The importance of networking can never be under-estimated or ignored. Writing is a solitary pursuit but it’s important to get out occasionally to attend a media event, seminar, party or meeting which will help get your name and face known around town.
When you’re starting out, it is difficult to see where these networking gigs might be, or which seminar/event to attend that might create the best opportunities. Most of the time, these events are populated with other like-minded writers who want to meet the esteemed commissioning editor, exec or agent, but the writers end up in the corner chatting to other writers, and exchange business cards with them instead of their prime targets. Some may be lucky enough to meet a person in a position of power but the brief discussion that ensues will be unsatisfactory as the exec politely brushes the newbie off to get to the bar.
What’s important to recognise at any stage of networking is that you shouldn’t automatically assume that the person you’re meeting will have an immediate impact on what you want to achieve. If you get introduced to a producer and shake their hand, it means that you’ve made a contact. ‘Contact’. Not ‘commission’. Or ‘opportunity’. That comes later, if you maintain good contact, and if you’re lucky.
The truth is that everyone you meet within the industry is a contact. From the post room to the assistant, right up the chain to the chief executive. Blogging has become a good source of networking, too, so with the right attitude and approach, you can make friends and influence (the right) people. Barking at the inadequacies of the system and making veiled insults at people’s work will not make a good impression (and the internet leaves a trail, too, so even an on-line pseudonym can lead to a writer’s real identity).
Ted or Terry at WordPlay once mentioned that they wrote their name and contact details up on a board (at a lecture, or something) and encouraged the students to get in touch if they thought they genuinely had a good script. Not one of the students sent an email or picked up the phone. Not one. Now, they may have felt intimidated by the fact that their work wasn’t up to scratch, and that’s fair enough, but to have the contact details of two of Hollywood’s leading writers at your fingertips, and not use them? Madness.
Of course, you should only approach someone with passion and sincerity. You shouldn’t abuse their contact details just because you want a quick break and the guys seem pretty cool. A well-articulated email with a genuine query or request for advice goes a long way in establishing good relationships with people you’ve hitherto had no contact with whatsoever. Ditto with a telephone call to a producer’s office. Being polite and respectful to the assistant is a prerequisite that is often missed by irate and ignorant writers. And if you meet a producer face-to-face, try not to disconcert them with your drunken alacrity or your overzealous pitch of yourself.
Be smart, be wise, be cool. You never know who might be a good contact. And to repeat, *everyone* in the industry is a contact. Seemingly "unimportant" people could rise the career ladder quicker than you realise, so if you didn’t extend them the same interest and courtesy that you now greet them with, they probably won’t like you very much.
In my experience, writing opportunities emerge from the most peculiar and unlikely contacts. Fate is indeed fickle, so an impulsive decision here or a well-primed email there can lead to some surprising outcomes. Last year, I wrote about how I got my commission for The Amazing Adrenalinis. I introduced myself to a stranger at the bar for a short film screening because I was alone and saw the guy was by himself but was part of the short film crowd. The guy turns out to be Nick Ostler, and after that night, we exchange a few friendly emails, and he mentions the Adrenalinis, which leads to the opportunity.
At Christmas, I sent an email to one of the producers I met in Cannes, just to say ‘hello’ and this leads to a reply saying would I like to meet in London to discuss a project she’s getting off the ground. This meeting happens last week (the one where I was four hours late due to travel chaos) and now it seems she’s willing to pay me to do some initial development work. Which leaves me wondering: if I hadn’t sent her that email, would she have still got in contact? I doubt it.
That said, I have deleted countless emails that I was preparing because I realised all I was asking for was work. There was no need for the communication beyond my own selfish desire for a commission or two. That should be the subtext of your message. The main content of the email or contact should be about something else; a friendly hello or a thanks or whatever.
There is a difference between networking and schmoozing. Schmoozing is ingratiating yourself around the room, ‘pressing the flesh’ with the right people at the right time. It’s definitely beneficial and worthwhile but you need a good line in that disingenuous charm to successfully pull it off. For most of us, networking means getting an introduction to someone via a third party or trying to find the right person in the room who could be good for your career. But don’t expect an opportunity or commission to instantly materialise just because you’ve exchanged business cards.
Be patient. Choose your communication wisely, and effectively. Try to establish and maintain good relationships (someone told me recently that a good rule of thumb was an email or phone call every three months) but try not to appear desperate or needy. And be polite and respectful to everyone you meet because you don’t know who they are, and more important, you don’t know how vital they could be in getting you some work.
Senin, 29 Januari 2007
Jumat, 26 Januari 2007
Action 07
"A training programme from Working Title Films.
WHO ARE WE?
Working Title Films is the UK's leading film production company. Four Weddings and a Funeral, Fargo, Elizabeth, Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead, Pride and Prejudice, The Interpreter, Bridget Jones's Diary and United 93 are some of the films we have made. In 2005, we successfully launched Billy Elliot, The Musical which is still running in London's West End. 2007 sees the release of an exciting line up of new films: Mr Bean's Holiday, Atonement, The Golden Age, Smokin' Aces and Hot Fuzz.
WHAT IS ACTION?
We are inviting three brand new candidates to apply for our intern placements in 2007. If you are successful, you will spend a year at Working Title Films in London. You will have the opportunity to work with our production and developemnt executives, learning from some of the best in the industry. You will learn about the film development and production process from the first idea to the big screen. You will see how an international production company operates and be given hands on experience in finding and developing scripts. You will get a valuable insight into the practicalities of film-making as well as learning how to nurture creative talent.
WHY ACTION?
We aim to improve your opportunities for a successful career in the creative sector of feature film development and production by: expanding your understanding of b oth the creative process and the business of feature film development and production; improving your practical workplace skills; extending your range of industry contacts.
WHO CAN APPLY?
You should be smart, hard working and above all, passionate about film. You need to have some experience in the workplace and a proven commitment to a career in our industry. You need to be available to work on a full-time basis, Monday to Friday, from June 2007 for a year, and to attend interviews in London in April and May 2007. Bursaries of up to £14,000 will be awarded. Reasonable, pre-approved travel expenses to and from London for the selction process will be reimbursed.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
DO
- fill out an application form and return it with a letter to the Action Co-Ordinator (no more than one side of A4) saying why you would like to take up a placement and attach your CV and a current photograph.
- Tell us about yourself, your film background and any clubs or associations you belong to.
- Tell us about any office experience you have gained.
- Send your application recorded delivery if you require a return receipt. Notifications will not be sent to unsuccessful candidates.
- Get your application in EARLY (applications will be accepted from December 15th 2006 to February 23rd 2007). The sooner your application arrives the more time we will have time to consider it, and you!
DON'T
- Send your application via email.
- Send showreels, scripts, etc, along with your application. Showreels and scripts received with the application will be destroyed without being viewed or read.
- Forget to send any part of the application: Letter, CV, Photo.
- Send your application at the last minute. Closing date is February 23rd, 2007.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Please contact the Action Co-Ordinator, Working Title Films, 76 Oxford Street, London W1D, 1BS, action@workingtitlefilms.com (applications will not be accepted via email). For more information, visit the website."
WHO ARE WE?
Working Title Films is the UK's leading film production company. Four Weddings and a Funeral, Fargo, Elizabeth, Billy Elliot, Shaun of the Dead, Pride and Prejudice, The Interpreter, Bridget Jones's Diary and United 93 are some of the films we have made. In 2005, we successfully launched Billy Elliot, The Musical which is still running in London's West End. 2007 sees the release of an exciting line up of new films: Mr Bean's Holiday, Atonement, The Golden Age, Smokin' Aces and Hot Fuzz.
WHAT IS ACTION?
We are inviting three brand new candidates to apply for our intern placements in 2007. If you are successful, you will spend a year at Working Title Films in London. You will have the opportunity to work with our production and developemnt executives, learning from some of the best in the industry. You will learn about the film development and production process from the first idea to the big screen. You will see how an international production company operates and be given hands on experience in finding and developing scripts. You will get a valuable insight into the practicalities of film-making as well as learning how to nurture creative talent.
WHY ACTION?
We aim to improve your opportunities for a successful career in the creative sector of feature film development and production by: expanding your understanding of b oth the creative process and the business of feature film development and production; improving your practical workplace skills; extending your range of industry contacts.
WHO CAN APPLY?
You should be smart, hard working and above all, passionate about film. You need to have some experience in the workplace and a proven commitment to a career in our industry. You need to be available to work on a full-time basis, Monday to Friday, from June 2007 for a year, and to attend interviews in London in April and May 2007. Bursaries of up to £14,000 will be awarded. Reasonable, pre-approved travel expenses to and from London for the selction process will be reimbursed.
WHAT WE NEED FROM YOU
DO
- fill out an application form and return it with a letter to the Action Co-Ordinator (no more than one side of A4) saying why you would like to take up a placement and attach your CV and a current photograph.
