Get Fresh

There is a danger as a writer in getting stuck on rewrites. This is a topic I've talked about before but one I feel needs covering again.

To keep yourself in producers thoughts, and to be at the top of your game, you need to keep writing and sending out new stuff. After all, the larger your portfolio the more chances there are of someone liking something you've written. So what and how much should you write in a year?

This is obviously down to the individual and how fast you can turn things round. Lucy for instance writes as fast as she talks so she churns out quite a bit of work in a year, and this is despite looking after two kids and a husband. So far this year I've written one feature and two or three shorts for competitions. Not a great deal but I'm moving in the right direction.

I think as a guideline writers should aim to write at least one feature, two 60 minute scripts and as many shorts at possible. It's a reasonable amount and even if you're only writing evenings and weekends it's still an achievable target.

Being a optimist I have decided to attempt another feature very soon and I'm also determined to start my first novel in the near future. So here are a few tips on how to write a new script.

• spend a decent amount of time on your characters as your script will succeed or fail on how good they are.
• work out your main plot and a sub plot for each of the main characters. Don't over complicate things.
  
• using index cards plan your forty key scenes - less if your script is not a feature. The key scenes must relay crucial points in the plot and/or show character.
• write; don't go back and edit as you write, you will be tempted every five seconds, but resist and keep putting your ideas on the page. They don't have to be perfect first go, you just need to get them on the page. Quantity not quality is what matters now. The rewrite is when you correct errors and stuff that doesn't work.

There are a million excuses for not writing, don't let them win you over.

Wasted Week

So, looks like I'm finally shaking off this pleurisy at last. About bloody time!!!

I hate weeks like this, the sitting around feeling rough, and because of one thing or another not being able to write. Last week I was on holiday and this week I was ill, and no writing was done at all. I feel guilty that I haven't even written a single page of a script in almost a fortnight.

Last year I rewrote most of my work and this year I've worked hard writing two new scripts and entering as many competitions and initiatives as I could. This year was the big push, no excuse for laziness, no procrastination, and a real need to make my career go somewhere.

That's why I feel guilty. I keep thinking of all those hours I could have spent finally getting my agent pack together, or rewriting another script, or sending stuff out. I deserved the holiday so I don't feel so guilty about that, but this week spent ill has left me frustrated. Our first child is due in October and I know that I'll get very little done, if nothing at all, when he arrives and I wanted my career to be at least going somewhere by then.

It just makes you think about the pressure we put ourselves under as new writers, desperate to make it, pushing ourselves for years and still not getting anywhere. We are a special breed, hanging in there when other less resilient people give up and move on.

God, I fucking love being a writer.

I Need A (nother) Vacation

Well I'm back. My week of rest turned into a week of being ill. The first Saturday I got bitten on the eye ball by a bug and had to put up with it swelling up and distorting my vision. It was like looking through a goldfish bowl for a day. Thankfully the Piriton did its job.

Then on the Tuesday I went for a walk with my parents who were visiting, and I collapsed. I had to be rushed to hospital with a suspected heart problem. They kept me in over night and did loads of tests (I have six puncture wounds from needles) and they concluded that my heart was fine but that I have viral pleurisy. Nice! So the rest of the week was spent doing bugger all except for resting. As I've always said, fresh air and exercise are bad for you. I think I've proved my point.

I did have one good bit of news last week and that is a possible commission from a regional TV station. So my week was not a total loss.

What have you lot been up to while I've been away?

Blue Cat Semi Finalists

The Blue Cat Semi Finalists have been announced and are as follows:

Algo Por Mi by Juan Sebastian & Jacome Moreano
Beloved of God by Jim Walkington
Burning Love by Phil Andersen
Cruel World by Lisa O'Donnell
Dear Micah by Danielle Porter
Delivered by Diane Hanks
Every time I go to Staten Island Something Bad Happens by Irin Evers
Howard & Minet by Doyle Esch & Daniel Wilson
Juniper Bass by CB Wilson
Kid Show by Chad Holley
Life with Louis by Justin Flesher
Loved Ones by Vicki Speegle
Play Me by Chaco Daniel
The Banner by Tina Juarez
The Big Gay Float by Andy Phillips
The Floating World by Perry Wade
The Hungry Kitchen by Jennifer Jones
The Life and Times of Randall Southgate by Michael Diliberti and Loren Dunn
The Maker by Ellwyn Kauffman
The Stones by Ana Lily Amirpour
The Water Mark by Joseph Pillitteri
Winter Pork by Kristie M. Fleming

Well done to Andy Phillips and his script The Big Gay Float.

The Finalists will be announced on the 25th July... COME ON ANDY!!!!!!

I'm off this week on a well earned break, so I'll see you all again next week. Bye for now.

Original Ideas

I've noticed that lack of original movies this summer, with studios preferring to go with old favourites to guarantee box office return. Let's see, there are the sequels; Die Hard 4.0, Pirates Of The Caribbean 3, Shrek The Third, Hostel Part 2, Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer, Evan Almighty, Ocean's Thirteen, Spider-man 3, Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix and 28 Weeks Later.

The remakes; Hairspray (a movie, then a successful stage play, and then a movie again) and Disturbia (a remake of Rear Window).

And the big screen movie adaptations; Transformers.

My movie hungry mind is crying out for some originality, something challenging, something thought provoking. Does anyone have any ideas?

Opportunities Knock

The generous Tony Jordan and Red Planet Pictures have launched a new opportunity for new writers. Send him the first ten pages of your best script and sit back and wait fame and fortune. You can find details for this truly great opportunity here.

Also South West Screen have just announced a competition for all those writers living in the South West. You can check out the details Screenwriter Development Competition here.

Good luck everyone and have a fantastic weekend.

All Quiet On The Bloggers Front

Everyone's at the Screenwriters' Festival except me....bugger!!!!!!

If you're one of the poor people who couldn't afford it too, then leave a comment and we'll have our own blog festival. Woo Hoo!!!!!!

Happy 100: Reject and Repeat

This is my one hundredth post. Huzzah!!!

I wanted it to be a special post, full of happiness and joy, an uplifting experience for my readers and fellow scribes. Bluecat stuffed that up.

They have posted a list of the top ten percent of entries to this year's competition and I'm not on the list; in fact nobody I know is. To make matters worse I lost out to such titles as, 'The Cult Of The Severed Head', 'Dogs Always Know' and 'Every Time I Go To Staten Island Something Bad Happens'. I think my title must have sucked in comparison. See the full list here.

