How much does a script reader make?
Not much. A reader gets £40-£50 per script report from the industry. Freelance readers who read for the general public will charge a bit more. For example, I charge £60 for a general report, but this differs from industry coverage because it doesn’t have a synopsis, just 3-4 pages of constructive comment.
The standard fee nowadays is £45 per script report while some companies pay £50. I’m aware of some companies not paying their readers anything, which I think is outrageous but I suppose if it gives a new and keen reader the break they need, then that’s one way to go.
If you’re lucky to get £50 per report (people like the UK Film Council), and you’re struggling to earn a living as a writer, then you need to be reading more than 5 scripts a week.
To make a living from it, you will need to read about 10 scripts a week. That’s £500. The drawback with this is that it takes up all of your time, it’s exhausting, the money’s not great and you get no writing done. And you’ll need to be reading for more than one company (preferably about three or four) to be sure of that kind of workload.
A more realistic and regular workload is between 2-4 scripts a week. This adds up to a part-time wage but it’s better than flipping burgers in some dodgy drive through. Four scripts a week shouldn’t be more than two days’ reading work (including writing the reports), leaving the remainder of the week to work on your scripts and prepare for that big sale or commission.
Of course, while this sounds appealing and manageable, the real world demands more of your time and money than coasting through on four scripts a week and polishing your latest blockbuster. So, you should have a commission or option every now and then to help ease the pressure. But as we all know, that’s no easy task.
So what’s a reader/writer to do?
Stick at it. Read and write. Find a way to balance the work and pay the bills. All that reading and insight will feed into your work, and lead the way for a more comfortable lifestyle. We hope.
Rabu, 30 Mei 2007
Jumat, 25 Mei 2007
Target Audience
Everything you write, whether you are conscious of it or not, will have a target audience. On a grand level, writing a script means that you want to express your emotions and ideas through characters and plot within a dramatic/comedic context. And writing a script means that you want people to see it; you want an audience to enjoy your creativity. It is rare to find someone who writes screenplays as a hobby. The lure of the big and the small screen means that people who write scripts, want them to be seen!
If you’re lucky to have a script picked up for development, one of the first bits of feedback you’re likely to get is regarding the audience. Who’s it for? Will they get it? In TV in particular stories will be shaped in an effort to satisfy the demands and expectations of the target audience, thus keeping the advertisers and commissioning editors from having sleepless nights.
Writing with the audience in mind can be counter-productive. If too much second-guessing and dumbing down is being done, then the script is going to lose its credibility and appeal. In these cases, the writer (or development team) is trying to be too specific in catering for an audience’s taste, and ends up giving them ‘safe’ or ‘predictable’ stories that don’t exactly challenge, inspire or entertain. With this in mind, it’s important to differentiate ‘what an audience wants’ and ‘what an audience expects’.
For example, an audience WANTS to see a good horror film so their EXPECTATIONS are that they’ll be scared, disgusted and riveted. They don’t expect to see the same old characters and scenarios going through the usual clichés of false scares and predictable outcomes. But producers, execs and editors will want to feel confident that they’re going to hit their target audience, so they might encourage (or force) a writer to implement the typical routine of shock and plot.
English Dave has been talking about this recently. Demographics, or demon-graphics as he likes to call them. Here’s how they break down:
Grade A is upper middle class. Higher managerial, adminsitrative or professional occupations.
Grade B is middle class. Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional occupations.
Grade C1 is lower middle class. Supervisory or clerical, junior managerial, admin or professional.
Grade C2 is skilled working class. Skilled manual workers.
Grade D is working class. Semi and unskilled manual workers.
Grade E is those at the lowest level of substinence. State pensioners or widows, casual or lowest grade workers.
Then, these groups are clubbed together, the most common being ABC1, but are broken down into different age groups, like
(ABC1) 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+.
I suppose this blog has a target audience (aspiring or graduate screenwriters, ABC1 15-34, perhaps) but I certainly never like to think of it in this way.
Generally, demographics and target audiences are the worry for advertisers and execs. Don’t let it drag you down, the eager writer. You may have to accommodate notes from the execs that skew towards the target audience but some of this may be helpful, too. After all, no-one’s out to purposefully ruin a story or scupper a success.
I had a meeting about a TV project recently and the guy immediately brought up audience concerns but it really helped to focus on some of the weaknesses of the pitch, and how it could be improved. Take everything on board and weigh up all sides but ultimately stick to your own conviction on how you think the story should be told.
By the way, I've got an article in the latest issue of Scriptwriter Magazine (they haven't updated their site yet), so if you find yourself in a nearby Borders, then be sure to check it out!
If you’re lucky to have a script picked up for development, one of the first bits of feedback you’re likely to get is regarding the audience. Who’s it for? Will they get it? In TV in particular stories will be shaped in an effort to satisfy the demands and expectations of the target audience, thus keeping the advertisers and commissioning editors from having sleepless nights.
Writing with the audience in mind can be counter-productive. If too much second-guessing and dumbing down is being done, then the script is going to lose its credibility and appeal. In these cases, the writer (or development team) is trying to be too specific in catering for an audience’s taste, and ends up giving them ‘safe’ or ‘predictable’ stories that don’t exactly challenge, inspire or entertain. With this in mind, it’s important to differentiate ‘what an audience wants’ and ‘what an audience expects’.
For example, an audience WANTS to see a good horror film so their EXPECTATIONS are that they’ll be scared, disgusted and riveted. They don’t expect to see the same old characters and scenarios going through the usual clichés of false scares and predictable outcomes. But producers, execs and editors will want to feel confident that they’re going to hit their target audience, so they might encourage (or force) a writer to implement the typical routine of shock and plot.
English Dave has been talking about this recently. Demographics, or demon-graphics as he likes to call them. Here’s how they break down:
Grade A is upper middle class. Higher managerial, adminsitrative or professional occupations.
Grade B is middle class. Intermediate managerial, administrative or professional occupations.
Grade C1 is lower middle class. Supervisory or clerical, junior managerial, admin or professional.
Grade C2 is skilled working class. Skilled manual workers.
Grade D is working class. Semi and unskilled manual workers.
Grade E is those at the lowest level of substinence. State pensioners or widows, casual or lowest grade workers.
Then, these groups are clubbed together, the most common being ABC1, but are broken down into different age groups, like
(ABC1) 15-24, 25-34, 35-44, 45-54, 55-64, 65+.
I suppose this blog has a target audience (aspiring or graduate screenwriters, ABC1 15-34, perhaps) but I certainly never like to think of it in this way.
Generally, demographics and target audiences are the worry for advertisers and execs. Don’t let it drag you down, the eager writer. You may have to accommodate notes from the execs that skew towards the target audience but some of this may be helpful, too. After all, no-one’s out to purposefully ruin a story or scupper a success.