- Tell us about yourself, your film background and any clubs or associations you belong to.
- Tell us about any office experience you have gained.
- Send your application recorded delivery if you require a return receipt. Notifications will not be sent to unsuccessful candidates.
- Get your application in EARLY (applications will be accepted from December 15th 2006 to February 23rd 2007). The sooner your application arrives the more time we will have time to consider it, and you!
DON'T
- Send your application via email.
- Send showreels, scripts, etc, along with your application. Showreels and scripts received with the application will be destroyed without being viewed or read.
- Forget to send any part of the application: Letter, CV, Photo.
- Send your application at the last minute. Closing date is February 23rd, 2007.
ANY QUESTIONS?
Please contact the Action Co-Ordinator, Working Title Films, 76 Oxford Street, London W1D, 1BS, action@workingtitlefilms.com (applications will not be accepted via email). For more information, visit the website."
Selasa, 23 Januari 2007
Guest Post: Mead Kerr
Adrian Mead is running a 1 day course in London specifically aimed at teaching you how to get your break as a TV drama writer. Please note: this is not a "How To Write" class. It’s called ‘The Insider’s Guide to Writing TV’. It will take place in Bloomsbury, London on Saturday 17th March 2007 (St Patrick’s Day begorrah). It costs £85 including VAT and refreshments. Book before the 10th Feb for the 10% Early Bird Discount. For more information please contact info@meadkerr.com or visit the website .
Adrian gets this free plug because he’s offered another guest post, this time on the subject of ‘Why Haven’t I Made it Yet’? He’s also got a good post at Robin Kelly’s blog at the moment. Adrian’s advice seems honest and genuine, and extremely useful. I have heard good things about his course, too. It would seem that we sing from the same hymn sheet about approach and attitude, so here’s the post in full:
---
WHY HAVEN'T I MADE IT YET?
There it is. That question.
Of course everyone will have their own particular response and I don't profess to have all the answers...but I do have a few theories and a personal mantra.
"If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting."
This is best illustrated by an encounter I had recently. An aspiring screenwriter, let's call him WRITER X approached me seeking advice for the year ahead. He was fed up and complained how no one is willing to give new talent a chance. "It's a closed shop...they should give more support to new writers...I've been sending stuff out for years and getting nowhere..." etc, etc. When I mentioned a couple of new opportunities for TV drama writers he stated he was only interested in writing for film. My reply? “In that case the brutal truth is you’ve almost no chance of becoming a full time professional screenwriter.”
This was just one example of how so many aspiring writers make it impossible to achieve the success they dream of. The British film Industry is tiny, poorly funded and with very few PAID opportunities for writers. Ask a cross section of professional drama writers and producers and they will confirm that the numbers of people making a good, full time living from working ONLY in film is minute. By ignoring TV our doleful friend WRITER X was massively reducing the opportunities available to him. TV is where the money is in the UK.
Of course you have every right to ignore TV and specialise in film…..as long as you are happy to dress like a student for the rest of your life and only ever dine out at the local “£5 eat all you can Chinese buffet.” Or you can also learn how get a job in TV drama.
Most UK screenwriters including myself write for both but earn the vast majority of their income from TV drama. You can make a very good living by following this strategy. Go and check out the credits of most established British or American screenwriters and you’ll find they either started out in TV or still do a mix of both.
But of course many of you will know all this stuff already and you will have been attacking both markets with a highly organised strategy. I hope you have, because there's plenty of competition out there.
Last year roughly 20,000 people graduated from Media and Screenwriting courses. That’s another 20,000 aspiring screenwriters chasing the same opportunities as you. Add the English literature graduates, journalists, copywriters, starving novelists and weekend writers all trying their hand at screenwriting and you start to see just what you are up against. Oh, I forgot to mention the army of highly experienced and established professional screenwriters who already have agents and lots of connections.
Statisticians would tell you the odds against you getting your break and becoming a professional screenwriter are massively stacked against you. So, is it nigh on impossible? Should you give up?
Well the truth is that the numbers only tell you part of the story.
The following isn't bragging...I'm just trying to illustrate a point. When I decided to become a professional screenwriter I had no training, no connections with the industry and I was living in Scotland with no desire to move to London. Two years later I had an agent at ICM, was a paid, full time professional writer of film and TV scripts and my first TV episode was watched by 7 million viewers.
To be honest the next couple of years was weird. I couldn't understand why people kept telling me that I was incredibly lucky and how tough it was to get a break. I'd simply done it by planning a CAREER STRATEGY for myself and making sure I took advantage of every opportunity available. Once I started meeting other professional writers I discovered that almost all of them had done the same thing.
Okay, of course you need talent but the following are also just a few of the other things that everyone agrees you also need -
a) FOCUS. Focus your efforts where they will be most effective and likely to reap the greatest reward - most writers are chasing the same few widely advertised opportunities in the UK. They are unaware of how to access Europe, Canada and the USA.
b) INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE. Establish contacts and links with full time
professionals in the industry, in order to understand how the film and TV industry REALLY works and what type of projects producers and broadcasters are seeking.
c) PITCH DOCS. Understanding what documents you need to sell your ideas and how to write them well is essential. - Overworked execs want to read a brilliant one page doc before they will even consider your treatment or script.
d) A GOOD AGENT. This is HUGELY important now. A free handout How To Get An Agent is available on request CONTACT info@meadkerr.com
e) A CAREER STRATEGY. In order to get your break you need to have planned EVERY aspect of how you are going to get there. By failing to make a financial plan for how are you going to make the transition from your present job to a full time writing career you are sabotaging any chance of success.
I absolutely believe and know you can achieve your goal of becoming a professional screenwriter, it's what I've done and lots of others I know have done the same. However, it will only happen IF you are willing to do what it takes.
Remember: "If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting."
---
Adrian gets this free plug because he’s offered another guest post, this time on the subject of ‘Why Haven’t I Made it Yet’? He’s also got a good post at Robin Kelly’s blog at the moment. Adrian’s advice seems honest and genuine, and extremely useful. I have heard good things about his course, too. It would seem that we sing from the same hymn sheet about approach and attitude, so here’s the post in full:
---
WHY HAVEN'T I MADE IT YET?
There it is. That question.
Of course everyone will have their own particular response and I don't profess to have all the answers...but I do have a few theories and a personal mantra.
"If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting."
This is best illustrated by an encounter I had recently. An aspiring screenwriter, let's call him WRITER X approached me seeking advice for the year ahead. He was fed up and complained how no one is willing to give new talent a chance. "It's a closed shop...they should give more support to new writers...I've been sending stuff out for years and getting nowhere..." etc, etc. When I mentioned a couple of new opportunities for TV drama writers he stated he was only interested in writing for film. My reply? “In that case the brutal truth is you’ve almost no chance of becoming a full time professional screenwriter.”
This was just one example of how so many aspiring writers make it impossible to achieve the success they dream of. The British film Industry is tiny, poorly funded and with very few PAID opportunities for writers. Ask a cross section of professional drama writers and producers and they will confirm that the numbers of people making a good, full time living from working ONLY in film is minute. By ignoring TV our doleful friend WRITER X was massively reducing the opportunities available to him. TV is where the money is in the UK.
Of course you have every right to ignore TV and specialise in film…..as long as you are happy to dress like a student for the rest of your life and only ever dine out at the local “£5 eat all you can Chinese buffet.” Or you can also learn how get a job in TV drama.
Most UK screenwriters including myself write for both but earn the vast majority of their income from TV drama. You can make a very good living by following this strategy. Go and check out the credits of most established British or American screenwriters and you’ll find they either started out in TV or still do a mix of both.
But of course many of you will know all this stuff already and you will have been attacking both markets with a highly organised strategy. I hope you have, because there's plenty of competition out there.
Last year roughly 20,000 people graduated from Media and Screenwriting courses. That’s another 20,000 aspiring screenwriters chasing the same opportunities as you. Add the English literature graduates, journalists, copywriters, starving novelists and weekend writers all trying their hand at screenwriting and you start to see just what you are up against. Oh, I forgot to mention the army of highly experienced and established professional screenwriters who already have agents and lots of connections.
Statisticians would tell you the odds against you getting your break and becoming a professional screenwriter are massively stacked against you. So, is it nigh on impossible? Should you give up?
Well the truth is that the numbers only tell you part of the story.
The following isn't bragging...I'm just trying to illustrate a point. When I decided to become a professional screenwriter I had no training, no connections with the industry and I was living in Scotland with no desire to move to London. Two years later I had an agent at ICM, was a paid, full time professional writer of film and TV scripts and my first TV episode was watched by 7 million viewers.