Anyway, here are other important dates from Bluecat:

Semi-finalists will be announced July 15th, Finalists on July 22nd and our Winner on August 1st.

All analysis will be sent by August 1st.

Hyde Who

For the record I loved season two's ending of Doctor Who, it was high quality, tear inducing drama. I didn't like the ending of season three.

I didn't hate it, I just wasn't over excited about it. John Simm was good, David Tennent super, John Barrowman fantastic and the others OK, but for an end of season episode it felt a bit flat. And then there was the reference to Flash Gordon at the end, with presumably Harold Saxon's wife picking up the Master's ring. A cheap gimmick? A homage to the 1980 camp film? Who knows?

Jekyll on the other hand was a roller coaster ride that offered you a hint of its end, but kept you guessing until the last scene. And what character development. The delicious Hyde put in his place by Mrs. Jackman, telling him he was her husband and that Jackman's family was his, and his shock at realising she was right. "Are you threatening my family?" Fantastic writing.

I will leave you with this thought; when David Tennent does finally hang up his sonic screwdriver how about James Nesbitt for the eleventh Doctor?

Email Check

It's offical, my email works. WOO HOO!

Dear MrCarver

Thanks again for your application for the BBC Drama Series Writing Academy (Ref 41248), and for your patience in awaiting a response.

Your details have now been carefully considered and, having concluded this process, we regret to inform you that we will not be pursuing your application further in this case.

We received a huge response for this campaign, and were impressed with the quality of the scripts submitted.  Please do not let the outcome on this occasion deter you from applying for future schemes or job vacancies where you feel you are suitably qualified.

In the meantime, we would like to thank you for the time you took in preparing your application, and wish you every success with your writing career.

Yours sincerely
The BBC Recruitment Team

Bugger :-(

Agent Pack

I'm putting the finishing touches to my agents pack, as outlined by Adrian Mead.

However, I can't decide if the 30 min script is the one I want to send. It has been through the Power Of Three and is as polished as can be, but I'm not sure that it's good enough to be added to the pack. It's an old script I wrote at university eight years ago and is, what I would call, 'a little studenty'. I have another 30 min script which I think is better. Problem is it's only a first draft. I'm getting the wife to read both and I'm going to go with her decision.

Then there's my one pagers. Are they good enough? I think they are. Could they be better? Possibly.

Is it possible for a writer to over analyse their work?

It's the same when I send a script out and get a rejection, I immediately start work on another draft. The script maybe extremely polished, but as it's been rejected I feel the need to rewrite it. After all it doesn't mean that just because it was rejected it's no good, it just means that particular production company didn't like it. Another might like the same version.

How much polishing is too much?

I have a script I've been writing on and off now for six years and the current draft is worse than the first. I'm having to take it back a couple of drafts just to sort out the issues.

How do you decide when a script is ready?

Email Watch

Fever Pitch

Everyone else I know has heard, but I haven't.

Have I fluked a place in the final ten?

The winners find out Wednesday so the webpage says.

I shall be checking my emails every five minutes for the next 24 hours. As soon as I know, so will you.

The Sound Of Drums

OH

MY

GOD

!!!!!!!

John Simm is a god, it's official. What an episode. It's the first time watching Doctor Who I am genuinely concerned that the Doctor isn't going to make it, even though I know he will. Where does he go from here and how does he get out of it? It's cruel to make us wait another week.

Oh, and sorry James, but you were beaten to the jelly babies. Bugger!

PG 13

Die Hard 4.0 a PG 13 film; what the hell is going on?

One of the things drummed into me at university was the saying, "know your audience." So why have 20th Centry Fox decided to give Die Hard 4.0 a PG 13 rating when all the other films were at least a 15 certificate?

I can understand Fox wanting to open the franchise up to a wider audience, but by doing so aren't they alienating its loyal fans? Take Die Hard: Die Harder for instance. Originally released as an 18 certificate when it came out on video some of the swearing was dubbed so it could be released as a 15. It wasn't long though before the full uncensored 18 version followed.

As a fan I don't want my action cut, swearing dubbed and violence watered down just so Fox can make a few extra bucks. It didn't work with the third Robocop and I can't see it working for the fourth Die Hard.

How can a Die Hard film really be a PG 13?

First Contact

Contacts in the industry are important so you should always keep them up to date.

A case in point: An assistant at a well know production company is a fan of my work. I hadn't contacted him for a while and wanted to send him a pitch idea for a TV drama serial.

I was going to just post it out but I thought it would be a good idea to check if he was still at the company first. I found out that this man was no longer working as a Drama Assistant , but was now working on one of their productions as a runner.

If I hadn't checked I would have sent a pitch to someone who was no longer a part of the decision making process. That would have been very unprofessional of me.

Remember keep in contact with the industry professionals you know on a regular basis; by phone, by email or by snail mail if you have to. Your life as a writer depends on it.

You Can't Hyde Good Drama

WOW!

The BBC had a double bill featuring the return of the Master in Doctor Who, and Steven Moffat's reimagined Jekyll. ITV had a mad bloke performing gore magic and a six year old girl shakily singing 'Ben'. No contest! The BBC really kicked ITV's arse Saturday night.

Steven Moffat, the writer of arguably the best episode of Doctor Who this series with Blink, has done it again bringing us an updated frightening image of an old classic. I think the hardest thing any writer has to face is to make an evil character likable and Steven has done that with Hyde. He oozes charm, takes no shit, is a force to be reckoned with, and lives every moment like it's his last, someone most men would wish they were.

I love Steven Moffat's work, and for me he is the bee's balls of writers at the moment. I would be happy just being half as good as he is. I didn't want episode one to end, and it's so frustrating to have to wait until next week to get my fix.

What were your thoughts on Jekyll?

Career Vision Part 2

So you've done the course, read all the books, blah, blah, blah, blah. Now what?

The Next Step:

Now you have to decide where you want your career to go. TV or Film, or both? Ultimately this is up to you; there is no right way.

This was the bit I struggled with. I left my degree course with one completed feature script and thought it would simply be a matter of finding someone willing to make it and pay me shit loads of money. After all it was a genius of a script, low budget, character driven, familiar genre, it couldn't go wrong. I soon discovered that I was, to put it mildly, and absolute idiot who knew bugger all of the world I was about to enter.