I had a meeting about a TV project recently and the guy immediately brought up audience concerns but it really helped to focus on some of the weaknesses of the pitch, and how it could be improved. Take everything on board and weigh up all sides but ultimately stick to your own conviction on how you think the story should be told.
By the way, I've got an article in the latest issue of Scriptwriter Magazine (they haven't updated their site yet), so if you find yourself in a nearby Borders, then be sure to check it out!
Selasa, 22 Mei 2007
Story Vault: Dialogue
Having a bit of mixed fortune of late, which is definitely preferable than a quiet run of no commissions but a couple of rejections came through this week, in the maddening category of "very close run things". In these cases, it's not the rejection that hurts, it's getting so close that kills you. Still, a lot of good stuff is going on, so I mustn't grumble but I feel a blogiday coming up, as I'm probably too wired into work to have proper perspective.
So, here's a post from the archives, November 2005. The blog was only a few months' old but here's me gassing away about dialogue. Enjoy!
---
Although a person’s character is defined by what they do and not what they say, how and what they choose to speak usually indicates a great deal about themselves, especially in relation to writing for the stage or screen. While you could muse and contemplate the ‘invisible qualities’ that make up a good story, dialogue in a screenplay is the most identifiable form of the process and arguably the most important aspect of how your characters and plot will be judged.
When pushed or bored, readers and execs will speed-read your carefully worded prose and neat narrative description in favour of getting to the meat of your scene: what the characters are saying. The dialogue will invariably become representative of the plot and character development, and will take on the responsibility of making your story funny, dramatic, quirky, interesting and engaging. No pressure then.
Writing good dialogue is a hard task. A lot of bad scripts make the error of regurgitating familiar lines from TV and other films, or trying to copy Quentin Tarantino and David Mamet (sometimes combined). It’s usually easily evident if the writer doesn’t know their characters very well if they start to talk in dodgy Americanisms when it’s a drama set in a UK tax office.
And UK writers attempting an American story usually fall into the trap of repeating commonly heard slang and phrases or un-researched technical terms (cops, attorneys) without giving the characters their own voice or point-of-view. In addition, some writers will attempt lengthy and quirky monologues but unless you’ve got the talent and humour of someone like Tarantino, this is probably best avoided. Even he can mess it up: when David Carradine began his ‘superhero’ spiel towards the end of Kill Bill 2, I was like ‘enough already! Get to the fight.’
Basically, dialogue in your script carries four main functions: exposition, characterisation, subtext and humour.
Exposition: to convey to the audience the key information of the plot and characters (“How long have you worked here Tom?”). Exposition is present in every film and is wholly necessary in the storytelling process. The problem with exposition is that it should be invisible and in most scripts, the writer will take the easy option of getting the information across (see example above).
McKee has good advice regarding this problem: “make your exposition ammunition”. This means that the characters use the information that they know about themselves in order to hurt or amuse or confront each other. Script readers hate bad exposition. It’s like someone farting in a lift. It’s awkward, unsettling and it reeks.
Characterisation: to give characters their own voice and point-of-view. How someone speaks usually says something about what they think of themselves and how they would like to be perceived by others. Let’s take a perfectly plain piece of dialogue - “Hello. How are you?” - and give it to three different characters: Bart Simpson, Joey Tribiani and Dracula.
Bart would probably characterise the greeting with something like: “Hey, how’s it hanging man?” as it’s true to his cheeky personality. Joey may switch it to his inexplicably winsome chat up line: “Hey, how you doing?” while Dracula may unintentionally ham it up a little with: “Greetings…” before chowing down on your neck. Too many characters in too many bad scripts speak with the same voice. There’s no discernible distinction between who or what is being said.
Subtext: because quite often what is being said has an alternative emotional meaning. A man and woman’s pleasantries at breakfast (“how did you sleep?” “pass the toast” “coffee?”) can take on a whole different meaning if the audience is aware they’ve spent the whole night arguing and it’s the end of their relationship. Subtext is most effective when the audience is in tune with what’s going on and understand the character dynamics.
Some say that every scene should have its subtext but that doesn’t mean that every line of dialogue has to have a hugely significant emotional underbelly. Scenes have their own separate purpose and your giraffe scene at the zoo may be just a little bit of comic relief where any attempt at subtext or something more significant would be inappropriate.
Humour: no matter how dour or depressing life gets, there’s always room for a little humour. A script without some amusing aspects of dialogue is a dull and draining read. Humour adds dimension and humane qualities to a character, and helps the audience connect with them and the story a bit more.
A ‘drama’ doesn’t mean it has to be a serious and po-faced examination of the human condition. Give us something to smile about. And if it’s a comedy, you’d better make sure there’s something to laugh at.
There are probably many sub-groups and considerations to add to these four main functions but a post about ‘dialogue’ seemed like the natural succession to the previous article about characters vs plot. Dialogue is the audience’s way in to understand and appreciate the characters, and how to assimilate the key aspects of your story. ‘Having a good ear for dialogue’ is indeed a gift but one that can be honed and developed by careful observation and understanding of people’s discourse and behaviour.
---
So, here's a post from the archives, November 2005. The blog was only a few months' old but here's me gassing away about dialogue. Enjoy!
---
Although a person’s character is defined by what they do and not what they say, how and what they choose to speak usually indicates a great deal about themselves, especially in relation to writing for the stage or screen. While you could muse and contemplate the ‘invisible qualities’ that make up a good story, dialogue in a screenplay is the most identifiable form of the process and arguably the most important aspect of how your characters and plot will be judged.
When pushed or bored, readers and execs will speed-read your carefully worded prose and neat narrative description in favour of getting to the meat of your scene: what the characters are saying. The dialogue will invariably become representative of the plot and character development, and will take on the responsibility of making your story funny, dramatic, quirky, interesting and engaging. No pressure then.
Writing good dialogue is a hard task. A lot of bad scripts make the error of regurgitating familiar lines from TV and other films, or trying to copy Quentin Tarantino and David Mamet (sometimes combined). It’s usually easily evident if the writer doesn’t know their characters very well if they start to talk in dodgy Americanisms when it’s a drama set in a UK tax office.
And UK writers attempting an American story usually fall into the trap of repeating commonly heard slang and phrases or un-researched technical terms (cops, attorneys) without giving the characters their own voice or point-of-view. In addition, some writers will attempt lengthy and quirky monologues but unless you’ve got the talent and humour of someone like Tarantino, this is probably best avoided. Even he can mess it up: when David Carradine began his ‘superhero’ spiel towards the end of Kill Bill 2, I was like ‘enough already! Get to the fight.’
Basically, dialogue in your script carries four main functions: exposition, characterisation, subtext and humour.
Exposition: to convey to the audience the key information of the plot and characters (“How long have you worked here Tom?”). Exposition is present in every film and is wholly necessary in the storytelling process. The problem with exposition is that it should be invisible and in most scripts, the writer will take the easy option of getting the information across (see example above).
