for those interested in the process or thinking of doing something similar:

HOW I MADE A WEB SERIES
Idea
Writing & Casting
Rehearsals
Production
The Shoot
The Internet - Coming Soon!

Right, I'll shut up now. Bon, allez.

UK Scriptwriters podcast, ep 11

2011-06-29T09:18:00.003+01:00

This month's UK Scriptwriters (hosted by me and Tim Clague) covers issues of copyright, writing to budget, writing pilot scripts, a round up of the latest UK TV drama, plus our great new competition courtesy of Industrial Scripts! Have a listen, subscribe, share!

You can always email us with any suggestions or feedback at ukscriptwriters @ hotmail.com, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Cheers!

Liquid Lunch: Ep6!

2011-06-24T10:59:00.004+01:00

'Time To Go': Ollie and Alex finalise their plans but then Ollie drops a bombshell. **FINAL EPISODE!**

Missed episode 5, or any previous episodes? Catch up via the MAIN SITE or the YouTube channel.

HOW I MADE A WEB SERIES
Idea
Writing & Casting
Rehearsals
Production
The Shoot
The Internet - Coming Soon!

Liquid Lunch: The Finale!

2011-06-20T12:56:00.004+01:00

The final episode of Liquid Lunch is coming on Friday 24th June. It's going to be epic. Comedy AND drama! What's going to happen to Ollie and Alex? How will it end?

I know, it's almost too much excitement. Calm yourself down by watching episode 5, or catch up/rewatch the series up until now. Also, I'd love to get the Facebook page up to 200 LIKES for the finale, so click on over if you haven't done so already, thanks!

f

Liquid Lunch: Ep5!

2011-06-17T12:41:00.000+01:00

The all-new episode of Liquid Lunch, my six-part comedy web series that's been running over the last few weeks.

Episode 5: 'Flip For the Trip' - Ollie and Alex deal with the Jenny issue and decide what to do next.

Only one episode left! Coming next Friday, 24th June! What will happen in the big finale?! Tune in to find out! And have another exclamation mark while we're at it!!

On a more sensible note, why not catch up on what you might have missed or rewatch what you've already enjoyed. Each episode is about two minutes long:

Liquid Lunch: Feedback

2011-06-15T09:53:00.005+01:00

So we're up to episode 4. Two episodes to go. The series is slowly filtering out into the internet. A few die-hard fans have emerged (like, from all over the globez!) which has been very gratifying. The feedback has been positive so far but despite the die-hards, it's been pretty much from friends, family and/or from around the scribosphere.

So, I'm opening it out to you, dear reader, to let me know what you think. You can leave a comment here anonymously, and I won't even moderate. I can take negative criticism (most people are aware of the weaknesses in their own work) but if you feel you need to get particularly nasty or offensive, well, I might have to delete. ** UPDATE: NORMAL COMMENT MODERATION IN USE **

Episode 5 is on this Friday 17th June, the penultimate episode that turns up the heat on Ollie and Alex before the series finale gives them a massive decision to make. Which way will it go?? I hope you tune in to find out! Anyway, would love to hear your feedback on the show so far, so fire away! *gulp*

How I Made A Web Series links
How It All Started
Writing & Casting
Rehearsals
Production
The Shoot

Where to find us:

Visit the website!
Find us on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!
Watch the trailers!
Subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Liquid Lunch: Behind The Scenes Video

2011-06-13T09:02:00.005+01:00

Here's a two minute behind the scenes video for Liquid Lunch, taken from the day of the shoot so you can get a taste of what filming was like. It doesn't contain any spoilers but you might want to watch episode 4 first, as there are some references to that towards the end. Thanks again to everyone who's been tweeting, Facebooking and spreading the word. It genuinely helps and really means a lot. Only two episodes to go! Episode 5 coming on Friday 17th June. In the meantime, take a look at episode 4, and then watch the behind the scenes video right under it.

Liquid Lunch: Ep4!

2011-06-10T11:06:00.005+01:00

'Location Location': Ollie and Alex try to decide where to go on their trip but then Alex drops a bombshell.

Catch up on previous episodes HERE or visit the MAIN WEBSITE!

Liquid Lunch, ep3 rehearsals

2011-06-08T15:04:00.003+01:00

Following up on the previous post, where I mentioned Dan Doolan's improvisation prowess, here's a quick 45 second clip of him doing his thang during rehearsals for ep3, and the whole 'get on a cruise ship, you could be a magician' schtick.

Watch episode 3 here!

Liquid Lunch: Ep3 script

2011-06-06T12:15:00.003+01:00

Thanks again to everyone who's been supporting Liquid Lunch around the internet. We've had a great response to the series so far, so we hope it continues to find, and hold, an audience.

If you've caught up with episode 3, I thought you might like to see the first draft script and the shooting draft script; what changed, what gags were removed, changed or improved (e.g I quite like the 'Babestation' gag but it didn't make the 2nd draft cut). In particular, check out Dan Doolan's line in the finished video about 'we could go on a cruise, I could work the bar, you could be a magician' as it came from a terrific piece of improvisation.

Dan and Chris Billingham both did a wonderful job of adding lines and gags, and improved the material enormously with their hard work and enthusiasm. Thanks guys! Anyway, here's the 1st draft & shooting draft script, and you can watch the finished video at the end.

Liquid Lunch: Ep3!

2011-06-03T08:22:00.004+01:00

'The Plan': Ollie reveals his grand plan, much to the bemusement of Alex. (Watch out for a short teaser for ep4 at the end!)

CATCH UP ON THE PREVIOUS TWO EPS!
Ep2 - 'The Riddle': Alex confronts Ollie when he discovers the truth about Jenny.

Ep1 - 'Jenny': Alex tells Ollie he's been dumped by his girlfriend but he doesn't get the reaction he was expecting.

UK Scriptwriters podcast, ep 10

2011-06-02T09:35:00.003+01:00

In amongst the excitement of the Liquid Launch, I recorded the 10th episode of the UK Scriptwriters podcast with my co-host Tim Clague.

In this edition, we talk about the 1 page-per-minute rule, Tim reflects on his Cannes experience (check out Tim's vodcasts, below!), we talk about how to make a web series, review The Good Wife, and we've got a great new competition with Industrial Scripts where you can win a free place on their popular Effective Script Reading course, plus other goodies. And, possibly most exciting of all, we've got a jingle for the show, courtesy of Joel Maguet - thanks Joel! (Joel also did the catchy sting for Liquid Lunch!)

If you're not subscribed to the podcast, you might have missed it, so here's an embedded player for your listening convenience. Email us with any suggestions or feedback at ukscriptwriters @ hotmail.com, find us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter. Cheers!

Tim's Cannes vodcast, part 1

Tim's Cannes vodcast, part 2

Liquid Lunch: Ep3 Teaser

2011-06-01T09:24:00.002+01:00

Thanks to everyone who's been supporting Liquid Lunch get around the internets! It really makes a huge difference to the kind of audience it can reach. Most of this online action is through Twitter, Facebook, blogs and emails but I'll take even real word of mouth (chatting to a co-worker) right down to morse code or carrier pigeon.

Episode 3 is coming up on Friday 3rd June, so here's a short teaser of what's in store for Ollie and Alex.

If you haven't seen eps 1 & 2 yet, then here's what you've missed so far. You can also watch the show on Funny Or Die and give it the vote of your choice (DerrenBrownMindTrick *FUNNY* EndDerrenBrownMindTrick).

Liquid Lunch: Ep1 Script & Rehearsals

2011-05-31T11:44:00.004+01:00

Well, that was a blast! In case you missed it, I launched Liquid Lunch last Friday with episodes 1 & 2.

It was very exciting to let it loose across the interwebs, and a bit stressful, too, as you never know how people are going to react. It's public, it's out there, and it's got your name on it, so it can feel a bit exposing and nerve-wracking. Luckily, the response seems to be extremely positive so far, and hopefully the audience will snowball into wider social networks.

As this blog is primarily a screenwriting site to share useful bits of information, here's the very first draft of episode 1. And here's the final shooting draft. Some of you might find it interesting to do a quick compare and contrast on what changed and (hopefully) improved. Also, if you're really keen, watch the finished video to see what I trimmed out of the edit. ** UPDATE: You can scroll through the 1st draft & the shooting draft at the bottom of this post **

And if you want even more behind the scenes action, then check out this quick vid of rehearsals for ep1. Might be interesting to see how it all started, and how rehearsals enable you to find the tone and character voices before reaching polished performance.

More behind the scenes breakdown:

How It All Started
Writing & Casting
Rehearsals
Production
The Shoot

Where to find us:

Visit the website!
Find us on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!
Watch the trailers!
Subscribe to the YouTube channel!

EPISODE 1, 1st draft

EPISODE 1, shooting draft

Liquid Lunch: Eps 1 & 2!

2011-05-27T12:58:00.001+01:00

Liquid Lunch: The Shoot!

2011-05-27T09:01:00.004+01:00

Part 5: How I Made A Web Series

5am Get up and make bacon butties for the crew. Also make sure other goodies are packed and ready to go, not to mention double check vital equipment and props.

6.15am Pick up the actors who are staying at my mate Jeremy Lawson's place. Jeremy was a vital cog in the development wheel of Liquid Lunch (and a fairly handy screenwriter himself, he recently won Screenplay of the Month on Trigger Street) but, alas, he has a day job that he can't get out of, so he won't be able to join us for filming.

6.30am Arrive at the pub. Slightly worried that the landlord won't be there, or will have forgotten, but he's there, he's open and eager to let us get on with things. 'Right, I'm off back to bed, see you later', he says cheerily. I love this man. Johnny gets cracking with tea and coffee, and the bacon butties are sharply consumed.

6.30am-8am Andy and Chris set up and fuss over the shots like the ARTISTES that they are. Dan and Chris get into character. Emma wires them up for sound. I walk around with an important blue folder to make it look like I know what I'm doing.

8am Episode 1, take 1! It's a rehearsal take really, and it goes quite well. The actors know the material backwards. Andy's suggestion of using two cameras works a treat as we can get Dan and Chris's mid-shot coverage at the same time.

We do each episode two or three times, and do any necessary pick-ups, although the eps are short so sometimes it's just as easy (and useful) to do the whole take again.

1.30pm Time flies by. I was worried about running out of time before the pub officially opens at 4pm but we're ahead of the game and nearly done, give or take a few more, um, takes. We've shot about 15 minutes of script with a basic wide shot and mid-shot close ups. This was always my vision for the show; to make it clean and simple, and give it a look almost like an online comic strip, if you will.

2.30pm It's a wrap! We start to tidy up. The landlord reappears, having not bothered us for the entire shoot, and offers everyone a drink. I really do love this man. We enjoy a swift half and begin to disperse, showbiz hugs all round.

With the shoot in the can, I head home and load up the footage on my computer, where I spend the next four/five weeks getting to grips with Final Cut Pro and editing it all together. I create the website, start getting the word out there, and set a date for launch. And now it's here!