This is why I stress the importance of reading industry papers and magazines. You need to keep up to date with who's making what, who's working for who and more importantly what is being made. You can never keep up with trends in writing so don't even try. Once you think you know what the market is looking for, by the time you've written it the trend will have moved on. This is why it's good to have a back catalogue of scripts. If you have a cracking gangster script and ten years down the line someone asks you if you have one you're going to be one step ahead of everyone else.

You have to be proactive in this game. Production companies won't come looking for you, you have to go looking for them. Send them one or two page outlines of your scripts - make sure these are as highly polished as your script and remember they must also reflect the genre of your script. If your script is a comedy feature and your one page outline isn't funny, you won't get any interest.

Try and target five production companies per month and send them your one/two page outline. If you don't hear anything with in a month follow it with a polite phone call. Only send out an outline for one script at a time and remember to keep writing new stuff.

If a particular script isn't catching any interest then put it to one side and move on to the next. There's nothing worse than trying to flog the same script, in a different version, over and over again.

Now get out there and write.

The Finish Line

Faith is done and dusted. Time to put it in a drawer for a month and move on to other things.

Random Stupid Thought

This has nothing to do with scriptwriting, but I thought it was funny enough to share with you.

I was watching TV earlier and saw the new Evian advert. It said something along the lines that it takes six days for you to replace 80% of the water in your body. It then went on to promote the drinking of its brand of water.

So I'm thinking if you drink Evian for six days and replace 80% of the water in your body with it, do you become French?

It's worth thinking about.

Reject Rejection

When I wake up in the morning one of the first things I do is look at myself in the mirror and say, "You're shit, Carver, and you know it!" Then I spend the rest of the day trying to prove otherwise. It might not be the bee's balls of motivational techniques but it works for me.

Here are a few handy hints I've picked up, borrowed or just plain stolen along the way. I hope they help.

Things you need to remember:

• Don't judge your career by other people's. The average time it takes a writer to get established is ten years. Just because another writer gets lucky with their first or second script doesn't mean it should have happened to you. Don't begrudge them their success, they've earned it.
  

• Don't wait for someone to recognise your talent, you have to make them discover it. Putting yourself out there, or selling yourself, is as important as your writing. Cut corners and it'll cost you. Never, ever let up on this.
  

• A rejection letter isn't rejecting you, it's rejecting your script. So it wasn't to their taste, maybe the next one will be?

I look at my career like this: I will always try and do my best, but if I fail then so be it. I won't dwell on a failure, or a rejection, because then I'll be wasting my time on something I can't change. Instead I plough all of my energies into learning from that mistake, or rejection, reducing the opportunity of it happening again.

An excellent example of this came by email this morning:

"We did take a look at "Cross The Rubicon"; I have to say, to me it reads as the same script and the same tone. I'm glad to have taken a look at it, but I do still think it will not be something we're going to commit to at this stage."

Is it a rejection? Only a rejection of that draft. They like the script but not in it's current form. I could just say 'Fuck it' and not bother, but then I would only have myself to blame when I don't get anywhere. So my response (and the correct one) is to find out why they didn't like this draft and change it so they do.

No one ever said being a writer was easy.

Have a fun weekend, people.

A Day In My Life

Danny Stack's recent post about his daily routine as a paid writer has prompted me to do the same, so that you lovely people out there can see life from the view point of non earning writer.

12.00: Got up an hour later than normal and shoved a bowel of Bran Flakes down my throat, along with a pint of Dr. Pepper. I don't drink coffee because it sends me mental - just think of the effect on a small child who is force fed a 1kg packet of sugar and then is made to wash it down with five 2 litre bottles of Lucozade. Not pretty is it?

You will also notice I haven't showered. I won't be leaving the house until I have to go to work tonight so what's the point; it only distracts from writing. Besides it isn't Friday. Friday is wash day.

12.35: After a quick check of my emails, work starts on more pages of my new feature Faith.

13.25: One important scene down. A short toilet break and a quick check of the emails. I check my emails quite regularly while I'm writing. When the creative right side of my brain has to fight the rewrite hungry left side I quickly check my emails so the left side of my brain goes back to sleep. At this point I'm writing, not rewriting. The left side of my brain will be dominant later.

13.57: I'm having to fight the urge to go back and rewrite really hard now. I've reread some scenes I wrote last week and they are quite horrendous. I must resist.

14.09: Phone call from the wife telling me all about her lovely new haircut. I'm so excited - NOT!

14.14: Back to work. Boy that woman can natter when she wants to.

15.03: Written four pages so far. Now I need to pop up the post office. Will grab a sandwich to eat on the way. Back in a bit.

15.33: Nice walk in the sun to post the letter, listening to AC/DC on my MP3 and munching on a cheese and salad sandwich. So that's what daylight looks like. I might try some more tomorrow. Check the emails then back to work.

16.17: Seven pages done, time to move on to something else. Need to write a letter, but need to check the emails first.

16.41: Job done. Check the emails again and then on to my one pagers for my agent's pack.

17.17: Gave all three one pagers a quick read through and a polish. I'll send them out tomorrow to get people's opinions. That's the writing done for today. Time to cook my dinner as the wife is out tonight and I have to be at work by 18.30. Bye.

25 Words Or Less Part 2

Something to get your teeth into kiddies.

Ever get that feeling that the plot of the latest blockbuster or TV drama is pretty lame?

Can you do better? Now’s your chance to prove it!!!!

You may have a great idea for a film, but have you got what it takes to convince a panel of tough industry professionals that your idea is the best, in only 5 minutes.

The Screenwriters' Festival '07 in association with 4Talent want to give YOU the opportunity to pitch your amazing movie or TV idea to a stellar industry panel.

Several writers from last year’s pitching competition have already gone onto bigger and better things: some have had their ideas optioned or have been commissioned to write an original screenplay.

As Channel 4 and 4Talent are always on the lookout for new and emerging talent, this pitching competition is the perfect opportunity to get noticed. The three winners of FEVERpitch will get the chance to talk to Film4 Executives about their ideas as well as receiving a ticket and free accommodation* to the rest of the Screenwriters’ Festival, Thursday 5th and Friday 6th July 2007.