McKee has good advice regarding this problem: “make your exposition ammunition”. This means that the characters use the information that they know about themselves in order to hurt or amuse or confront each other. Script readers hate bad exposition. It’s like someone farting in a lift. It’s awkward, unsettling and it reeks.
Characterisation: to give characters their own voice and point-of-view. How someone speaks usually says something about what they think of themselves and how they would like to be perceived by others. Let’s take a perfectly plain piece of dialogue - “Hello. How are you?” - and give it to three different characters: Bart Simpson, Joey Tribiani and Dracula.
Bart would probably characterise the greeting with something like: “Hey, how’s it hanging man?” as it’s true to his cheeky personality. Joey may switch it to his inexplicably winsome chat up line: “Hey, how you doing?” while Dracula may unintentionally ham it up a little with: “Greetings…” before chowing down on your neck. Too many characters in too many bad scripts speak with the same voice. There’s no discernible distinction between who or what is being said.
Subtext: because quite often what is being said has an alternative emotional meaning. A man and woman’s pleasantries at breakfast (“how did you sleep?” “pass the toast” “coffee?”) can take on a whole different meaning if the audience is aware they’ve spent the whole night arguing and it’s the end of their relationship. Subtext is most effective when the audience is in tune with what’s going on and understand the character dynamics.
Some say that every scene should have its subtext but that doesn’t mean that every line of dialogue has to have a hugely significant emotional underbelly. Scenes have their own separate purpose and your giraffe scene at the zoo may be just a little bit of comic relief where any attempt at subtext or something more significant would be inappropriate.
Humour: no matter how dour or depressing life gets, there’s always room for a little humour. A script without some amusing aspects of dialogue is a dull and draining read. Humour adds dimension and humane qualities to a character, and helps the audience connect with them and the story a bit more.
A ‘drama’ doesn’t mean it has to be a serious and po-faced examination of the human condition. Give us something to smile about. And if it’s a comedy, you’d better make sure there’s something to laugh at.
There are probably many sub-groups and considerations to add to these four main functions but a post about ‘dialogue’ seemed like the natural succession to the previous article about characters vs plot. Dialogue is the audience’s way in to understand and appreciate the characters, and how to assimilate the key aspects of your story. ‘Having a good ear for dialogue’ is indeed a gift but one that can be honed and developed by careful observation and understanding of people’s discourse and behaviour.
---
Senin, 21 Mei 2007
More Questions
A few students have hit me with a handful of standard questions to help them with their final submissions, so here's a taste of some of that action. However, if anyone has any queries about something more specific or troubling, then just holler from the back.
---
From a writer's view, what first steps should you make?
Well, it may sound obvious, but you should write. Not only that, you should read and write. Read as many scripts as you can, and read as much advice and insight into the process, too. Books, magazines, blogs, websites, whatever. By reading about screenwriting craft and how the industry operates, the quality of your scripts will automatically improve.
How did you start your career into film/television?
I wrote to RTE and told them that I was going to be a film reviewer! It was a cheeky letter, to be honest, but it landed on a producer’s desk for a youth magazine show, and he wanted to meet. I was already writing film reviews for a Dublin listings magazine. The producer liked my reviews, and he gave me a screen test. That was nerve wracking but I managed to get through it, and I was a film reviewer on the telly for about three months! During this time, I contacted Ardmore Studios, Ireland’s main filmmaking studio, and I got work as a runner for a special effects company. I wasn’t getting paid much with either job but it was terrific experience. When it ended, I came to London and after about six months of temping around, I got a job at Channel 4, and my career started in earnest.
What where the difficulties and problems of reaching this stage?
There’s a lot of stiff competition out there. Everybody wants to work in film or TV, or have written a script, or their parents know a producer and they’ll get the job ahead of you. So you have to be savvy, focused and committed. When I wrote to RTE, I knew it was the right time because it was the summer break and productions would start to think about ‘crewing up’. It was an extremely exciting time for me, I was only 21, but it was also very difficult because I couldn’t afford to pay the rent, and soon, I was living on a friend’s couch, practising my film reviews in his sister’s bedroom mirror! The SFX work was great but it was long hours and poorly paid, so I couldn’t afford to live like that anymore. I had stretched my friend’s family’s hospitality to the limit, so I decided to make the move to London. Once I arrived in England, I was lucky to settle in quite quickly, and the job at Channel 4 was the start of making proper contacts, which created a lot of opportunities for me.
As a script reader, what makes a good script stand out?
A script that’s original with its premise, characters and story, and told with a distinctive style or ‘voice’. A lot of scripts follow a conventional or predictable narrative with a ‘samey’ style of what’s considered to be the accepted screenwriting approach. Scripts that truly stand out know how to subvert the form and content of the so-called rules but do so by telling great stories. Charlie Kaufman, Zach Helm, Frank Cottrell Boyce, David Mellis & Louis Scinto, to name but a few American and UK writers, know how to spin a good screenplay.
What advice would you give to someone like me who wants to work as an independent film maker (writer/director)?
Get involved in the industry in whatever way you can. Start making contacts. Work on short films, for free, and use the contacts to make your own short film. A good short film strengthens a writer’s reputation, even more so if he/she has directed it, as it can lead to immediate work in TV or some development work for feature films. Don’t assume you know everything about the industry. The industry needs talented writers and directors. It’s not in their interest to ignore you, but you have to be good, and a lot of people aren’t, or are just the same as everyone else trying to break in. Try to be distinctive and original but don’t be alternative and quirky for the sake of it. Find your own voice. Get used to rejection. Develop a thick skin and tell yourself, over and over again: “it’s not personal”. Keep writing.
---
From a writer's view, what first steps should you make?
Well, it may sound obvious, but you should write. Not only that, you should read and write. Read as many scripts as you can, and read as much advice and insight into the process, too. Books, magazines, blogs, websites, whatever. By reading about screenwriting craft and how the industry operates, the quality of your scripts will automatically improve.
How did you start your career into film/television?
I wrote to RTE and told them that I was going to be a film reviewer! It was a cheeky letter, to be honest, but it landed on a producer’s desk for a youth magazine show, and he wanted to meet. I was already writing film reviews for a Dublin listings magazine. The producer liked my reviews, and he gave me a screen test. That was nerve wracking but I managed to get through it, and I was a film reviewer on the telly for about three months! During this time, I contacted Ardmore Studios, Ireland’s main filmmaking studio, and I got work as a runner for a special effects company. I wasn’t getting paid much with either job but it was terrific experience. When it ended, I came to London and after about six months of temping around, I got a job at Channel 4, and my career started in earnest.
What where the difficulties and problems of reaching this stage?