To be honest the next couple of years was weird. I couldn't understand why people kept telling me that I was incredibly lucky and how tough it was to get a break. I'd simply done it by planning a CAREER STRATEGY for myself and making sure I took advantage of every opportunity available. Once I started meeting other professional writers I discovered that almost all of them had done the same thing.
Okay, of course you need talent but the following are also just a few of the other things that everyone agrees you also need -
a) FOCUS. Focus your efforts where they will be most effective and likely to reap the greatest reward - most writers are chasing the same few widely advertised opportunities in the UK. They are unaware of how to access Europe, Canada and the USA.
b) INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE. Establish contacts and links with full time
professionals in the industry, in order to understand how the film and TV industry REALLY works and what type of projects producers and broadcasters are seeking.
c) PITCH DOCS. Understanding what documents you need to sell your ideas and how to write them well is essential. - Overworked execs want to read a brilliant one page doc before they will even consider your treatment or script.
d) A GOOD AGENT. This is HUGELY important now. A free handout How To Get An Agent is available on request CONTACT info@meadkerr.com
e) A CAREER STRATEGY. In order to get your break you need to have planned EVERY aspect of how you are going to get there. By failing to make a financial plan for how are you going to make the transition from your present job to a full time writing career you are sabotaging any chance of success.
I absolutely believe and know you can achieve your goal of becoming a professional screenwriter, it's what I've done and lots of others I know have done the same. However, it will only happen IF you are willing to do what it takes.
Remember: "If you keep on doing what you're doing, you'll keep on getting what you're getting."
---
Jumat, 19 Januari 2007
Post 300
Late
Yesterday, I was four hours late for a meeting, surely a new record. I got on a train at Bournemouth at 12.30pm to attend a meeting in London at 3pm, and eventually made it to the capital at 7 o’clock in the evening (for international readers, severe gales caused massive disruption on the UK train lines). In fact, I only made it to Wimbledon, where the train ceased to exist, and so I schlepped it on the tube to Piccadilly Circus before racing to Great Marlborough Street to attend the meeting. The fact that they were still around and willing to meet tells me that they’re either very keen, or were luckily available.
The meeting lasts half an hour as we have a very nice chat about a very interesting project, and I’m promptly on my way to Waterloo where there’s a delayed train to Bournemouth just about to depart (so I don’t have to take up my agent’s generous offer of accommodation if I was left stranded - bless her heart!). Four hours later (nine hours of total train time), I’m at home eating jacket potato and beans watching that night’s taped ER (quite good but soured by a misogynist streak which was slightly jarring coming from the characters that I know and love).
---
Expectation & Reward
As your writing career develops, it is sometimes difficult to recognise the key moments and transitions that define the level of your success. When you’re planning ahead, or picturing how your career might shape up, it is natural to imagine golden scenes like receiving the phone call that bags your first commission, or having lunch with the producer who buys your hot script.
However, when these do happen, or moments like them, it’s never how you pictured it, and more often than not, it’s a feeling of relief and justification that overwhelms you rather than the anticipated elation or euphoria. That’s because you’ve been working hard to reach that point, and the reward has been achieved through small gradual moments of progress. You’re like a sailor staring at the horizon, eagerly anticipating the switch from night to day but only becoming aware of a gradual shift in the stars' hue as sunrise slowly infuses the sky. The reality of the occasion is greeted with gracious acknowledgement but it’s not quite the emotion you were expecting.
---
Calling Card
A director recently said to me: “Send me the script that you’re most proud of, or the one that represents your best abilities”. And then, an exec mentioned: “It doesn’t matter if a script is well-written, it’s more to do with if it’s ready for the market. Will it sell?”
For new writers, it’s vital to have a strong calling card script. Whether it be a personal character-driven piece, or an original take on a familiar genre. The character-driven scripts will attract more attention and praise (basically what the director was after) because it will usually demonstrate the writer’s specific voice, while writing a genre flick as your calling card can be problematic because you really need to know your stuff (respect the genre and hit its marks) whilst coming up with devastatingly original fare (and thus be ready for the market).
After a few years of script reading and a couple of poor feature scripts under my belt, I decided I needed to write a new script, something that demonstrated my original voice and proved that I could do what I dished out. In other words, put up or shut up regarding who I was as a reader, and what I wanted to be as a writer. I sat down to write a sample script, and I opted for the low-concept, character-driven approach, something which I thought would have a slim chance of getting made but would effectively demonstrate my abilities.
These are the areas that I specifically focused on: original idea and setting, original/interesting characters that went on a suitable emotional journey, a clear and inviting writing style, and a structure that suitably supported the drama without being gimmicky/rigid or bringing attention to itself. The result was Run For Home, a coming-of-age drama about a young boy who goes to live with his aunt after the death of his mother but as he struggles to settle into his new surroundings, he discovers the shattering truth of his mother’s death.
While the idea’s not earth shatteringly original, it’s still interesting enough, and I set the film in Cobh, Co. Cork, a striking and picturesque harbour town in Ireland where I grew up; ideal for a film especially as no-one’s used the location as of yet. The script isn’t autobiographical (although everyone assumes it is: hello, my mother’s still alive, thanks) but there are some personal elements or observations in there about my home town that relate to the characters that inhabit the story.
I wrote it in 2003, and it won the BBC Tony Doyle Award the following year, and to this day, it still gets me meetings and attention, especially since it has undergone healthy development with Parallel Films, who optioned the material and lined up Liam Cunningham to star. The script has done exactly what I intended it to do, and has surprised me by winning the award and earning me some money in the process, which is great! So, a good calling card script is a must. I would recommend something original and character-driven, but if you’re a die-hard genre fan, then feel free to show everyone that you’ve got what it takes with your distinct approach to the game.
---
This is my 300th post. Come get some.
Yesterday, I was four hours late for a meeting, surely a new record. I got on a train at Bournemouth at 12.30pm to attend a meeting in London at 3pm, and eventually made it to the capital at 7 o’clock in the evening (for international readers, severe gales caused massive disruption on the UK train lines). In fact, I only made it to Wimbledon, where the train ceased to exist, and so I schlepped it on the tube to Piccadilly Circus before racing to Great Marlborough Street to attend the meeting. The fact that they were still around and willing to meet tells me that they’re either very keen, or were luckily available.
The meeting lasts half an hour as we have a very nice chat about a very interesting project, and I’m promptly on my way to Waterloo where there’s a delayed train to Bournemouth just about to depart (so I don’t have to take up my agent’s generous offer of accommodation if I was left stranded - bless her heart!). Four hours later (nine hours of total train time), I’m at home eating jacket potato and beans watching that night’s taped ER (quite good but soured by a misogynist streak which was slightly jarring coming from the characters that I know and love).
---
Expectation & Reward
As your writing career develops, it is sometimes difficult to recognise the key moments and transitions that define the level of your success. When you’re planning ahead, or picturing how your career might shape up, it is natural to imagine golden scenes like receiving the phone call that bags your first commission, or having lunch with the producer who buys your hot script.
However, when these do happen, or moments like them, it’s never how you pictured it, and more often than not, it’s a feeling of relief and justification that overwhelms you rather than the anticipated elation or euphoria. That’s because you’ve been working hard to reach that point, and the reward has been achieved through small gradual moments of progress. You’re like a sailor staring at the horizon, eagerly anticipating the switch from night to day but only becoming aware of a gradual shift in the stars' hue as sunrise slowly infuses the sky. The reality of the occasion is greeted with gracious acknowledgement but it’s not quite the emotion you were expecting.
---
Calling Card
A director recently said to me: “Send me the script that you’re most proud of, or the one that represents your best abilities”. And then, an exec mentioned: “It doesn’t matter if a script is well-written, it’s more to do with if it’s ready for the market. Will it sell?”
For new writers, it’s vital to have a strong calling card script. Whether it be a personal character-driven piece, or an original take on a familiar genre. The character-driven scripts will attract more attention and praise (basically what the director was after) because it will usually demonstrate the writer’s specific voice, while writing a genre flick as your calling card can be problematic because you really need to know your stuff (respect the genre and hit its marks) whilst coming up with devastatingly original fare (and thus be ready for the market).
After a few years of script reading and a couple of poor feature scripts under my belt, I decided I needed to write a new script, something that demonstrated my original voice and proved that I could do what I dished out. In other words, put up or shut up regarding who I was as a reader, and what I wanted to be as a writer. I sat down to write a sample script, and I opted for the low-concept, character-driven approach, something which I thought would have a slim chance of getting made but would effectively demonstrate my abilities.
These are the areas that I specifically focused on: original idea and setting, original/interesting characters that went on a suitable emotional journey, a clear and inviting writing style, and a structure that suitably supported the drama without being gimmicky/rigid or bringing attention to itself. The result was Run For Home, a coming-of-age drama about a young boy who goes to live with his aunt after the death of his mother but as he struggles to settle into his new surroundings, he discovers the shattering truth of his mother’s death.