So, if you have a drop-dead gorgeous idea for a feature film or TV drama in any genre, we wanna hear it. Write down your pitch in 25 words, then on a separate page, expand the synopsis to 150 words and email it to us. Out of all the entries we will shortlist ten who will attend the festival on Tuesday 3rd, and have a special coaching session on the Wednesday 4th July before the live pitching session.

• Send us in your prized pitch.
• Out of all the entries, ten will be chosen to go forward to the live pitching session on the Rising Talent day, Wednesday 4th July.
• Prior to the pitching session, Agent Julian Friedmann will hold a private pitching lesson for the ten finalists.
• The finalists will then pitch to a panel of industry professionals who will give feedback in front of the live festival audience.
• And here's the twist, the panel won’t be choosing the 3 winners, the audience will…

All shortlisted entrants will be entered into the 4Talent Directory which is the profile section of the website that allows creatives to promote themselves.

Closing Date for entries is Friday 22nd June 2007 at midnight
feverpitch@screenwritersfestival.com

Competition Rules, Terms and Conditions

• Pitch MUST be less than 25 words and synopsis up to 150 words.
• The competition is open to EVERYONE.
• If you are chosen you must be available to attend the Screenwriters' Festival on Tuesday 3rd and Wednesday 4th July 2007.
• If you are one of the 10 winners you will be invited to stay for the rest of the Professional Festival and will have accommodation provided for the nights of the 4th and 5th July; so plan and book travel to cover that possibility.
• If you are one of the three winners and have already purchased a two or a four day ticket, they will be reimbursed accordingly minus any paypal fees.
• If you are one of the three winners and have already booked accommodation they will get reimbursed for the 4th and the 5th July only up to the Travelodge rate of £50 per night as this is where any winner who HAS NOT booked will be accommodated for the nights of the 4th and the 5th July.
• Closing date for the competition is Friday 22nd June 2007.
• The 10 winning pitches will be chosen on Monday 25th June and the winners will be informed by Wednesday 27th June.
• Pitching the idea, and/or winning, does not mean that your idea will get picked up.
• The Audiences decisions are final and we will not enter into correspondence about their decisions.
• The Winners meeting with the Film4 Executives does not guarantee any contract or development deal.
• Food and drink at the Festival is your responsibility.

Saved

Mild panic today.

I'd done five pages of my new feature and I had to pop out for half an hour, so I left the file open. When I got home I found the computer had crashed...ARSE!!!!! Luckily I had done my last back up to CD-RW on Monday, but even better I'd set Final Draft to auto save.

I rebooted my computer and thank god it had auto saved, because I hadn't lost a thing. Fantastic!!!!

I know James Moran is religious about backing up his work, and I'm glad I do too.

The lesson? Save often, and don't forget to back up on to CD-RW every day. If you don't you'll regret it.

Sore Fingers And Back

The second day of writing wasn't as good as the first, but it was still a valiant effort none the less. Wednesday I managed seventeen pages and yesterday ten. That's twenty seven pages in two days, an achievement in any one's book.

I now have twenty pages to go and I'm in no rush to tell you the truth. Some of the pages on Wednesday were crap and I don't really want to repeat that, so I will be taking my time on the last twenty pages (say five pages a day next week) to ensure decent quality.

What have I learnt from the last couple of days? My rush to get the script finished has been a reminder that to survive as a writer you have to write. Sounds such a simple thing to say doesn't it, but it's so true and sometimes we can be distracted from this. I know last year I was. I was too occupied with rewrites to write anything new and this was a mistake. I dried up and didn't move forward.

I was also reminded that on the first draft it is important to get the pages down, to get it written. Then you need at least a month away from it before you look at it again. Then is the time to start sifting the good from the bad.

My problem is I like to write quality all the time, and I often find myself going back over what I've written several times even before the script is half written. It's a habit I'm going to have to kick if I want to write more new work this year.

Thanks for taking that journey with me.

The Final Countdown

30 pages to go, can I do it in 5 hours?

That's 6 pages an hour.

I did 17 pages yesterday.

I'll keep you all updated in the comments below.

Come see.

Cry with laughter at my attempt.

Read with amazement as I begin to lose it.

I'm ready, are you?

Two Days

After I had to cut a character, cutting out several scenes in the process, I find myself with 45 pages to write in just two days. Fook me!!!!!!

I shall give you updates as I go in the comments, so feel free to encourage, cajole, or just plain insult my efforts.

Enjoy, as I have a nervous breakdown. :-)

Three Days

Three days to go.

I'm nearing the end, but I still have a significant number of pages to write.

Gotta get my head down.

Food and drink are with in reach.

The phone is off the hook.

I have an empty two litre bottle to pee in.

My fingers are feeling numb.

I will make it, damn it!!!!!!!!

One snag....I put my back out at the weekend and leaning over the laptop is killing me.

I suffer for my art, I really do.

Stress Factor

Poor little Lucy, she's off to Edinburgh for an Adrian Mead course soon and she has to fly there. She hates flying... with a passion. She'll be experiencing that tight, sick feeling in the pit of her stomach, the shaking hands, the wobbly voice and the weak knees. It's not a nice feeling, is it? The things we suffer for our passion.

It got me thinking about situations I find myself in as a writer where I feel the same as above; phoning production companies, going to seminars and meeting people who have had more success writing than I have (I always feel like a dribbling, arse licking freak, eager to bleed knowledge from them but also aware I might come across as slightly disturbed).

I got married last year; that was the easy part. The bit I was most scared about was having to give a speech in front of both sets of family and all our friends. Quite frankly I was shitting myself. I was reminded of something someone (I forget who) once told me, that helped a great deal with the nerves. So if you're feeling nervous the next time Russell T Davies rings you up to chat about you writing for Doctor Who, think about this.

What you have to understand about the human body is that it is run by chemicals. When someone holds a knife to your throat, or you stand on the edge of a large drop and the wind blows you off balance, your body produces chemicals that make you sacred and fear for your life. That's because the body interprets these threats as life threatening, and rightly so.

When you receive a phone call from that production company or you're about to enter a meeting with a big time producer, your body will release the same chemicals (albeit in smaller quantities). Your body interprets a threat to your person the same way if a knife is held to your throat or you're about to enter a very important meeting. Only one is actually life threatening but the body doesn't know that. The chemicals that it releases in response to those threats are what make you feel sick.

