Talking the Talks

Recently, in amongst my usual routine of reading & writing (and the odd bit of directing), I've been doing a fair few talks and workshops. It's always nice to be asked to do these types of sessions. They're usually a lot of fun and I like the interaction. Mine tend to be a mixture of studying industry standards and expectations combined with insights of my own experiences or my own take on a well-known topic.

The year kicked off with Prequel to Cannes where I did TWO workshops: Taking on the Role of Writer/Director & How To Write for TV. These were nicely contained workshops in the Lighthouse Poole cinema (my favourite venue). During the lunch break, I spectacularly fell off the stage onto the seats. OUCH! Luckily, no-one was there to witness the foolish fall. Although, if I had done myself a proper injury, I would have been waiting a good hour for anyone to find me! *Embarrassed* Later, I suitably recovered to take the stage again as I was part of a panel about going to Cannes (alongside local legends Suki Singh, Tim Clague and Alice D Cooper).

A few weeks ago, I went to the Isle of Man to do a short film workshop for Mannin Shorts (huge thanks to Poker Stars, who sponsored the event). Mannin Shorts is run by two creative powerhouses in the shape of Dave Armstrong & Christy DeHaven. Dave has written & directed Ghostgirl, an impressive short film, alongside his many other activities. Christy's a singer/songwriter/DOP/photographer who can probably add any creative skill you care to mention to her long list of interests. I met them for the first time over the weekend but it was like meeting old friends, and they took good care of me, showing me the best of Manx hospitality. During the short film workshop, I went through the history of short films (how/why they started) right through to the present day, and why they're still important. Here's one of the very first short films ever made!

For more details and insights from the course, including various soundbites from yours truly, then the Mannin Shorts blog is the place to go.

During St Patrick's Day weekend, the Southern Script Festival opened its doors again to student screenwriters and anyone else interested in Courier Pt 12 shenanigans. Here, me and Tim were invited to run a talk on 'Writers Who Want to Direct'. We compiled 10 tips on this topic, which Tim then put in a fancy prezi-tation, which you can watch here. Basically, though, the top 10 tips break down as follows:

VISUALS
1. You're a screenwriter, you already have vision!
2. Visual grammar. From wide shots to close ups, get to know the ABCs of filmmaking.
3. Watch out for 'The Writer's Disease' (filming 'he said, she said').
STAGES
4. Know the production stages.
5. Shooting/editing cycle.
6. The edit is the final draft of the script.
WORKING AS A TEAM
7. Casting - what can an actor bring?
8. Sound - the forgotten art.
9. Letting go.
FINALLY
10. Forget everything, and just do it.

We rounded up the festival with an interview with horror guru James Moran for the UK Scriptwriters Podcast. Catch some of that audio action here.

I also did a few talks in a variety of schools (from unruly teens to uni students to animators) talking about working in the media, and what to expect, as well as listening to pitches. There's an amusing irony at play when you break down the practicalities of what it's like working in the biz. It always sounds like grueling work, faced with impossible hurdles and constant rejections, yet by the end of the talk, everyone's usually inspired or determined to make it happen, no matter what! It's the gift and curse of being a creative: knowing that it's going to be endlessly difficult but that there'll always be that inner-voice that keeps pushing you on, and on, and on... until you fall off a cinema stage when no-one's around!

UK Scriptwriters Podcast: James Moran

In this month's nearly award-winning podcast, we sit down with James Moran and chat about his career, the difference between writing for TV & film, and he reveals his top tips for writing horror. CHECKIT!

Email us at ukscriptwriters@hotmail.com
Find us on Facebook (links, vids & extras)
Follow us on Twitter
This blog has its own Facebook page HERE (news, updates, opportunities)
ScriptwritingUK on Twitter

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

The Wall Street Journal Features Albemarle County's Georgetown Farm: Listed at $17M in 2009, Now Asking $10.3M

It's a tough market everywhere for multi-million dollar properties, and while Charlottesville calls itself "A World-Class City," obviously we're not NYC (or even DC) and Albemarle County is not the pastoral equivalent of, say, The Hamptons.