I'm so glad it's *something* now rather than just an idea or unmade scripts on my computer. The series launched on Friday 27th May 2011, with episodes 1 & 2, simultaneously on the blog, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and the main Liquid Lunch website.

Everything is free to share for everyone, everywhere, so hopefully it can find an audience beyond my immediate social network. We had such a great time making it, and I hope you enjoy the show.

Coming soon: 'Tackling The Internet', the continuing saga of 'How I Made A Web Series'.

How I Made A Web Series links
How It All Started
Writing & Casting
Rehearsals
Production

Where to find us:

Visit the website!
Find us on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!
Watch the trailers!
Subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Liquid Lunch: Production

2011-05-26T09:01:00.008+01:00

Part 4: How I Made A Web Series

The main issue with getting the shoot for Liquid Lunch together was whether the cast, crew, location and equipment would be available on the same day. You essentially turn into a secretary as you try to juggle people's diaries around a certain date and time. Even when you think everything's confirmed, someone or something can suddenly become unavailable, which sends you into a tailspin of phone calls, emails and overall worry.

My brain isn't entirely programmed as an efficient organising tool. I was a TV secretary for two years and I managed to get by, JUST. And if I didn't have the amazing Ben Greenacre on Origin, the whole thing would have collapsed before I got close to a clapper board. It was to my great relief, then, that the dates and details for Liquid Lunch started to come together relatively easily.

I needed a camera. My local frolleague Andy Marsh had a Canon 5D, and was up for the shoot (there's a TERRIFIC filmmaking community in Bournemouth/Poole, where I live). Andy's a cool dude and he's all, like, 'I know another camera guy and a sound person who'd probably be up for it, and if we could borrow Suki's 5D, then we'd have two cameras, which could save on time and performance'. ANDY MARSH IS A GENIUS.

Then, I roped in Johnny Griffith (a uni screenwriting student I was mentoring) as production assistant, confirmed Chris Ferguson as main camera and Emma Worgan as sound recordist, and boom, I had my crew.

So, cast: check. Crew: check. Date: set. Tip: set your date before you contact cast, crew or location. Tell them when it's happening and things will either fall into place around the date, or it will become clear you'll have to change the date accordingly. Now, location: not set. I was slightly worried about this. I wanted a real pub (instead of a set) but wanted the privacy to film rather than shoot during opening hours. Plus, I always had one particular pub in mind when I was writing it, so I was nervous about asking and working out the details.

Again, luckily, the pub location came together relatively easily. I went into the pub, asked the landlord if I could shoot during the day when he wasn't open (and get in reeaaaally early, too), and he immediately said 'yes, no problem, whatever you need'. Just like that. It really is true what they say: you just have to ask! Everything was now set: scripts, cast, crew, equipment and location.

Next up: the shoot!

L-R: Andy Marsh, Dan Doolan, Me, Johnny Griffith, Chris Billingham, Emma Worgan, Chris Ferguson (special location thanks to John Tomlinson in Bankes Pub, Poole)

Don't know what I'm talking about? Completely new to 'How I Made A Web Series'? Then you've missed:

How It All Started
Writing & Casting
Rehearsals

Want more?

Visit the website!
Find us on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!
Watch the trailers!
Subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Liquid Lunch: Rehearsals

2011-05-25T09:08:00.003+01:00

Part 3: How I Made A Web Series

At this stage in the process, I decided that Liquid Lunch would be 6 x 2 min episodes. Initially, I was thinking of 5 eps but the way the story was shaping up, I knew I needed an extra ep to round things up properly. We had four scripts in 3rd draft shape, so we set up a small rehearsal space in Dan's flat, and got to work.
(screen grab from DV Cam footage)

The scripts are entirely dialogue driven. In this case, the page per minute rule doesn't apply, especially for the quick delivery that I had in mind. Each script was running at about 4 or 5 pages. I used a DV Cam to record Dan and Chris go through their dialogue and see how everything was panning out.

We did each ep a few times, and discussed the lines that didn't exactly work or needed a bit of revision, or to keep the story on track. That's an important note: to keep the story on track. Although it's dialogue and gag driven, I was keen to keep the comedy focused on the characters instead of just cramming in jokes and asides for the sake of it (very easy trap!). I didn't want to do amusing sketches, I wanted to tell a story.

At the end of the first rehearsal, we knew we didn't have certain things nailed (the right tone for performance etc) but we felt a bit more confident about what we had to do to revise the existing scripts. I assembled a rough edit of the rehearsals, and this gave us some decent perspective on how to get the project into better shape.

We met again for another rehearsal a few weeks after eps 5 & 6 were written. I didn't film the guys this time. We just went through the material from start to finish, and chatted about what felt right and what could be revised further, or binned. We were all happy with the general flow and direction of the scripts, and agreed to just tweak and fine-tune from here on in. So, with the scripts almost locked, I set about getting the production together.

Next up: location, crew, production!

New to 'How I Made A Web Series'? You've missed:

How It All Started
Writing & Casting

Want more?

Visit the website!
Find us on Facebook!
Follow us on Twitter!
Watch the trailers!
Subscribe to the YouTube channel!

Liquid Lunch: Writing

2011-05-24T09:11:00.005+01:00

Part 2: How I Made A Web Series

Liquid Lunch is about two guys who regularly meet in the pub to break up the monotony of their working day but when they realise life is passing them by, they decide to do something about it.

When I started writing it, I only had the first half of the premise. Two guys chatting in a pub. A bit of jokey banter, and that was it. Of course, that's when I was trying to do it as a 5 min short film but the problem with that approach was that it wasn't about anything. There wasn't any real story. But then, the exact nature of liquid lunches and excitable pub talk sprung into mind, and I had myself the second half of the premise. The story.

I was keen to keep things simple. Two guys. One location. Chat, banter and jokes, but to keep it focused on a story over 5 or 6 webisodes. I wrote webisodes 1 and 2, and thought they were OK. A decent start. But the key to comedy is collaborating. I started to think about my two lead actors, and perhaps utilising some improvisation into the scripts.

My mind immediately cast Dan Doolan in one of the roles. Dan's a screenwriting graduate from Bournemouth University. I had met him last year over a coffee to chat about writing and 'what to do next'. He mentioned that he and his mates had performed a comedy sketch show at the Edinburgh Festival, and I was well impressed. That takes balls. This snippet of info always stuck in my mind, and I was fairly confident he would be perfect for one of the roles. I Twitter'd him (I had lost his email, thank you the internet!) and gave him the lowdown. He was very keen to be involved and knew someone from his sketch group who would be suitable for the other role (Chris Billingham).

I met them on London's South Bank for a liquid lunch (hey, I'm METHOD), and to see if Dan & Chris were indeed a good fit. Luckily, they're really good mates, and they easily slotted in to the roles I had in mind. Dan naturally assuming he would play Ollie and Chris more suited to play Alex (left to right, below). Banzai! They flattered me with their enthusiasm, and I encouraged them to improvise and 'make the characters their own' as much as possible. They spent a whole weekend doing this, bouncing the material back and forth, eventually rounding up all their improvisation into excellent 2nd draft scripts of eps 1 & 2. I was on to a winner with these two (screenwriters & actors, a powerful combo!).

From their 2nd drafts, I did a 3rd draft, a neat mesh of all the best stuff we had done so far. If we all lived locally, we would have created a writers' room scenario but because we all lived in separate locations, we went with the procedure of me doing 1st draft, keeping an eye on character & story, the guys doing an improv 2nd draft, and then combining the best of the two. We got up to webisode 4 with this approach, and it was time to do some rehearsals to see what worked and what didn't.

Next up: rehearsals!

Don't know what I'm blabbing on about? Never heard of Liquid Lunch? It's a new six-part comedy web series. Find us on every social network known to man! Well, Twitter, Facebook and the main website!

Liquid Lunch: How I Made A Web Series

2011-05-22T13:18:00.005+01:00

Here's the first post on how I made Liquid Lunch, my 6-part webcom. It's not a definitive guide on how to make a web series, more how I made a web series. Still, there should be some useful bits of info if you're considering making a web show, and the same basic principles apply if you're thinking of making a short film.

1. THE IDEA

So, like, dude, where did it all begin? Good question. As with a lot of my projects, it begins with a title. I've always liked the title Liquid Lunch. It's catchy and punchy. Yes, it's a commonly used phrase but I was surprised that no TV show or film or whatever had nabbed it to spin a story. At least, none that I had heard of.

After spending a squillion pounds making Origin, I was itchy to (a) direct again but (b) didn't want to burn as much money. And then, over a vodka or three at the London Screenwriters' Festival, Piers Beckley challenged EVERYONE* to make a short film with these simple rules: it must last between 3-5 minutes, not including credits; it must have no more than 5 actors in it (counted as anyone with a line, onscreen or off); deadline for completion is St. Patrick's Day (17th March 2011); you need to either write or direct the film, or both. It was October at this stage, so EVERYONE* (in their drunken euphoria) thought it was a cinch, and agreed to the challenge.

Liquid Lunch seemed like the ideal short film to me and yet, when I started writing it, I couldn't make the story work within a 5 minute duration. But the bet had spurred me on to actually commit something to paper about the idea, and the characters and theme that emerged really struck a chord with me ('don't just talk about what you're going to do, get out there and do it'). I didn't want to give up on it. In the end, I lost the bet because I didn't make the short within the agreed timeframe (kudos to Tim and Piers for that achievement). Instead, I set about developing Liquid Lunch into a comedy web series.

Next up: the writing and casting process.

* Me, Tim, Piers, Brendan and Andy, although I think Brendan and Andy might have been amused by our enthusiasm for the bet rather than agreeing to do it.

Liquid Lunch, website & trailer!

2011-05-17T13:14:00.004+01:00

The website and trailer for Liquid Lunch, my new comedy web series, is now live. You can check out both by going direct to the site, or watch the trailer below.

There's also updates and news on the Facebook page, and, of course, Twitter. The webisodes (6 of 'em) will go live at the end of the month.

I've been editing the webisodes myself on Final Cut Pro. Never done that before. I've always been good sitting beside an editor, and assembling stuff, but doing it yourself is a completely different skill altogether. I've really enjoyed learning FCP though, and am grateful for some wizard tips from my sister Berni (a propah professional editor) and my Bournemouth (tor)mentors Tim and Suki.

Speaking of trailers, have you seen the teaser for Stormhouse, the new British horror film written by Jason Arnopp and directed by Dan Turner? Very excited by this one. The guys just went out and did it - an attitude I heartily endorse (see Liquid Lunch, above) - and it looks like it just might keep you up at night. It's also going to have its world premiere at this year's Edinburgh Film Festival. This is quite a feat. Kudos, fellas!

Cannes Vodcasts

2011-05-15T15:25:00.006+01:00

Bienvenue à Cannes, avec Monsieur Tim Clague!