So you have to train your body to understand the difference between those threats. When you're about to go into that meeting think to yourself, "Yeah, this is scary, but it's NOT going to kill me." Do that every time you come across a scary situation and you'll find that meetings, public speaking, and other scary tasks, will become easier with time. A producer might give you a hard time over your script, but he will hardly pull out a giant knife and slit your throat over it.

Think like that and you'll feel better in no time. Have a good Bank Holiday.

Career Vision Part 1

Think you can write? Got a great idea for a script? Want to know what you do next?

Getting Started:

Being a writer isn't a hobby, it's a job, and a full-time job at that. Anybody can have a great idea for a script (usually they aren't that great in reality), it's putting it down on paper that's the hard part. Writing for a living is a long, hard slog, where you have to be prepared to learn, and accept that when you do there is always more you can learn. Then you'll have to learn some more.

First you have to decide if writing is the job for you; ask yourself if you're prepared to give up your social life, your friends and all of your spare time. That's what it's going to take when you first get started. Many hours of writing will be followed by many hours of rewriting, and just for good measure many, many hours of still more rewriting. If you can't stand that isolation or spare the time then writing isn't for you. Dedication is the key word here. Dedication and rewriting. Did I mention the rewriting?

Reading is important! Read anything and everything. Read scripts; of blockbusters, early drafts, your fellow writers' work. Read books, not just your favorite sci-fi, but all genres, and news papers, lots and lots of news papers. Increase your knowledge base; the more you know the more you can write about. Read books on writing, on film making, on production (It helps to know all aspects of the business. The more familiar you are with the industry and the way it works the more you'll be able to navigate your way through it.), industry tabloids like - Radio Times, Broadcast and Screen International.

Get a blog. Meet other blogging writers. Swap tips, ideas and bodily fluids if you have to. Ask them questions. Ask them lots of questions. Pester them for advice. Be a sponge, soak up their collective knowledge.

Then you want to look at courses. Ask around; who's been on what, and what do they have to say about it. You don't want to waste your time so research is important here. Choose the wrong course/s and you might as well throw your money down the toilet. Listen to what other bloggers say about courses they've been on, would recommend, etc.

Now look at your great idea again. Is it such a great idea after all? No? Never mind, there will be other ideas... better ideas... one that someone might even be prepared to give you some money for.

Will I, Won't I?

It's the 15th of May and I'm on page 31 of about 90 pages of my new feature, Faith.

Will I make the end of May deadline or will I slip in to yet another month?

What do you think?

Life On Ashes

And here it is, as promised.

Mark Greig has written for Life On Mars, Taggart, Afterlife and the new Gene Hunt series Ashes To Ashes. He found time in his busy schedule to answer a few nosey questions from myself.

Q: How did you get into writing?

Constantly being told that I was 'good at English' as a boy, and devouring the written word like chocolate raisins.

And http://wordface.blogspot.com/2007/01/how-i-got-started.html for more...

Q: What's your writing highlight to date?

Getting to the end of the first draft of anything. Plus a few neat story beats and some lines of dialogue - most of my favourites of which ended in the cutting room bin. Note for learning writers; dialogue isn't really what it's about.

Q: Readers of your blog are aware of your love for all things stationary, what is your most treasured stationary object and why?

A Pentel propelling pencil I've had for years, because I've had it for years, and because writing in pencil makes the words on the page somehow provisional and fluid, which is a good thing in the early stages of making something up. And the yellow A4 pads from Ryman's, of which I have a satisfying stack. And a lovely notebook from Muji that's too beautifully functional to use. And, and, and...

Q: You're currently working on Ashes To Ashes, is there anything else we should be keeping an eye out for?

No guarantees, but there's a better chance than most that a single I'm developing at the Beeb will make it to screen - an urban fairytale with songs and rent boys - and as I write this, an amber light is flickering to green on a 2 part pilot for a new cop show that will be written before the end of the year.

Q: What can you tell us about Ashes To Ashes with out getting fired or publicly flogged?

Mmm. Most of the stuff we hoped to hold back is now in the public domain - how *do* people get hold of it?? - e.g. 1981, London, female co-lead etc. Same but different. And better, obviously. I find Alex Drake a stronger and more interesting character to write than Sam Tyler (CHARACTER, weirdy fan nuts - no reflection at all on John Simm's excellent performance), who was oddly passive for a dramatic lead.

Q: It was reported that there was going to be a third series of Life On Mars, but this was changed at the last minute and the final episode rewritten to bring an end to the show. As you wrote the penultimate episode how did this decision impact on you and the rest of series two?

It was known that there would only be two series before Matthew started on the last episode, but that start was pretty late. Although Matthew always had the ending clearly in mind, the plot and story mechanics (i.e. how to make it work) didn't really emerge until I was on draft 3 or thereabouts (this was a year ago, so it's hazy). By that time the Frank Morgan/Hyde character had made such an impact that it was obvious we'd be missing a trick if he didn't continue into ep 8 in a big way. The story of the week of ep 7 was locked down quite early, but various bits relating to Hyde - what Sam knows and when etc. - were tinkered with up to principal photography and beyond.

Q: On my blog I've discussed two possible interpretations of the ending of Life On Mars (I may just have been reading more into it than there was). What was your interpretation of the ending and what was the official one?

Sam was in a coma, and entered a 1973 world weaved from a slippery combination of memory and fantasy. A surgical process brought him round from his coma, but he found the 'real' world less vivid and meaningful than this other world, a world where he paradoxically felt more alive and more true to his emotional self, so he chose to return there permanently by killing himself.

As far as I know that's also the official version. Everybody involved were, and continue to be, amazed by the myriad alternative interpretations, some of which were, well - perhaps a little over-complicated. Good reading, though.

There was no time travel.

Q: What instructions were you given for writing Gene Hunt?

I watched the first series and read a couple of early drafts of series 2 eps. You don't get instructions in the way I think you mean.

Q: Your episode of Life On Mars was slightly darker in tone than previous episodes, was that deliberate?

Only in so far as it reflects my apparent inclination towards the heart of darkness. Just can't help it.

Q: Please explain the process once you've been commissioned for an episode of a series?

You have a chat about the series as a whole and your ep in particular with the producers, editors, and sometimes the other writers. You come up with an idea and put it on a page. They like it. You then do a treatment/sequence outline/beat sheet, whatever you've all agreed to call it on that particular project.

