Just had an e mail saying I've won one of the Mslexia 2009 Writer's Diaries. I entered a comp on their website some time ago. Can't even remember what I had to do to enter, but I probably had to answer a question of some sort.
Anyway, am looking forward to receiving it. By all accounts they're supposed to be very nice.
Monday 29 December 2008
Sunday 28 December 2008
Pitching....
On Tuesday, I'm attending the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award Masterclass at the BBC in Manchester. I have to be there for 1.30 p.m. where Charlotte Riches will meet us.
We don't need to take any work, but we're welcome to pitch an idea! I have an idea, but have no idea about pitching. Also, my idea is the one that will be going into the Alfred Bradley comp, so....
Actually, I do have another idea for a series, but haven't developed it at all, so I wonder if there's enough there to pitch.
I can't imagine pitching in front of an audience (at the moment, anyway) and that's what might happen with it being a Masterclass. I doubt we'll get one to one pitching time.
Hmmm, let's just see what happens.
We don't need to take any work, but we're welcome to pitch an idea! I have an idea, but have no idea about pitching. Also, my idea is the one that will be going into the Alfred Bradley comp, so....
Actually, I do have another idea for a series, but haven't developed it at all, so I wonder if there's enough there to pitch.
I can't imagine pitching in front of an audience (at the moment, anyway) and that's what might happen with it being a Masterclass. I doubt we'll get one to one pitching time.
Hmmm, let's just see what happens.
Saturday 27 December 2008
Right, Time To Get On And Write
I've had a few days rest. I love this in-between time, Christmas and New Year, because it's a quiet time, one to reflect and think about the drama swishing around my head.
I do want to get a lot of writing done over the next couple of days, and I aim to finish the first draft of the radio script for the Alfred Bradley Bursay Award by the end of this week.
My radio play has quite a dramatic start, setting the scene for the whole of the play. That is to say, the beginning, although only a couple of minutes in length, determines what happens throughout. I then cut to the family home, where the consequences of what happens at the beginning are revealed through dialogue and sound.
I'm excited about it because I think it's quite an original idea, and again, it's a bit of a black comedy, more drama than comedy, but there is a sprinkling thrown in.
More updates through the weekend and next week.
I do want to get a lot of writing done over the next couple of days, and I aim to finish the first draft of the radio script for the Alfred Bradley Bursay Award by the end of this week.
My radio play has quite a dramatic start, setting the scene for the whole of the play. That is to say, the beginning, although only a couple of minutes in length, determines what happens throughout. I then cut to the family home, where the consequences of what happens at the beginning are revealed through dialogue and sound.
I'm excited about it because I think it's quite an original idea, and again, it's a bit of a black comedy, more drama than comedy, but there is a sprinkling thrown in.
More updates through the weekend and next week.
Tuesday 23 December 2008
HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!
For all who see this message:
WISHING YOU A VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND A HOPEFUL AND WRITERLY NEW YEAR 2009!!
Monday 22 December 2008
Sunday 21 December 2008
Sunday 14 December 2008
Inside Publishing
From Writers' and Artists' Yearbook: Neil Gaiman chats about writing. PLUS past interviews with other writers.
NEIL GAIMAN link
NEIL GAIMAN link
Saturday 13 December 2008
More Scriptwriting Stuff From The BBC
Film Network link
Scroll down to near the bottom for this:
A great resource available to filmmakers is the monthly Rocliffe New Writing Forum. Run by Rocliffe Production company, the forum is a networking event whereby three selected script extracts of 7-8 minutes in length is rehearsed by professional actors and directors (cast by the in-house casting directors). A great way to receive effective and honest feedback on your script.
You can submit short scripts here:
Rockliffe link
Scroll down to near the bottom for this:
A great resource available to filmmakers is the monthly Rocliffe New Writing Forum. Run by Rocliffe Production company, the forum is a networking event whereby three selected script extracts of 7-8 minutes in length is rehearsed by professional actors and directors (cast by the in-house casting directors). A great way to receive effective and honest feedback on your script.
You can submit short scripts here:
Rockliffe link
Friday 12 December 2008
Screenwriting Goldmine - Writing For David Milch on HBO's Deadwood
LINK
Ever had a dream like this? You send in a few pages of your script to your favorite TV show. Within hours you get a call- they like it. No, they LOVE it! Within hours they fly you out there. Put you in a hotel. Hire you to start work on the show. You get to work on two series, hang out on set all the time, get to work with David Milch (Deadwood and NYPD Blue) on a daily basis - and suddenly the people who matter are queuing up to read your movie script. This interview is with Bryan McDonald. That 'dream' was his reality. Listen as he tells you how he did it...
Listen out for the brilliantly unexpected way he got his first break!
