Musaab Ag's Variety Article

The director of my short film The Traveller, Musaab Ag, has had an interview published in Variety Arabia magazine. A transcript of the article is below:

variety ARABIA I AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2011

P E O P L E

EMERGING

FIRST-TIME FILMMAKER’S

FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

mussab ag talks to variety arabia about his first mystery thriller, “the traveller”, and the ups and downs that came with it

BAdAr i. sAlem – duBAi

Filmmaking was not an obvious career choice. He studied photography and music and has been working in the media industry for almost eight years now. But Mussab Abdel Ghafour, or Mussab AG, 26, was always fascinated with films and filmmaking. For him, cinema beautifully blends different magical combinations of sight and sound, creating a world of fantasy and hope.

“I was bitten by the film bug early on and visuals have always interested me. I always wanted to be able to tell stories with vivid, colourful, multi- faceted characters using pictures and sound,” says AG, who is a big fan of English director Ridley Scott and “Lord of the Rings” director Peter Jackson. “They both have an extraordinary ability to create worlds and genres in their movies, which always have a profound effect on me.”

A filmmaker’s first feature film is usually a project of passion, to which he devotes all his time and energy to make it the best film of his nascent career. This certainly seems to be the case for AG. His first mystery-thriller film, “The Traveller”, was selected at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner (SFC) – a good start for a first-time filmmaker. “It was such a rewarding moment when I [found out] my very first film had been selected at Cannes SFC. It was a great impetus to me to keep going and I hope it will be

Musab AG’s first mystery-thriller film, “The Traveller”, was selected at the 2011 Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner

to anyone who dreams of becoming a filmmaker.”

The way AG talks about “The Traveller” makes you want to watch it. He may be young, but the knowledge he has of human vulnerabilities, fears, doubts and the uncertainties in our minds and hearts is pretty striking.

There is only one character in the film; the other character was created from the main character’s inner voice, his doubts and fears. Both characters collide in the film. “By showing the conflict between the main character and his other-self, we were able to show other emotions, from revenge to love, guilt and doubt. We don’t show all of this in the film, we just hint at it.

“I won’t say that the main character is 100 per cent good or bad; there is no black and white. The character struggles between both. I want the audience to decide.”

AG likes to refer to himself as “we," as he believes the film is a collective achievement. By “we” he refers to the scriptwriter Peter Mitchell, the screenwriter Dominic Carver, the lead actor UAE-based Ibrahim Renno and the cinematographer Jack Elliot, among others.

AG notes that the film script was originally a three-page story idea from Peter Mitchell. Dominic Carver then worked extensively on the script, making it longer, more twisted and mysterious.

“We kept working on the script until the night of the shoot; all of the team was on the same track when it came to how we wanted the film to look. They all deserve a big thank you and much credit for their work on the film.” Despite having a supportive and talented team, AG had to overcome many challenges while putting the film together.

“Shooting the whole movie, including the stunt shots, over one night in adverse weather conditions was a big risk,” he acknowledges. “I had to take care of almost 30 crew members, as well as some technical issues, and make sure we wrapped the film before dawn. We had to postpone the shoot three times due to logistical problems. I also had to give up so many ideas due to time and budget constraints.”

The film, which was shot near Fujairah in the UAE – “a surreal place with beautiful mountains”, as AG puts it – had a budget of almost US$13,000 and was self-financed. Regarding the decision to make his first film in English, AG has one direct answer:

“I wanted to emphasise the story and emotions and take out the language element. Besides, the screenplay was originally written in English, and having it in English will help promote it at international film festivals.”

Asked about what he wants his audiences to walk away with after watching “The Traveller”, he replies: “I always try to balance between these two goals – good entertainment and a good concept. I want the audience to go out with both. The story is like a shape made by dots and I leave it to the audience to connect them.”

AG is currently working on a short and a feature film, both of which are in the drama/thriller genre and being written by UK-based Dominic Carver. For him, the journey into the wonders of cinema has just started.

It Begins

And I'm back...

I'm finally back at my desk full-time after seven months part-time, while my dear lady wife was on maternity leave, and to mark the occasion I've started a new feature screenplay. There's nothing quite like the feeling of starting a new script and even though I've spent months planning it, it has already begun to grow a life of its own. Nearly twelve pages in and characters are starting to change from how I envisioned them, scenes have relocated to new places and personalities have started to affect how characters act and react.

That's what I love about the first drafts; they have a way of running away from you, in directions you never expected, even if you have meticulously planned every detail before hand. They're very experimental, very organic by nature and you shouldn't be worried if your screenplay does go off in unexpected directions. Let it!

With your fist draft you're just finding your way, fleshing out your story and characters, seeing how it all fits together, or doesn't. This is the most glorious time for a writer, to be able to just put words on pages, letting them flow from your unconscious, allowing them to be born, to breath and grow. I know of so many writers who can't resist the urge to go back and immediately rewrite what they've just put on paper, forcing their words to conform to their story. The first draft is the time to get your ideas, all of them, on to the page, even ones that come to you as you write. Reigning in those ideas and tidying up will come with later when you rewrite; you can worry about such things then.

For now celebrate your creativity and let yourself go. It's a wild ride, so enjoy it.

Those Who Don't Ask Don't Get

No Unsolicited Material.

Three words that are the most frustrating for writers just starting out, but ones you shouldn't let stop you contacting people.

I've talked about this before, but it's worth mentioning again that these words are there to put off those hobby writers who are not professional and haven't polished their work to a fine sheen. Basically it's a barrier for production companies to stop them being inundated with rubbish scripts. If you have a polished script you are confident is ready to be read there is a simple way to get past those three words.

A polite email. Yep, it's as simple as that. Or is it? Well yes and no. There are rules to follow and they are:

• Be polite - obvious but essential.
• Don't sign in with, 'Yo Dude' or anything as stupid.
  
• Thoroughly research who you are about to approach. If your script doesn't match their back catalogue then don't waste your time. For example if they make comedies it would be a waste of time sending them a biopic of Alan Sugar.
  
• Show an interest in who they are by asking them about some of their past work, or praising something they've done. Don't be vague and don't fawn all over them.
  
• Introduce yourself - tell them who you are and what you've done.
• If you have a unique selling point - for example if you've won a competition - then mention it, as it'll put you ahead of the queue.
  
• Don't be pushy.
• Don't attach your script. Ask them if they would be kind enough to read it first. If they ask to read it, then send it.
• Include your logline.
• Politely sign off - again obvious but essential
• Keep it short. A rambling email will just get binned.
  

This approach works. I know it does because I've used it and had my work read by companies who have 'No Unsolicited Material' plastered all over their website. Follow these guidelines and most companies will be receptive to this kind of approached.