I call it a beat sheet and tell the story in sequence units of a paragraph or two, numbered for ease of discussion (much better to refer to number 17 rather than 'you know, that bit where she gets lost in the cave, the one after the bit where the old bloke says 'whatever you do, don't go in the cave'.'). You send that in, you meet and talk about it, and then you revise it. You then either meet and talk and revise or phone and talk and revise, and then you either revise and meet and talk or you go to script.

Repeat the submit, talk, revise process till you have to stop, usually the first day of principal photography. And sometimes beyond...

4, 6 & 8 part series work differently from things like the soaps and Casualty/The Bill etc. where episodes are to a greater or lesser degree storylined for the writer, but the basic process of submit, talk, revise and repeat ad infinitum applies to all.

Q: Have you ever had to turn down work that you regret, and what was it?

Probably the first series of Life on Mars. Who knew?

Q: What's your preferred writing beverage?

Coffee. By the piping hot black cafetiere load. Less of a beverage, more of an essential tool for living.

Q: Where do you write and under what conditions?

In a room at the back of the house with a view of next door's vast holly tree and the bully bastard magpies*, and occasionally with a little girl, who thinks that work means listening to music on headphones, wriggling on my lap demanding to look at pictures of herself on the PC.

*is it legal to shoot magpies? Someone out there must know. And cats, although I'm pretty sure I know that answer to that one. I'd just like it to be different.

Q: If you could have written an existing film or TV series from past or present, which one would it have been and why?

Mm. Don't know. There are lots of films and shows that I love and respect, but that doesn't mean I'd want to write them. I'm still happy to get sucked into someone else's world. And maybe I love them precisely because I *couldn't* have written them.

Q: What's your favourite film quote?

As above - it's not really about dialogue. That's there to move the plot along and show how clever the writer is, but for me the films and film moments that stay with me are about image and sound and the parts between the words.

Oh okay, if you're going to *force* me - uummmmm - "Do you eat the herring?"

Q: What advice would you give to a new writer trying to break into TV?

Have a gift for it, be productive and persistent. You learn more by doing than by being taught. And have a gift for it.

Thanks Mark.

If you want to wonder at Mark's world then check out his blog, but be warned he doesn't update it regularly even though he really should. Naughty boy!

Tease!

Oh yes, it's coming, but I'm going to keep you waiting a bit longer.

I'm such a tease!!!!

Maybe it'll be here tomorrow.....??????????

BBC Writer's Academy 2007 Deadline

Only eleven days left until the final deadline for the BBC Writer's Academy 2007.

Hurry up if you want to apply for this fantastic opportunity.

*News just in. An exciting and informative Q&A is on its way, so stay tuned.

Life On Mars

Life On Mars has come to an end. I haven't written about the ending before because I wanted to examine the final episode from all angles, and there were so many. That's what good drama leaves you with; it answers some questions but allows the viewer to come to their own conclusions on others. Good drama is discussed long after it has ended.

So was Sam really in the past or was he mad? Here are my own conclusions.

For me Sam had been transported back in time after his accident. When he returned to the future he realised that he belonged, and could do more good, in 1973. Sam wasn't really living in 2006, he was just existing, going through the motions. In 2006 Sam was a very small cog in a very large machine, with very little influence on the world he inhabited. He just didn't feel he belonged. Realising this he committs suicide and returns to 1973, a place where he feels alive.

This view of the ending can be disputed and this is what I mean by 'good' drama. You could argue that Sam was in fact from 1973 and because of the childhood trauma, revealed in the final episode, he had created the vision of the future to cope with the loss of his parents. 2006 was all in his imagination, an illusion reborn from a recent accident. Going back to 'his' 2006 Sam was having a breakdown. Making a conscious decision to stay in 1973 he finally saved himself and his sanity.

These are only two interpretations of the ending and I'm sure others have come up with many more.

And then of course there's the ending I would have written.

Sam discovers Gene Hunt was the person who ran him over in 2006 and to get home Sam has to destroy Gene Hunt in 1973. However, by doing so he has to destroy the rest of the team, people he considers friends. Sam realises he can't do this and saves the team and Gene Hunt, sacrificing his own life for the sake of the others.

What did the finale of Life On Mars mean to you?

Five Goals

I've been tagged...WOO HOO!!!!!

1) To buy a house that I can afford, which has more than one room.

2) To afford my first child.

3) To make some money from this writing malarkey.

4) To write for Doctor Who.

5) To write my first novel this year.

To Swear Or Not To Swear?

Faith is coming together nicely but I'm having a bit of trouble deciding how much swearing is acceptable in a script.

As the script is set in the back streets of London, among the prostitutes and crack addicts, you have to accept there is going to be a few swear words in it. What I don't want to do is write so many it becomes almost farcical. I know SEXY BEAST is a film with a high swear count and that worked, but could I get away with a large count as a new writer? Would production companies avoid a script with lots of swearing in it?

I would appreciate your thoughts on this matter.

Q&A With Steven Russell

Cletic Film's very own Steven Russell has kindly agreed to be my first Q&A victim. He's a very, very nice man.

Q: What's your job title?

Development Coordinator.

Q: What's your job description?

All incoming material (scripts, treatments, books) come through me, and everything stems from that. I ensure everything gets read in a timely fashion, and keep in contact with agents and writers that we like. I brainstorm ideas in-house for the type of TV and film we want to be making, and tally that material up with the right screenwriter. On projects already in active development, it's a case of constantly refining the material at a script stage, and how it is packaged for potential financiers and distributors.

Q: How did you get to where you are now?

Just working hard, and I don't think I ever turned down the chance to read anything. There was a point when I was reading scripts for five different companies at the same time. I just decided what I wanted to do, then did as much of it as I could.

Q: Describe a typical day?

There's no such thing as typical. I start every day reading the news, on Variety, Broadcast and Screen, as well as geek refuge ComingSoon.net. I end every day by going home. The stuff in between, thankfully, is rarely ever the same.

Q: What tool you use at work would you find it hard to live without?

Coffee.

Q: What attracts you to a project?

A hook. Always a hook; every screenplay should be instilled with rewarding arcs and characters that you are interested in, but combining this with a strong hook helps immeasurably. I am a strong believer that a script can be fun and potent at the same time, and there's nothing I loathe more than a bombastic screenplay, trembling under the weight of its own perceived drama. Levity is everything.