While the idea’s not earth shatteringly original, it’s still interesting enough, and I set the film in Cobh, Co. Cork, a striking and picturesque harbour town in Ireland where I grew up; ideal for a film especially as no-one’s used the location as of yet. The script isn’t autobiographical (although everyone assumes it is: hello, my mother’s still alive, thanks) but there are some personal elements or observations in there about my home town that relate to the characters that inhabit the story.
I wrote it in 2003, and it won the BBC Tony Doyle Award the following year, and to this day, it still gets me meetings and attention, especially since it has undergone healthy development with Parallel Films, who optioned the material and lined up Liam Cunningham to star. The script has done exactly what I intended it to do, and has surprised me by winning the award and earning me some money in the process, which is great! So, a good calling card script is a must. I would recommend something original and character-driven, but if you’re a die-hard genre fan, then feel free to show everyone that you’ve got what it takes with your distinct approach to the game.
---
This is my 300th post. Come get some.
Selasa, 16 Januari 2007
Writing TV Comedy
Dave Cohen is a professional comedy writer who’s worked on a number of high profile programmes (which includes Have I Got News For You, My Family, plus radio and TV sketch/panel shows). He’s also script edited a number of comedy shows, and he teaches a comedy writing course for Raindance).
Here’s an excerpt from his handout ‘Writing Comedy for a Living’ which gives you a practical heads up and what you need, and what it takes, if you’re going to break into this side of the biz.
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What do you need to be a comedy writer?
The ability to write jokes, of course. Without that I’m afraid we have to stop right here. That’s the one thing I can’t teach. A thick skin. Even the most successful comedy writers get their projects turned down. There’s just too much stuff out there and no time to make or show it all. Nothing personal. (Except of course it is personal, you‘ve slaved for months over that masterpiece.)
An optimistic outlook tempered with realism. Sounds like a contradiction in terms, which it probably is. What I’m trying to say is, there are very few people out there making a living from comedy – dozens, maybe, rather than hundreds or thousands. But if you stick at it and don’t lose heart there’s no reason why you can’t be one of them.
A writing partner. Not essential, but it happens a lot in comedy. Some of the finest comedy ever written has come from writing pairs – Porridge (Clement & Le Frenais), Steptoe (Galton & Simpson), Peep Show (Armstrong & Bain) countless others.
How do I break in?
In a rapidly changing world, the BBC remains the best place to start. Log on to ‘BBC Writers’ Room’ at any time of year and you’ll find they’re looking for new talent. Often there’ll be a specific show they’re inviting submissions for: radio, TV and internet. The pro is that your script will be read and you’ll probably get some feedback. The disadvantage is that you’re competing with everyone else in the English-speaking world.
There are now so many other ways in to comedy. There are lots of independent TV companies looking for new, cheap comedy ideas. There are up-and-coming new stand-ups who may be looking for new writers to hook up with to develop their acts. And there are always radio shows looking for topical material.
For many years BBC Radio was where every writer started. Through the 70s, 80s and 90s the Pythons, then the alternative comics all worked there. To a large extent this is still true. Matt Lucas, Meera Syal, The League Of Gentlemen and the ‘Dead Ringers’ team are all more recent graduates.
However, the internet is changing everything and it’s impossible to say at this stage exactly how that will affect us. I predict that more and more comedy stars will emerge from sites like YouTube and MySpace, and that more and more development money will go out there in search of the next Little Britain/JackAss/new idea no one’s heard of yet, that will have been created in someone’s bedroom on a budget of ten pence.
If you have the time, and the inclination, I would suggest that it won’t do you any harm at this stage to find yourself a creative partner who can hold a camera and edit on line, and start developing some nice, short, visual sketches with jokes in them, and see where this leads you.
But – whichever medium you choose to develop your craft, the same basic rules apply – and they apply every step of the way…”
---
Check out Raindance for details of Dave’s next course or email admin@raindance.co.uk with enquiries.
Here’s an excerpt from his handout ‘Writing Comedy for a Living’ which gives you a practical heads up and what you need, and what it takes, if you’re going to break into this side of the biz.
---
What do you need to be a comedy writer?
The ability to write jokes, of course. Without that I’m afraid we have to stop right here. That’s the one thing I can’t teach. A thick skin. Even the most successful comedy writers get their projects turned down. There’s just too much stuff out there and no time to make or show it all. Nothing personal. (Except of course it is personal, you‘ve slaved for months over that masterpiece.)
An optimistic outlook tempered with realism. Sounds like a contradiction in terms, which it probably is. What I’m trying to say is, there are very few people out there making a living from comedy – dozens, maybe, rather than hundreds or thousands. But if you stick at it and don’t lose heart there’s no reason why you can’t be one of them.
A writing partner. Not essential, but it happens a lot in comedy. Some of the finest comedy ever written has come from writing pairs – Porridge (Clement & Le Frenais), Steptoe (Galton & Simpson), Peep Show (Armstrong & Bain) countless others.
How do I break in?
In a rapidly changing world, the BBC remains the best place to start. Log on to ‘BBC Writers’ Room’ at any time of year and you’ll find they’re looking for new talent. Often there’ll be a specific show they’re inviting submissions for: radio, TV and internet. The pro is that your script will be read and you’ll probably get some feedback. The disadvantage is that you’re competing with everyone else in the English-speaking world.
There are now so many other ways in to comedy. There are lots of independent TV companies looking for new, cheap comedy ideas. There are up-and-coming new stand-ups who may be looking for new writers to hook up with to develop their acts. And there are always radio shows looking for topical material.
For many years BBC Radio was where every writer started. Through the 70s, 80s and 90s the Pythons, then the alternative comics all worked there. To a large extent this is still true. Matt Lucas, Meera Syal, The League Of Gentlemen and the ‘Dead Ringers’ team are all more recent graduates.
However, the internet is changing everything and it’s impossible to say at this stage exactly how that will affect us. I predict that more and more comedy stars will emerge from sites like YouTube and MySpace, and that more and more development money will go out there in search of the next Little Britain/JackAss/new idea no one’s heard of yet, that will have been created in someone’s bedroom on a budget of ten pence.
If you have the time, and the inclination, I would suggest that it won’t do you any harm at this stage to find yourself a creative partner who can hold a camera and edit on line, and start developing some nice, short, visual sketches with jokes in them, and see where this leads you.
But – whichever medium you choose to develop your craft, the same basic rules apply – and they apply every step of the way…”
---
Check out Raindance for details of Dave’s next course or email admin@raindance.co.uk with enquiries.
Senin, 15 Januari 2007
Common Mistakes
When a reader gets a script from the spec pile, they usually don’t have a clue who the writer is, or where the writer comes from. The script is going to be representative of everything the reader’s going to assume about the writer’s personality, talents and abilities.
To this end, some common phrases, mistakes and typos appear to suggest the screenwriter is not quite up to the task of writing a good script. Some of these blemishes are not immediately suggestive of a hack wannabe, but are usually indicative of someone with a poor regard for the basic use of the English language. Here are a few examples:
“Your / You’re”: Your refers to what the person owns (Yours doesn’t have an apostrophe). You’re is a contraction of ‘You are’. Any confusion about the matter should have been cleared up in the Under 10s grammar school.
In a fit of writing momentum, even the best writers may type you’re when they mean your, but that’s why proof reading a script is important.
“They’re / There / Their”: Oh dear, where to begin? They’re=They are. There=adverb denoting that place or position. Their= possessive pronoun (belonging to them). Again, basic stuff, but why oh why do so many aspiring screenwriters get it wrong?
“Its / It’s / It is”: The only form of ‘Its’ that’s correctly used anymore seems to be ‘It is’. The regularity of Its and It’s being misplaced seems to suggest that it’s been universally accepted that its no big deal (sic). Its is a possessive pronoun (of itself), It’s is a contraction of ‘It is’.
Just because they look alike and sound the same doesn’t mean your intention is clearly understood when you disregard their true meaning. “The lion licked it’s paw” doesn’t make any sense because what you are really saying is “The lion licked it is paw”. This might seem pedantic (I know there are those who say ‘jeesh, forgetaboutit’) but you wouldn’t dare omitting the correct apostrophe for a person’s name - Michael’s, not Michaels; or a word where an apostrophe exclusion would just seem odd, and wrong (isnt, theyre, cant - isn’t, they’re, can’t).
“A rye smile”: As in, someone gives a wry smile. I have yet to read someone taking a bite out of a wholemeal sandwich and then giving a rye smile; that would be fine. But rye smiles pop up quite frequently. Maybe the characters have drunk too much whiskey.
“Clearly drunk / clearly smitten / clearly this guy mean’s business”. Oh yeah, why is it so clear? Show it to us, buster, don’t use lazy shortcuts.
Everyone uses ‘clearly’ in their scripts so why not be a bit more vivid and evocative in yours, and command the reader’s attention with a distinctive style?