Write, You Lazy @%&*er!

It seems such an obvious thing to say it, but to be a writer you actually need to write something.

It's funny how many people on the interwebs say they write, but who are actually still working on their first project, the very same one they've been writing for the last five years and still haven't got past halfway. Then there are those who actually do finish that one script, send it out to a few production companies, think that's it and sit back and wait for the money to roll in.

The first three years after finishing my scriptwriting degree I fell into the latter category. I had a completed script, sent it out, half started another, but then decided I didn't need to finish it because the first script was going to get sold and then I'd have the time and money to sit down and write. How naive and stupid I was back then. It wasn't until I was in my fourth post university year that I realised I didn't have a writing career, I had exhausted all avenues with my one completed script and I wasn't going to get anywhere unless I got up off my arse (or actually sat down on it), put myself in front of my computer and wrote something new.

I realised I should always be working on my next project and building a portfolio of quality screenplays. Words had to be typed for that to happen. The most terrifying words you can hear are, "Loved your script. Can you send me something else?" only to realise you don't have anything else to send. That's why I have the words - WRITE YOU LAZY EFFER!!! - written on the whiteboard above my desk, as a constant reminder I'm only ever as good as my next screenplay.

So if you call yourself a writer online then make sure you are actually writing...all the time.

Industrial Scripts - Talent Connector

Industrial Scripts have finally launched their Talent Connector service for unrepresented writers, a scheme based on similar successful services in the USA.

To qualify for Talent Connector you first have to purchase coverage for your script from one of their gang of well known and respected readers, who also read for major production companies and agents. If they think your work is good enough, they'll place you and your script on their scheme.

I know what you're thinking, why should you pay out a large sum of money to have your script read when getting on to the Talent Connector scheme isn't guaranteed? If your work is good enough surely it will get picked up when you send your work out to producers, something you can do for the small cost of postage? I know where you're coming from, as I had the same reservations.

But what Industrial Scripts are offering here is a chance to get you and your work in front of top producers and agents you wouldn't normally have access to, who are usually protected by a mountain of assistants and the words, 'no unsolicited screenplays.' The readers that work for Industrial Scripts also work for such mammoths as Paramount, Working Title, Warner Brothers and Universal and their recommendations carry serious weight with these top producers and agents, which is why Talent Connector puts you and your work in front of them, right on their desk and not on the desk of an assistant.

I have to point out I think this scheme is really only worth while if your writing is at a certain level, that point where production companies are inviting you to submit more of your work and you're getting good feedback on your writing. If you're not at this stage you'll only get frustrated when you and your work isn't recommended for Talent Connector.

You can read all about Talent Connector here.

It's a fantastic opportunity, a great chance for up and coming writers to get themselves and their work noticed, and well worth the money. A sound investment.

Loves Me Not Scripts

Loves Me Not Films have launched a new script service for writers that is just that extra bit special and it's well worth a look. The ever wonderful Steven Russell explains why below.

"Working directly with writers, we aim to provide services ranging from development notes to story lining collaboration on a specific script, assessing and analysing their targets, goals and techniques to improve their work.

What we aim to not do is stop working with a writer when we stop reading their script. Thanks to our extensive writer and producer relationships, we are able to manage a script's development directly with a writer, following up to get them read by fellow producers as well as agents and directors. We allow for a collaboration in managing and pushing forward a writer's career. Where all our services meet, we can offer the chance for producers to read scripts developed directly with our writers, scripts that show a strong story dynamic and commercial sensibilities."

You can get in touch with Steven at the following places:

steven@lovesmenotfilms.co.uk // 07734 212 845
www.lovesmenotfilms.co.uk // twitter @lovesmenotfilms // www.facebook.com/lovesmenotfilms

Competitions

Last Friday the 8th July my bleak drama Faith was announced as the winner of the Prequel to Cannes Feature Screenwriting Competition 2011, a great achievement of which I'm very proud. It got me thinking about competitions and how I've approached them in the past and I've come to a conclusion that maybe I didn't treat them with the respect I should have done.

Competition deadlines are dangerous to writers as there's a temptation to rush off any old rubbish just so you can meet that deadline and enter - you've got to be in it to win it after all...right???? In reality you're not doing yourself any favors by rushing your work just to enter for the sake of entering. I know this to be true, as I've been guilty of this on many occasions. Starting a script a week before the final deadline isn't the best preparation in the world. Rushing that script means you haven't put as much effort into as you could have and the quality of what you've written isn't going to be great. It's no surprise then that a good percentage of scripts (more than half the total entered) fall at the first hurdle simply because not enough thought went into them. By doing this you're just wasting your entry fee; you might as well spend it down the pub.

Another danger for writers is thinking of script competitions as the be all and end all, entering everything in sight and hoping you get lucky. It almost becomes an addiction and yes, I've been there too. Again you're not doing yourself any favors, weakening your chances by not focusing your efforts.

It's better to choose four or five screenwriting competitions per year and concentrate on entering those with scripts you've been working on for a while. Better still think a year ahead and then you have a glorious 365 days to work on anything you might wish to enter in the future. Planning ahead, deciding which competitions you're going to enter, what script you're going to enter with, and making sure that script is ready and polished to its best increases your chances significantly. It's worth bearing in mind that my screenplay Faith took three years to write from conception to finished draft, most of which was spent rewriting it over and over again until it sparkled. That's why it has also made the last 25% of entries in another screenwriting competition.

Does winning a competition lead to numerous offers of work and agents begging at your door? I doubt it, but it does elevate your exposure to those in a position to help you forward your career and gives you the opportunity to show what you can do.

Competitions aren't an easy way into the industry and nothing will ever replace good old fashioned hard work as a way of getting you noticed.

Luther - Quality Drama

The last episode in series two of Neil Cross's excellent psychological drama Luther aired last night on BBC1 and yet again proved what a talented writer Neil is.

It's a brilliantly written drama with fascinating characters and awesome dialogue, with a central character so screwed up by the death of his wife he is one step away from becoming the people he hunts. It is simply 'must watch' TV. But why only four episodes this season?

I think the final episode suffered a little because of the shortened series and in places felt a little hurried. New characters were introduced to tie up subplots, even though those subplots felt they should have run for longer. Perhaps there were six episodes planned and those subplots were meant to play out over the full series, but were rejigged to accommodate the four episodes?