Q: What script (of an already produced and released film) do you wish you had discovered?

"Little Miss Sunshine". It's such a smart, self-enclosed piece of scripting but somehow still relates to the world it exists in.

Q: Are Celtic Films open to unsolicited submissions at this time?

No.

Q: What's the best way to approach Celtic Films?

Through your agent.

Q: Does Celtic support new writers?

Yes, but the position I'm in now means I don't read as much as I would like to. A writer not being protected by a fixed agent-client relationship is one reason (if by 'new' you mean unrepped), but also the fact that we are a business as opposed to a public service is another. If you saw our office, and indeed parts of my house, the amount of scripts to read is already an insurmountable pile.

Q: What advice do you have for new writers?

Make sure you're writing in the right medium, don't write selfishly, and write material that people are actually going to enjoy watching.

Q: What's your favourite film quote?

"Jaws", and "you're gonna need a bigger boat." What else is there to say? A moment of levity in a moment of tension, and for me, it still really sums up the fact that Brody doesn't quite feel a team with Quint and Hooper yet, hence "you're" and not "we're".

Thanks Steven.

Choices

I thought I knew which two of my shorts film scripts I was sending to this years BSSC. Then I let my wife read all of my back catalogue of short scripts and she chose another one. She said it was better than the one I wanted to send.

I don't know which to send now so I'm leaving the decision up to you lovely bloggers. The links to all three scripts are below (don't worry only ten pages each roughly). All you have to do is name the two you like the most in the comments and I'll go with the majority decision.

Thanks for your help.

The Dead Side Of Life.

Goodbye.

I Do?

Faithful

Faith is coming on in leaps and bounds, alternative plot lines are suggesting themselves on a daily basis. As I'm on a no rewrite policy I just add a script note so I will be reminded of these alternative ideas at a later date. Some might work better, others might not. God I love writing a new script, I've missed it so much.

It's hard to resist the urge to go back and rewrite what I've written, but so far I've succeeded. Every time I've been tempted I get up and have a quick wander around the room, or look out of the window, just to distract myself. It works.

However, one problem has reared its ugly head. I've found that I've named many of my characters with the same first letter. So far I have three 'F's, Frank, Faith and Flash, and two 'M's, Mary and Michael. With the names too similar it might cause confusion with the reader so I'm going to have to face facts and admit I will have to change some of the character's names. Again this is something I'll leave until the first draft is finished, I don't want to distract myself before I'm done.

Things are on track for an end of April finish.

Three Is The Magic Number

I hate rewriting, not because it's a never ending task, but because as writer you can get so involved in a script you become blinded to its faults. Then you're just rewriting for rewritings sake and not actually doing the script any good.

So after listening to Adrian Mead last week talk about his Power Of Three I put out some feelers offering to read other people's work. I received a couple of offers and was pleased with the results.

So now I'm going one step further. I'm going to start my own Power Of Ten group.

How's it going to work? I'm going to look for nine willing volunteers, who are prepared to read other people's work and ask questions about it. Then those nine people, and myself will swap contact details so that we all have nine people to send our work to, to be read. That way we don't have to spend time seeking new people to read our work, they are already there ready, willing and able.

So those of you that are interested please email me on my website email address and let's start helping each other and ourselves. I haven't presumed that those two people who have already swapped scripts with me would automatically want to be included in this. If you do then please email me.

Don't forget, this is as much for your benefit as it is for mine. We're here to help each other.

Look forward to reading your emails.

It Does Exactly What It Says On The Tin

THE LONG DISTANCE SCREENWRITER

'Adrian Mead's classes are brilliant - exciting, informative and
inspirational. Nobody does it better!' Alanna Knight Crime Writer

As an aspiring screenwriter you will quickly learn that the vast majority of
PAID work comes from companies and broadcasters based in London. People
will tell you that in order to get that work you need contacts and "Insider"
information. But what if you live hundreds of miles from the media
capital? How can you build your career?

Marc Pye, Rob Fraser, Louise Ironside and Adrian Mead are successful
Scottish based writers who have written for shows such as Eastenders, Waking
The Dead, River City, The Street, Holby City, Where The Heart Is, Taggart,
The Bill, Monarch Of The Glen and numerous other film, TV and radio
projects.

Come and discover how they got started and how you too can build a career as
a screenwriter. The details of the day are as follows:-

MORNING - Adrian Mead will teach the highly practical strategy that you
need in order to work as a "long distance writer".

1. PLANNING THE TRANSITION TO BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL WRITER - Financial.
Personal. Bursaries. Building a profile. Networking.

2. GETTING YOUR WORK READ

What to write - The most recent briefs from broadcasters, producers and
financiers.

What to send - Log Lines. One page Pitches. Treatments. Spec and sample
scripts.

Who to send it to - Current opportunities.

3. MEETINGS - Scheduling meetings. Cheap travel and accommodation deals.
Pitching at meetings. When to ask for expenses.

4. GETTING AN AGENT .

5. MANAGING REWRITES AND NEW WORK.

“Informative, informal, inspiring!” Peter Hynes

LUNCH BREAK

AFTERNOON - The afternoon panel session will give you the opportunity to
ask the writers about their experiences and gain career advice.

The panel will chat about their own approaches to the subjects covered in
the morning and their experiences of working in the industry. Discover how
they deal with script editors, tight deadlines and the challenges and joys
of working as a freelancer. This is also a unique opportunity for you to
learn how professional writers manage the balance between family and career
whilst working in such a highly competitive industry.

During the coffee breaks and a light lunch you will get the chance to
network with the other attendees. This is an great opportunity to make
contacts and gain info.

Attendees at our previous classes will know already that this will be an
extremely busy but fun day, packed with the most up to date and highly
practical information.

if you want to build a career as a professional screenwriter it is essential
that you understand the road ahead and have a strategy for reaching your
goal. That's what this class will give you.

“We all do the writing courses. We’ve been taught about Structure, Tone,
Theme, etc etc etc, and now we can write wonderful screenplays, but it’s just
a piece of paper. Adrian tells us how to go about getting it from that
piece of paper and onto a screen.” James Brannigan Glasgow

BOOK NOW!