I’ll have a think about other stock phrases and mistakes, but if other readers out there have their own pet-hates and observations, feel free to share.
To this end, some common phrases, mistakes and typos appear to suggest the screenwriter is not quite up to the task of writing a good script. Some of these blemishes are not immediately suggestive of a hack wannabe, but are usually indicative of someone with a poor regard for the basic use of the English language. Here are a few examples:
“Your / You’re”: Your refers to what the person owns (Yours doesn’t have an apostrophe). You’re is a contraction of ‘You are’. Any confusion about the matter should have been cleared up in the Under 10s grammar school.
In a fit of writing momentum, even the best writers may type you’re when they mean your, but that’s why proof reading a script is important.
“They’re / There / Their”: Oh dear, where to begin? They’re=They are. There=adverb denoting that place or position. Their= possessive pronoun (belonging to them). Again, basic stuff, but why oh why do so many aspiring screenwriters get it wrong?
“Its / It’s / It is”: The only form of ‘Its’ that’s correctly used anymore seems to be ‘It is’. The regularity of Its and It’s being misplaced seems to suggest that it’s been universally accepted that its no big deal (sic). Its is a possessive pronoun (of itself), It’s is a contraction of ‘It is’.
Just because they look alike and sound the same doesn’t mean your intention is clearly understood when you disregard their true meaning. “The lion licked it’s paw” doesn’t make any sense because what you are really saying is “The lion licked it is paw”. This might seem pedantic (I know there are those who say ‘jeesh, forgetaboutit’) but you wouldn’t dare omitting the correct apostrophe for a person’s name - Michael’s, not Michaels; or a word where an apostrophe exclusion would just seem odd, and wrong (isnt, theyre, cant - isn’t, they’re, can’t).
“A rye smile”: As in, someone gives a wry smile. I have yet to read someone taking a bite out of a wholemeal sandwich and then giving a rye smile; that would be fine. But rye smiles pop up quite frequently. Maybe the characters have drunk too much whiskey.
“Clearly drunk / clearly smitten / clearly this guy mean’s business”. Oh yeah, why is it so clear? Show it to us, buster, don’t use lazy shortcuts.
Everyone uses ‘clearly’ in their scripts so why not be a bit more vivid and evocative in yours, and command the reader’s attention with a distinctive style?
I’ll have a think about other stock phrases and mistakes, but if other readers out there have their own pet-hates and observations, feel free to share.
Jumat, 12 Januari 2007
Bafta Noms
You'll get them elsewhere, but I thought I'd post the full list here in case anybody had any comments, objections or approvals. I think it's a good list. I haven't seen Little Miss Sunshine yet, but I've heard the writer chat about his experience on the Creative Screenwriting podcast, and that was good.
It's great that Casino Royale gets a nod for acting (Craig), film (Broccolis) and the writers (Purvis, Wade, Haggis). I think it's well deserved. The original screenplay category is a tough call, but it's surely going to be The Queen. Anyway, have a look, and tell us what you think. The awards will be held on 11th February at the Royal Opera House in London (not the Odeon Leicester Square as previously noted, thanks GD):
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Best Film
The Queen
Babel
The Last King of Scotland
The Departed
Little Miss Sunshine
Best British Film
The Queen
Casino Royale
The Last King of Scotland
Notes on a Scandal
United 93
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Craig - Casino Royale
Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Departed
Peter O'Toole - Venus
Richard Griffiths - The History Boys
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Dame Helen Mirren - The Queen
Dame Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
Kate Winslet - Little Children
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
James McAvoy - The Last King of Scotland
Jack Nicholson - The Departed
Leslie Philips - Venus
Michael Sheen - The Queen
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine
Toni Colette - Little Miss Sunshine
Francis De La Tour - The History Boys
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Original Screenplay
Guillermo Arriaga - Babel
Michael Arndt - Little Miss Sunshine
Guillermo del Toro - Pan's Labryinth
Peter Morgan - The Queen
Paul Greengrass - United 93
Adapted Screenplay
Neal Purvis/Robert Wade/Paul Haggis - Casino Royale
William Monahan - The Departed
Aline Brosh McKenna - The Devil Wears Prada
Peter Morgan/Jeremy Brock - The Last King Of Scotland
Patrick Marber - Notes On A Scandal
The David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction
Martin Scorsese - The Departed
Jonathan Dayton/Valerie Faris - Little Miss Sunshine
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Babel
Stephen Frears - The Queen
Paul Greengrass - United 93
---
Tim Clague is a Bafta member and he's got an interesting post on what inspires him to vote.
It's great that Casino Royale gets a nod for acting (Craig), film (Broccolis) and the writers (Purvis, Wade, Haggis). I think it's well deserved. The original screenplay category is a tough call, but it's surely going to be The Queen. Anyway, have a look, and tell us what you think. The awards will be held on 11th February at the Royal Opera House in London (not the Odeon Leicester Square as previously noted, thanks GD):
---
Best Film
The Queen
Babel
The Last King of Scotland
The Departed
Little Miss Sunshine
Best British Film
The Queen
Casino Royale
The Last King of Scotland
Notes on a Scandal
United 93
Best Actor in a Leading Role
Daniel Craig - Casino Royale
Forest Whitaker - The Last King of Scotland
Leonardo DiCaprio - The Departed
Peter O'Toole - Venus
Richard Griffiths - The History Boys
Best Actress in a Leading Role
Dame Helen Mirren - The Queen
Dame Judi Dench - Notes on a Scandal
Kate Winslet - Little Children
Penelope Cruz - Volver
Meryl Streep - The Devil Wears Prada
Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Alan Arkin - Little Miss Sunshine
James McAvoy - The Last King of Scotland
Jack Nicholson - The Departed
Leslie Philips - Venus
Michael Sheen - The Queen
Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Emily Blunt - The Devil Wears Prada
Abigail Breslin - Little Miss Sunshine
Toni Colette - Little Miss Sunshine
Francis De La Tour - The History Boys
Jennifer Hudson - Dreamgirls
Original Screenplay
Guillermo Arriaga - Babel
Michael Arndt - Little Miss Sunshine
Guillermo del Toro - Pan's Labryinth
Peter Morgan - The Queen
Paul Greengrass - United 93
Adapted Screenplay
Neal Purvis/Robert Wade/Paul Haggis - Casino Royale
William Monahan - The Departed
Aline Brosh McKenna - The Devil Wears Prada
Peter Morgan/Jeremy Brock - The Last King Of Scotland
Patrick Marber - Notes On A Scandal
The David Lean Award for Achievement in Direction
Martin Scorsese - The Departed
Jonathan Dayton/Valerie Faris - Little Miss Sunshine
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu - Babel
Stephen Frears - The Queen
Paul Greengrass - United 93
---
Tim Clague is a Bafta member and he's got an interesting post on what inspires him to vote.
Rabu, 10 Januari 2007
Writer's Workout 2K7
It seems timely to bring this post out of the story vault archives. Most of us are staring at an unwelcome paunch since Christmas and the New Year, and the commitment to go to the gym may have already elapsed. Fear not, fellow blubby bloggers, here’s a homemade exercise regime to help curb the carbs and get into shape. Knock yourself out… not literally of course.
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As a screenwriter, you will spend most of your day sat in front of the computer, staring at the screen, surfing the net, responding to emails or actually working on your screenplay in fits of inspiration.
If all the food and drink is in the house, and the computer vortex sucks you in, it’s likely that you won’t leave the house at all. That’s not even getting fresh air.
One way or the other, it means you’re sat in your chair for two hour stretches or more, with brief respites to pee or eat. This PC inertia is not good for the body. Everyone knows this. But there is a way to maintain basic cardio vascular exercise and keep reasonably fit and healthy.
It’s Danny’s Writer’s Workout! (©)
Here are some simple, basic exercises that you can do at home, for free, without any need to join a gym, hire a personal trainer or buy expensive equipment.
I know this sounds faintly absurd and a little weird but I offer this advice after six years of battling a back injury and acquiring a vast knowledge of pilates, physio and basic osteopathy in the process.
This culminated last year in having two back operations, one in January, the other in November, to which I am slowly responding. And the exercises definitely help as well as keep in me sensible shape.
Swimming is the best exercise for back injuries and/or writers (2/3 times a week for 30 mins is good), and a 10 min walk for fresh air is always welcome, but when you find yourself stuck indoors and with no motivation to budge, then try these alternative exercises.
Steps: At the gym, you’d probably hammer a ‘Stairmaster’ but hey, you have them at home. Use them. If you live in a ground floor flat, that’s ok, use a box, or something you can step up onto. Start off with a five minute routine of going up and down the stairs (or box). Play two of your favourite songs to keep you distracted. If you’re up for it, do ten minutes but believe me, it’s more knackering than it sounds.