I also felt the series was missing something with the loss of Alice. She was John Luther's intellectual equal and the only person who truly understood him. Without her it always felt Luther was going to sort things out eventually and that his foes, although initially threatening, were simply no match for him or his intellect. Alice provided that flicker of doubt as to whether Luther would be able to beat her - was he cleaver, cunning, dangerous enough to match Alice and eventually defeat her? For Alice to simply walk away when the series had only just begun felt wrong and not in character, especially as she was jealous of Luther's emotional attachment to his wife in the first series. Why did she not feel the need to compete for Luther affections with Jenny Jones, someone Luther cares for, but who would have been so far out of her depth against Alice? I really hope in the third series (surely there has to be one) Alice is reintroduced, or at least there should be an new character equal to her to truly challenge Luther.

Don't get me wrong the second series of Luther was still awesome TV drama and thoroughly worth the watch. The writing is some of the best I've seen this year, and despite its slightly hurried feel the final episode still entertained. A job well done by Neil Cross.

London Screenwriters Festival 2011

A rumour has been making the rounds on Twitter in the last couple of days claiming this year's festival might not got ahead. I am pleased to read this is untrue, as the above screen capture shows the festival is most definitely going ahead as planned in October.

See you all there.

A Helping Hand

I get a lot of emails asking for help and I answer them all, as I do with all my emails. If someone has taken the time to write to me it's only right I take the time to write back...even if I'm busy. If I can't help them myself I'll point them in the direction of someone who might be able to.

Most of these requests for help I get come from media students; I was one once, so I'm only too happy to do what I can for them. A good example of this is when I was contacted by a tutor from Bangor who asked if I had any old scripts the students could film for their course. I was very happy to help them out, sending them two very old scripts. They had fun making them and I got a buzz seeing scripts I thought long dead get made. A win/win situation for all concerned. But there's always someone who has to go and spoil it for others.

I was contacted at the beginning of the month and literally begged by a MA student in London for a short script, as he needed something by the 10 June at the latest, as he had to film four short films as part of his course and was quickly running out of time. I explained to him I was very busy with several paid projects and consequently was only taking on paid work, but I offered to squeeze him into my busy schedule for a small fee. He was still eager for my help and happily agreed to pay.

I kept the student up-to-date with how I was getting on, sending him copies of the script as it progressed, and at all points he said he was very happy with what I was producing for him. When I presented him with the finished first draft ready for him to come back to me with any notes he told me he really liked it. I then didn't hear from him and the 10th June came and went. I sent him two chase emails and finally got a short, abrasive email back from him on the 15th saying he wasn't sure about my script and would get in contact if, and when, he had any notes for me. The alarm bells started ringing in my head.

I wrote back to him asking what was wrong and why he had changed his mind about the script? I got a very rude reply stating he wasn't going to pay me and that he considered the matter closed. So I Googled his name only to find out he'd put a ton of adverts online over the last couple of months asking for scripts, two even posted after his deadline of the 10th June, none of which stated he needed them urgently. It was then quite obvious to me I had been conned and this student was getting writers to write him scripts, making each one think they were the only one working for him, claiming he needed them urgently so that he had several scripts from which to choose from when he was ready to film his MA project.

Now it's not the money I'm concerned about, the money isn't important at all, what gets me is this student got me to write him a script using lies and deceit, knowing I was busy and couldn't really spare the time, and then when the project was done he simply wanted to cut all ties. I suspect, although this is only supposition, he intends to claim credit for the screenplay himself. He'll find it an impossible task now though, as I hunted down his course tutor and told him categorically that this MA student wasn't allowed to use my work in any form and I even sent the tutor a copy of the script to use as reference. I also asked him if he could have a talk with the student about professionalism...he was only too happy to do so.

The moral of this story is be honest and don't deceive those you are working with. It takes years to build up a good reputation and only moments to lose it. This business is built on reputation and word of mouth, and if the word about you is bad then you'll find it hard, or even impossible, to get work.

If anyone out there thinks they've replied to this student's ad, or is working for him now, then please email me and I'll answer whatever questions you have in private.

The unfortunate down side of this is I will now probably say 'NO' to the next student who writes to me asking for help. This doesn't mean I'll stop helping people who ask for it, I'll just be more cautious when people approach me, at least for a while.

Forty Key Scenes - Revisted

The most common problem I see in scripts from new writers is lack of structure. I've been there too many a time myself, but I now get praised by producers for my structure, as many of the scripts they receive aren't. I discovered a little trick that helped solve that problem years ago.

When I start plotting a new script I always use the forty key scenes rule to help me, or a variation thereof if I'm writing a TV pilot episode. I don't know where I first picked up this idea, or which book I read it in, but it's been an invaluable tool over the years and really helps to focus the story telling. How do these forty key scenes work? It's really easy, let me show you.

Take forty blank index cards and stick them to a wall, or pin them to a cork board, in four rows of ten. Your first row is your fist act with the last card being your act one turning point. The next ten are the first half of act two up to the midway point. The next ten are the second half of act two with the last card being the turning point into act three. Your final ten cards are act three.

Use these cards to write down a brief outline of each scene, paying close attention to the important places as the first and second act turning points and the midpoint. You'll see if your plot has a problem, or doesn't have legs, as there will be blank spaces. It's your job to solve those plot holes and fill those blank cards. You don't have to follow this idea ridgedly, this is only a guide to help you think about your plot and work through any problems it has. You can make it as flexible or as ridged as you want. Whatever works for you.

I've adapted the forty key scenes rule a little bit since I first used it years ago and I've now incorperated a very good idea I came across in Blake Snyder's - Save The Cat! At the bottom of the cards he adds a +/-, or a -/+, used to indicate the emotional change in the scene. Take the scene from Star Wars where Ben Kenobi is teaching Luke how to use the Force while on the Millennium Falcon. Luke starts off disbelieving when he can't see to deflect the training orbs bolts, a - in this case, but when he finally 'sees' the training orb even with his eyes covered this changes to a +.

The other idea he talks about is adding >< at the bottom of the index cards to represent conflict. Drama comes from conflict so if your scene doesn't have any it's going to fall flat. Find the conflict in the scene and write it down here.

The advantage of writing your scenes down on cards is that you can move them around at will. A scene might not work in the place you intended it to go, but it might work elsewhere. It's just a simple matter of moving that card to its new place.

Only when your forty key scenes are completed can you then start to write your script confident you've worked through all of your story's problems. The forty cards will provide you with a blue print for your finished script, and trust me your script will be much better for all that preparation.

Give it a try.

The Traveller Making Of Video

Follow the link and enjoy :-)

(CLICK)

Deadlines

I have deadlines. I like deadlines.

There's nothing quite like the overwhelming feeling of panic to help your breakfast make a sudden, unexpected return mid morning. The terror floods over you, slapping you in the face, poking you in the eyes and tweaking your nipples two hours before you have to email your script. Then you suddenly realise you're shit, your script's shit and most importantly someone is about to find out you're a hopeless fraud.