There’s a lot of stiff competition out there. Everybody wants to work in film or TV, or have written a script, or their parents know a producer and they’ll get the job ahead of you. So you have to be savvy, focused and committed. When I wrote to RTE, I knew it was the right time because it was the summer break and productions would start to think about ‘crewing up’. It was an extremely exciting time for me, I was only 21, but it was also very difficult because I couldn’t afford to pay the rent, and soon, I was living on a friend’s couch, practising my film reviews in his sister’s bedroom mirror! The SFX work was great but it was long hours and poorly paid, so I couldn’t afford to live like that anymore. I had stretched my friend’s family’s hospitality to the limit, so I decided to make the move to London. Once I arrived in England, I was lucky to settle in quite quickly, and the job at Channel 4 was the start of making proper contacts, which created a lot of opportunities for me.
As a script reader, what makes a good script stand out?
A script that’s original with its premise, characters and story, and told with a distinctive style or ‘voice’. A lot of scripts follow a conventional or predictable narrative with a ‘samey’ style of what’s considered to be the accepted screenwriting approach. Scripts that truly stand out know how to subvert the form and content of the so-called rules but do so by telling great stories. Charlie Kaufman, Zach Helm, Frank Cottrell Boyce, David Mellis & Louis Scinto, to name but a few American and UK writers, know how to spin a good screenplay.
What advice would you give to someone like me who wants to work as an independent film maker (writer/director)?
Get involved in the industry in whatever way you can. Start making contacts. Work on short films, for free, and use the contacts to make your own short film. A good short film strengthens a writer’s reputation, even more so if he/she has directed it, as it can lead to immediate work in TV or some development work for feature films. Don’t assume you know everything about the industry. The industry needs talented writers and directors. It’s not in their interest to ignore you, but you have to be good, and a lot of people aren’t, or are just the same as everyone else trying to break in. Try to be distinctive and original but don’t be alternative and quirky for the sake of it. Find your own voice. Get used to rejection. Develop a thick skin and tell yourself, over and over again: “it’s not personal”. Keep writing.
Kamis, 17 Mei 2007
Round Up of Bits and Bobs
Cannes is here! Mais non, I am not there. I’ve just finished a bit of work for a producer I met in Cannes last year, so it was definitely useful! I know a handful of people and bloggers who are going again. Tim Clague and Suki Singh, natch; Samantha Moore’s there with her new animated short, The Beloved Ones, and Sal Brown is out for more excellent adventures. I’m sure Tim and Sal will be blogging about their experience, so be sure to tune in…
There are a few interesting things happening at the moment, so I thought it would be a good idea to round them up.
Tom Green over at the Writers’ Guild blog has flagged up an interesting Channel 4 event called ‘4 Days in June’ where the channel opens its doors and commissioning editors to the public for questions and insights. It sounds good. Check out the programme, here, and register etc.
A new, free UK forum has started up as well, and that looks useful. For those in Ireland, if you haven’t checked out the Filmmakers’ Network, you really are missing out.
And if you thought the Scribosphere website was a good idea, well, Andy Coughlan has come up with Scribomatic, which is equally as nifty but he’s kept it pretty quiet, so maybe I shouldn’t mention it. Oops, too late.
And brownie points go to Paul Campbell for being the first person to spot that the UK Film Council have launched their new ’25 Words or Less Scheme’ (a couple of weeks ago now). They’ve shaken up the format a bit, and the three genres you can pitch for are Low-Fi (low budget sci-fi), Mistaken Identity Comedy and Teen Hitchcock. Deadline is 13th July 07, so get cracking.
Some bloggers have already reported about this site, Hollywood Screenplays, which lists "Screenplays Wanted" ads posted by movie producers. Might be worth a punt, or it could be a complete waste of time, your call.
Anything else? Don’t think so. How about a few questions to round up the round up? Schweeeet. Thanks for all the emails/questions. Keep ‘em coming as it helps to generate posts when the blogging muse might not be around.
“I wondered if it was feasible to get work experience in assisting a reader - that is, to get unofficial experience as a reader, or if you felt that I would get as much experience by reading through produced scripts on the script-o-rama website.”
Not really. A reader’s life isn’t glamorous at all and much as he’d like to offload the scripts to a third person, that simply is never going to happen. YOU CAN get jobs assisting a WRITER. That would be much better, and possibly less difficult than you would imagine. Write to your favourite screenwriters/authors, whatever, and ask them for work experience or feedback or an interview. As for reading, you will get as much experience by reading produced or unproduced scripts on Script-O-Rama, and the like, but only if you write a full report as well.
When did you know that writing scripts was your call?
Oo-er. Personal recollection time. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a stuntman, and then an actor, and then a director. However, when I realised someone actually wrote a screenplay, I was completely smitten with this part of the process. A defining moment came when I had read the book ‘Magic’ by William Goldman and I sat down eagerly to watch the film on TV, with the book on my lap so I could read and watch at the same time. To my surprise, the film was ‘like’ the book but it didn’t follow the same narrative. That’s when I became more aware of what a screenwriter did. When I gradually got some TV and film work, and became more exposed to scripts, I knew that I wanted to achieve a career as a scriptwriter more than anything else.
How did you manage to survive before you started living off of your passion?
I don’t. Or I do. Just about. I figured if I could earn some beans in the same area as ‘scriptwriting’ then I’d be doing okay, instead of taking on a job that would distract me from what I wanted to achieve. So I’ve been a full-time reader for the last seven years, which has helped my writing enormously, but I wouldn’t recommend the frugal lifestyle. Writing gigs have picked up in the last couple of years but it’s still a daily grind to maintain any kind of steady income. It can be completely soul destroying at times but when you’ve got a commission, and there’s money in the bank, and you’re writing a script, then it’s like walking on air.
There are a few interesting things happening at the moment, so I thought it would be a good idea to round them up.
Tom Green over at the Writers’ Guild blog has flagged up an interesting Channel 4 event called ‘4 Days in June’ where the channel opens its doors and commissioning editors to the public for questions and insights. It sounds good. Check out the programme, here, and register etc.
A new, free UK forum has started up as well, and that looks useful. For those in Ireland, if you haven’t checked out the Filmmakers’ Network, you really are missing out.
And if you thought the Scribosphere website was a good idea, well, Andy Coughlan has come up with Scribomatic, which is equally as nifty but he’s kept it pretty quiet, so maybe I shouldn’t mention it. Oops, too late.
And brownie points go to Paul Campbell for being the first person to spot that the UK Film Council have launched their new ’25 Words or Less Scheme’ (a couple of weeks ago now). They’ve shaken up the format a bit, and the three genres you can pitch for are Low-Fi (low budget sci-fi), Mistaken Identity Comedy and Teen Hitchcock. Deadline is 13th July 07, so get cracking.
Some bloggers have already reported about this site, Hollywood Screenplays, which lists "Screenplays Wanted" ads posted by movie producers. Might be worth a punt, or it could be a complete waste of time, your call.