Which is French for: head on over to the UK Scriptwriters' Facebook page for Tim's video diary of this year's Cannes Film Festival. Can't embed them here for some reason.

Bon, allez!

Or, in the latest UK Scriptwriters podcast, we discuss the Oui's and Non's of going to Cannes: should you go? how much does it cost? how do you register? what do you have to do, etc?

Screenwriting Bullet #11

2011-05-09T10:10:00.003+01:00

What does 'execution dependent' mean?

Development executives will sometimes, nay regularly, hear pitches where the premise and/or story might sound OK but the idea won't entirely convince that it's something people will want to see. In this regard, they say that the idea is 'execution dependent', as it relies entirely on how well the screenwriter can spin the story.

If the pitch is coming from a new, unknown writer, then a mention of 'execution dependent' means a polite rejection. If it's from a more reliable scribe, then the exec will feel more confident in handing over some development dosh.

Other refs:
John August on Execution Dependent

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: Episode 9!

2011-05-02T18:24:00.002+01:00

The latest episode of the UK Scriptwriters podcast, hosted by myself and Tim Clague, went live before the long weekend but you might have missed it due to wedding, barbeque, socialising, bank holiday shenanigans.

In this month's edition, we round up the latest news, discuss the Oui's and Non's of going to Cannes, review Dr Who and Tim talks Picasso! Plus there's our regular movieScope competition with Screenwriter DVD, mag subscriptions and Movie Magic Software up for grabs. It's free! Full deets on the pod, yo.

Of course, if you're a subscriber, you'll automatically get updated on all the insider scriptwriting chat but it you're NOT (why do you hurt me so?), then you can listen to the podcast via the embedded player, below (and catch up on any you might have missed).

As ever, have a listen and tell us what you think, spread the word, or make suggestions, or just say hello. We're on Facebook and Twitter or email us directly at ukscriptwriters @hotmail.com. Thanks!

Liquid Lunch, update!

2011-04-28T11:37:00.005+01:00

The Facebook page for Liquid Lunch (my new comedy web series) is live.

So far, lots of behind-the-scenes photos, and you won't miss any important updates if you LIKE the sucker. The Twitter feed is also up and running, in case you didn't know, and Dan Doolan's got a run down on how everything came together on his blog.

The official website is coming soon, while the actual series gets chopped and polished in the edit suite, ready for launch next month.

CHEERS!

Liquid Lunch, Coming Soon!

2011-04-20T22:36:00.003+01:00

Last week, I filmed a new comedy web series called Liquid Lunch. It's about two guys who regularly meet in a pub to break up the monotony of their working day but when they realise life is passing them by, they decide to do something about it... or will it end up as just pub talk?

I developed the scripts with the leads Dan Doolan (seated left in the above pic) and Chris Billingham (seated right in pic; both young writing/acting bucks to watch out for).

It was great fun to shoot, and the webisodes should be ready to watch in about a month or so. The dedicated website and Facebook page will be up soon but you can follow the Twitter feed to keep up with all the relevant snippets and links!

Death In Paradise

2011-04-18T17:12:00.002+01:00

Death in Paradise is a new BBC/FTV drama series that starts shooting today, on location in Guadeloupe . What's especially great about this news is that it's a Red Planet production (Tony Jordan) and from the brainchild of one Robert Thorogood (who so totes lives up to his surname).

But here's the best bit: Robert was one of the runners-up in the very first Red Planet Prize in 2007/08, and Death in Paradise is a direct consequence of being part of the competition! Wahey!

So, so, so proud of this, as this was always my intention when setting up the competition: to find new writers and help them develop proper opportunities to advance their careers. It's tough for us new writers out there, so we got to do what we can to support each other and make the industry sit up and take notice.

But the competition would be nothing without Tony Jordan (The Guv) and his Red Planet team. Huge thanks and respect to The Guv and Simon Winstone for maintaining the Prize with their genuine passion and commitment to new writers. To have a success story from the first year, well, it brings a tear to my eye, I tells ya.

I'm also proud to say that Robert is a script reading mate from back in the day (we got seriously sozzled on cosmos at a Working Title Christmas party one year). Coincidentally, I was the one who read his 1st ten pages when he entered the Red Planet Prize. I didn't want to be too biased for the 2nd round, so I got someone else to read his full script. Happily, Robert easily made the final shortlist.

After Tony gathers the winner and runners-up together, he encourages everyone to send in ideas/pitches/scripts, and this is how the ball got rolling on Death in Paradise. But this is important: much kudos to Robert for his exceptional hard work to step up to the plate and knock one out of the park (as our American cousins would say) because the transition from unproduced writer to lead writer on a major BBC series is huge. The pressure and expectation would crush other writers. Not so with Mr Thorogood. Nice one, sir!

The Red Planet Prize will run again this year. 'Ave it!

PS: The awesome Liana del Giudice (who edited my very first short and was Associate Producer on Origin) is also editing a block of episodes of Death in Paradise, completely coincidentally, as she's top of her game and much in demand (having done Dr Who, Dirk Gently, Grandma's House etc etc). It's a small, small world!

Screenwriting Bullet #10

2011-04-15T12:03:00.002+01:00

What is foreshadowing?

Foreshadowing is often a crucial form of exposition. At its most basic, it sets-up seemingly innocuous moments or plot details that get a significant pay-off later in the story. You may want to check out Chekhov’s Gun for further clarification.

Full blog post on foreshadowing here.

If Cracker taught screenwriting...

2011-04-02T14:48:00.003+01:00

A quick vid me and Tim shot last weekend at the Southern Script Festival as part of our talk on Online Drama. It's a spoof of the opening scene from TV's Cracker (original clip from 1:22) but if he was a script consultant rather than a psychologist!

New UK Scriptwriters Podcast!

2011-03-28T15:14:00.003+01:00

Here's episode 8a of the UK Scriptwriters podcast, hosted by myself and Tim Clague. It's '8a' because it's a special edition devoted to the subject of pitching, and it was recorded live at the recent Southern Script Festival (so the sound is 'on location!). We also dragged in Chris Hill (Skins etc) to contribute, and we discuss the good, the bad and the ugly ways to pitch.

As ever, have a listen and tell us what you think, spread the word, or make suggestions, or just say hello. We're on Facebook and Twitter or email us directly at ukscriptwriters @hotmail.com. Thanks!

London Comedy Writers Festival

2011-03-23T22:10:00.003Z

The London Comedy Writers Festival is all set to run next month (the 9th & 10th April).

The line-up of speakers looks like a Who's Who of UK Comedy; all the players, producers and contacts you would possibly want to meet. Very impressive stuff.

If you haven't checked it out already, then all the details are here, and you can get £25 off the ticket price if you use discount code ScriptwritingUK.

If you do use this discount code, I get a £25 slice of every sale, but if even if I wasn't promoting the discount, I'd still urge you to check out the festival. It really looks like a top event.

Other £25 discount codes are available. Some affiliates are giving their slice of the pie to charity and so on, while I will use every penny I get to make a comedy web series, just for you! So, everyone's a winner, baby, that's the truth.

Screenwriting Bullet #9

2011-03-21T13:45:00.003Z

What is a beat sheet?

A beat sheet is a document used to prepare the essential dramatic beats (i.e the dramatic structure) of a story: what happens, when and why. Individual scenes can also be broken down into singular beats of action, while the actual content within the scenes (the dramatised action) would make up a 'scene by scene breakdown' before going to script.

More on beat sheets:
Beat Sheets, explained
Beat Sheets, revisited (with analysis scene from The Graduate)

Forthcoming Films From Frolleagues!

2011-03-10T10:31:00.009Z

First, and most imminent, is Tom Williams' upcoming snowmantic comedy (I'm not the first, I won't be the last), Chalet Girl.

Tom is a fine screenwriting gent and a former script reader. At the first Screenwriters' Festival in Cheltenham, he was the tall chap roaming around with the video camera, interviewing peeps and editing the clips late into the night for instant website consumption.

The upcoming Chalet Girl sees his feature debut (directed by Phil Traill) and Tom's been working solidly over the last few years getting the script done, and pushing the film over the finishing line.

Check out his new blog where he breaks down the whole process, and how things are shaping up for the film's big release next week! Go Tom!

Lessons From Production
Writing Vs Shooting
Bums On Seats

Next up, a new horror film from the disturbing but brilliant minds of Jason Arnopp and Dan Turner. It's called Stormhouse and is coming to a cinema near you, very soon. For all the latest updates and breaking news, check out their Twitter feed. Can't wait to see this one!

Last but by no means least is James Moran's next film Cockney Vs Zombies. This one's only just got into production but what's particularly exciting is that they need a load of zombie extras, so if you fancied some of that action, then all the details you need are on James's blog.

Great to see so many frolleagues from the scribosphere rocking the house. Previous frolleague update here.

Making the Low Budget Feature

2011-03-07T13:23:00.003Z

In January, you may remember I mentioned I was heading off to a course called ‘Making the Low Budget Film’; all part of this year’s strategy to get out there, learn new stuff and shake things up a bit. The course has been up and running since last year (by Industrial Scripts) and hosted by Ken Marshall, producer of London to Brighton, Cherry Tree Lane and The Cottage, so I popped along on Sunday 20th February to soak up all that I could.

Trivial personal bit: I get up at 5.45am. On a Sunday. These words will never escape my lips again, unless I’m being paid to get up that early on the global day of rest. I eat porridge with honey (a filling breakfast to keep me going until lunchtime) and am in my car driving towards London by 6.30am. I get to Richmond at about 8.15am and park in a street that doesn’t need a permit. I then get the train to Waterloo and from there, I get the tube to Oxford Circus. It’s only 9.30am at this point and the course starts at 10am so I grab a much-needed coffee.

The course bit: at 9.55am we are officially allowed to hit the buzzer, and I meet a few of my fellow course attendees. We chat and mingle, and it seems like a lively and friendly bunch, all with mixed experience (some have already produced a low budget film, others trying to figure out if the film industry is for them). Ken Marshall introduces the course and the agenda for the day. It’s a jam-packed schedule that breaks down his personal experience of producing low-budget films as well detailing all the practical pitfalls and considerations you need to make along the way.

Ken is laid back and has a dry sense of humour, so thankfully the day doesn’t become a trudge of facts and figures. Instead, Ken is remarkably candid and honest about his experiences – where he went wrong, what he should have done, how he could have got a better deal etc – and it makes for a fascinating insight into the indie world of UK filmmaking. None of it is earth-shatteringly new or surprising but hearing it from someone who’s experienced it properly is always a better way to really learn than picking off tidbits from an article or a book.