Overdosed on coffee you sit in front of the screen your balls sweating (or have you just wet yourself?), your heart pounding (too much coffee or the early signs of a heart attack?), stomach churning (watch out for breakfast) and your mouth dry (drink more coffee). This script is utter bollocks, the worst thing you've ever written, but it has to do because now you've only got an hour.

AN HOUR!!!!!

You type furiously changing as much as you can in the little time you have left. Maybe you can rescue this, make yourself look at least semi-professional? You probably can't! You're gonna fail miserably. You pathetic twunt!

HALF AN HOUR LEFT!!!!!! Oh fiddly funk buckets....where is the time going? Now you're typing furiously, tears flowing freely down your cheeks. There's an excruciating pain in your neck from sitting tensed up, but you can't worry about that now, because you've only got ten minutes.... OH SWEET BABY POTATOES!!!!!

Your howls of desperation have worried the neighbours, who are now enquiring through your letterbox if you're OK and if you need an ambulance, but it doesn't matter now, because there is no time left.

You press send....and wait for the inevitable, the "you really are the worst writer on the planet", response you know is coming. Your career is over, you sad sack of hamster pooh.

The email is here. You can't open it, dare not open it, but you have to....you open it and....no, that can't be right, they actually like it....they really like it....THE FOOLS!!!

And breathe!

By crikey I LOVE deadlines.

The Traveller - Set Photos

Hanging around on set.

The very talented Ibrahim Renno.

Yes, they did roll a car down the highway just for my little script.

"Stop shining that light in my eyes, I can't see where I'm driving."

"I can see my house from here."

The Traveller Trailer Is Here

The Traveller trailer is here at last and the short film I wrote last year is also an official selection at the Cannes Short Film Corner this year... Excitos!!!

Click HERE to see it.

Review: Celtx: Open Source Screenwriting Beginner's Guide

Celtx: Open Source Screenwriting Beginner's Guide

I became aware of Celtx last year while working on a short film project I was commissioned for. It looked like a good bit of kit, but I already had an excellent piece of writing software and didn't require another one, nor did I have the time to learn how to use a new program. Then I became aware of Celtx: Open Source Screenwriting Beginner's Guide so I thought I'd give it a go.

The eBook was extremely helpful and I was able to learn as I went along. It's an easy read well laid out and it's very easy to find exactly what you're looking for. The book covers everything from your computer requirements, loading the software, the basics through to advanced use. The more I read of the book the more I discovered I could do with Celtx (even aspects of the software as a writer I will never use, but which will be extremely valuable to those looking for a complete production package). The book was so good I even recommended it to the person who first told me about Celtx and even he discovered things he never knew he could do before.

Although I only used the book to learn how to use screenwriting side of the software it does also teach you a lot more about exactly what Celtx is capable of on the production side of things and anyone who has Celtx, or is thinking of getting it, should really get the book as it will definitely help them make the most of the software.

Here are some of the features you can expect from the book.

• An illustrative guide to writing and formatting professional scripts and screenplays in the only way acceptable to Hollywood producers and agents
• Work with all the powerful tools of Celtx to come up with brilliant scripts for films, documentaries, stage plays, even comic book scripts
• Master other pre-production planning features including storyboarding, scheduling, and casting
• Maximize the power of Celtx with helpful tips about both the software and how to sell your completed work
• Part of Packt's beginner's guide series – practical, simple, and illustrative
• eBook available as PDF and ePub downloads

You can buy the book from here or from online book type places.

Pets In A Pickle

Some of you may know I have been working on a TV drama series adaptation of a novel. Well today I can reveal that the novel in question, Pets In A Pickle written by the talented Malcolm D. Welshman, is due for release on the 3rd of May and can be bought online at Amazon.co.uk.

For the launch of the novel Malcolm has been interviewed by the Daily Mail and the interview and extracts from his book are due to be printed in the Saturday edition of the Daily Mail one weekend this month (not sure exactly which Saturday).

The book is a fantastic and humour laden read so if you have any spare pennies please feel free to go and buy yourself a copy.

Writers' Block: Reality Or Myth?

Ian plonks himself down in front of his computer, fires it up, loads his latest screenplay. The cursor blinks accusingly at him, taunting him, making him acutely aware the rest of the page remains blank.

Ian stares at the screen, his fingers hover over the keyboard in anticipation. He pleads for the words to form on the page, but it remains as blank as Ian's mind. He can almost hear the cursor laughing at him.

We've all experienced it at one point or other, that horrible pause when things just aren't working and the desperate need to write something, anything becomes all consuming. But can this really be called writers' block, does such a thing really exist, or are there ways to beat it into submission and regain your creativity?

Some people argue if it isn't happening you should walk away and do something else, and come back to your work later. Make a cup of tea, take the dog for a walk, anything that will distract you from the fact your brain isn't in gear yet and it's going to take a little more time and maybe several mugs of coffee before it is. Some days it just doesn't happen, there's no point in pushing yourself and ending up hating the project you're working on. Right?

Wrong! I think it's just lazy, an excuse to procrastinate. You're a writer, so write. Get angry with that block. Show it who's boss.

There's always something you can write even if the scene you want to won't come out of your stubborn, locked brain. Thinking about the cursor and blank page just makes matters worse. Getting up and walking away will only make you feel guilty for not writing and angry with yourself and more importantly with the empty page. Thinking like that just escalates things. It doesn't have to be like that, really it doesn't.

If you get stuck on what to write it usually means you haven't done enough preparation on your script and your brain is telling you the only way it knows how, by shutting down and demanding you go and play Xbox for a hour. Don't listen to it and go back and work on those characters and plot, and the next time you sit down to write your masterpiece you won't have the same trouble.

Even if you're stuck at one particular point in your script it doesn't mean that you can't skip to the middle, or the end and write those instead. Even if you have a particular scene in mind, but it doesn't come until much later in the script it doesn't mean you can't write it now. Don't think for a moment you have to write your script in linear order, because that is just foolish and is why you're blocked in the first place. There are numerous other ways to get the creative juices flowing. Here are a few of my favorites.

Get drunk, write whatever comes into your head and rewrite it tomorrow. If it's rubbish, which it probably will be, it doesn't matter because you'll be rewriting it tomorrow anyway. At least you'll have words down on the page and crap words are better than none at all.

Put some background music on really loud (I listen to my Oasis albums on loop) to distract that naughty part of your brain that's holding the creative side of your mind captive. Any type of music will do just as long as it's something you can have on in the background that you won't pay much attention to.

