What will emerge as the TV drama sensations of the future? Will we be seeing more bodice-ripping costume dramas, gritty contemporary box sets and adventures of avatars? Or will there be more of a move towards psychological thrillers and cosy little domestic dramas, with a twist?
Nobody can say for sure - not even the commissioning editors who will be responsible, because right now they're still script editors, working their way up the media ladder. But one thing we do know is that, whatever treats are in store for our screens in 3-4 years time, each future hit TV drama series probably already exists somewhere - as a twinkle in a writer's eye. (It took Matthew Weiner over six years to get Mad Men to the screen. It was worth the wait. He currently says of his next project: "I think I'm about five or six months pregnant.") The Next Big Idea The germ of an idea - the inspiration - can come from anywhere: a snatched snippet of conversation, an item on the news or in the local paper - perhaps even the sudden realization that a specific personal experience would make for a great TV drama. Ideas can strike at any time, often taking the form of themes, or "visualisations". A writer will sometimes wake in the middle of the night to note down what seems at the time to be a brilliant idea, only to look at that same scribble in the morning and wonder what on earth he was thinking. But sometimes, something just clicks, and it's immediately clear that an idea is worth exploring. So then what? EXPLORE THE TWINKLES IN YOUR OWN EYES ON MY NEXT COURSE (STARTS SUNDAY 4TH OCTOBER) If it's ever going to see the light of day, emerging from the chrysalis as a fully-fledged, commissionable series proposal, an idea for a TV drama series needs to be properly developed. The first thing to do is take it out for a bit of a spin: how would it work? Who would it appeal to? Which channel might commission it, and for which slot? Would it have international appeal? Sometimes, it becomes clear early on that the idea isn't quite as strong as the writer thought it was. Maybe it's too reminiscent of something that's gone before, or would cost too much to make, or there just isn't enough substance in the story to warrant a series. It may be time to think again. Good writers learn to troubleshoot their own ideas and throw out the turkeys quickly, so as not to waste too much time. But when an idea is right, they will absolutely know it. In that case, all the usual troubleshooting questions fall by the wayside during the project's gestation period, as the characters, themes and stories unfold, and the idea grows from strength to strength. New ideas pop up when the writer least expects them; when she didn't even know her subconscious was working so hard on her behalf. The writer may begin to dream about the characters; to wake up in the morning with new stories and ideas literally tumbling out of his head - even when he's not normally a morning person. At moments like these, the writer knows she is really onto something. FIND OUT HOW TO REACH THAT EUREKA MOMENT ON MY NEXT COURSE! But it's still hard to work in isolation. Most writers find it helpful to run their ideas past others during the development process. It's important to know they are on the right track; not deluded or going crazy - or simply unaware of a similar project that has already been produced or is in the pipeline. Constructive feedback and objective opinions are crucial - it's always better to troubleshoot early than to end up with a flawed proposal. Writers who go through this disciplined process stay motivated and focused. They learn how to sort the wheat from the chaff and find unique nuggets of gold. They hone their projects until they're ready to market, and then they're off. They are easily recognisable, these writers: they are the ones with a twinkle in their eye; the writers who will be responsible for the television drama hits of the future. It will be interesting to discover what Matthew Weiner is currently expecting....and whether or not he goes to full term with his second birth. PLACES STILL AVAILABLE AT THE DISCOUNT PRICE ON MY NEXT COURSE CREATE YOUR OWN TV DRAMA SERIES A practical, inspirational course running over six Sundays between 4 October and 15 November 2015. For details: click here Tutor: Anji Loman Field
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It's not long until the London Screenwriters' Festival, one of the highlights of the year for screenwriters - and for us at Euroscript. We get to take our Script Clinic out on the road, hear about all kinds of exciting film projects, and meet lots of interesting and talented new (and familiar) people. The LSF is a great event for writers, featuring:
And, last but not least ...