Ever had a dream like this? You send in a few pages of your script to your favorite TV show. Within hours you get a call- they like it. No, they LOVE it! Within hours they fly you out there. Put you in a hotel. Hire you to start work on the show. You get to work on two series, hang out on set all the time, get to work with David Milch (Deadwood and NYPD Blue) on a daily basis - and suddenly the people who matter are queuing up to read your movie script. This interview is with Bryan McDonald. That 'dream' was his reality. Listen as he tells you how he did it...
Listen out for the brilliantly unexpected way he got his first break!
The Surgery is Open
For all you scriptwriters playwrights, dramatists...blah...blah...
Q & A With Michael Jacob: Yaaaaaaaaaahooooooo!
LINK HERE:
MICHAEL JACOB SURGERY LINK
Q & A With Michael Jacob: Yaaaaaaaaaahooooooo!
LINK HERE:
MICHAEL JACOB SURGERY LINK
Wednesday 10 December 2008
I'm In On The Alfred Bradley Masterclass
Great news! Had a confirmation e mail today, that I'm in on the masterclass. We can pitch ideas, too. Urgh! Argh! Eeek! Never pitched in my life before, but I'll be doing some delving to find out tips on pitching, because I'm determined to have a go.
Saturday 6 December 2008
New Script
I wrote a sketch a few weeks ago and sent it in to Recorded For Training Purposes, which features sketches about communication. These sketches have been aired on BBC Radio 4 in the past, and will start up again soon. If they like what you've done, they could produce it. Haven't heard anything yet, but it only closed on 17th November.
My next script was a radio play I took along to the BBC Writersroom Roadshow a few weeks ago. I's called 'A quarter Of Iris' (formerly known as Uncovered). I was really, AM really excited about this one, and hope that it's picked up by the readers there. Optimism is my middle name, don't you know!
Another radio play I am working on is called (at the moment) 'Jesus Wants me For a Sunbeam'. I'm going to enter this into the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award comp, with fingers and toes and everything else crossed, because what you get from winning that comp is excellent. See under SCRIPTS.
At the moment, I've written the bones of it, and put quite a bit of flesh on it, but the idea and the themes are still germinating around my head, so I just keep adding to it.
My next script was a radio play I took along to the BBC Writersroom Roadshow a few weeks ago. I's called 'A quarter Of Iris' (formerly known as Uncovered). I was really, AM really excited about this one, and hope that it's picked up by the readers there. Optimism is my middle name, don't you know!
Another radio play I am working on is called (at the moment) 'Jesus Wants me For a Sunbeam'. I'm going to enter this into the Alfred Bradley Bursary Award comp, with fingers and toes and everything else crossed, because what you get from winning that comp is excellent. See under SCRIPTS.
At the moment, I've written the bones of it, and put quite a bit of flesh on it, but the idea and the themes are still germinating around my head, so I just keep adding to it.
ALFRED BRADLEY BURSARY AWARD WORKSHOPS
Now this is a competition worth entering:
Bursary Award Link
The BBC are also holding masterclasses around the North:
Masterclass Link
I've got my name down for the Manchester Masterclass. The Newcastle one has already been held, and the few people that have commented on the BBC Blog, have said that they're well worth it.
You can win a bursary of up to £5,000, have your work produced on BBC Radio 4, secure a six month mentorship with a radio drama producer and have the opportunity to develop future commissions.
All I can say to that is WOW!
Bursary Award Link
The BBC are also holding masterclasses around the North:
Masterclass Link
I've got my name down for the Manchester Masterclass. The Newcastle one has already been held, and the few people that have commented on the BBC Blog, have said that they're well worth it.
You can win a bursary of up to £5,000, have your work produced on BBC Radio 4, secure a six month mentorship with a radio drama producer and have the opportunity to develop future commissions.
All I can say to that is WOW!
Industry News
Link To The Script Factory
I was reading over at The Script Factory about script writing training - what is it good for? Lucy Scher argues that screenwriting training that prioritises individual creativity, and doesn't focus on craft is likely to be popular - but isn't likely to produce good screenwriters.
I do agree with the above, in the respect that I think it's probably best to already have found your voice, to have written a lot before you learn the mechanics of screen/play/radio structure, or it would seem like a battle between how or what to write and in which format to put it all.
I was reading over at The Script Factory about script writing training - what is it good for? Lucy Scher argues that screenwriting training that prioritises individual creativity, and doesn't focus on craft is likely to be popular - but isn't likely to produce good screenwriters.
I do agree with the above, in the respect that I think it's probably best to already have found your voice, to have written a lot before you learn the mechanics of screen/play/radio structure, or it would seem like a battle between how or what to write and in which format to put it all.
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