Pick too characters, stick them in an imaginary elevator and start an argument. Write four sides of A4 like this. Not only is this great for working on your characters, but also jump starts your writing. Alternatively you can come up with your own ways to get your creative juices back on track so you don't have to steal mine.

So does writers' block really exist? Yes it does, but only if you let it. Now go and write.

Rejection Revisited

I've spoken about rejection and how to handle it before, but it's something well worth going over again as it's all too easy to forget that sometimes rejection does hurt.

It's important to build up a thick skin against rejection, but even if you do there will always be that one rejection too many that gets to you. We're all human and we all desire to be loved and liked; writers even more so I think. The important thing as a writer is not to let others see you're hurting and not to rant publicly about it. That is a big mistake, a big fat no no in media circles, and a sure fire way to get yourself a bad name. It's worth remembering that if someone Google's your name they might come across your moan and think you're hard to work with and avoid you. No one likes a moaner, not even other moaners.

Go and Google your own name right now and see what comes up. If any moaning, or anything negative comes up then remove the offending article, blog or Tweet. I did this the other week and found two very early, very negative blog posts which I later removed. Here's a few other important things you might want to consider.

Rejection isn't personal. No one ever died from rejection. Rejection doesn't mean your work is rubbish, it just means they didn't like it/or it wasn't right for them at the time. Someone else might like it and snap your hand off.

Remember, be positive at all times online and keep any negative thoughts behind closed doors. Your career will thank you for it.

What No Blog???

Today will mostly be my birthday.

In celebration of that fact I have taken it easy this week after many weeks of working like an absolute loon. To treat myself today I will be lying out in the sun and drinking bucket loads of beer. Huzzah!!!

Normal service will resume once my hangover has gone...that will probably be Monday 11th.

Bye for now.

If Your Name's Not On The List...

'Unsolicited scripts are not welcome.'

Surely the person who made that decision should be stripped naked, rubbed down with sandpaper, smeared in lemon juice and beaten to death with their own underpants just for daring to slam a door in the face of your awesome talent? How very dare they, how very dare they indeed!

OK STOP! *slaps you in the face with a week old halibut*

Unsolicited scripts are not welcome for several reasons; it may be you've sent your script to a small production company and therefore they don't have the staff to read unsolicited work, they may have decided it's easier to let agents do their work for them rather than hire readers because they want to save their money for chocolate digestives instead of the plain ones with their tea, or maybe they just prefer to spend their time on Facebook, Twitter or Googling their own name every five minutes to see if they've moved up the listing. Whatever the case there is still a way of getting them to read your work without resorting to kidnap and nipple clamps.

If they have an email address send them a short, very polite email telling them you are aware of their submissions policy, that you don't have an agent, but you were wondering if they would kindly read a one page outline of your project. Most recipients will ignore you, some may even laugh in your face, some might take out restraining orders and some will reiterate their submission policy *just* to make it clear to someone as stupid as you. But there may just be one producer who emails you back and says, 'oh go on then'. Think of it from their point of view, they would rather read a one page outline than miss out on the script of the century.

If you don't try then why bother writing your script in the first place?

If you don't ask, you don't get.

Outcasts & Being Human Series Finales

Outcasts: I really liked the final episode. It set up some interesting cliffhangers for the second series - if they had been given the go ahead for one - and the dialogue was much improved. The only thing I really didn't like was the fact that Julius Berger's villainy was watered down when we learnt he was working for someone else. He would have been a much stronger/evil/power hungry character if he had been working on his own. Yes, we know that the people he was in collusion with were far more manipulative and dangerous than Julius had been, but I personally would have preferred to see him more in control and not someone else's lap dog. Not a bad episode though.

Being Human: My God, what great drama! This is what good TV is all about. While we were teased by the 'Wolf Shaped Bullet' and who it might be, it really could have only ever been George. Any other choice and it wouldn't have made any sense, or had such poetic justice, it had to be George just as Mitchell had to be the one to kill Herrick. But what hit me the most besides the awesome acting from Russell Tovey, Aidan Turner, Lenora Crichlow, Sinead Keenan and Jason Watkins, was the even more awesome dialogue..."I'm only doing this because I love you." That is how great dialogue should be written; that is how great drama should be written. Being Human blew away everything else that was on TV that night. If all TV drama was that good I'd never get my arse off the sofa.

It's Coming

Outcasts

I like it. I know it has its faults, but I genuinely like it...so there :-P

What are those faults? Here are the two major faults as I see them: dialogue and characterisation.

The dialogue in the first episode was clunky, on the nose, often repeated in the very next scene, over expositional and used far too much to keep the story moving along. I know they had a lot of back story to get through to set the scene, but it was just so obvious in the dialogue and ruined what could have been a very good first episode. You can see the actors struggling to say the words sometimes, even in later episodes where it hasn't been such an issue. But is this the fault of the writer, or is someone else to blame? I can't see that the writers are to blame too much for this as the poor dialogue happens in almost every episode, each written by a different writer, therefore I can only assume someone else is having a bad influence on what goes into each script.

Characterisation is also very weak, characters doing odd stuff simply to justify the plot rather than their own existence. When Julius Berger came on the scene it was obvious from the moment we first saw him he was not to be trusted, yet on several occasions during the series so far people are actually being nice towards him rather than suspicious. He even got placed on the council with no opposition at all. Indeed in one episode Stella tells Julius she's going to keep an eye on him because she doesn't trust him and the very next episode she's all excited, singing his praises because he's got her daughter talking to her. Where did her suspicion, her distrust of the man go? I also thought they could have done a lot more with Mitchell Hoban, showing his slow decent into the madness that eventually took him. I don't want to be told he was a good man, I want to see it and his journey to his eventual suicide.

I think the faults emphasise just how much the series focuses on the telling of the story at the expense of characters and dialogue. The plot is everything! It shouldn't be. For me good stories are told through good dialogue and characters.

What I do like about the show is it's boldness. It dares to challenge, bring us a new, interesting world, which grows even more intriguing week by week. Episode five has been my favorite episode so far and even though I looked, and believe me I looked hard, I couldn't find a single fault with it.

So what now for the show? Will the BBC green light another series, or will sci-fi on the BBC be dead for the foreseeable future?

Outcasts And Tweets

I was very disappointed yesterday to read several tweets from writers slagging off Outcasts after it was moved from a Monday night slot to a Sunday. Come on writers, whatever your feelings towards the program, slagging it off, laughing or making jokes at its falling ratings is just plain rude.

What if it was your series that everyone was slagging off? How would you feel then? You can be sure Outcasts' creator Ben Richards is feeling bad enough without you heaping more misery on him by doing this. Constructive criticism is a good thing and should be encouraged, but there is no place in our industry for slagging off, or just being plain rude about another writer's work. There are too many others out there who have it in for us writers to begin with. Have a bit of respect, a bit of compassion for a fellow writer who dared to try something different.