But beware this common error. Too many writers pitch an idea to a producer at LSF, get a positive response - then delay sending the script because they know, deep down, that it isn't ready. We've seen this happen many times. Writers then spend a month or two trying to wrestle their story into shape, producers forget about meeting them, the moment passes ... and the script never gets sent out. So now is the time to get your film project in shape for October. And we can help! Our 'doctors' can give you the feedback you need to make the right improvements to your story, so you'll feel confident to show it (immediately) to anyone who's interested. After all, we're the people the LSF trusts to give feedback. Otherwise, we wouldn't be on-site for the entire Festival, offering appointments and drop-in help at the Script Clinic. You can read more about our feedback services here. The Script Clinic Every year, we take our Script Clinic to the LSF. And every year we get the same comments - that, of all the events on offer, it's the one most directly concerned with helping writers, and the one most focused on their projects. At the Script Clinic, writers get the best possible advice on their stories in a friendly, one-to-one meeting with a professional editor who has read their material. We can even give you last-minute help with your pitch. But it takes a while to write a new draft - usually much longer than writers imagine. So, with our help, make the best use of your time before the Festival. In a packed Blue Room at the BFI on Monday 17th August we announced the winners of our Annual Screen Story Competition, and caught up with Head of Development at Red Planet, Judith King, and Independent Producers Robyn Slovo and James Cotton. Our own Charles Harris was on hand to interview the panel who generously gave a huge amount of insightful, practical, and essential advice to the audience of eager writers. As the competition was very much at the forefront of people’s minds Charles asked how important it is for writers to enter them. All three agreed that they’d be encouraged to read a script knowing it had been recognised in a screenwriting competition. In this incredibly competitive industry, the acknowledgement of talent that comes with a “nod” from a competition can make the difference between a writer’s work being read or not. However, it is not just through screenwriting competitions that writers can begin to get their work noticed, and made. Robyn Slovo spoke candidly about how crucial it is that writers work across other forms of media as well – particularly theatre. Adding that Executive Producers are potentially more likely to go to see a play than to read a script, she noted that by writing for theatre, writers have a great opportunity to showcase their talent and attract finance for feature film. With the innovations in theatre, Judith King noted that there is the possibility of writing with a more filmic approach than may be traditionally associated with the format, and James Cotton’s hit film “Powder Room” was itself adapted from a stage play. Comparatively speaking, it is easier to have a play staged than a feature film produced, so this platform for innovative and original storytelling is an excellent way for writers to attract attention to their talent! Theatre is not necessarily the answer for every writer however, and some of the more conventional routes to getting a screenplay produced involve exactly what we were all there for on Monday – good old fashioned networking! The collaborative aspect of filmmaking is enormous, and the importance of working with colleagues you like and respect is huge. Ultimately everybody wants to work with people they get on well with, and the film industry is no different in this regard. Meeting peers at a similar level, collaborating on projects that you feel passionately about, respectfully taking on board development notes and feedback, were all mentioned as absolutely key to long-term success. And for those determined to go it alone and send their scripts straight to producers, there were some crucial words of wisdom (alongside some eye-watering anecdotes about poor email etiquette to avoid!) - Thoroughly research who you are approaching: an insight into their work and experience and why they are a good match for your project will help convince a Producer to read your script. - The first 10 – 20 pages of your script must be especially strong to engage the reader and keep them gripped. - Your characters don’t need to be likeable, but they must be interesting as you need the reader to keep turning your pages. - Producers and financiers want to make scripts that have a strong central idea, with good casting opportunities. And so attention was turned to this year’s winning writers and the Screen Story Competition announcements were made: Honourable mention was made of George Johnson’s “Peace Pledge” and Sean Healy’s “Russian Doll” which were projects the judges agreed deserved recognition for the potential they demonstrated. 3 Runners Up each winning a bullet-point report worth £85 on a script of their choosing are: Ross Dunsmore for “The Tin Box” Haya Husseini for “Raining Bones” Radhika Kapur for “William, Kate aur Raja” 2nd Place, winning a full report worth £210 on a script of their choosing is: K T Parker for “A Face to Paint” 1st Place, winning three full reports and working with a Script Editor for a year on the winning screenplay idea is: Ann Hawker for “Frozen Rose” Congratulations to all of our winners, and many thanks to all those who joined us for an excellent evening!