Anything else? Don’t think so. How about a few questions to round up the round up? Schweeeet. Thanks for all the emails/questions. Keep ‘em coming as it helps to generate posts when the blogging muse might not be around.
“I wondered if it was feasible to get work experience in assisting a reader - that is, to get unofficial experience as a reader, or if you felt that I would get as much experience by reading through produced scripts on the script-o-rama website.”
Not really. A reader’s life isn’t glamorous at all and much as he’d like to offload the scripts to a third person, that simply is never going to happen. YOU CAN get jobs assisting a WRITER. That would be much better, and possibly less difficult than you would imagine. Write to your favourite screenwriters/authors, whatever, and ask them for work experience or feedback or an interview. As for reading, you will get as much experience by reading produced or unproduced scripts on Script-O-Rama, and the like, but only if you write a full report as well.
When did you know that writing scripts was your call?
Oo-er. Personal recollection time. When I was a kid, I wanted to be a stuntman, and then an actor, and then a director. However, when I realised someone actually wrote a screenplay, I was completely smitten with this part of the process. A defining moment came when I had read the book ‘Magic’ by William Goldman and I sat down eagerly to watch the film on TV, with the book on my lap so I could read and watch at the same time. To my surprise, the film was ‘like’ the book but it didn’t follow the same narrative. That’s when I became more aware of what a screenwriter did. When I gradually got some TV and film work, and became more exposed to scripts, I knew that I wanted to achieve a career as a scriptwriter more than anything else.
How did you manage to survive before you started living off of your passion?
I don’t. Or I do. Just about. I figured if I could earn some beans in the same area as ‘scriptwriting’ then I’d be doing okay, instead of taking on a job that would distract me from what I wanted to achieve. So I’ve been a full-time reader for the last seven years, which has helped my writing enormously, but I wouldn’t recommend the frugal lifestyle. Writing gigs have picked up in the last couple of years but it’s still a daily grind to maintain any kind of steady income. It can be completely soul destroying at times but when you’ve got a commission, and there’s money in the bank, and you’re writing a script, then it’s like walking on air.
Selasa, 15 Mei 2007
Series/Serial Sample
Do readers frown on scripts for serials? They probably won't know they've read one until it's too late, but are they effective ways of grabbing interest, or just viewed as lazy? Do you have any advice in this area? I hope the answer isn't to avoid serialized stories because it's clearly a style that's popular right now thanks to 24, Lost, Heroes, Prison Break, et al.
In most cases, unknown writers who write a sample script for their new drama have probably written an episode for a serial rather than a series. This is where the distinction between ‘series’ and ‘serial’ is important.
A drama series is a show that can generate new and interesting story lines around the series’ premise and characters for however long is required. These are often referred to as ‘returning drama series’, where they can run for pretty much forever.
The way to determine if your idea is a long running drama is to ask yourself: “what happens in episode 4? what happens in episode 54? what happens in episode 154?” If you’re struggling to come up with an answer beyond series one, you’ve probably got a drama serial on your hands.
A drama serial is usually a concept and story line that will have a definite resolution over a fixed amount of episodes. Shows like State of Play, The State Within and Five Days. They lure the audience in with their interesting premise, usually high concept or grabbing in some shape or form, and twist and turn the plot over a set amount of eps before coming to a satisfying conclusion.
The current trend in successful drama is to take the serial approach to the style of storytelling, but this does not mean that the shows are necessarily drama serials.
For example, Lost, 24, Heroes, and The Wire may appear like novels because of the way they eke out their plot into various chapters but ostensibly, the shows can run forever based on their existing concept and characters.
The serial style of storytelling from episode to episode is just a new and engaging way to keep the audience hooked in a world where multimedia, internet and a host of other distractions compete for our attention.
As a sample script, it’s perfectly fine to present an episode from a serial. What the reader is looking for is the writer’s ability with character, dialogue, structure, and basic storytelling craft.
Most people opt for a one-off feature script as a sample, and that’s fine, while others do occasionally present the pilot episode of an idea they have for a drama series, which is also acceptable.
It doesn’t matter, really. As long as it’s a piece of writing that demonstrates your ability, whether it be an hour/half hour/comedy drama/sitcom, whatever, then the reader’s not going to trouble himself over questions like: “oh hold on, this is a serial script, pah!”
It is worth remembering the distinction between serials and series, though.
Serials tell a story with a definite resolution over a fixed amount of episodes.
In the UK, successful series can have a two or three season run but broadcasters are always on the look out for a valuable returning series that can run as long as possible. Cops and docs like Holby and Casualty usually fit The Bill (ooh, word play!).
Don’t take my word for it, check out some hot tips from John Yorke (has your series got the gang element?) and Ashley Pharoah (what happens in ep 154?) from previous posts.
In most cases, unknown writers who write a sample script for their new drama have probably written an episode for a serial rather than a series. This is where the distinction between ‘series’ and ‘serial’ is important.
A drama series is a show that can generate new and interesting story lines around the series’ premise and characters for however long is required. These are often referred to as ‘returning drama series’, where they can run for pretty much forever.
The way to determine if your idea is a long running drama is to ask yourself: “what happens in episode 4? what happens in episode 54? what happens in episode 154?” If you’re struggling to come up with an answer beyond series one, you’ve probably got a drama serial on your hands.
A drama serial is usually a concept and story line that will have a definite resolution over a fixed amount of episodes. Shows like State of Play, The State Within and Five Days. They lure the audience in with their interesting premise, usually high concept or grabbing in some shape or form, and twist and turn the plot over a set amount of eps before coming to a satisfying conclusion.
The current trend in successful drama is to take the serial approach to the style of storytelling, but this does not mean that the shows are necessarily drama serials.
For example, Lost, 24, Heroes, and The Wire may appear like novels because of the way they eke out their plot into various chapters but ostensibly, the shows can run forever based on their existing concept and characters.
The serial style of storytelling from episode to episode is just a new and engaging way to keep the audience hooked in a world where multimedia, internet and a host of other distractions compete for our attention.
As a sample script, it’s perfectly fine to present an episode from a serial. What the reader is looking for is the writer’s ability with character, dialogue, structure, and basic storytelling craft.
Most people opt for a one-off feature script as a sample, and that’s fine, while others do occasionally present the pilot episode of an idea they have for a drama series, which is also acceptable.
It doesn’t matter, really. As long as it’s a piece of writing that demonstrates your ability, whether it be an hour/half hour/comedy drama/sitcom, whatever, then the reader’s not going to trouble himself over questions like: “oh hold on, this is a serial script, pah!”
It is worth remembering the distinction between serials and series, though.
Serials tell a story with a definite resolution over a fixed amount of episodes.
In the UK, successful series can have a two or three season run but broadcasters are always on the look out for a valuable returning series that can run as long as possible. Cops and docs like Holby and Casualty usually fit The Bill (ooh, word play!).