The series may have its faults (I will blog about this issue in greater detail next week), but it is bold, ambitious and daring, something good TV should be. Please don't forget that without writers like Ben trying new things we would be stuck with the same endless, repetitive, boring stuff forever. Without challenging ourselves, or our writing, there really would be nothing out there for us. As writers you should know that sometimes things work and at other times things don't. You should also know that TV is a collaborative process and many factors bring changes to original scripts.

As writers you should know better.

InkTip

A couple of friends of mine have raved about InkTip in the past and how good it is, but I've never quite been convinced that spending $60 (+$20 for WGA script registration) to post a script on a website is the best way to go. I have now changed my mind, because the one thing InkTip does offer you is the chance to hone your logline and synopsis abilities. How does InkTip do this?

The first point of contact for producers is usually your logline and if it doesn't hook the reader first time producers are unlikely to be interested in your script, more so in the US than in the UK. InkTip very kindly provides a list of producers who have viewed your logline and a list of those that went on to read your synopsis and maybe even your script. What this gives you is an opportunity to try out your loglines and synopsises, fine tuning them to create better, more eye catching hooks for those producers. If you get a lot of logline views but no synopsis views then it's obvious your logline needs work. Make those changes and see how those changes affect the synopsis views. You'll know when you've hit on the correct formula when your synopsis views suddenly jump up.

Besides InkTip is great for giving your scripts exposure and you never know, you might just find a home for it. Go on, give it a try.

Short Film Script Part 3

Last month I put out an urgent appeal for a director because my short film script The Dead Side Of Life had fallen at the last hurdle for the second time in its long journey from creation to production. I was determined the third time it landed with a director it was definitely going to get made and I was going to be particularly fussy about which director took the script on to ensure this would happen.

One month on and that director has been found, although for the time being I shall keep their name to myself in fear of putting a hoodoo on this production as well. What I can say is when the directer in question approached me I was surprised and excited in equal amounts, simply because I know whatever they do, or put their mind to, they get it done. I know sometimes things fail for reasons out of our control, but I like it when people do what they say they will, and this person is definitely one of those people. I am very excited. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!

Luck vs Talent Part 2

To sum up the last blog I consider competitions to be about 20% talent and 80% luck.

But what about when you start to send your work out there into the big wide world of producers and production companies? This, I feel, is a totally different ball game altogether. If you have done your research on the company you are sending your work to, created a good online profile, networked your butt off and made many writing friends and contacts in the TV and film industry, then you have significantly reduced the odds of success in your favour.

Networking is the biggest and most important part of this. Build up those contacts, meet new people, befriend fellow writers, it's the difference between saying you're a writer and making a living as one. The effort you put in may not pay dividends straight away, but years down the line someone you once met might remember you as a hard working, conscientious, friendly person just when someone has asked them if they know any good writers. If someone already knows you, or of you, and more importantly they like you, then luck doesn't even factor in to the equation. Your hard work and your affable nature will get you into more places than luck ever will. Or to put it another way, you make your own luck and the harder you work the more luck you have.

Luck Vs Talent

Are competitions a true reflection of talent, or is luck, not talent, the major factor of success?

This is a very good question and one I've been pondering now for a month or two, trying to decide if I should stop entering competitions and concentrate on submitting my work to producers, etc. I have come to the conclusion that if you lack talent then you're never going to win, after all talent is what screenwriting competitions are looking for, and a good script and writer will eventually rise to the top. However, I do believe that luck plays a far greater role than most people might think and that talent, to a certain extent, takes a back seat in writing competitions, especially in earlier rounds.

What makes a script stand out? I don't need to tell you this again, because most bloggers have discussed this at some point, and to be truthful the answers are pretty much the same. I feel it's basically all down to what the reader likes, or doesn't like. Your script may be the bee's balls, a perfect example of the techniques of writing, but if yours is the twenty-third TV drama featuring a circus clown with a sideline in solving local crimes he has read in a row then he might not look upon your script with too much favour. If yours had been the first on the pile chances are you would have made the cut.

It might also be the case that the reader hates your style of writing, your subject matter or even you in particular, where as everyone else in the known universe loves what you do. The reader may simply have got out of bed on the wrong side that morning and decided he wasn't going to like anything he read that day. As a writer you can narrow down the possibilities of rejection through hard work, research and practice, but you can never account for the luck factor no matter how hard you try. Luck is a bugger I can tell you.

So after much thought I have decided to limit the competitions I enter this year to save myself a great deal of frustration and cash. I don't enter them looking for affirmation either, because I don't need it, nor want it. I write for myself, not what I think people might like.

The Traveller Production Kicks Off

I wrote The Traveller over a two week period last November from a treatment by Peter Mitchell. Even though the writing process was a challenge, working closely with director Musaab Ag (pictured below right), trying to merge his ideas and mine to create an exciting, tense, gripping script, it was an experience I thoroughly enjoyed, and one we are both eager to repeat as soon as possible. There was even a late Wednesday night session of last minute changes conducted over Skype.

It was a genuine delight to find someone I worked well with, someone I could bounce ideas off and have my opinions on their ideas listened to at the same time. It was a wonderful collaborative process which has created a finished script I'm extremely pleased with.

Shooting starts today (not sure how long it goes on for), which includes closing off a major highway near Dubai so they can crash a car and roll it into a ditch; that gives you some idea of the scale and ambition of the production. I wish them all luck and look forward to seeing the finished production very soon. I really can't wait for our next collaboration. As my three-year-old son would say, 'is exciting.'

Short Film Script Available Part 2

After failing to progress to the semi-finals of the BSSC competition my short drama Chameleon, about a school boy physically abused by his father who forms a close friendship with another boy from his school, is now available to all you lovely directors out there, for the usual remuneration of course.

Please get in touch for details and a copy of the script via my website www.thescriptwriter.co.uk

Short Film Script Available

Some sad news. Due to unforseen circumstances, and some rotten luck on a previous occasion, my comedy short film script The Dead Side Of Life finds itself without a home once again. The script was in the hands of the up and comming talented director Susan Clark, but she is now unable to go ahead with filming. Sometimes projects collapse at the last moment, it's the nature of the business, so I harbor no ill feeling towards Susan at all. She was also extremely gutted she couldn't film the script as she had hoped. Sometimes these things just happen. We will stay in touch and hopefully collaborate together again in the near future.