Join our mailing list to keep up to date with our future events. This is our first guest blog by James Bartlett, Euroscript's Man in LA. James reads scripts for numerous US-based managers, studios, funders, competitions and companies, and has his finger on the pulse of the art and craft of screenplays, Stateside. Whether they admit it or not, every single person who is given a script to read or develop does the same thing first: they flick to the back page to see how long it is. There are two main reasons for this. 1) It gives you an idea how long it might take to read. 2) If you’re a producer or funder, it gives you a rough idea how expensive it’s likely to be, how many screenings you could schedule per day - and how many tickets you can sell. The rule of thumb is that one page of script equals one page of screen time, so seeing 133 pages as opposed to 104 is a big difference. Or 81 as opposed to 109. Unless you’re given a guideline, there is theoretically no limit to how long a script can be; but even with a number of notable, successful films being 2½ - 3 hours long, the enormous majority fall into a much shorter length. And the US/UK markets differ on what they tend to expect. This is important to remember, because while most UK/European scripts tend to be around 85-100 pages in length (budget always being an issue), US scripts are usually 100-110 pages long. Yes, that doesn’t seem much, and yes, it’s not a hard and fast rule (animation and horror are often shorter), but if a US studio executive sees an 87-page script he or she may well think “where’s the rest of it?” or figure that it must be missing an element for the storyline to be so short. The opposite applies too, and scripts that go north of 120, 130 and 140 pages in length are immediately seen as potentially problematic: can the writer not tell the story in a shorter time? More practically, it usually means that there’s still fat on the bone – things that can be cut or truncated – and more rewriting is required. In a word, an overly short or long script offers the immediate chance for the funder, actor, producer etc to put a hurdle in the way – to impede the progress of your project. So before you submit a script that’s 78 or 160 pages (even if the guidelines say that is acceptable), think about these factors; the reader certainly will, before they’ve even read page one of the dialogue. All of us at Euroscript are delighted to be using Newman House for an increasing number of our weekend workshops! Newman House, just off Oxford Street and a very short walk from Tottenham Court Road and Goodge Street tube stations, is a brilliant working space for creatives. For my two most recent all-day workshops, I have really enjoyed being there and the access to tea and coffee all day long is a big plus! Perhaps because it is a converted townhouse, it very much has the intimate feel of being in someone’s home, yet a great deal tidier and more professional looking than my own! We have used more corporate environments in the past, which have been brilliant, but for the informal and friendly atmosphere I try to create, I have found it ideal, and am delighted that the participant feedback has reflected that as well. The venue opened incredibly recently, so the space will undoubtedly evolve as it is used more. There is a meeting room with a screen I’ve used for showing extracts, work stations and a comfortable seating area. Best, and most rarely of all in Central London, it is incredibly affordable which means that we can keep our course prices at the same levels they have been for the past 10 years or so. This is something that is incredibly important to us as an organisation, as we are acutely aware that if our courses are not affordable, they become inaccessible to exactly the people whose writing we hope to support. We are looking forward to becoming more involved with the activities at Newman House as the year goes on, including a talk here, a special event there, and obviously will keep you posted through our regular mailings. The management is extremely helpful and enthusiastic about new creative ventures, so it has already been a greatly beneficial relationship, even though our beautiful friendship has only just begun! Euroscript now offers discounts on all our courses to Newman House members, who are also benefiting from their exclusive member events, as well as access to their facilities at reduced rates. Perhaps we’ll see you there at Paul Bassett Davies’ upcoming Sitcom Weekend (30 – 31 May)! Euroscript is run as a cooperative, and by working writers who all juggle a number of projects related to the industry. As anyone who has been on one of our courses, or received Script Feedback from us knows, we are dedicated to helping writers write, across all stages of experience. When I told the Board in 2010 that I was co-founding the UnderWire Festival with Gemma Mitchell, and asked for