The schedule is broken down into key areas: ‘Low Budget Films & Producer’s Role’, ‘Setting Up a Production Company’, ‘Sourcing & Developing Projects’, ’10 Steps to Putting a Project into Production’, ‘Development Scenarios’, ‘Getting Your Film Financed’, ‘The Realities of Low Budget Films and the State of the Industry’, ‘Routes to Financing Your Film’, ‘Distributors & Sales Agents’, ‘How to Approach Funding Bodies’. We all get so caught up in the information, we nearly miss taking a lunch break but we do take some time out for some grub (I’ve brought along a homemade sandwich - a low-budget producer would be proud!).

After lunch, Ken takes us through each of his projects on a case-by-case study. He explains the approach and current status of his next two projects, Filth (an adaptation of an Irvine Welsh novel), and Song For Marion (Paul Andrew Williams’ next film). There’s a Q&A on each section, and then a Participant Workshop where we get to pitch our own ideas. I’ve been laidback about the prospect about pitching so Ken singles me out to pitch first. Suddenly full of adrenaline, my laidback bravado fails me as I stumble into a nervous pitch for the feature film version of Origin. Still, I calm myself down enough to get across the key details, and Ken plays the trailer on YouTube. It ends up as a fun pitch in the end, and everyone gets a go at presenting their idea.

As the course wraps, we get a folder to take away which is chock full of budget spreadsheets & info we’ve gone through during the day. We all decamp (including Ken) for a much needed drink at the nearest pub. However, I’m driving home so all I get to quaff is a refreshing soda water & lime, have a quick chat with the others, and then it’s off to Richmond again for the return leg of the journey. I’m in my car by 8pm, and home at 10pm, exhausted but full of new knowledge about how to make a damn blasted film in this country.

If you are interested in making your own low-budget film, then I would highly recommend the course. The next one will be on Sunday 1st May 2011, full details here, and check out Industrial’s other impressive line-up of courses & services, too. I'm off to make a low-budget film. Easy, right?

Screenwriting Bullet #8

2011-03-03T10:08:00.002Z

QUESTION!

I cannot seem to get to the end of a scene without wanting to edit it, and it affects how my story progresses. How can I stop myself doing this?

It doesn't matter if it's rubbish, or if you think it's rubbish, just finish the scene and keep going until you finish the script. If you've come to a mental block, write something that finishes the scene (even if it's 'MORE DIALOGUE/BANTER HERE AND JOHN STORMS OUT THE PUB', e.g). Try planning out the story beforehand, if you're not already, and that should keep you going, or give you the opportunity to move to a different sequence and come back to that troubling scene/sequence later.

But it's all about just finishing it. Keep going, keep writing, and you'll get there. Rewrite/edit later.

Discount Code, Comedy Festival

2011-03-01T09:35:00.003Z

Going to the London Comedy Writers Festival in April? Not bought your ticket yet? Get £25 off ticket price by using discount code: ScriptwritingUK

Simples!

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: Episode 8

2011-02-27T21:40:00.002Z

The latest edition of the UK Scriptwriters podcast, hosted by me and Tim Clague, is now available for your writing earlobes!

In this instalment, I sing the opening jingle, we answer listeners' mail, analyse one half of Joss Whedon's Top 10 Writing Tips, review Persona, the new online drama, plus the Dead Island trailer (and more). And there's our regular competition for Movie Magic Software, DVDs and movieScope subscriptions (all courtesy of movieScope). To win, all you have to do is guess what Irish impression I'm doing of a famous bit of movie dialogue. It's all fun and games, and, shur begorrah, you can't afford not to listen. So get clicking, get subscribing or get going with your own jingle for the show, as my singing simply cannot be allowed to continue. You have been warned.

As ever, have a listen and tell us what you think, spread the word, or make suggestions, or just say hello. We're on Facebook and Twitter or email us directly at ukscriptwriters @hotmail.com. Thanks!

Screenwriting Bullet #7

2011-02-14T13:01:00.002Z

Write What You Know

'Write what you know' does not mean write about yourself, your family, your relationships, or your general existence. It means write what you know about the human condition from all that you've learned or experienced about yourself, your family, your relationships, or your general existence.

Be insightful, original and true, especially if you do want to write about your family, or your time picking grapes in France.

Related Posts
Write What You Want (blog 2006)
Write Now (blog 2005)
Hot Script (blog 2005)

Scriptwriting in the UK, Redux

2011-02-07T09:35:00.003Z

Last year saw the blog hit five years of being online and so to celebrate the blogoversary, I set up a sister website which rounds up the best and most popular posts from over the years. I thought this might be a good way to make use of the archives and also remind myself of what I've written so I can update or revisit as appropriate (or if anyone would like me to do a follow-up, just shout). There's also a free download section, and other bits and bobs. If you haven't been to the website, you can check it out HERE.

As it's pretty much a static site, I've set up a Facebook page to help direct traffic to various links and posts. These links will mainly come from UK Scriptwriters (the Twitter feed for the podcast), as it seemed to make sense to combine the two. Either me or one of my staff* will update this daily, not only to point you in the direction of Scriptwriting in the UK but to highlight other interesting links and tidbits gleaned from the webnet.

If you'd like some of that online action, then get on over to the Facebook page and hit *Like*. This means you will subscribe to updates from the page (if you've got a Facebook account). You don't have to like me personally, you may hate my guts for all I know, just hit *Like* and let's be done with it. Thanking you!

* Um, me, Tim or an online helper.

Me on TV!

2011-02-02T10:10:00.004Z

If you'd like a good laugh at my expense, then here's a clip from RTE's Jo-Maxi (kinda like Ireland's version of Blue Peter), circa 1992, when I was their regular fillum reviewer for about three months. This was my third review for them, I think, so I'm still a bit r̶u̶b̶b̶i̶s̶h̶ nervous. I'm very thin, my ears are maHOOOOsive, my hair is unkempt (hey, I had just turned 21, I was TRENDY), and my accent is stronger than it is now. I also had the Best Catchphrase of the Year. Oh, the review is for Jim Sheridan's Into The West.

As you can see, I was trying to be the next Antoine de Caunes/Barry Norman, but with an Irish accent (a winning combo in anyone's eyes, surely? I should SO be on Film 2011). Yes, okay, laugh it up. I may inflict you with other reviews if you don't behave yourselves.

(From embarrassing film reviews of yesteryear, to slightly more polished podcasts of today. Check out the all-new UK Scriptwriters podcast, with me and Tim Clague!)

UK Scriptwriters Podcast, Episode 7

2011-01-28T19:06:00.001Z

Here's the latest UK Scriptwriters podcast from me and Tim. COME GET SOME!

In this edition, the theme is 'building a career' and we discuss the BAFTA nominations for Best Short Film and Best Feature Debut from a Director/Writer/Producer, and what that means for the likes of us. (Tim's doing a review rundown on each of the nominated short films on his blog).

This leads us into our main topic which is 'when the rejections pile up, how do you know whether to continue or to quit?'

On that cheery note, we lead into our review section where Tim gives the thumbs up to comic book guy Chris Ware, and I compare and contrast Being Human v True Blood.

Plus there's our regular competition giveaway with Movie Magic Screenwriting Software, DVD Screenwriter Dialogue Series & more up for grabs, courtesy of movieScope magazine. Full details on the podcast.

As ever, have a listen and tell us what you think, or make suggestions, or just say hello. Email us directly at ukscriptwriters @hotmail.com. Thanks!

Screenwriting Bullet #6

2011-01-25T10:55:00.004Z

HIGH CONCEPT

If something is described as having a high concept, it means that it's got a premise that can be easily pitched in a succinct sentence. Moreover, it's got a premise that's immediately appealing, indicating that it's something an audience would like to see, regardless of what the rest of the story is about, or who might star in the film (or TV show).

High concept examples:

After his son makes a birthday wish, his father, who's a hotshot lawyer, has to tell the truth for 24 hours, just at a crucial time for him at work.

A LA cop races to save a bus in the middle of rush hour as it's set to explode if it travels less than 50mph.

An American in Iraq awakes to find himself buried alive in a coffin, with only a mobile phone to help him escape before his oxygen runs out.

Snakes on a plane.

Related Posts/Links:

Concept (blog 2005)
High Concept (Absolute Write)
High Concept Defined (Writers Store)

Make A Low-Budget Film

2011-01-21T10:11:00.002Z

Last year, my learned friend and colleague, Suki Singh, went out and made a low-budget film, Emulsion, digging deep as he could into his own pockets so he could just get out there and do it. He's now in the edit suite but by the looks of the trailer, everything's shaping up rather well, and looking awesome. Suki's drive and focus was inspiring, plus he's such a great guy, and he got me thinking: 'you can make a low-budget feature with just a little bit more expense and effort than it takes to make a quality short film'.

EMULSION Teaser Trailer from Suki Singh on Vimeo.

Hmm, is this really true? Yes and no, probably. I mean, what do I know? I've made a couple of shorts, one completely no budget (On the Death of His Wife) and the other (Origin), which cost me a lot of my own moolah. But both experiences gave me the directing bug, and I think I did a decent job with Origin (leading a professional cast and crew).

So, I'd love to direct a feature film, ho yes. But you can't just sit around and expect people to give you what you want. You got to work for it, earn it, or at least get the ball rolling so that things start to happen rather than just sitting at home, complaining that no-one understands your talent.

Next month, I'm going to Industrial Scripts' training course, Making The Low-Budget Feature.

Industrial Scripts is run by my old mucker Evan Leighton-Davis, a fellow script reader and all-round gent (I first met him when he was an intern at the UK Film Council years ago, and even then, I knew he'd be a star). Since their launch last year, Evan and Industrial have blasted on to the scene and established a host of excellent training courses and feedback services (they've got an exciting 'Talent Connector' service for unrepresented writers - check it out).

I've been keeping a close eye on the Low-Budget Film course, especially as it's hosted by Ken Marshall, producer of London to Brighton. It focuses on the practicalities of finance and development, and all the nuts and bolts of getting a low-budget production up and running. I've put my name down for the next course on 20th February so maybe see a few of you there, if you've got that itch that you need to scratch. Whatever the case, let's get busy with 'make and do', and put enough positive action into place so that the chips don't fall where they may, but land nicely in our favour.

Screenwriting Bullet #5

2011-01-19T09:41:00.001Z

REJECTION

Forget about death and taxes. If there's one thing guaranteed in a screenwriter's life, then it's to expect a whole world of rejection. Not just once or twice, or at the beginning of a career - shyeah, you wish - but on a regular basis.

It happens to everybody ALL THE TIME. If someone hasn't been rejected, they're either lying or they haven't sent anything out yet.

People delivering the rejection will tell you 'it's not personal' but it's always a delicate and sensitive issue that never gets easier the more times you experience it.

Some rejections won't hurt as much as others (a basic 'pass' from a prod co), and some will crush your confidence to the ground (a scathing or tactless review of your script), while some rejections will be unlucky or unfair (someone making the wrong decision on your work).

Bottom line: rejections sucks. No question. But suck it up and keep writing. It's the only way to move forward.

What's The Big Idea?