I love The Dead Side Of Life script and really want to it get made, but not at the expense of quality. So I'm only proposing to let this script go to someone willing to make it within three months of agreeing to do so. I am not prepared to let the script sit unmade in the hands of anyone longer than this, so no time wasters please. To secure the making of this script, but also to make sure it is done before the summer, I am offering the script for a bargain £50.

Are you a film maker in search of something fun and cheap to make? Do you deliver when you say you will? Then this is the project for you? If you really aren't sure you can follow through then please don't reply. If you try I will release the hounds on you!!!

Check the script out on my website (click here), and if you're interested please email me including a brief CV and any links to your work online.

Thanks for listening.

New Working Hours

Thank God we're in the New Year, I missed my routine. I'm not one for working on the fly, I just can't do it, I have to organise my time. So now the boy has gone back to nursery I am now back at my desk regularly until the new baby comes when all my writing plans will fly out of the window. Here is the new schedule of my working week.

Monday:

7.30am - get out of bed.
8.35am - take the boy to nursery and walk the dog.
9.15am - sit down to write.
11.50am - collect the boy from nursery and eat lunch.
12.50pm - take the boy back to nursery.
1.00pm - sit down to write.
3.50pm - collect the boy again and then try to mix house work and playing with the boy.

Tuesday:

7.00am - get out of bed.
9.00am - try to write while looking after the boy.
12.00pm - eat lunch.
1.00pm - try to do more writing while looking after the boy.
4.30pm - prepare dinner, wash up lunch stuff, housework, before the wife comes home.

Wednesday:

7.30am - get out of bed.
8.35am - take the boy to nursery and walk the dog.
9.15am - sit down to write.
11.50am - collect the boy from nursery and eat lunch.
12.50pm - take the boy back to nursery.
1.00pm - sit down to write.
3.50pm - collect the boy again and then try to mix house work and playing with the boy.

Thursday:

7.30am - get out of bed.
8.35am - take the boy to nursery and walk the dog.
9.15am - sit down to write.
11.50am - collect the boy from nursery and eat lunch.
12.50pm - take the boy back to nursery.
1.00pm - sit down to write.
3.15pm - go to my third job to get there by 4.00pm.

Friday:

7.30am - get our of bed.
8.30am - take dog for walk.
9.00am - take child to toddler group.
12.oopm - return home for lunch.
1.00pm - try and write while looking after the boy.
4.15pm - drop the boy off at a friends and go to my third job to get there by 5.00pm

Sometimes if I have a slow day I'll also try and work in the evenings, but I do have to spend time with the wife.

What hours do you get for your writing, and do you think it's enough?

2011 What Will It Hold?

2010 started out as a good year and then went a bit crappy pretty quickly, but ended up being a year of firsts. In April I took the plunge and went self employed, and the work I've found since has been sourced by sheer bloody mindedness and hard work. I've been paid for my writing, found a great writing partner I wish to collaborate more with in the future, had a novelist contact me and ask to adapt his novel into a TV drama series, and I did my first face to face pitch at the LSWF.

Other great things that have happened in 2010. My work has improved by leaps and bounds, finally getting the recognition it deserves, notably from the BBC Writersroom when I made it into the last eighteen of their South West Voices initiative even against more establish writers than myself. Several production companies have loved my work, especially my feature Faith, and have told me I have an open door to send them any future work. I have yet to find the right projects production companies are looking for, with my current work just missing the mark despite its plaudits. I met many, many lovely people at the LSWF 2010 in October and had a wicked time, learned loads and hopefully have set up the possibility of future work. Most wonderful of all I find myself with the best chance yet to land an agent.

There has also been rejection and frustration, not getting exactly where I wanted and falling at the final hurdle several times during the year, and in one particularly frustrating moment falling at the first hurdle which should never have happened. But I'm still here and I'm still working. This year I aim to work even harder to achieve my goals.

What can I expect from 2011? More finished scripts for certain, hopefully more collaboration, the end of my novel and the start of the next, hopefully a production company picking up the TV drama series novel adaptation, hopefully finding homes for my TV drama serial Wonderland and my crime feature Faith amongst others. I've set the foundations for 2011 this year so I have no doubt that my continued hard work will reap some significant results during the next 365 days.

I hope 2011 is generous to every single one of you.

Happy New Year everyone.

Red Planet Rant

Red Planet have informed those who made it through to the workshops; well done to all of you (and I do mean that...really I do).

HONEST POST WARNING - RANT IMMINENT! Those of a nervous disposition please bugger off somewhere else.

Another year gone and another year of not making it to the second round of the Red Planet Prize. I have to admit I'm gutted, more than a little put out and very puzzled as to where I go next as a writer after this year's competition. If I sound bitter and resentful I can assure you it's purely accidental and is not the case, I'm just having trouble trying to figure out where I went wrong. People are bound to say, 'Move on, Dom, there's always next year,' but to tell you the truth I'm really struggling to find any enthusiasm at the moment for the competition, or writing for that matter. Let me invite you into my head so you can see where I'm coming from.

When the competition was announced I already had an idea in place, a very solid idea thoroughly worked out, and I immediately got cracking on my ten pages. I was ecstatic to finish them in plenty of time, so I sent them off to ten trusted people and waited for their opinions to flood into my inbox. I was very happy and quietly confident I had a cracking first ten pages, but just wanted to be sure so I could make any necessary changes before sending them out. Those ten trusted people duly replied and all confirmed I had something special on my hands. Not one of them, and I need to stress this point, not one had anything negative to say about my ten pages. I was extremely confident of my chances...that was probably my mistake.

When the qualifiers were announced I was totally gob smacked; I wasn't on their list. At first I foolishly thought they had made a mistake. Then when I had calmed down a bit I thought maybe my ten trusted people had got it wrong and didn't know what they were talking about. Worst of all I began to think my ten pages were actually a giant pile of shit. So I moaned about it on Twitter. Those who had read my Twitterings and my ten pages, sent me messages of support and outrage on my behalf. A week later I was contacted by a big and respected someone, who will remain nameless, offering to read my ten pages to see where I went wrong. I waited nervously to hear back from them and felt vindicated when I was told they thought I had just been unlucky not to make it through to the second round. Unlucky? That didn't make me feel any better, it just made me madder. To miss out because my ten pages didn't tickle the fancy of the person who read them, when they were given the thumbs up by many others, is a slap in the face for all the hard work I put in. I just couldn't understand it...still can't.

This is how my career as a writer appears to be going. I make tiny advances, but that big opportunity is always just out of reach. People like my work, some even rave about it, but I always fall at the last hurdle while others, those who have been writing many years less than I have, seem to get all the breaks. It's hard, really hard, not to allow feelings of bitterness to grow, because those others have worked hard to get those breaks and deserve them. To be bitter of their achievements would be a huge insult to their hard work and effort, and a terribly self-defeating exercise. But I have to ask myself, am I really that unlucky? I certainly feel so. It's so frustrating sometimes, it really is.