Euroscript’s support, the full team of Directors agreed without hesitation. UnderWire’s goal, to support female filmmaking talent, is something Euroscript respects and believes is a point of urgency for the industry. It is imperative that screenplays reflect all varieties of experience and viewpoints and unfortunately the rather depressing statistic that only 15% of feature films are written by women, shows that we are a long way from seeing a cross-section of society reflected on our screens. Therefore the opportunity to support female talent working in the short film form, where writers are able to experiment and perfect their craft before moving into feature screenplays, has been a brilliant experience for Euroscript to be involved with. As the festival has grown in scale, Euroscript have made sure to lend increasing support, and delivered 2014’s Comedy Writers’ training day in collaboration with LOCO, with Charles Harris and Paul Bassett Davies running sessions as part of the day’s events. In addition to providing a year’s worth of access to our training courses to each year’s Best Screenwriting award winner, we also love to be at the festival each year to meet new writers through the Script Clinic. Those who have met us there will have received feedback from myself, Paul Gallagher, Theresa Boden and Naz Sadoughi among others. It is exceptionally thrilling to meet the new voices coming into the industry, and the diversity and skill of UnderWire writers is incredibly encouraging. In 2013 we had the massively enjoyable task of selecting an unproduced short film script that would win a table-read by acting students from the Central School of Speech and Drama. We were extremely impressed that winning script “Wings” was Catherine Wignall’s first script, and it has been a pleasure to keep in touch with her as she applies to film school and works on bigger screenplay projects. Through the judging process we’ve had to make some difficult decisions over the past few years. The standard is really high, and on more than one occasion, things have become extremely close to call. Just to recall Susan Everett’s astonishing “Mother Mine” in 2010 and Francesca Fowler’s gripping “Pitfall” still leaves an impression of admiration and excitement, and it has been brilliant to see both of them, and other nominees and winners at various networking and industry events over the years. Screenwriting is a peculiar craft all of its own. Short film, also requires particularly skilful handling. By acknowledging and rewarding female screenwriting talent in short film, UnderWire is accomplishing a rare and important mission – discovering unheard voices, and amplifying them. We can’t wait to see this year’s submissions! Submission deadline is 31st July. To say that there is a problem with the lack of diversity in the film industry is to state the depressingly obvious. On Wednesday 11th February at the BFI, we didn’t want to do that. Instead, an inspiring panel that included Folasade Oyeleye, Philip Ilson and Elhum Shakerifar highlighted the filmmakers and festivals that are championing storytelling from all backgrounds. With practical advice and keen observations from their collective experience, the panel were joined by a dynamic group of people attending the event, with the single objective of changing the way the industry looks. Diversity covers a vast number of factors, and those underrepresented by the mainstream include women, all ethnicities, those with disabilities and all sexualities – anything that is not the white, male, middle class that fills the roles in front of and behind camera almost by default. Though initiatives are set up with regularity, and certainly within short film the variety is much healthier, as reflected in the statistics (38% of films screened at London Short Film Festival in 2012 were directed by women) these rarely filter in the feature-length formats (1% of feature films distributed in the same year in the UK were directed by women). Philip: “Where are the women directing features?” We know the talent is there. The will and ability to tell stories of all kinds exists. But somehow the funding, distribution and recognition at feature level remain lacking. While most festivals aim to give a platform to quality first and foremost, and while some filmmakers may find it both patronising and frustrating to be pigeon-holed in respect of their “difference”, prejudice remains, and deserves to be in the spotlight. We know it is in danger of being discouraged, or ignored entirely otherwise. Recent advice from The Academy on how to make a short film that is likely to be selected for their Best Short Film category included: avoid the subject of homosexuality! Festivals and awards ceremonies have an obligation to ensure they are giving a platform to the best films, and while flawed, quota systems, and festivals dedicated to platforming the work