Back in the good 'ole days, though, high-end properties traded faster and at more $$$.  Even in 2008, post-bubble but before the September collapse into The

February 2012: Charlottesville Area Median Price For Single Family Homes Drops -32% Since 2010

Although there's been some chat about contracts rising, hard data shows that January 2012 completed sales stank.  Now the February Nest Realty Group report shows that for the Greater Charlottesville Area in February, completed sales rose because prices have declined; for the single family home, it's -32%, and for condos/townhouses, it's -14% since 2010.  That year, of course, was the height of

European Podcast Award: Results!

A little while ago, you may remember me mention that the UK Scriptwriters podcast was nominated for a European Podcast Award in their 'Personality' section. Well, the results are just in, and we came 2nd in the UK! Wowza!

** UPDATE ** We came 5th in Europe Personality overall. Double wowza! **


Thanks so much for all your votes, and for everyone's continued support of the podcast. We love doing it, so it's great to know there's an appreciative audience out there. The next podcast is being recorded live this weekend at the Southern Script Festival where me, Tim, and a whole host of screenwriting glitterati will be celebrating St Patrick's Day by watching Ireland beat the English in the rugby. Yeah, WHO'S WITH ME?!

For confirmation on the UK Scriptwriters result, we're featured at 8:17 in the below vid. Thanks to the European Podcast Award for the nomination & result. We're well chuffed!

Once Again, Virginia Makes List of States Drowning in Negative Equity--Owing More Than House Is Worth

With Charlottesville's average prices dropping much faster than the national pace-- -29% v. -4%,--it's no wonder.  Though you wouldn't know anything about declining "home values" based on Tax Assessments.  Underwater details from Business Insider.  C'ville Bubble Blog post from November 2011.  This is an ongoing, significant problem for Charlottesville Albemarle sellers.

Cara Mengaktifkan Fungsi Hibernate Pada Windows 7 dan Vista

Di Windows XP Mengaktifkan Hibernate Option sangatlah mudah, Tapi pada windows 7 dan vista agak memiliki cara yang lebih sulit

Jika Anda tidak menyadari fitur Hibernate, Hibernation adalah negara hemat daya yang dirancang terutama untuk laptop. Sementara tidur menempatkan pekerjaan Anda dan pengaturan dalam memori dan menarik sejumlah kecil daya, hibernasi menempatkan membuka dokumen dan program

Property Tax Assessments As Fantasy Valuation: "The Hook" Confirms Charlottesville Doesn't Include Short Sales and Foreclosures in Its Calculations

How's the Charlottesville real estate market?  As we just noted, prices here are declining much more than in Cities tracked by the most widely-watched national index.  Many owners are drowning in negative equity or effective negative equity.  But you wouldn't know it from the tax assessments.

We've posted about why assessments mean so little to buyers (see also this) and have opined about it for

Local v. National: Charlottesville Area Home Prices Decline Much More Than Cities Tracked By Case-Shiller Index

Good news for buyers.

Average Price Declines - Single Family (Detached) Houses

Case-Shiller Home Price Index
Standard and Poor's  national composite, the "leading measure of U.S. Home prices," fell by
  -4.0%  Q4 2011 over 2010
  -3.8% Q4 2011 over Q3 2011

City of Charlottesville
  -29.0% Q4 2011 over 2010
  -10.6% Q4 2011 over Q3 2011

Albemarle County
  -18.8%  Q4 2011 over 2010
  +2.5% Q4

Chart: All the Housing "Recovery" Government Intervention Did Not Buy

The chart, below, comes from The "Housing Recovery" In One Index.  The chart's publication is coincident with the National Foreclosure Fraud Settlement, which will ultimately have little impact on housing.  See also Robert Shiller's A Bottom?  What Are They Thinking?  And Robert Reich lays out the crush housing is having on the middle class.

All of this is coincident with the release of the

The End of An Era: Good-Bye Home Sweet Home As Asset or Investment

Former Labor Secretary Robert Reich lays out the drag on "recovery" that is the housing sector, and how it impacts the dwindling Middle Class in America.  His analysis appears at the same time that the Case Shiller Home Price Index reports new post-bubble low prices and the 8th consecutive month of home price declines.