Don’t take my word for it, check out some hot tips from John Yorke (has your series got the gang element?) and Ashley Pharoah (what happens in ep 154?) from previous posts.
Sabtu, 12 Mei 2007
Reading Realities
Script reading sounds interesting and, hey, even glamorous (maybe??) but what’s it really like, and where can I find the opportunities?
First of all, read THIS if you want to be a script reader, or any of the screenwriting blogs on the sidebar (like Lucy, Lianne, Scott, Fun Joel etc). If you really want to know what it’s like, or simply want to improve your level of writing, then here’s what you do:-
Read ten scripts in a week.
Write a report on each of them that includes a logline, a brief (couple of sentences to sum up your verdict), a full synopsis (1/2 pages) and your critique (1/2 pages).
If you do this, here’s what will happen:
The discipline of reading ten scripts and giving them full and fair assessment will give you an insight into all of the screenwriting advice that is swimming around the scribosphere. “Oh, so that’s what they mean by making the first ten pages interesting…”
You will immediately spot similar techniques, ideas, dialogue and scenes from your own work but now that you’re reading them in someone else’s script, you’ll realise that the techniques are not as good, or original or clever, as you once thought.
A ten script workload is common for a professional reader. It’s tough work. A well-written, properly presented and lean script will go down a treat, even more so if the story doesn’t suck. Realisation: make the script easy to read and the story interesting, engaging and entertaining.
You might be lucky to read a good script in your batch but, ironically, you may be thinking of plonking a PASS on both Writer and Project. The writing will probably impress for its style and characterisation but the story doesn’t really deliver, or it’s not really a film. Realisation: even good scripts, and good writing, can get a Pass. A Consider or Recommend really needs to be good (or - shock! - better than your own work) to merit the nod.
So, are you up for it? Want to read ten scripts in a week and do reports on all of them? It’s easy to pick up ten scripts. All you have to do is visit Trigger Street or Zoetrope and download (you’ll even get reviews on your own work for the effort), or simply tell your writer friends that you’re willing to do a reader’s report on ten of their scripts.
Ten scripts. Not four. Six, or eight. Ten.
You’ll change your view about readers and execs, and maybe even the system, and learn a lot about the process. At the very least, you’ll have sample coverage to show to production companies. That is, if you really want to be a script reader.
First of all, read THIS if you want to be a script reader, or any of the screenwriting blogs on the sidebar (like Lucy, Lianne, Scott, Fun Joel etc). If you really want to know what it’s like, or simply want to improve your level of writing, then here’s what you do:-
Read ten scripts in a week.
Write a report on each of them that includes a logline, a brief (couple of sentences to sum up your verdict), a full synopsis (1/2 pages) and your critique (1/2 pages).
If you do this, here’s what will happen:
The discipline of reading ten scripts and giving them full and fair assessment will give you an insight into all of the screenwriting advice that is swimming around the scribosphere. “Oh, so that’s what they mean by making the first ten pages interesting…”
You will immediately spot similar techniques, ideas, dialogue and scenes from your own work but now that you’re reading them in someone else’s script, you’ll realise that the techniques are not as good, or original or clever, as you once thought.
A ten script workload is common for a professional reader. It’s tough work. A well-written, properly presented and lean script will go down a treat, even more so if the story doesn’t suck. Realisation: make the script easy to read and the story interesting, engaging and entertaining.
You might be lucky to read a good script in your batch but, ironically, you may be thinking of plonking a PASS on both Writer and Project. The writing will probably impress for its style and characterisation but the story doesn’t really deliver, or it’s not really a film. Realisation: even good scripts, and good writing, can get a Pass. A Consider or Recommend really needs to be good (or - shock! - better than your own work) to merit the nod.
So, are you up for it? Want to read ten scripts in a week and do reports on all of them? It’s easy to pick up ten scripts. All you have to do is visit Trigger Street or Zoetrope and download (you’ll even get reviews on your own work for the effort), or simply tell your writer friends that you’re willing to do a reader’s report on ten of their scripts.
Ten scripts. Not four. Six, or eight. Ten.
You’ll change your view about readers and execs, and maybe even the system, and learn a lot about the process. At the very least, you’ll have sample coverage to show to production companies. That is, if you really want to be a script reader.
Rabu, 09 Mei 2007
UK/US Agent?
If based in Irl/UK but you want to write for the US market, is it better to go for a US agent or is this a complete waste of time? I've heard it mentioned that US agents won't want to take on many foreign writers for the simple fact that they're less likely to be available for meetings and the like. Any thoughts?
---
There seems to be a common misconception that writers who want to bypass the UK in favour of the US market will be able to ‘break in’ and get an agent, even though they live five thousand miles away, or that the US market will recognise their talent while UK execs will continue to ignore their brilliance.
To make it in the fiercely competitive US film and TV market, the writing is going to have to be exceptionally good genre fare, or at the very least, the writer will have established himself in some shape and form in this country. Alternatively, a trip to Cannes is needed in order to schmooze some American contacts, and hope that something might pay off somewhere down the line.
As a complete unknown in the UK, the chances of getting a US agent are practically ‘nil’. If your heart burns to write for the US market, then the best thing to do is to hightail it to Hollywood and take your chances. There’s little or no point sitting in your office in Tralee or your bedsit in Hackney, and think that you can make the big Hollywood sale, or write an episode of Heroes. It can be done by winning an international screenwriting competition, or with an incredible script (or unbelievable luck) but for the most of us, it just ain’t gonna happen.
“Good material is good material”. The UK film and TV market is starved for quality fare in all genres. It wants your good scripts. It doesn’t want to ignore potential hits or keep talent restricted so that the existing pool of writers can take all the glory. No, sirree, Bob. If you have a script that you’ve written specifically for the US market, the chances are that an UK agent or production company will want it for themselves.
American films or co-productions are being made in this country all the time. Working Title, Pathé, UK Film Council, and a host of other high profile production companies are based in London, and they want your genre scripts that will blaze a trail at the UK and American box office. In fact, the more likely it’s going to be a hit in the America, the more likely it’s going to get made.
However, let’s assume that you’re a writer in this country. You have a UK agent, and you’ve had a hit TV show that’s won a Bafta, or your debut feature has been box office number one for the last couple of weeks. The chances are that Hollywood is going to come knocking, and if it does, then an American agent will want to represent you. In this instance, it’s quite common for the writers to have split representation - one for the UK and one for the US - and a happy coexistence is achieved.
But this applies to the hot new talent, the big players or the high end of the industry. If you’re still grunting out scripts at nights and at the weekends while maintaining your day job, but dream of this kind of opportunity, then you’re going to have to try to get noticed. Make an impact. Get nominated or win a Bafta for a short film (American companies will say ‘hello’). Or be part of a popular TV show, and that experience may give you the chance to create your own series, which in turn opens up a whole new avenue of opportunities and contacts.