of diverse groups, such as the UnderWire Festival can ensure that work which would otherwise not be exhibited, can be shown and rewarded. Though “Selma” has proved to be a landmark film in the career of Ava Du Vernay, her equally well directed first film “Middle of Nowhere” failed to even get distribution. This prompts the frustration many feel at being required to tell stories limited to certain subject matter, and skews perceptions of what is then being represented, as well as the abilities of the filmmaker. As Folasade noted: ““Selma” is a film made by a great team. The fact that [Ava Du Vernay] is a black woman is a bonus.” As audiences we have the power to influence films that come into production by seeking out films that reflect the diversity on and off screen that we want to support, and going to see them in the cinema – preferably on opening weekend. For now, it may be harder to find the films, given they can’t compete with the $100m marketing budget of a film like Inception, but it is the language that distributors and studios understand best if the face of the mainstream is to change. Elhum: “If we’re not part of the mainstream, we’re not visible.” And as filmmakers, there is simply no point in waiting for change – each of us has a responsibility to write what we want to see, being specific at script stage about the diversity that you want your story to show. David Oyelowo being interviewed about his role as Dr Martin Luther King in Selma recently remarked “The only way I get a leading role in a studio picture is if Ryan Gosling can’t play it... If this was a non-colour-specific character, it wouldn’t be me. It just wouldn’t.” so with this as an assumption, it is important to specify difference. As the Geena Davis Institute research demonstrates 17% of characters in movie crowd scenes are women: so state that your crowd is made up of 50% women, as it simply will not happen otherwise! Similarly, give diversity to your script by reflecting different genders, ethnicities and sexualities in the supporting and background characters such as doctors, taxi drivers, teachers, scientists, politicians, bosses, etc.
With a final word from Folasade: “We work in a competitive industry, but we need to be independent and make the films we want to the best of our ability.” LINKS There were a number of films and resources mentioned during the event, which I would like to invite you to check out below. Opportunity and Community: Act for Change: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-ACT-FOR-CHANGE-Project/1411969842407566?fref=ts Creative Skillset: http://creativeskillset.org/ Radio 4 open for submissions (closes Feb 13th!): http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/3rg0TYwrP43PLwL7S1jqVwC/submission-guidelines-2015 Films COMING SOON: Appropriate Behaviour: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3077108/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Girlhood: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt3655522/?ref_=nv_sr_1 Films we may have missed: Suzanne: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2298416/?ref_=fn_al_tt_3 Middle of Nowhere: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1211890/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_6 Innocence: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0375233/?ref_=fn_al_tt_4 Obvious Child: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2910274/?ref_=nv_sr_2 Jennifer Reeder: http://thejenniferreeder.com/ Biogs of speakers: Folasade Oyeleye is a film and television editor. She has edited feature films, television drama and documentaries. She is currently editing a feature length documentary ‘Looking For Love’ with the renowed director Menelik Shabazz. She is an associate lecture at the LFS and has lectured in the craft of editing at the LFS and LCC and has worked with Creative Skillset on policy for film training. She was also a regular panellist on the selection committee for the Editing MA at the NFTS. Philip Ilson is the Director of the London Short Film Festival, which he co-founded in 2004. He is also the short film programmer for the BFI London Film Festival, and has worked as a freelance programmer, including at the East End Film Festival, London, Cork Film Festival, Ireland, and the Branchage Festival, Jersey, Latitude music festival, and at Curzon Soho Cinema. Elhum Shakerifar is a creative producer of film – recent credits include award-winning features The Runner (Saeed Taji Farouky, 2013) and The Reluctant Revolutionary (Sean McAllister, 2012), which opened the Panorama Dokumente in Berlin 2012 – and photography –The Grey Line (Jo Metson Scott, 2013) named in TIME, Guardian and Telegraph’s top photography books of 2013. Elhum also programmed the Bird’s Eye View Film Festival from 2012 to 2014. She is a research fellow at the Department of Anthropology at Goldsmiths University, was part of the