The intention is to get your joints moving and your heart pumping. If you don’t find yourself out of breath and feel your heart beating in your chest, you’re not doing it enough. Go faster or slower depending on how you feel.
Abs: Lie down on the ground (after the stair routine, this will be easy). Bend your knees. Put your hands behind your neck and, using your tummy muscles, lift your upper torso & head towards your knees. Now scream: “oh godddddd”. Only kidding. That’ll come after about four or five ‘reps’ (repetitions). Try to do as many as you can humanly tolerate but again, at least five minutes is good.
Legs & Neck: Sit on your kitchen table. Bear with me. Hopefully, your feet won’t be able to touch the ground. Now, turn your head down so your chin rests on your chest. Lift your leg up slowly to stretch and whilst doing so, raise your head to accompany your leg. Feel that hamstring baby. Work it. You look great. Repeat on the other side (x10).
Stretches: Bend your left knee and hold your foot by your bum. Stretch that femur. Yeah it feels good. Do the same on t’other side. About 10 each.
Standing: Place your left arm behind your neck and stretch down your back. With your right hand, hold your left elbow and pull. Feel it? That’s it. 10 on either side. Do it mister.
New! Squats: Stand against the wall, back firm to the surface. Slide down until your knees and hips are parallel with the floor. Hold this position and feel the pain for about five seconds, then slowly stand upright again. Repeat 10 times. Hold for longer periods as you get more accustomed to the agony. Helps tone the butt and tummy muscles, so this one’s popular with the girlies.
Can’t be arsed doing any of this? Then do some exercises while you’re sitting at the computer.
Bum to the back of the seat.
Back straight and upright.
Shoulders relaxed.
Hands poised over the keyboard (to avoid RSI: repetitive strain injury).
Feet firmly on the ground, evenly apart.
Pull in your stomach and hold as long as there’s breath or will left in your body.
Another good one is pull your chin in towards your neck as quickly as you can. Repeat 10 times.
After a few of those, hold the position of the chin by your neck and look left to right, slowly.
If you’ve really got your mojo writing going and have no time for poncey exercises, try to stand up every 20 mins/half hour to do some basic stretching before resuming your Oscar winning script.
That’s it. You were great. Time for a shower.
And why not have a 2 litre bottle of water next to your pot of coffee? And a bowl of fruit too. Some nuts (not too many) or seeds (sunflower, pumpkin) are also good for snacks and extremely good for you.
Peace, love and brown rice.
---
---
As a screenwriter, you will spend most of your day sat in front of the computer, staring at the screen, surfing the net, responding to emails or actually working on your screenplay in fits of inspiration.
If all the food and drink is in the house, and the computer vortex sucks you in, it’s likely that you won’t leave the house at all. That’s not even getting fresh air.
One way or the other, it means you’re sat in your chair for two hour stretches or more, with brief respites to pee or eat. This PC inertia is not good for the body. Everyone knows this. But there is a way to maintain basic cardio vascular exercise and keep reasonably fit and healthy.
It’s Danny’s Writer’s Workout! (©)
Here are some simple, basic exercises that you can do at home, for free, without any need to join a gym, hire a personal trainer or buy expensive equipment.
I know this sounds faintly absurd and a little weird but I offer this advice after six years of battling a back injury and acquiring a vast knowledge of pilates, physio and basic osteopathy in the process.
This culminated last year in having two back operations, one in January, the other in November, to which I am slowly responding. And the exercises definitely help as well as keep in me sensible shape.
Swimming is the best exercise for back injuries and/or writers (2/3 times a week for 30 mins is good), and a 10 min walk for fresh air is always welcome, but when you find yourself stuck indoors and with no motivation to budge, then try these alternative exercises.
Steps: At the gym, you’d probably hammer a ‘Stairmaster’ but hey, you have them at home. Use them. If you live in a ground floor flat, that’s ok, use a box, or something you can step up onto. Start off with a five minute routine of going up and down the stairs (or box). Play two of your favourite songs to keep you distracted. If you’re up for it, do ten minutes but believe me, it’s more knackering than it sounds.
The intention is to get your joints moving and your heart pumping. If you don’t find yourself out of breath and feel your heart beating in your chest, you’re not doing it enough. Go faster or slower depending on how you feel.
Abs: Lie down on the ground (after the stair routine, this will be easy). Bend your knees. Put your hands behind your neck and, using your tummy muscles, lift your upper torso & head towards your knees. Now scream: “oh godddddd”. Only kidding. That’ll come after about four or five ‘reps’ (repetitions). Try to do as many as you can humanly tolerate but again, at least five minutes is good.
Legs & Neck: Sit on your kitchen table. Bear with me. Hopefully, your feet won’t be able to touch the ground. Now, turn your head down so your chin rests on your chest. Lift your leg up slowly to stretch and whilst doing so, raise your head to accompany your leg. Feel that hamstring baby. Work it. You look great. Repeat on the other side (x10).
Stretches: Bend your left knee and hold your foot by your bum. Stretch that femur. Yeah it feels good. Do the same on t’other side. About 10 each.
Standing: Place your left arm behind your neck and stretch down your back. With your right hand, hold your left elbow and pull. Feel it? That’s it. 10 on either side. Do it mister.
New! Squats: Stand against the wall, back firm to the surface. Slide down until your knees and hips are parallel with the floor. Hold this position and feel the pain for about five seconds, then slowly stand upright again. Repeat 10 times. Hold for longer periods as you get more accustomed to the agony. Helps tone the butt and tummy muscles, so this one’s popular with the girlies.
Can’t be arsed doing any of this? Then do some exercises while you’re sitting at the computer.
Bum to the back of the seat.
Back straight and upright.
Shoulders relaxed.
Hands poised over the keyboard (to avoid RSI: repetitive strain injury).
Feet firmly on the ground, evenly apart.
Pull in your stomach and hold as long as there’s breath or will left in your body.
Another good one is pull your chin in towards your neck as quickly as you can. Repeat 10 times.
After a few of those, hold the position of the chin by your neck and look left to right, slowly.
If you’ve really got your mojo writing going and have no time for poncey exercises, try to stand up every 20 mins/half hour to do some basic stretching before resuming your Oscar winning script.
That’s it. You were great. Time for a shower.
And why not have a 2 litre bottle of water next to your pot of coffee? And a bowl of fruit too. Some nuts (not too many) or seeds (sunflower, pumpkin) are also good for snacks and extremely good for you.
Peace, love and brown rice.
---
Minggu, 07 Januari 2007
Watching the Script
To achieve the ultimate literacy in screenwriting, the writer must be fluent in the visual language of cinematic storytelling. This means dismissing all the convenient words and phrases that easily describe everything that’s going on, and instead, relaying exactly what’s occurring on an audio and visual level. That’s the intention. That’s the ideal. ‘Less is more’.
The reason why we’re continuously told that sparse screenwriting is more effective and fluid than regular prose is not because readers are lazy, or that execs want to quickly get through the script. It’s because the fewest amount of words conveys the immediacy of what’s happening on screen. We know this, we get it, we’ve ticked it in our box of screenplay fundamentals.
Yet, so many writers unnecessarily overwrite the narrative description in their screenplays. They spoon-feed information about character motivation, backstory and a whole range of stuff happening off-screen. Even the produced screenplays available on-line are full of this kind of language, which helps to perpetuate the generalised standard of screenwriting from Oslo to Ohio.
For the script reader, this kind of writing means that he’s ‘reading’ the script, instead of ‘watching’ it unfold. Someone could be a poor screenwriter but a good storyteller. They could employ the general standard of screenwriting but disregard the vitality and imagery of what really is engaging on screen. A writer who begins his story with: “It’s June, the height of summer” isn’t displaying imaginative screenwriting but his characters and story may have more emotional weight than his bland understanding of screen language.
One way to avoid ‘reading the script’ instead of ‘watching it unfold’ is to think of the key qualities in any given scene that you want the audience to understand, and then don’t allow, or remove, all of the convenient words that easily express these qualities. For instance, if your scene is in June, in the height of summer, and we get introduced to Johnny O’Shea, the hero, try not to use ‘June’, ‘Summer’, or ‘Hero’.
Instead, supply the reader with the visual information. Better still, keep it visual, but don’t get bogged down with expressing all of the details in that scene. It might be better to space it out from scene-to-scene. For example, we may see the heat shimmer on the New York streets as John O’Shea walks down the sidewalk, but in the next scene we may see him jump in front of a speeding car in order to save an old woman from a direct collision.
This is not new information for most of you. It’s going over old ground of ‘show, don’t tell’, but still, we fill our scripts with unnecessary tips and explanations of what’s going on. It’s almost impossible to fully separate ourselves from what’s on- screen and what we want the audience to understand. It takes great will power, and assurance, to just let the action do all the talking for you.