2011-01-17T10:15:00.002Z

Shine Pictures (backed by New Regency in the U.S) launched a UK competition called The Big Idea, looking for commercial genre ideas, with a prize of a £25k development deal. The brief was to outline an idea in no more than 700 words (or a one-pager, basically) but they specified four genres in which to pitch: sci-fi & fantasy, action adventure, romantic comedy, and family. To be eligible, you needed some form of professional experience (agent, option, commission etc). Overall, they had 730 entries, and they shortlisted only 7 for a pitch interview before making their final choice.

I was lucky enough to be one of the final 7, along with my regular co-writer Sam Morrison. We pitched an idea for the family genre called 'Santa Jnr'. Here's the logline: Santa’s son hates Christmas because he never gets to spend time with his father but when he accidentally puts Christmas in jeopardy, he sets out on an adventure with a ragtag bunch of friends to save Christmas before it’s too late. Even with the title and logline, it's a pretty good idea, immediately suggestive of a visual story that compliments the genre well. For the pitch interview, we were asked to expand on the initial submission and talk through the bigger picture.

Sam and I aren't complete strangers to being shortlisted for high-profile competitions and schemes. Most notably, we were runners-up in the inaugural The Times/Chicken House Children's Book Award (down to the last 5 manuscripts out of 2000!), and were also the bridesmaids in an exciting pitching scheme with Eon Productions (the producers of James Bond). So, while it was terrific to make the shortlist for The Big Idea, we were immediately pragmatic about our chances.

We didn't expect to be asked to 'perform' a pitch but our experience in other schemes had taught us to be as prepared as much as possible. However, Sam was busy with various writing deadlines, so we couldn't meet up to practise our pitch. We relied instead on a written outline and emails. On the day of the interview, the earliest Sam and I can meet up is 15 minutes before the actual pitch. As we walk to Shine's offices, we finally get to discuss the pitch 'live', and agree where to allocate responsibility as well as allowing for some improvisation or tangents.

Shine's offices are part of Kudos and we get taken to the big boardroom to meet Paul Webster (head of film), Stephen Garrett* (executive chairman), Ed Clarke (head of development) and Melanie Coombs (project co-ordinator). I've been to the boardroom before to discuss details of the Red Planet Prize, so it's not unfamiliar terrain, but I'm pleased when the execs choose the comfier sofa option for us to pitch (rather than the Dragons' Den-like boardroom table). There's friendly introductions and congratulations on getting this far, and we begin our pitch.

Our experience of Eon's pitching scheme comes in particularly useful as we relax into an evenly divided pitch, each trusting each other with any improvs or jokes as we go through our spiel. More importantly, the expanded story is well-structured, giving the right kind of tone and flavour of detail without getting bogged down with unnecessary plot waffle. The execs seem to enjoy our presentation and have a few questions. We're able to provide some satisfying answers as well as being unsure about certain areas which we confess we don't know the answer to yet. They thank us for coming but kind of let slip that they've chosen their winner already (something I've either misunderstood or picked up on), but may choose another for a separate development deal. Whatever the case, I'm pleased with our performance (another assurance of me and Sam working well together) and feel good about the pitch, which is always vital experience. Before the pitch, with nerves kicking in, we were like: 'I don't think I can do this, I've forgotten everything, let's cancel'. Afterwards, we were like: 'I really enjoyed that, nice one'. We went for a noodle lunch to celebrate, which Sam paid for: RESULT!

A couple of weeks later, Melanie phoned us to tell us that they were going to pass on our idea but that their door was open to us as writers, and we could pitch them other ideas or send them scripts. Although we'd been crushed with runner-up disappointment before, this time we felt happy to have been involved in the whole process and we viewed it as a positive meeting rather than a failed pitch. Congratulations again to the winners, and let's hope the competition runs again next year.

* I met Stephen Garrett in 1994, soon after I had arrived in the UK to make my way in the media. He asked me what I wanted to do. I replied: 'everything'. His advice: 'choose one thing, and stick to that'. Six years later, I took that advice as I gave up everything for writing, and ten years after that, I'm pitching Stephen in his boardroom. Nice.

ORIGIN screenings

2011-01-11T13:54:00.004Z

A couple of screenings of Origin will take place this week, one as part of the London Short Film Festival this Thursday 13th January (full details here), and the other as part of the British Shorts Festival in Berlin on Saturday 15th January. I'll be at the London Short Film Festival screening, so if you're going along then hopefully see you there. Sadly, I won't be in Berlin for the weekend but if anyone reading does go, please let me know how it all went.

I'm delighted that Origin is finding an audience on the festival circuit. I always knew it was difficult to get a film accepted into any festival but now I realise it's nothing short of a miracle! Don't believe me? Then read this blog about one filmmaker's particular experience.

So far, Origin has played (or will play) at Brancharge, Raindance, London Short Film Festival and Berlin British Shorts, and next month has been specifically invited to screen at Shortcutz London. Not a bad run but I hope it'll screen in a few more. It's expensive and time-consuming to continuously enter festivals, so it's now down to select submissions rather than an all-out attack. On the plus side, the film has recently bagged a deal with Network Ireland TV, one of the leading short film distributors, so that should ensure some form of festival afterlife. Nice!

In other news, I didn't win Shine's Big Idea competition so a̶ ̶c̶u̶r̶s̶e̶ ̶o̶n̶ congratulations to Nick Alderton & Sam Callis, and Stephen Keysworth for their winning pitches! I'm chuffed to have made the shortlist with Sam (down to the last 7 out of 730), and very much enjoyed the pitch and overall experience. I'll blog separately on how it all went, so stay tuned. In the meantime, see you at the London Short Film Festival. Yes, yes, yes, you will you will you will, turn this opportunity up, Thursday, your name's Rowntree. At the very least, check out the trailer below, or visit the website for photos and other info (the Facebook page has loads of photos).

Red Planet Rundown 2010

2011-01-07T15:05:00.001Z

* These views do not represent those of Tony Jordan (the guv), Red Planet, Kudos or anybody else involved with the Red Planet Prize. They are mine, all mine, I tell you. *

The first round of the RPP is the most daunting and exciting. With over 1,500 entries, there's a lot to get through, and there is a fear of missing something special as you begin to read through the pile. Plus, Kudos are now involved, so you've got a couple more high-powered execs to report to, so the scripts you put through better be good. That's the daunting bit. The excitement comes when you start reading, and you get into the groove of assessing the scripts. You can check out the rundowns of previous years here and here.

So, what does a good first ten pages of a script actually look and feel like? What makes a reader say 'yes, I would like to read the full script' but will quickly 'pass' on another? Well, the maddening answer is that there is no set look or feel to a script's opening ten pages. Quite often, it will come down to the reader's subjective take on the premise and characters, and how they've attached themselves to the early set-up. Some subconscious questions run through the reader's mind as the pages are consumed. Is it intriguing? Is it funny? Is it exciting? Is the dialogue good? Are the characters interesting? Is the idea original? An answer of 'yes' to one or more will usually mean that the script gets through to the next round (sometimes not, as a tight shortlist is eventually formed).

While there is no easy formula for a surefire way to begin a story, stronger scripts do seem to have certain elements and qualities that set them apart from the rest. They invariably do or have the following:

- establish a clear and inviting hook. This is not necessarily an opening action sequence. It could be the way the lead character has been introduced or how the concept has been set-up or maybe it has some great dialogue exchanges; anything that keeps things clear and inviting, and makes you want to know more.

- have an effective writing style. Simple, direct and visual. Overwritten chunks of unnecessary or dull detail are always a big offender. Stronger scripts have a good compliment between action, description and dialogue, making everything pertinent to the story and what you're seeing on the screen (rather than what you're reading on the page).

- establish a good pace. This invariably comes from a clear and inviting hook, and an effective writing style. More often than not, scripts are a chore to read. Good scripts just flow, and quickly become an effortless read. This is a skill that is difficult to teach or learn. A writer's personal style and their particular grasp of visual grammar (not to mention their keen sense of story) will usually determine whether a story flows or not. In general, less is more, i.e. the fewer words used to describe the action and description, the more visual and pacier the script will be.

These are general observations, not rules to live by. As ever, the quality of entries was quite high, so the usual tough choices had to be made on some good writing. Sometimes it's easy to identify a decent script within the first ten pages (sometimes within the first two!). Sometimes you know that the story needs a bit more time to breathe to be fully sure if it's a yay or nay. Sometimes you want to take a chance on a gut reaction or a raw piece of writing. Sometimes you're just bored even though the writing seems to have all the right smarts. It can be very personal and subjective.

Perhaps a more important question to ask is not what makes a good first ten pages, but what makes a good full script? In some regards, a script's opening is the easiest part of a story. What's really difficult is maintaining the interest and entertainment value right to the end. Some first ten pages that made it through to the second round made for a disappointing full read. Others didn't match the early promise or initial expectations. The ones that made the final shortlist (and the eventual winner) had a good pace and structure, interesting and distinctive characters, and/or an original premise or a twist on something familiar. More importantly, they all had original voice. In the winning script, there was one scene in particular that when I read it, I thought: 'brilliant, NEVER seen that before, completely unexpected and original and yet still fully believable for the characters and within the context of the story'. No surprise it came out on top. Well done Simon Glass!

Very much looking forward to the workshops, which should be happening soon, and of course the competition will run again this year, so that's something else to look forward to. It's free, it's brill. It's maintained with genuine passion and a lot of hard work. I am extremely proud of my involvement with the scheme and what it's achieved so far. Long may it continue. Also, this is my 600th post. I need a lie down. Actually, after the proper bout of manflu I've had since the New Year, I think I may need to. I'm going back to bed...

---

About the Red Planet Prize:

We launched the RPP in 2007 to offer new writers a chance of an amazing prize and mentoring support. I had the idea for the competition, took it to Tony Jordan, who then made it happen. The first couple of years went very well with the winners getting an agent, £5k cash and commissioned work from the guv. More than that, the healthy list of runners-up were encouraged and mentored, with Tony's door left wide open for further contact. As a result, one of the runners-up from the first year, Robert Thorogood, has been commissioned by the BBC and Red Planet to develop a new drama series which is now very close to production. Huzzah!

In 2009, the competition didn't run (a temporary time-out) but this year it came back bigger and stronger with the support of Kudos Film & TV, one of the UK's leading production companies. Again, the brief was simple: send in the first ten pages of an original hour-long script. If we liked it, we'd ask to see the full script. If we liked that, we'd compile a shortlist and choose a winner.

Winner List
2007/08: Joanna Leigh with 'Sam J'
2008/09: Mark Wilkinson with 'The Ropes'
2010/11: Simon Glass with 'In The Flesh'

Screenwriting Bullet #4

2011-01-03T23:24:00.002Z

SLUGLINES

Sluglines are the scene headings in your screenplay, usually broken into three components to specify where and when a scene is taking place.