It’s about building your career from the grass roots up to a point where an American agent might have justifiable reasons to be interested in representing you. It’s not about jumping the queue and getting a break just because you think you’ve written a script that you think is better than Lethal Weapon 4 (it won’t be).
So, be prepared to do the hard slog. Focus on the American market if you want, but you should really be living there if that is the case. International success and representation can be achieved by living on this little island, you just have to put in the work and come up with the goods.
---
There seems to be a common misconception that writers who want to bypass the UK in favour of the US market will be able to ‘break in’ and get an agent, even though they live five thousand miles away, or that the US market will recognise their talent while UK execs will continue to ignore their brilliance.
To make it in the fiercely competitive US film and TV market, the writing is going to have to be exceptionally good genre fare, or at the very least, the writer will have established himself in some shape and form in this country. Alternatively, a trip to Cannes is needed in order to schmooze some American contacts, and hope that something might pay off somewhere down the line.
As a complete unknown in the UK, the chances of getting a US agent are practically ‘nil’. If your heart burns to write for the US market, then the best thing to do is to hightail it to Hollywood and take your chances. There’s little or no point sitting in your office in Tralee or your bedsit in Hackney, and think that you can make the big Hollywood sale, or write an episode of Heroes. It can be done by winning an international screenwriting competition, or with an incredible script (or unbelievable luck) but for the most of us, it just ain’t gonna happen.
“Good material is good material”. The UK film and TV market is starved for quality fare in all genres. It wants your good scripts. It doesn’t want to ignore potential hits or keep talent restricted so that the existing pool of writers can take all the glory. No, sirree, Bob. If you have a script that you’ve written specifically for the US market, the chances are that an UK agent or production company will want it for themselves.
American films or co-productions are being made in this country all the time. Working Title, Pathé, UK Film Council, and a host of other high profile production companies are based in London, and they want your genre scripts that will blaze a trail at the UK and American box office. In fact, the more likely it’s going to be a hit in the America, the more likely it’s going to get made.
However, let’s assume that you’re a writer in this country. You have a UK agent, and you’ve had a hit TV show that’s won a Bafta, or your debut feature has been box office number one for the last couple of weeks. The chances are that Hollywood is going to come knocking, and if it does, then an American agent will want to represent you. In this instance, it’s quite common for the writers to have split representation - one for the UK and one for the US - and a happy coexistence is achieved.
But this applies to the hot new talent, the big players or the high end of the industry. If you’re still grunting out scripts at nights and at the weekends while maintaining your day job, but dream of this kind of opportunity, then you’re going to have to try to get noticed. Make an impact. Get nominated or win a Bafta for a short film (American companies will say ‘hello’). Or be part of a popular TV show, and that experience may give you the chance to create your own series, which in turn opens up a whole new avenue of opportunities and contacts.
It’s about building your career from the grass roots up to a point where an American agent might have justifiable reasons to be interested in representing you. It’s not about jumping the queue and getting a break just because you think you’ve written a script that you think is better than Lethal Weapon 4 (it won’t be).
So, be prepared to do the hard slog. Focus on the American market if you want, but you should really be living there if that is the case. International success and representation can be achieved by living on this little island, you just have to put in the work and come up with the goods.
Jumat, 04 Mei 2007
Format Follow Up
A couple of questions emerged from the recent discussion about format. If you’d like to know whether it’s okay to finish a scene with dialogue, or to start a scene with dialogue instead of description, then check out the comments section of the post.
Robert, a regular reader, then emailed to ask about the use of FREEZE FRAME in a screenplay: “I’ve read that it’s a director’s instruction and shouldn’t be used by the writer in his spec script. This is the scene from my screenplay where I need to use it. Fred isn’t present in the first scene, but he speaks, and we then cut to his scene.
---
Derek steps into the room. He’s wearing a wedding dress, and is clutching a bouquet of plastic flowers.
DEREK
You sure Jack won’t be back today? Maybe we shouldn’t—
FRED (VO)
Wait - who was wearing the wedding dress?
FREEZE FRAME
EXT. DARK STREET – NIGHT
Derek and Fred are walking through an abandoned street. Each of the men is carrying a pair of handcuffs.
---
Do you think I am using it correctly, or would something else work better?"
The use of FREEZE FRAME is perfectly fine in a spec screenplay. It would take an extremely sensitive, and perhaps egotistical, director to object to its use in a script. There’s nothing wrong with the example, above, and, more importantly, it doesn’t bring attention to itself. It creates a good transition, and generates some pace and interest. (I would say that Fred's line is probably Off Screen (OS) as Voice Over, to me, is Narration.)
There seems to be a view that scriptwriters should concentrate on writing “the story”, and not employ overly elaborate film techniques within their script. The truth is more to do with how well these techniques are presented, as so often it is difficult to appreciate the intended style because the writer won’t have used the techniques to good effect. Techniques like Freeze Frame, Voice Over, Split Screen, Rewinds, Fast Forwards, Flashbacks, Alter-Ego Narration etc.
As a reader, I LOVE getting a script that is lively and inventive with its style and technique but I HATE it when it’s obvious that the writer’s not very confident, or is over-stylising the piece, or simply doesn’t know what he’s doing. Scripts can sometimes try too hard to entertain and be ‘different’, and this is why flashy techniques have to be used carefully and effectively. It’s all about craft, and an innate understanding of how the techniques work, and where to use them.
Recently, I wrote a spec pilot for a half hour comedy/drama series using this kind of style. I think I wrote it well, and it almost got nabbed by a major broadcaster. Eventually, the exec said that while the techniques were effective in script form, he had reservations about how they might pan out on screen. Still, another producer stepped in and optioned the script, so it’s still got a chance of a commission somewhere down the line…
Basically, though, if you’re going to use techniques such as Freeze Frame, Voice Over etc, then use them consistently, and make them inherent to the style of the story. A lot of scripts will use an occasional Freeze Frame or Voice Over at the start of the story but then will fail to reappear as the script progresses. This is frustrating as it means that the style has no real bearing on the characters or story, it was just a writer’s passing whimsy on one particular scene at the beginning. So, by all means, use Freeze Frames, and the like, but consistency and awareness is the key.
On another note, PotDoll, Robin and 1000 Dollar Film have been talking about short films recently, and how to go about making them. Last year, Mark Kermode gave his top tips for short filmmaking on The Culture Show, and I took a note of what the good doctor said. If you’d like to check it out, follow the link.
Also, keep those questions coming - on any topic! Ta.
Robert, a regular reader, then emailed to ask about the use of FREEZE FRAME in a screenplay: “I’ve read that it’s a director’s instruction and shouldn’t be used by the writer in his spec script. This is the scene from my screenplay where I need to use it. Fred isn’t present in the first scene, but he speaks, and we then cut to his scene.