Let it all go. The audience knows more about the story than you do. Based on what they see on screen, they will automatically fill gaps of character detail, motivation and backstory, regardless of your original intention. The audience quickly gathers their thoughts and opinion on what they like and don’t like, and what key emotional elements are in play for the story ahead.
In Johnny O’Shea’s opening scene at the flicks, the audience haven’t read anything on-screen that says it’s June, or that Johnny’s a hero, or whatever. They’re coming to the those conclusions because of the basic imagery being offered, and the visual action of Johnny’s behaviour.
To give you an example from a real film, think of the Captain from Pan’s Labyrinth (who may be my new favourite villain of all time). I haven’t read the script but just watching the film, this is what I’m thinking: he’s precise, ordered, disciplined, ruthless, respected but an abominable human-being.
No-one ever told me this. Not one character said: “Oh, that Captain. He’s a precise, ordered, disciplined sod, isn’t he?” No, I got it all from his visual action and behaviour: the tight creak of his leather as he walks; the extreme polish of his boots; his immaculate grooming, the perfect uniform; his precision of detail and order with his men.
These are all terrific audio and visual description of what you could write in the script without saying: “The CAPTAIN enters the room. He’s grim and severe, but his immaculate uniform and confident swagger means that he is both feared and respected.”
This kind of screen language is commonly used, and while there are ways to use this effectively, it takes the reader away from ‘watching the script unfold’ as he is instead being asked to ‘read important information’.
Let it go. Really.
Space it out.
Action.
Behaviour.
Dialogue.
That’s it.
Of course, writers run the risk of not having the full emotional and dramatic value of their story being fully embraced and understood. The irony of having a ‘sparse script’ to read is that readers and execs will appreciate the ‘easy read’ but they may not ‘get’ the key elements because of ‘what the writer hasn’t written’. That’s where the actors and director come in; that’s their job.
So, it’s a vicious circle. Overwrite a script and be criticised for labouring the narrative with dull description. Underwrite a script and risk the chance of no-one really getting the story. The answer is probably a fine balance between the two.
Keep it sparse, keep it simple but don’t be plain; make it evocative. Sneak in the odd emotional or expositional phrase to maintain a solid attachment between reader and story. It’s not easy, nor should it be, but the pursuit of fine craft and story should be always top of our agenda instead of lapsing into a complacent sense of screenwriting just because “I’ve seen a hundred scripts on-line that do the exact same”.
Remember your original voice. Keep it fresh, keep it visual and always be engaging.
The reason why we’re continuously told that sparse screenwriting is more effective and fluid than regular prose is not because readers are lazy, or that execs want to quickly get through the script. It’s because the fewest amount of words conveys the immediacy of what’s happening on screen. We know this, we get it, we’ve ticked it in our box of screenplay fundamentals.
Yet, so many writers unnecessarily overwrite the narrative description in their screenplays. They spoon-feed information about character motivation, backstory and a whole range of stuff happening off-screen. Even the produced screenplays available on-line are full of this kind of language, which helps to perpetuate the generalised standard of screenwriting from Oslo to Ohio.
For the script reader, this kind of writing means that he’s ‘reading’ the script, instead of ‘watching’ it unfold. Someone could be a poor screenwriter but a good storyteller. They could employ the general standard of screenwriting but disregard the vitality and imagery of what really is engaging on screen. A writer who begins his story with: “It’s June, the height of summer” isn’t displaying imaginative screenwriting but his characters and story may have more emotional weight than his bland understanding of screen language.
One way to avoid ‘reading the script’ instead of ‘watching it unfold’ is to think of the key qualities in any given scene that you want the audience to understand, and then don’t allow, or remove, all of the convenient words that easily express these qualities. For instance, if your scene is in June, in the height of summer, and we get introduced to Johnny O’Shea, the hero, try not to use ‘June’, ‘Summer’, or ‘Hero’.
Instead, supply the reader with the visual information. Better still, keep it visual, but don’t get bogged down with expressing all of the details in that scene. It might be better to space it out from scene-to-scene. For example, we may see the heat shimmer on the New York streets as John O’Shea walks down the sidewalk, but in the next scene we may see him jump in front of a speeding car in order to save an old woman from a direct collision.
This is not new information for most of you. It’s going over old ground of ‘show, don’t tell’, but still, we fill our scripts with unnecessary tips and explanations of what’s going on. It’s almost impossible to fully separate ourselves from what’s on- screen and what we want the audience to understand. It takes great will power, and assurance, to just let the action do all the talking for you.
Let it all go. The audience knows more about the story than you do. Based on what they see on screen, they will automatically fill gaps of character detail, motivation and backstory, regardless of your original intention. The audience quickly gathers their thoughts and opinion on what they like and don’t like, and what key emotional elements are in play for the story ahead.
In Johnny O’Shea’s opening scene at the flicks, the audience haven’t read anything on-screen that says it’s June, or that Johnny’s a hero, or whatever. They’re coming to the those conclusions because of the basic imagery being offered, and the visual action of Johnny’s behaviour.
To give you an example from a real film, think of the Captain from Pan’s Labyrinth (who may be my new favourite villain of all time). I haven’t read the script but just watching the film, this is what I’m thinking: he’s precise, ordered, disciplined, ruthless, respected but an abominable human-being.
No-one ever told me this. Not one character said: “Oh, that Captain. He’s a precise, ordered, disciplined sod, isn’t he?” No, I got it all from his visual action and behaviour: the tight creak of his leather as he walks; the extreme polish of his boots; his immaculate grooming, the perfect uniform; his precision of detail and order with his men.
These are all terrific audio and visual description of what you could write in the script without saying: “The CAPTAIN enters the room. He’s grim and severe, but his immaculate uniform and confident swagger means that he is both feared and respected.”
This kind of screen language is commonly used, and while there are ways to use this effectively, it takes the reader away from ‘watching the script unfold’ as he is instead being asked to ‘read important information’.
Let it go. Really.
Space it out.
Action.
Behaviour.
Dialogue.
That’s it.
Of course, writers run the risk of not having the full emotional and dramatic value of their story being fully embraced and understood. The irony of having a ‘sparse script’ to read is that readers and execs will appreciate the ‘easy read’ but they may not ‘get’ the key elements because of ‘what the writer hasn’t written’. That’s where the actors and director come in; that’s their job.
So, it’s a vicious circle. Overwrite a script and be criticised for labouring the narrative with dull description. Underwrite a script and risk the chance of no-one really getting the story. The answer is probably a fine balance between the two.
Keep it sparse, keep it simple but don’t be plain; make it evocative. Sneak in the odd emotional or expositional phrase to maintain a solid attachment between reader and story. It’s not easy, nor should it be, but the pursuit of fine craft and story should be always top of our agenda instead of lapsing into a complacent sense of screenwriting just because “I’ve seen a hundred scripts on-line that do the exact same”.
Remember your original voice. Keep it fresh, keep it visual and always be engaging.
Jumat, 05 Januari 2007
2K7
January can feel like the pits. For a jobbing freelancer, the New Year is usually a frustrating period of inactivity when only a week before, he was sozzled with Champagne, telling everyone (and himself) that ‘this year will be different’.
It can get so quiet, you can see the tumbleweeds gather apace in Rejection Town (normally a welcome sight) while over there in Commission City, those happy workers aren’t fully back into their work-flow.
For the freelancer, any feeling of despondency or frustration is usually down to three things: the post-New Year reality, the taxman visiting at the end of the month, and no commissioned gigs in the foreseeable future. Or the New Year Blues, basically.
Hopefully you’ll have your tax money dutifully put aside (roughly 20% of whatever paycheque you receive should be immediately placed out of reach), so that’s one less concern, and the writing New Year Resolutions should help you focus on all the targets you’ve set for year 2K7. So that’s more positive.
In fact, the New Year is the ideal time to commit yourself to your new writing goals. You’ve got the time, the energy and the focus. Absolutely no excuse not to put your head down and write. There’s little outside distraction. Fewer emails to respond to, no phone calls being received. Time to get on with the writing. Maybe even finish your new spec by the end of January!
Alas, it doesn’t always work out like this. First of all, scraping the tax money together can be a problem. Yes, you’re meant to put it aside but if a freelancer isn’t lucky to receive a regular wage, then it’s likely that he’s dipping into his tax reserve during the year to help make ends meet.
I spent most of my tax money on Cannes, confident in the knowledge that I had a couple of episodes of Doctors coming to me. 2006 got off to a cracking start. I had an article published in the Writers’ Guild magazine, a commission from the Adrenalinis, and another commission to write an animation pilot. All was sweet, and I figured I’d get one of those Doctors eps any day now. I even got a call from EastEnders asking if I’d like to write for the show.