For example:

INT. DANNY'S OFFICE. DAY

INT stands for INTERIOR. The action takes place in Danny's office, and it's daytime. If it was taking place outside Danny's office in the night time, it would read:

EXT. DANNY'S OFFICE. NIGHT

EXT stands for EXTERIOR.

You don't have to specify a time of day other than 'day' or 'night'. If you want to say it's dawn or some other specific time, keep that for the scene description. It's best to keep sluglines simple. Try to avoid sluglines that turn into elaborate sentences that only end up confusing and irritating everyone e.g.

INT. DANNY'S OFFICE. DAY - DUSK, FLASHBACK, MARIE'S POV, TEN YEARS AGO, WHEN SHE WAS JUST 7 AND DANNY WAS ONLY 10

Related Posts:
Julie Gray on Formatting

2010: End of Story

2010-12-24T10:27:00.000Z

What better way to sign off before Christmas than to point you in the direction of the latest episode of the UK Scriptwriters podcast. In case you didn’t know, me and Tim Clague have been hosting these screenwriting chin-wags since the summer, where we discuss the great and the (not so) good of the UK scriptwriting world.

You can listen on the main website, or via the player below, or subscribe via iTunes, and don't forget the Facebook page and Twitter feed. (Check out my demon hand in the photo! And we're kneeling down! Why?? I don't know.)

In this festive edition, we round up the latest news, which includes what’s happening with the UK Film Council, announce the Red Planet Prize winner, and highlight a few screenwriting opportunities. In the main discussion, we talk about what qualifications you need as a writer (if any), and there's the results of our inaugural movieScope magazine competition.

We’re running the competition again (hey, it is Christmas, after all) so do tune in for a chance to win this fantastic bundle: Movie Magic Software, DVD Screenwriter Series & a subscription to movieScope (plus runners-up prizes!). The question is quite easy this time around (‘what’s the name of the short film I wrote/directed this year?’), and you can email your answers (and/or feedback/comments) to ukscriptwriters @ hotmail.com

We’ll be back in the New Year, and I’ll also have blog updates on the Red Planet Prize (my annual rundown) and my recent experience with Shine’s Big Idea scheme (I got shortlisted down to the last 7 out of over 750 entries, and had to pitch my idea to Shine’s Big Execs).

Right you lot, I’m off for some fine food and wine, generally chilling out, watching a lot of TV/DVDs, and also sneaking in a bit of writing over the break. So, until then, have a great Christmas and here's to a cracking 2011!

Red Planet Prize, Winner!

2010-12-21T11:31:00.003Z

The winner of this year's Red Planet Prize is Simon Glass with his script 'In the Flesh', a dark comic tale of people taking control of their destinies, however hopeless they may seem and laughing in the face of adversity.

The script was chosen from over 1500 entrants. Simon has been writing for a few years and has worked in series drama, theatre and even opera. Simon commented; “I feel deeply honoured, thrilled and incredibly grateful to have won the Red Planet Prize”. (Simon's just signed up to Twitter and you can follow him here.)

Huge congratulations to Simon, plus the good handful of runners-up who will enjoy mentorship and workshops with Tony, Red Planet and Kudos in the New Year.

As ever, I'm exceptionally proud to be part of this writing competition (I came up with the idea, and am one of the judges), and the range of scripts and writing talent out there is impressive (and a bit scary - got to raise my game!). But the competition would be nothing without Tony's passion and generosity, and now Kudos's commitment to find and nurture new writers.

For those of you who were rejected and may feel a bit spurned, don't feel too down or disillusioned. The Red Planet Prize is a screenwriting competition that has to make extremely tough decisions to whittle down the entries into a manageable shortlist. A lot of these decisions come down to subjective reaction, so don't give up on a script (or your writing) if you really feel it's got something to offer. If you're thinking of hanging up your pen because of a Red Planet 'no', then maybe writing isn't for you. You got to stick at it, and roll with the punches. And remember, there's always next year!

Congrats to Simon again, and all the runners-up! Really had fun reading the scripts this year, such a good and varied batch.

Screenwriting Bullet #3

2010-12-15T18:05:00.004Z

Rewriting

Rewriting is the act of changing, deleting, revising or replacing certain character, plot or story elements within a script (or outline/treatment). It's typically the least enjoyable (or hardest) aspect of screenwriting but usually the most important. If it's a spec script, the writer will be relying on their instincts, plus feedback from their friends, to help them in their rewrite. If it's a commissioned or optioned piece, the writer will be subjected to notes from producers, directors, script editors and various execs - or sometimes anyone with an opinion - which can be illuminating and maddening in equal measure. Writers hate rewriting. They love having rewritten.

Related Posts:
The Six Stages of Feedback (with photo dramatisation by Jason Arnopp & James Moran)
Writing Wrongs
Rewriting

Screenwriting Bullet #2

2010-12-08T11:12:00.003Z

What does 'a character-driven story' mean?

A character-driven story is one that focuses on the personal motivations and desires of the protagonist and secondary characters. As such, the characters create the plot, or have significant influence on what happens. Character-driven stories are normally associated with soul-searching or introspective dramas, and usually lauded above plot-driven stories, but this need not be the case. For example, Die Hard is a character-driven thriller with a great plot led by John McClane, which is why it's a classic. Raiders of the Lost Ark is a plot-driven adventure, with very high stakes and an engaging hero (who fails at every attempt he makes within the plot), which is why it's a classic.

Most great TV dramas are character-driven, like The Wire, Mad Men, Cracker etc, while some great TV like Dr Who are plot-driven. 'Character-driven' doesn't mean 'there is no plot', just as good plot-driven stories doesn't necessarily mean 'there are no decent characters', although that can happen frequently.

Related Posts:
Character Vs Plot
Sub-plots & Secondary Characters
Surprising Characterisation

Screenwriting Bullet #1

2010-12-06T18:04:00.004Z

What's 'original voice'?

'Original voice' is the term used by producers/execs/script editors when describing a writer's particular style, or lack thereof. e.g. 'This script has no original voice' or 'we need scripts with more original voices'.

A writer who demonstrates 'original voice' will have a distinctive style or a fresh storytelling approach, something which makes their scripts easy-to-read, original, entertaining and/or thematically resonant, or all of the above (for thematically rich writers, they may be referred to as someone who has 'something to say'). See Jimmy McGovern, Paul Abbott, Russel T Davies, Tony Jordan, Howard Overman, Ashley Pharoah, Matthew Graham etc.

For more on original voice, see this post from 2005.

RPP Update

2010-11-30T10:49:00.002Z

This year's Red Planet Prize has been a hugely exciting affair, especially as Kudos Film & TV partnered up with the competition to find new TV writers. We've spent months reading the first ten pages of all the entries (over 1,500!), and the last eight weeks reading the full 2nd round scripts.

This initial reading team consisted of me, two execs from Red Planet and three execs from Kudos. We've laughed, cried, argued, debated and agreed. Now, we're at the last hurdle where the final shortlist will be presented to the esteemed judges to make their pick for the winner.

If you don't already know, the judging panel are: Tony Jordan (Red Planet), Jane Featherstone (Kudos), Polly Hill (BBC) and Ben Stoll (C4).

Cor, exciting!

So, they'll be making their decision in the next week or so, with the winner and runners-up notified very shortly afterwards. The Red Planet/Kudos workshops will then take place some time in the New Year, where everyone will receive mentoring and support.

It really is a terrific screenwriting competition. Nothing like it anywhere else in the whole wide worldz. I can't think of one drawback in entering because (a) it's FREE (one of the conditions I insisted on); (b) you start a new script (or polish an existing one); and (c) you have to finish the script, so it gives you motivation.

As with any competition and shortlist, it's extremely tough and subjective to make a choice, so just because your script didn't make the cut doesn't necessarily mean it won't stand you in good stead. All thanks should go to Tony Jordan and Kudos for being so generous and passionate about the competition, and it'll be back next year for a similarly exciting run. More news in December when the winner will be announced!

In the meantime, if you haven't listened to the latest edition of the UK Scriptwriters podcast with me and Tim Clague, then catch up on the site or listen below. In this episode, we've got a great competition, courtesy of movieScope magazine. Up for grabs this month: Movie Magic Software, DVD Screenwriter Series and five trial subscriptions to movieScope (which is a great magazine for any industry insider as it discusses everything from pre-production right through to visual FX and other post-production mysteries).

New Podcast!

2010-11-29T10:39:00.003Z

Tim and I did episode 5 of the UK Scriptwriters podcast last Friday. If you're not subscribed or missed it over the weekend, you can catch up here. In this edition, we look back at the London Screenwriters' Festival, discuss genre writing, and review The Walking Dead, Misfits and A Town Called Panic.

PLUS, there's a great competition for Movie Magic Screenwriting Software, DVD Screenwriter Dialogue Series and FIVE, count 'em, FIVE trial subscriptions to movieScope magazine. Full details on how to enter is on the podcast. As ever, have a listen and tell us what you think, or make suggestions, or whatever comes to mind. Email us directly at ukscriptwriters @hotmail.com. Thanks!

Frolleagues!

2010-11-24T10:13:00.005Z

What I love about the screenwriting blogging community - or 'the scribosphere' as it's commonly known - is the inspiration and goodwill that is so readily shared. It can really motivate you to get things going if you're stuck in a funk. For example, if you're feeling down and depressed about your latest rejection, then chances are someone's written a powerful blog post about brushing it off (or linked to it on Twitter) which will lift your spirits and help you get back into your groove. On Twitter in particular, it's like one constant chat at a cocktail party; sharing jokes, links and interesting screenwriting tidbits (if you follow the right crowd).

Of course, there is no substitute for real interaction with your fellow human beings so that's why networking events such as talks, screenings, Q&As are so helpful and invigorating. The recent London Screenwriters' Festival is a good example. If you were there, you will know how strong the vibe was, and how fun it was to chillax, hustle and network with the speakers and delegates. The talks were top notch, while the energy and personality of the place was infectious and inspiring. Going to these types of events really help to boost your screenwriting battery so that you return to your desk, fully charged and ready to go.

And then you look around and see what your friends and colleagues are up to (or 'frolleagues' as I like to call them), which gives you extra incentive and inspiration. Jason Arnopp goes off with Dan Turner and makes a horror film. Just like that. No fuss, no hype, no ceremony. Just went out and made it. It's gearing up for a release next year and I can't wait. The Mighty James Moran is as busy as ever, and you get glimpses into his twisted soul on Twitter, but most of all, he's returned to the world of blogging (hurray!) and what he has to say on the recent Amazon Studios debate is worth reading.

Then there's the lovely Lara Greenway and Lucy Vee, who have teamed up with director JK Amalou to make a low-budget thriller called Deviation, starring Danny Dyer. This one's just started production but what's even more impressive is that Lara's just come from making a film called Crikey Villains, and Lucy, well, she was organising the screenwriters' festival, associate producing Deviation, script reading, blogging, script editing, tweeting, writing, leaping small buildings and saving the world (more details on Deviation and what an associate producer actually is on Lucy's blog).