---
Derek steps into the room. He’s wearing a wedding dress, and is clutching a bouquet of plastic flowers.
DEREK
You sure Jack won’t be back today? Maybe we shouldn’t—
FRED (VO)
Wait - who was wearing the wedding dress?
FREEZE FRAME
EXT. DARK STREET – NIGHT
Derek and Fred are walking through an abandoned street. Each of the men is carrying a pair of handcuffs.
---
Do you think I am using it correctly, or would something else work better?"
The use of FREEZE FRAME is perfectly fine in a spec screenplay. It would take an extremely sensitive, and perhaps egotistical, director to object to its use in a script. There’s nothing wrong with the example, above, and, more importantly, it doesn’t bring attention to itself. It creates a good transition, and generates some pace and interest. (I would say that Fred's line is probably Off Screen (OS) as Voice Over, to me, is Narration.)
There seems to be a view that scriptwriters should concentrate on writing “the story”, and not employ overly elaborate film techniques within their script. The truth is more to do with how well these techniques are presented, as so often it is difficult to appreciate the intended style because the writer won’t have used the techniques to good effect. Techniques like Freeze Frame, Voice Over, Split Screen, Rewinds, Fast Forwards, Flashbacks, Alter-Ego Narration etc.
As a reader, I LOVE getting a script that is lively and inventive with its style and technique but I HATE it when it’s obvious that the writer’s not very confident, or is over-stylising the piece, or simply doesn’t know what he’s doing. Scripts can sometimes try too hard to entertain and be ‘different’, and this is why flashy techniques have to be used carefully and effectively. It’s all about craft, and an innate understanding of how the techniques work, and where to use them.
Recently, I wrote a spec pilot for a half hour comedy/drama series using this kind of style. I think I wrote it well, and it almost got nabbed by a major broadcaster. Eventually, the exec said that while the techniques were effective in script form, he had reservations about how they might pan out on screen. Still, another producer stepped in and optioned the script, so it’s still got a chance of a commission somewhere down the line…
Basically, though, if you’re going to use techniques such as Freeze Frame, Voice Over etc, then use them consistently, and make them inherent to the style of the story. A lot of scripts will use an occasional Freeze Frame or Voice Over at the start of the story but then will fail to reappear as the script progresses. This is frustrating as it means that the style has no real bearing on the characters or story, it was just a writer’s passing whimsy on one particular scene at the beginning. So, by all means, use Freeze Frames, and the like, but consistency and awareness is the key.
On another note, PotDoll, Robin and 1000 Dollar Film have been talking about short films recently, and how to go about making them. Last year, Mark Kermode gave his top tips for short filmmaking on The Culture Show, and I took a note of what the good doctor said. If you’d like to check it out, follow the link.
Also, keep those questions coming - on any topic! Ta.
Rabu, 02 Mei 2007
Development Talk
There's going to be a Development Talk at the Lighthouse in Brighton next week. Thanks to Screenplay Europe for the heads up.
"An evening of questions and answers with two of the most respected script executives in the country Dan MacRae and Sarah Golding. Don't think about writing another script until you've heard what they have to say.
Dan was formerly Deputy Head of the Development Fund at the UK Film Council and an Executive at Working Title. His credits include RED ROAD and the forthcoming ATONEMENT.
Sarah is currently Head of Development for Potboiler Productions and was previously Head of Development for Skreba Films, Development Manager at Zenith Productions and Script Consultant for Yorkshire Television and Fair Game Films. Her credits include THE CONSTANT GARDENER, DEEP WATER, BROTHERS OF THE HEAD and the forthcoming THE BEST TIME OF OUR LIVES".
Date: Wednesday 9th May
Time: Doors and bar open at 6.30pm, event from 7.30pm
Venue: Lighthouse, 28 Kensington Street, Brighton, BN1 4AJ
Cost: £5/£4 concs Lighthouse’s Digital Lounge. Spaces are limited. Reservations at info@lighthouse.org.uk."
Last year, I shared my flight home from Cannes with Dan MacRae. Sound man. And Potboiler are a good outfit, so it should be an interesting evening.
And, I'll do it quick, I promise. Five goals:-
Lose Some Weight
About half a stone would be fine. Strengthen my sagging stomach a bit. Help my back. Been out of the pool and the gym for a while.
Make Another Short
Alternatively, raise £100k and make a low budget feature. Why bloody not.
Big Commission
Get one of my TV series commissioned. Like, it could happen. We're *that* close.
New Initiative
Set up an exciting opportunity for new writers. Watch this space.
Finish Building My Time Machine
Then, go back in time to when I was 10, but with all my current knowledge (hey, my machine, my rules), and put everything into becoming a professional footballer. Finish my playing days at the age of 35 (which include 100 international caps, maybe captain? and a World Cup with Ireland) and pick up on my career as a screenwriter. Like, it could happen. Now, where’s my Phillips head screwdriver?
"An evening of questions and answers with two of the most respected script executives in the country Dan MacRae and Sarah Golding. Don't think about writing another script until you've heard what they have to say.
Dan was formerly Deputy Head of the Development Fund at the UK Film Council and an Executive at Working Title. His credits include RED ROAD and the forthcoming ATONEMENT.
Sarah is currently Head of Development for Potboiler Productions and was previously Head of Development for Skreba Films, Development Manager at Zenith Productions and Script Consultant for Yorkshire Television and Fair Game Films. Her credits include THE CONSTANT GARDENER, DEEP WATER, BROTHERS OF THE HEAD and the forthcoming THE BEST TIME OF OUR LIVES".
Date: Wednesday 9th May
Time: Doors and bar open at 6.30pm, event from 7.30pm
Venue: Lighthouse, 28 Kensington Street, Brighton, BN1 4AJ
Cost: £5/£4 concs Lighthouse’s Digital Lounge. Spaces are limited. Reservations at info@lighthouse.org.uk."
Last year, I shared my flight home from Cannes with Dan MacRae. Sound man. And Potboiler are a good outfit, so it should be an interesting evening.
And, I'll do it quick, I promise. Five goals:-
Lose Some Weight
About half a stone would be fine. Strengthen my sagging stomach a bit. Help my back. Been out of the pool and the gym for a while.
Make Another Short
Alternatively, raise £100k and make a low budget feature. Why bloody not.
Big Commission
Get one of my TV series commissioned. Like, it could happen. We're *that* close.
New Initiative
Set up an exciting opportunity for new writers. Watch this space.
Finish Building My Time Machine
Then, go back in time to when I was 10, but with all my current knowledge (hey, my machine, my rules), and put everything into becoming a professional footballer. Finish my playing days at the age of 35 (which include 100 international caps, maybe captain? and a World Cup with Ireland) and pick up on my career as a screenwriter. Like, it could happen. Now, where’s my Phillips head screwdriver?
Langganan:
Postingan (Atom)