Doctors had a bit of an overhaul during the year, and halved their writer list (and banked episodes) but I survived the cull on both counts. Phew. But I still haven’t had a commission all year even though the script editor has assured me that my eps are still banked. The post-summer lull didn’t help, not to mention the rejection from EastEnders (the whole experience was a bit like asking to apply for a job, doing a good interview but then not getting the gig. My agent is genuinely flummoxed at the rejection, which is good for my ego).
Thankfully, in November, my lovely agent managed to secure me a three-week stint writing for a computer game. Actually, this emerged in July but it took the computer bods four months to finally give me the go ahead. I was hugely grateful for the work, which I very much enjoyed (it was my first time doing a computer game), and in truth, it saved my Christmas and tax New Year.
It was a curious end to the year. At one stage, I thought I had subscribed myself to too many projects that I wouldn’t be able to cover if they got the go ahead. To my surprise, not one of them got a greenlight, and it left me floundering a bit for work, and cash. Maybe you can never have too many ‘maybes’ on the go.
Overall though, 2006 was a good year, and there are lots of positive developments in store for the months ahead. It’s only the first week of January, so although I’m a bit worried about immediate financial concerns, there’s no need for panic. It gives me time to crack on with my new stories and focus on my strengths, and hopefully, at the very least, one of those Doctors eps will give me a shout in the not too distant future.
As ever, optimism rides high and the mood is good, so here's to a great 2K7 (that's what the hipsters are calling it these days).
It can get so quiet, you can see the tumbleweeds gather apace in Rejection Town (normally a welcome sight) while over there in Commission City, those happy workers aren’t fully back into their work-flow.
For the freelancer, any feeling of despondency or frustration is usually down to three things: the post-New Year reality, the taxman visiting at the end of the month, and no commissioned gigs in the foreseeable future. Or the New Year Blues, basically.
Hopefully you’ll have your tax money dutifully put aside (roughly 20% of whatever paycheque you receive should be immediately placed out of reach), so that’s one less concern, and the writing New Year Resolutions should help you focus on all the targets you’ve set for year 2K7. So that’s more positive.
In fact, the New Year is the ideal time to commit yourself to your new writing goals. You’ve got the time, the energy and the focus. Absolutely no excuse not to put your head down and write. There’s little outside distraction. Fewer emails to respond to, no phone calls being received. Time to get on with the writing. Maybe even finish your new spec by the end of January!
Alas, it doesn’t always work out like this. First of all, scraping the tax money together can be a problem. Yes, you’re meant to put it aside but if a freelancer isn’t lucky to receive a regular wage, then it’s likely that he’s dipping into his tax reserve during the year to help make ends meet.
I spent most of my tax money on Cannes, confident in the knowledge that I had a couple of episodes of Doctors coming to me. 2006 got off to a cracking start. I had an article published in the Writers’ Guild magazine, a commission from the Adrenalinis, and another commission to write an animation pilot. All was sweet, and I figured I’d get one of those Doctors eps any day now. I even got a call from EastEnders asking if I’d like to write for the show.
Doctors had a bit of an overhaul during the year, and halved their writer list (and banked episodes) but I survived the cull on both counts. Phew. But I still haven’t had a commission all year even though the script editor has assured me that my eps are still banked. The post-summer lull didn’t help, not to mention the rejection from EastEnders (the whole experience was a bit like asking to apply for a job, doing a good interview but then not getting the gig. My agent is genuinely flummoxed at the rejection, which is good for my ego).
Thankfully, in November, my lovely agent managed to secure me a three-week stint writing for a computer game. Actually, this emerged in July but it took the computer bods four months to finally give me the go ahead. I was hugely grateful for the work, which I very much enjoyed (it was my first time doing a computer game), and in truth, it saved my Christmas and tax New Year.
It was a curious end to the year. At one stage, I thought I had subscribed myself to too many projects that I wouldn’t be able to cover if they got the go ahead. To my surprise, not one of them got a greenlight, and it left me floundering a bit for work, and cash. Maybe you can never have too many ‘maybes’ on the go.
Overall though, 2006 was a good year, and there are lots of positive developments in store for the months ahead. It’s only the first week of January, so although I’m a bit worried about immediate financial concerns, there’s no need for panic. It gives me time to crack on with my new stories and focus on my strengths, and hopefully, at the very least, one of those Doctors eps will give me a shout in the not too distant future.
As ever, optimism rides high and the mood is good, so here's to a great 2K7 (that's what the hipsters are calling it these days).
Selasa, 02 Januari 2007
Which Way to Go?
At the early stages of concept and development for any story, all writers go through a series of doubts, queries and choices. In plot or summary form, the writer may not be wholly convinced that the story is taking its best shape, or whether the characters are working to their full effect, or if the pace and structure is smooth and efficient. Often, it is difficult to see the woods from the trees as the writer feels too 'close' to the whole affair and doubts if the story possesses enough positive qualities to take it through to script stage.
To avoid this uncertainty, sometimes it's worth going to first draft script immediately. It's easier to see the flaws and weaker areas of a story when it's down in script format, as opposed to having it laid out in a detailed outline/plot. Avoiding the tough demands of trying to figure out what's working, and what's needed, and what's not, is a natural impulse in the storytelling process. However, a basic passion about the concept and characters should be enough to convince the writer that the story is worth telling, and that while it may be hard work to get the story into shape, it's going to be worth it in the end.
So, here are a few questions that might help in getting over any potential writer's block: what was it about the concept that got you excited about the project in the first place? Is it a story you're burning to tell? Do the characters have an emotional and credible weight which makes you care passionately about them? In other words, do I respect them? Or is it more about plot - action/adventure/comedy etc?
Once you know the basic reasons why you want to tell the story, writing the outline or script becomes a somewhat easier task because instead of veering off into tangents about character and plot, you can continuously remind yourself WHY you're writing this story, and keep focused on what MUST happen (i.e. the plot elements that excite and interest you most, whether it's a character twist, an emotional journey or a big explosion).
Stick to your guns, so to speak. Knowledge is power, and while nagging doubt is part and parcel of the writer's process, it can easily be hurdled with a determined focus about the concept, characters and plot. This doesn't mean that you know the story inside-out; far from it, the characters and story may surprise you as you scribble it all down (a character may do something unexpected, leading you to a more exciting area of plot etc).
The point is not to get bogged down with the worry that the story's not worth it, or feeling insecure about the story's true value before you proceed. Remember the passion and excitement that got you this far, and hold on to that as you battle through the tough creative decisions that need to be made. Script readers and editors will have an opinion, and offer their advice, but they don't have all (or any) of the answers. It's all down to you.
Whether you're prepared to see the story right through to the end, or if you discover that the project's not got enough legs or merit for what you imagined, then it's all part of the writing procedure. Ideas come and go, stories last forever. Find the basic building blocks of your story (e.g. concept and characters) and go with your instinct. Entertain yourself. Let the characters surprise you but most of all, enjoy it.
To avoid this uncertainty, sometimes it's worth going to first draft script immediately. It's easier to see the flaws and weaker areas of a story when it's down in script format, as opposed to having it laid out in a detailed outline/plot. Avoiding the tough demands of trying to figure out what's working, and what's needed, and what's not, is a natural impulse in the storytelling process. However, a basic passion about the concept and characters should be enough to convince the writer that the story is worth telling, and that while it may be hard work to get the story into shape, it's going to be worth it in the end.
So, here are a few questions that might help in getting over any potential writer's block: what was it about the concept that got you excited about the project in the first place? Is it a story you're burning to tell? Do the characters have an emotional and credible weight which makes you care passionately about them? In other words, do I respect them? Or is it more about plot - action/adventure/comedy etc?
Once you know the basic reasons why you want to tell the story, writing the outline or script becomes a somewhat easier task because instead of veering off into tangents about character and plot, you can continuously remind yourself WHY you're writing this story, and keep focused on what MUST happen (i.e. the plot elements that excite and interest you most, whether it's a character twist, an emotional journey or a big explosion).
Stick to your guns, so to speak. Knowledge is power, and while nagging doubt is part and parcel of the writer's process, it can easily be hurdled with a determined focus about the concept, characters and plot. This doesn't mean that you know the story inside-out; far from it, the characters and story may surprise you as you scribble it all down (a character may do something unexpected, leading you to a more exciting area of plot etc).
The point is not to get bogged down with the worry that the story's not worth it, or feeling insecure about the story's true value before you proceed. Remember the passion and excitement that got you this far, and hold on to that as you battle through the tough creative decisions that need to be made. Script readers and editors will have an opinion, and offer their advice, but they don't have all (or any) of the answers. It's all down to you.
Whether you're prepared to see the story right through to the end, or if you discover that the project's not got enough legs or merit for what you imagined, then it's all part of the writing procedure. Ideas come and go, stories last forever. Find the basic building blocks of your story (e.g. concept and characters) and go with your instinct. Entertain yourself. Let the characters surprise you but most of all, enjoy it.
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