Who else? Oh! Piers Beckley goes and sets up his own theatre company, Red Table Theatre, which has a show on over Christmas. Check it out! On the first night of the screenwriters festival, me and Piers (accidentally?) challenged each other to make a short film over the next few months, with 17th March 2011 (St Patrick's Day, apt) as the deadline. It's got to be between 3-5 minutes (not including credits), have no more than 5 actors in it (counted as anyone with a line, onscreen or off), and you need to either write or direct the film. Or both. So, um, I better get cracking. I quite fancy doing a comedy so if anyone's got a script that match these guidelines, I'd be happy to read it.

But my point of this post is to keep busy, keep active and keep working. Get your inspiration from wherever you can. Don't get sucked into a rut or knocked sideways by a rejection. Take it on yourself to do something or change something about your profile. What are you doing to stand out? There's more to writing than just writing, although ultimately that's what it all comes down to, so don't let it fall by the wayside either. Don't let online or other networking activities become the centrepiece of your profile. Let it inform and inspire, but stay focused on what really matters.

Internetworking

2010-11-03T10:13:00.004Z

What's the best way to network? Does networking actually pay-off? Where can you network? How do you know who to speak to? How many drinks should you have before you try to speak to them? Should you put on an exuberant 'pitch performance' immediately, or just make polite chit-chat? Should you try witty and charming?

The best way to network is just to talk to someone. It doesn't matter who they are. Simply introduce yourself and say Hi. They could be the runner, the assistant, the exec, the director, it doesn't matter. See what chit-chat emerges. Maybe hand them your business card, let the conversation come to a natural close and move on. Be friendly and casual rather than eager to talk about yourself or flog your latest script.

Networking works, but it works over time. This means that one brief handshake with a powerful exec does not launch a career. You see so many people stride up to their target, desperately hoping to make a huge impression when really all they're doing is making the person feel uncomfortable. Networking is about biding your time so that your name gets 'out there' and people will have some sort of recollection of who you are when you next see or contact them. Build a cumulative awareness of 'you', as it were.

The best way to do that at the moment is the internet. Blogs, Facebook and Twitter have revolutionised the way we communicate with each other, and given us access to people where previously the doors would have been firmly closed. But it's not enough to just sit behind your desk, write a blog post, tweet or update your status. It's a good start, certainly, but it's no replacement for face-to-face recognition. That's when networking really pays-off as people get to put faces to names, and feel more comfortable with recommending or considering them for work.

So, where can you network? Film festivals, screenings, Q&As, talks, writer groups - anywhere where two or more industry folk happen to be!

How do you know who to speak to? Research the people who are going to attend. Find out if any of your online community are going. Organise drinks/meet-up before hand.

How many drinks should you have before you try to speak to the influential peeps? One or two for dutch courage but don't get pissed whatever you do!

Should you put on an exuberant 'pitch performance' immediately, or just make polite chit-chat? Polite chit-chat. If you do get into a pitch, just be yourself. Pretend you're talking to a friend about a film that you think they should see.

Networking can be disconcerting for some people, especially if you're by yourself and know no-one else there. I've talked about networking before in the professional screenwriter series but it's worth reiterating this: "If you find yourself at an industry event but are not sure who to approach, and feel a bit shy, make it your mission to speak to ONE person. Just one. If you come away that night with one business card, you’ll have succeeded. But by approaching that one person, you’ll quickly realise that it’s not that bad, and saying hello can lead to an introduction to someone else, and before you know it, you’ve had a great time meeting new friends and contacts."

UK Scriptwriters Podcast, Episode 4

2010-10-27T09:37:00.002+01:00

As the London Screenwriters Festival looms, and everyone prepares to work their networking mojo to the max, me and Tim have done a special podcast about ways to be proactive and how to raise your profile as a writer. Plus there's reviews of new TV drama The Event and Aaron Sorkin's The Social Network. Podcast is half hour long, so why not give it a whirl. You can listen direct below, or via the main site, or iTunes, all the usual outlets. All comments/feedback welcome. Thanks!

In other news, CBBC's Roy has been nominated for two BAFTAs! One for Best Children's Drama (wahey!) and one for Best Writer for lead writer Paul Smith (woohoo!). Huge congratulations to JAM Media and the team; I'm so pleased and proud to have been part of the show (special shout-out to script editor Alan Keane for making it a very special experience). Roy is currently on BBC2, Saturdays, 11am. It's a really warm and funny show, so check it out if you can. My episode, On The Run, is on in a few weeks!

Rewatch, Rewind

2010-10-21T17:30:00.005+01:00

Earlier this year, the inimitable Piers Beckley tagged me in a meme, asking 'what films do you watch again and again?' Well, I clean forgot about the meme until Piers gave me a polite poke recently (which I very much enjoyed, fnaarr). So, here's my mini-list of obvious choices combined with some guilty pleasures from the 80s era. I thang-ew.

Superman (original). On its release, I was at the impressionable age to be suitably awed and inspired. It was a big thrill to work with Gareth Tandy on Origin, who worked on the original Superman as assistant director. Wowza!

Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I saw this in Cork as a way to kill time before I got the train home to Cobh. I then pestered EVERYONE to see it once it reached The Great Island.

Weird Science. "He don't even have a license, Lisa!" Sure, it's a bit childish but it's still quality Hughes, and I love it.

Class. Rob Lowe, Andrew McCarthy and Jacqueline Bisset in early 80s indulgence, with John Cusack & Virginia Madsen in early roles. What's not to like??

The Thing. Surprising, suspenseful masterpiece. "It's weird and pissed off, whatever it is."

Don't Look Now. Saw it on late-night TV when I was a teenager and had no idea what it was about. Heavily traumatised afterwards.

The Godfather. Apart from its obvious brilliance, it was the first film to enlighten me on the value of character-driven narrative, and still continues to do so.

Trading Places. So much about this shouldn't work at all but it's just pitch perfect all the way.

Mannequin. Kim Cattrall as a mannequin who comes to life! Andrew McCarthy as the guy who gets his way with her! Hmm, I should probably stop this list now, yes? (but hey, there's a clever backstory of WHY she's a mannequin, so THERE!)

Screenwriters Festival

2010-10-18T11:37:00.003+01:00

The London Screenwriters' Festival is nearly upon us. The line-up and speakers are now complete, and it looks like it will be a cracking event; lots to do, lots of networking opportunities. The tickets are nearly sold out so if you were planning on going, best book your ticket asap. Remember, you can get £37 discount on the ticket price by using the discount code dannystack.

See you at the festival!

Lessons Learned

2010-10-13T11:48:00.003+01:00

On my run down of making Origin, someone commented that although I said I had learned a lot, I didn't share this new found wisdom on the blog. I thought it was apparent through the various posts and reportage but to recap, here's wot I learnt abowt the filmmakingz:

A director is only as good as the cast & crew behind him, more notably line-producer, 1st AD & DOP.

As writer/director, you know a lot about the story and the characters, but you don't know everything (e.g listen to what the actors have to say).

Shooting on film is expensive but rewarding, not just for you but for cast & crew, too (actors like the buzz, crew raise their game).

Regardless of cost of shooting on film, a lot of the budget went on things you don't see on screen, like transport, food, equipment, petty cash and insurance.

Your personal life goes out the window. Plus, if you're funding the project out of your own pocket, you experience a whole new stratosphere of stress. Producers, I salute you!

Music and sound are vital. Get experts in both fields.

I loved directing and felt very comfortable doing it. I want to direct again. I should direct again. (Am working on it.)

Origin, video diary

2010-10-11T12:13:00.004+01:00

Here's a quick video diary from the making of Origin (Associate Producers & Special Thanks peeps got access to these diaries for their generous donations to the film). In the clip, it's the last day of the shoot and I'm about to film the story's big emotional scene.

Video Diary No 6 from Danny Stack on Vimeo.

Origin after Raindance

2010-10-08T12:53:00.005+01:00

Well, that was fun! Thankfully, no signs of the stress and nerves that made up the cast & crew screening in July. Instead, just a sense of excitement of watching the film with an audience who had no attachment to the project whatsoever. The film played as part of a programme called 'Absent Sense', presumably a theme to indicate that the stories didn't necessarily explain things or come to a rounded conclusion. And as the films started to screen, it was clear that this was indeed the case.

First up was Latitude Chase, which was 35 seconds of a child running through the hubbub of the Latitude Festival (shot on an iPhone) before arriving at her tent and being told to go to bed. Inexplicably winsome!

I think Sign Language was next, a film about a guy's last day as someone who holds those street signs on Oxford Street. Really sweet and emotive, and not surprising that it won this year's Virgin Media Shorts (you can watch the film via that link). Nice.

Then came Missed Connections, about a lovelorn guy who decides to respond to the 'missed connections' column in the newspaper in an attempt to meet women. Good idea, and some nice acting/dialogue, but it could have done with some judicious editing to make it a tad shorter, in my humble opinion. 22 minutes long!

Red Shoes saw Beth Winslet walk through the woods with an unsuitable pair of red shoes that catch the eye of a sinister creature who remains hidden in the thicket. Some enjoyable moments here and nicely shot.

Bad Call was about a guy who suspects his girlfriend of having an affair and goes to confront her lover with murderous intent. Really enjoyed this one. No dialogue, lots of creative visuals and filming techniques. Fast-paced and effectively done.

Meet Pursuit Delange starred James Callis (from Battlestar Galactica) as a hapless media type who can't seem to do anything right. Very funny performances, quite enjoyable, and felt like it was a pilot for a series.

Popping Round was about two girls having a catfight over the same bloke, which was playful and fun.

Origin played 7th out of the 10 short films on offer. Some people had left by this stage. I think short film programmes should be an hour, max. Anything more than that stretches people's patience, I think. Still, the film seemed to go down well. My heart rate was easily beating double but it looked great on the big screen, and in glorious HDCAM projection.

Next, Stalker, a short about a guy who finally realises he's being followed by an emotionally unhinged woman. Really good performances and direction, amusing and dramatic, and left you wanting more.

The final film was Interlude, a film about two swimmers who don't acknowledge each other but both fantasise about more intimate interaction once they're underwater. Lovely underwater sequence, a playful score, and had a relaxing effect!

To the bar then for some swift pints with Piers, Tom, Ben and Jo. Quick chat with the guys who did Stalker, then off home for the train. You can see a similar review of last night's screening at this site, where Origin is described as 'clever and understated'.

Really nice night, great to see the film 'out there' and hopefully this is the beginning of many a festival. I'll keep you posted, natch.

Origin at Raindance!

2010-10-06T17:40:00.004+01:00

Tomorrow, Thursday 7th October, 4.30pm at Apollo Cinema, in London's glittering West End.

Origin is playing as part of Raindance's 'Absent Sense' programme where there will be 9 other shorts for your viewing pleasure. Full info and details here. If you fancy coming along, you can book tickets here.