British Council Cultural Leadership scheme in 2011, and was recently selected as one of Lighthouse’s 2014 Guiding Lights. The event was chaired by Gabriella Apicella, one of Euroscript's Directors. Here's a summary of Fenella Greenfield's recent talk at the London Short Film Festival 2015 about the top ailments she finds in screenplays she's asked to give feedback on. Most stories have one main central character and about four ancillary characters. If your cast list is looking like a telephone directory - prune. First act: a rom-com; middle act: a slasher movie; final act: an interplanetary showdown? If the answer to this is 'yes' join the club - genre mash-up its one of the most common problems we see in scripts. If we can't see it don't write it. For example, don't write: 'As he enters the room she remembers that childhood playground encounter when, cruelly, he shoved her from the swing.' Have mercy on the actress asked to 'act' that. Goals like, 'She believes we're on the edge of an environmental catastrophe' can't be seen on screen. A goal like, 'She's travelling to a landfill in Indonesia to research a piece for the Sunday Times Colour Supplement' can. While its true some movies are 'ensemble' pieces consisting of a gaggle of central characters, most have one strong central character who drives forward the action and is on screen at least 85% of the movie. 'But', you might be saying to yourself, 'I don't want to write some tedious agitprop, award-winning, but coma-inducing polemic' . . .
1. Think of your scene like a moving painting, with its own narrative, an unfolding event , with a story that unfolds through space - in the foreground, middle ground and background, and through time - with a beginning, middle and end. 2. Choreograph your visual actions like a dance of intentions. It is the interplay of two people’s desires, conscious or unconscious, a dialectic of forces, and the interchange leads to an outcome which is not exactly the intention of either, and it is a surprise. 3. Show the visual interaction between your character and their world. Use it as a metaphor for the person’s inner state, their feelings, confusions, conflicts. And when the character has a choice, a decision to make, illustrate the consideration of this decision by showing their alternatives in opposing visual ideas. 4. Think of your story like walking through an unknown building, discovering the spaces and events in each room, and then beginning to understand the architecture. Ask what happens and how it happens in each of your locations. Who else is there? How do the things happening in each room interact with your character’s story? And remember the accidental and the random is a part of life too, this opens a scene up, making it alive and credible to an audience. 5. The physical place is part of the character’s life, and their story. Where is their home? What do they feel about it? Where do they escape to? Where do they feel comfortable and where do they feel ill at ease? And they will be discovering new places, how is it that they have come there? And who do they encounter in these new places? How does it change them? What a weekend! With our biggest team of Script Doctors yet, the Euroscript Script Surgery welcomed around 160 LSF delegates, and offered guidance on next drafts, treatments, formats, pitches, and even initial ideas. Our army included many who will be familiar to delegates from previous festivals, as well as to those who attend our regular courses, Development Workshops, and use our Script Feedback services. As those who have met us before know well, we take a sincere interest in making sure the writers we work with feel they have the tools to create the very best version of their screenplay. Nowadays there is almost as much advice about how to write a successful screenplay as there is about how to be a successful parent! We often meet people who are overwhelmed with the task, and feel delighted when we find we have been able to make things seem a little less confusing. Delegates' thoughtful feedback collected over the three days has certainly made us feel that we accomplished our mission:
Of course the London Screenwriters' Festival also provides an amazing opportunity to network and catch up with colleagues past and present. We were particularly excited for Jonathan Asser to be taking part in one of the Script-to-Screen sessions, as Anne Woods, Charles Harris and Paul Gallagher have all enjoyed working with him on "Starred Up" before it took UK cinemas by storm earlier this year. Read Paul's interview with Jonathan. It was also a wonderful chance for Charles to meet those eager to purchase his new book the Complete Screenwriting Course. After selling out, Hodder & Stoughton even had to ship more in to satisfy demand! |
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November 2023
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