Sat 9th June
St Columba's By The Castle Church Hall, Johnston Terrace Edinburgh
10.00 am - 4.30pm
COST £55 (inc VAT and light lunch)
CONTACT: info@meadkerr.com or 0131 554 4539

To see testimonials from previous class participants go to
http://www.meadkerr.com

The Insider's Guide For Writing TV

Saturday 17th March 2007. With three hours sleep (I worked Friday night) I found myself on a train to Waterloo at 6.30am. I was looking forward to it, meeting up with my blogger chums, and listening to what Adrian Mead had to say. I was so eager I arrived an hour early. Damn, I could have had an extra half hour or so in bed.

And there they were, the motley crew of bloggers; Lucy, Lianne, Good Dog, Pillock and Potdoll (hope I haven't missed anyone). Lucy and Lianne I remember from university, and it was good to finally put a face to the other names. I'm not surprised that Potdoll and Lucy get on so well, they're both as mad as March hares and lovely with it. Their enthusiasm for everything was infectious.

I was tired and worried that I would start nodding off during the seminar, and I didn't want to drink coffee because it's not pretty when I'm on coffee. I didn't need to worry about snoring in the seminar because it was so riveting I didn't feel sleepy once.

Adrian was very open, friendly and more than willing to answer people's questions even during the breaks. He even came to the pub afterwards, something that surprised me. Other industry professionals at festivals can't wait to get out of there, so it was refreshing to see that Adrian was happy to help us in any way he could. His enthusiasm during the day washed over us and no one felt embarrassed to ask questions or network during the breaks. My only regret is that I was too tired to take best advantage of this and I'm sure some people thought I was a mentalist when I zoned out and was staring into space while they were talking to me. I was paying attention, or at least trying my hardest to do so.

So what did Adrian have to say? A lot as it turns out and all of it useful, as my seven pages of notes can testify. Here's what Adrian covered.

- Researching the industry is important if you're going to be a part of it.
- Play nice. Be generous with your information. Be polite, helpful and above all open to other people's suggestion even if you don't always agree with them. Maybe you can come up with another way? Being negative is only going to bring you negativity.
- Why do you want to write? Looking at your motivations to take on the world of writing.
- Your voice. Plot or character? Current topics and how interesting is your particular slant on it?
- Your spec script (which will probably never get made but will get you work) should be what you want to write and shouldn't be constrained by budget concerns.
- Lose your fear of having your work stolen. It doesn't happen. Putting the copyright symbol all over your script screams of amateurism.
- Feedback, follow up contacts and meetings. People like it when you thank them for their time.
- The biggest reason for rejection is your script not being ready for sending out. The Power of Three: send you script to three people, get their comments and rewrite. Do this again twice more with three different people each time. Hopefully your script should be ready after this.
- Regional schemes. Get on them, they're there to help you. Don't be worried if you don't live in that region, find a producer who does live in that region and submit it through them.
- Writing discipline. Have some. A writer writes or they die.
- How to get an agent.
- How to handle meetings.
- The one page pitch; an important document so get it right.
- Raising your profile. You are a writer, not a new writer.
- The importance of ringing people to find out who you should send your work to. Don't be shy.
- Selling yourself. Enter competitions, regional schemes, find a sponsor within the industry and blog.
- Are you doing enough? Constantly check that you are doing enough to get yourself noticed. Don't slack off.
- How not to get fired. The main reasons writers get fired from shows.
- Rejection; how to handle it.

There you go, lots to think about but all good advice. I really enjoyed the seminar and would heartily recommend you attend the next one; I know I will be.

And if anyone out there in blogland wants someone to help them with the power of three I am officially making myself available to read your work. Feel free to contact me.

Mead You There

I'm off on my travels this weekend, down to London Town for Adrian Mead's The Insider's Guide For Writing TV.

This is the first course I've been on since I completed my BA (Hons) degree in Scriptwriting and I have to say I'm really looking forward to it. If the one day course is as good as the handouts Adrian has supplied me then it's going to be fantastic. I will of course provide you all with a full and frank review when I return.

Faith: I've actually started writing and it's really coming together. Usually when I write something I spend months working through the plot and characters before I even type one word of the script. It's a slow process so I've decided to use this opportunity to experiment a little.

Normally my time on a script would be split like this: 80% prep, 5% writing and 15% on rewrites. When I was at university there were people who would start writing in a matter of days with the flimsiest of plots, and let the script develop itself. I could never do that.

With all the other work I've had to do I reckon I've spent at most three weeks working on the plot of Faith. So I decided it was time to start writing. Now I have, new ideas, characters and plot lines are suggesting themselves as I write. I still find this a very strange way of writing, but as I need to speed up my work I am giving it a shot. It appears to be working so far. If by the end of the first draft I find the plot is full of holes then I may never try this again.

Mapping

Most writers dive head first into their writing with little or no forethought. I'm no exception.

I realised yesterday that it's been nearly a year since I've written something new; nearly a whole year with out a single new idea being put down on paper. That's bad and more importantly dangerous. Why? Because production companies don't want to see the same script several times but in different guises. They've rejected it already, so unless it's a drastic overhaul the likelihood is that it'll be rejected again. If you're not continually producing new work as a writer you'll go stale and have nothing new to offer production companies.

So what have I been doing in the last year? Rewrites, that's what. Rewrites are important but at the moment that is all I seem to be doing, and I'm bored of them. I want to write new stuff.

So I've come up with a plan which is as follows.

Mondays: Work on new stuff, be it outlining, characterization, or writing the first draft.

Tuesdays: The first rewrite day, going over my old scripts and polishing them until they gleam.

Wednesdays: Work on new stuff again.

Thursdays: Rewrite day part two.

Fridays: Post day. Send out polished scripts to production companies and work on my first novel.

I implemented the above timetable for the first time this week and it helped a great deal. Instead of waking up in the morning and spending an hour or two deciding what to work on that day, I already know, which means I can just get on with it. Timetabling your work helps to organise your working week. Give it a try

Nearly There

So I've finished my rewrite of Cross The Rubicon and I find myself with more time to spend on the structure of Faith.

One of the plot points I wanted to introduce meant a great deal of research was needed before I was able to continue. I hate research at the best of times but when one of your characters has brain damage research is needed to make it believable. So now it's done I can continue with the structure.

I'm almost there, only a month behind schedule, but nearly complete which means I can get on with the writing.

Will the first draft be done by the end of March? I hope so.