Getting into Raindance is a big deal so I'm very excited about the screening. Here's the trailer to whet your appetite (plus there's a sneak preview clip at the bottom of the post!).

I filmed Origin last year but only recently finished post-production due to low-no funds, relying on a lot of favours and professional goodwill. It's truly been an emotional, educational and thrilling experience, and I'm so glad I did it.

If you're unfamiliar with the project, you can read all about making the film in the posts below. I managed to raise £3k towards production thanks to the generous readers of this blog, so big up to those who deserve their Associate Producers, Special Thanks & Thanks credits, also listed below.

ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 1
ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 2
ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 3
ORIGIN Production Diary, Day 4
ORIGIN Cast & Crew

ASSOCIATE PRODUCERS:

Rosie Jones, Marie O'Regan, Robert Yates, Sam Morrison, Suki Singh, Maura McHugh, David Wigram, Paul White, Paul Campbell, Elinor Perry-Smith, Harriet Barbir, Hilary Wright, Ashley Pharoah, James Moran, Simon Guerrier, Tom Hallett, Dan Turner, Samantha Moore, Eve Gutierrez, Michael Stack, Patricia Stack, Julie Stack-Horgan, Dragana Sliskovic, Fran Clydsdale, Richard Davidson, Jhan French, Kieran Hallahan, Carmel Hallahan, Kieran Spillane, Liana Del Giudice, Margaret Wiseman, Jason Arnopp, John Gradwell, Jeremy Lawson, James Henry, Jonathan Carr, Andrew Smith, Helen Smith, Steve Andrews, Cheryl White, Annabel Freeman, Tim Clague

SPECIAL THANKS:

Judy Potocki, Paul McIntyre, Nick Wilkinson, Gerry Hayes, Lucy Vee, Caroline Ferguson, Elena Fuller, Andy Davie, David Bishop, Lara Greenway, Stephen Gallagher, Ruth Fielding, Simon Winstone, Jacinta Duke, Tanuja Amarasuriya, Roland Moore, Jake Riddell, William Gallagher, Darren Goldsmith, Andy Coughlan, Allen O'Leary, Emilia di Girolamo, Asim Arshad, Berni Stack, Paul Draper, Paul Crilley, Terry Cafolla, Michelle Lipton, Lee Thomson

THANKS:

Robert Thorogood, Damian Trasler, Frank Arnot, Tom Williams, Matthew Gibbs, Chris Wright, Stephen Gomez, Isabel Tang, Michael Williams, David Margolis, Hannah Billingham, Julie Perez, Kieran Crowley, Tom Green, Trevor Percival, Joseph Corr, Jonathan Carr, Evangelia-Theodora Sarli, Alasdair Jarvie, Nicholas Horwood, Kevin Lehane, Martin Semple, Naomi Distill, JJ Keith, Juliette Lepercq, Rodney Clark, Dominic Carver, Stuart McLoughlin, Dan Morrissy, Lisa Barrass, Katy Segrove, Nick Ostler, Griff Phillips, Robin Kelly, Nigel Anderson, Adam W Brown, Gemma Rigg, Elizabeth Holliday, David Melkevik, Padraig Kenny, Matthew Pennell, Emma McKernan, Sally Brockway, Penny Nash, Donna Penny, Antonia Bloom, Dave Herman, Gary Bainbridge

HUGE THANKS TO EVERYONE! See you at Raindance.

Broadcast Comedy Forum

2010-09-27T11:27:00.009+01:00

** JUNE 2011: PLEASE CHECK OUT MY 6X2MIN COMEDY WEB SERIES LIQUID LUNCH! **

Last week (September 2010), the head honchos of UK TV comedy met and mingled at the Broadcast Comedy Forum. For the writer freelancer, it was the perfect opportunity (if a bit pricey) to network, pitch and listen to the great and the good of the comedy community. My man in the field Sam Morrison went along to network with the best of them. Here's his report.

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Broadcast Comedy Forum
22nd September 2010

The Forum was held at the Royal Society of Medicine, obviously a popular forum venue as there were several going on during the day, including a bunch of cardiologists there to discuss heart disease in the under-forties. The presence of some health experts in close proximity was probably the subject of some morbid humour during the day.

Even though the cost of the day was pretty steep I was surprised to find so few people had taken up the chance to sit down face-to-face with commissioners and pitch a project – a small but invaluable part of the day that the staff on hand ran adeptly. But I imagine that, in general, those who can afford the kind of money needed to attend are the ones who don’t need that opportunity. And those that do need the opportunity are in turn less likely to have the money. The tragic paradox of working in telly, eh?

The whole morning was devoted to talks from the comedy departments of various channels, going over what they are and are not looking for; which I’ll try and distill briefly here. Please bear in mind these are from hastily scribbled notes so if your curiosity is piqued by a particular channel it’s probably best follow up independently to clarify.

BBC – Looking for comedy across 1,2,3 and 4 but obviously different for each channel so have one in mind when pitching. Lots of slots but specifically mentioned 9 and 10pm. They see too many ideas based on well-worn concepts like flat-shares or middle-aged men unhappy with their lot. BBC1 is very much about the (established) talent, BBC2 more geared towards writer-performers, BBC3 more youthful and innovative. 3 are looking for a totally original show that can garner a following there and then move across to BBC1. Finally BBC4 was referenced as being more extreme comedy and possibly a window into another world that most viewers won’t know (good news for my sitcom about necrophiliac prosthodontists). Like C4 they don’t have commissioning rounds any more.

ITV1 – They want a mainstream sitcom that can go out on Saturday nights and/or sit alongside Benidorm. Looking for something longer than a 30-minute slot ideally – 40-45 minutes was mentioned.

Channel 4 – Keywords here were unconventional and subversive, risk-taking and the other things you probably associate C4 with already. Looking specifically for something in the post Big Brother slot, and something they can potentially commission subsequent series of. Don’t have commissioning rounds, and value pilot considerably more than a script (I’d presume this goes for most if not all of broadcasters here).

E4 – Noisy and innovative. First mention of passion, a theme many speakers referenced – in the vein of pitching one or two projects you’ve poured yourself into heart and soul rather than a huge list of one-line premises. They are still running Comedy Lab too – eight half-hours a year looking for new talent.

Dave – are now moving from being a purely acquisition channel to some (early days of course) commissioning. Mentions of stand-up/sit-com and panel shows. For a male audience but not alienating women. Clever, irreverent, post 9pm slot for anything they like really – animation even got a mention.

Sky – Looking for something BIG – or at least something that will sit comfortably next to their big US imports. More niche than BBC1 but broader than BBC2. Pre-watershed BBC2 comedy was a reference, and they’re not looking for edgy stuff about crackheads drinking bleach by accident etc.

Comedy Central – Like Dave are moving towards commissioning now. Looking to develop three pieces a year (I didn’t get to establish whether they are one-offs or series) and apart from passion they also mentioned warmth, edge, pace, mischief. They are responsive and come back to you quickly.

The commissioning sessions were followed by a talk about inserting brand content into an existing production, then a session about the International market that I unfortunately missed, as I had my commissioners meetings scheduled at this point. After a break we heard from Big Talk, Avalon, and Comedy Unit executives in a lively discussion on developing new talent.

In the afternoon, the pace was slightly less frantic. It began with Hat Trick MD Jimmy Mulville giving a very insightful and entertaining talk about his experiences collaborating with U.S broadcasters and that was followed by David Schneider talking about his writing. He was meant to be joined by David Quantick but the latter had double-booked and you may have heard him on 5 Live with Richard Bacon.

The next session was titled Online Futures and inevitably focused on the paradox that while people watch a lot of stuff online there is very little money to make online content. No epiphanies here but interesting insights from Jane Mote of UKTV and Martin Trickey of the BBC. UKTV in particular were citing instances of people going out on a limb creating online content and then winning a TV commission on the strength of it, so that’s certainly a valid (if competitive) area to go through.

The forum was rounded off by Robert Popper talking about how he broke into writing and script-editing. Some of us then stayed for the post-forum comedy of Funny Women, who had the unenviable job of tickling the funny bones of a crowd who’d just sat in the same seats for the previous eight hours, but they gave it a good go. Particularly impressive was a previous Funny Women winner Andi Osho.

That’s it. For me personally, the day was mostly about the opportunity to hear and sit down with commissioners, and on those terms it was a success. If you can get the funds together – and have a project to promote – it’s really an invaluable day.

---

Thanks, Sam!

UK Scriptwriters Podcast, Episode 3

2010-09-24T14:04:00.004+01:00

This month's edition of the UK Scriptwriters podcast (hosted by me and Tim Clague) is now online, with special guest Jack Thorne as he tells us what it was like co-writing This is England '86 with Shane Meadows. (We could only play one half of Jack's clip on the show but you can listen to the full 3 min clip HERE).

We round up the latest UK scriptwriting news and there's more info on the London Screenwriters' Festival. The main discussion is on collaborating with other writers, and the craft section goes into how to create great characters, plus we review This is England '86.

If you have a spare half an hour, do have a listen and tell us what you think: feedback, comment and suggestions always welcome! The previous episodes are also available below, and you can now follow us on Twitter or join the Facebook group. You can also find us on iTunes where you can give us a review or a rating, should you be so inclined!

Screenings

2010-09-20T11:58:00.006+01:00

Those new to the blog may be unaware that I made a short film recently called Origin. It's a supernatural drama about a woman who tries to keep her family together when her son falls ill after he's bitten by a mysterious creature. It stars Lee Ross, Katy Carmichael and Jack Blumenau. I shot it on Super16mm and managed to get a great cast and crew together, and had a thoroughly fantastic time (and a big thank you to all you bloggers and friends who helped make it happen).

I'm thrilled to announce that next Sunday 26th September sees Origin have its world premiere at Brancharge Film Festival in Jersey. If you live in Jersey, or are going to the festival, then I hope you can go along to see it. Tickets and details HERE. Unfortunately, I won't be able to make it (so gutted) but if anyone does go, please let me know how it went.

On Thursday 7th October, Origin will play at Raindance Festival in London. I'm equally thrilled about this screening, as Raindance is a reputable and important festival. I'll be there on the day, so I hope you can come along. The film looks awesome on the big screen. Tickets and details HERE.

On a separate note, if you're in London tomorrow (Tuesday 21st September), and free for a half hour between 6.30pm & 7pm, you might want to go along to the Roxy Bar & Screen (128-132 Borough High Street, SE1 1LB) for the FREE screening of Sam Morrison's new short films, Grime City P.D. and Greetings.

I'm a huge fan of Sam's work, and have pestered him over the years to be my co-writer on a number of projects, to which he has graciously agreed. Grime City and Greetings sees Sam on his usual top form (Greetings is the sequel to his graduate film, Balls, both of which I think are genius), so I fully encourage you to go along if you can make it. Full details below.