I'm not perfect, I make mistakes, I get angry and unlike some bloggers who like to put on a professional front at all times, I have to have a rant now and again to let off steam. Will I be entering the Red Planet Prize next year? I very much doubt it. If I did enter next year with a shit ten pages and managed to get through, I wouldn't be surprised in the slightest, and it would only increase my frustrations with the business. I think I'll just submit my work to them when it's ready and not wait until that one time a year the competition is announced to do so. Other than that I have to crack on and hope my luck changes for the better, that someone, soon, sees I have a talent and gives me the opportunity to prove it. But I can't sit around and feel sorry for myself, if I did that I might as well give up writing for good.

Taking A Step Back

You ask friends and colleagues for feedback on your script, they give it and you have to admit that they have a point. So you make some notes and finalise what needs to be changed. You start the rewrite and fifteen pages into it you find to your horror it isn't working, no matter how many times you go back and try to rejig things in an attempt to make it do so. It's a horrible feeling realising that the work you have just done hasn't actually made your script better, but is actually making it worse.

This has happened to me twice in the last few months and I've had to have a long hard think about whether to drop major structural changes and return to the original idea, or to carry on regardless in the hope it all works out in the end. On both occasions I have chosen to go back to the previous draft and try again, only changing some things and not all of them.

Second Skin, my supernatural pilot drama, was giving me a lot of trouble. I realised on page fifteen of the fourth draft the changes weren't going to work. To me it just felt flat and not a vibrant as the original, and there was far too much exposition in it to allow me to continue. So I've decided to drop the current rewrite, go back to the last version and start again. This time there will only be subtle changes to incorporate the most common elements in the notes, no major rewriting of the first twenty pages as I had planned. It's save me work, but it will also keep the script closer to my original idea.

Sometimes you just have to take a step back and admit what you are doing is wrong. Trust me, your work has a good chance of being a whole lot better for it.

Danny Dyer - Deviation

OK, so we know Danny Dyer can play the cheeky Cockney gangster/wideboy with his eyes closed, and his hands tied behind his back, but did you know that Danny is now set on a change in direction in an attempt to shake off that image?

Danny's new film Deviation, a tense psychological thriller written and directed by J.K. Amalou, sees him play an escaped convict FRANKIE who kidnaps a young nurse AMBER in a bid to escape the authorities and skip the country.

"Frankie is a complex guy, he's not just a psycho... he's a tortured soul," says Danny. And don't expect any Hollywood style kidnapper/victim romance, as Danny tells us Frankie, "is evil, but we get to see why he's ended up like this." This film marks a new career path for Danny channelling him away from his recent straight to DVD films, that will once again see him stretch those talented acting muscles.

Twitter: @devmov Facebook: www.facebook.com/deviationmovie

Looking forward to seeing it.

The Holidays Are Coming

The holidays are coming and it's a quiet time around production companies this time of year. They're too busy getting ready for the round of Christmas parties to read what you have sent them in December. So as a writer you can just switch off now and enjoy the holiday season... right? You can if you want, that's up to you, I'm not going to tell you otherwise.

However, I for one will not be wasting this quiet time. I'll be working on my existing scripts polishing them to the best they can be, so they are ready for dispatch in the New Year. I could sit around on my butt until February, but others will probably be writing and have stuff ready for first thing in the New Year. I don't want to slip behind them in the queue; I want to be up there near the front. For me it's no good having my scripts ready for February if other writers have sent theirs out in January. I'm already a month behind then.

Equally I don't want to start writing again the first week of January and rush through something rubbish to get it out in the second week. It won't do me any favours to have a sloppy script out there. I need to spend that quiet Christmas time working hard so I'm really ready in January.

I can't afford not to.

Short Film Success

I have to admit I am a little surprised. I thought when I declared to the writing world I was going to stop working for free and start charging for my short film scripts that it would be the last I ever heard from anyone. I honestly though the electronic world would abandon me. But thankfully this has not been the case. I've been offered some work, not a great deal, but enough to justify the decision and also enough to make Christmas that much more comfortable. The boy can actually have wheels on his bike now, and if he's lucky some handle bars for his next birthday.

The advantage of being paid is that I can now focus on the stuff that does bring the money in, working on it hard and getting it out of the way so I can move on to the next paying project. And if I want, on the odd occasion, I can still work for free if I feel strongly enough about the project in question. This means I have freed up quite a lot of my time and I'm no longer wasting any pursuing projects that are going nowhere.

It also helps to focus the mind and provide motivation. No longer can I say, 'I can't be arsed, I'll do that tomorrow instead.' Now I have deadlines and I have to deliver. If I don't then it's my reputation that goes down the loo.

It's also fascinating to work with others and learn how they operate, adjusting what I do to suit what they want. It's a lot of fun, something of which I want more of.

Short Film Scripts Part 2

So the last shout out about my short films scripts pretty much emptied me out and now there are several of my short film scripts, at various stages of production, all over the world. It's good to know that my work is interesting to other people and not just myself.

What now?

I want to write some more short film scripts and see them get made, but time is precious at the moment so this is what I have decided to do. If you want a script then email me from my website. If you're happy to pay for the work I'll write you your own special edition script for £150 (£75 up front and the further £75 on delivery of the script), giving you as many rewrites or changes as you like up to, and including, the last day of shooting. It's not just a matter of writing the script and taking the money, it's more of a complete package. My aim is whatever you need I will try and deliver. That is my promise.

Why £150?

Simple! This is for two reasons: (1) I am now self employed and need to earn money to feed my children, and (2) the charge is there to prevent time wasters, because you would not believe how many people say they will film a script, hold on to it for months and then drop it. Seriously there are a lot of those kind of people out there, which is a great shame.

So go and look at my website, read my SERVICES page and let me know if I can help you?

London Screenwriters' Festival 2010 - Day 3

Buzzing, that was the only word that could describe me on the last day. I'd had a ball and yet there was one day left to come. Could I contain myself, or would I explode?

I only went to see the Writing For Games session, as I wanted to make the most of my last day networking. Tim Clague did a superb job of chairing this talk and it was both funny and informative. I enjoy gaming but I hadn't ever thought of it as a career option...until now. Writing for games is not straight forward, as writer is not a title they use. You might be asked to put words to all sorts of things like the manual, the marketing, as well as the game, so it's much more a case of cross medium writing. It's also a much bigger job than writing a script as you might be involved in the project for well over a year. But it's good money, damn good money, which is always good to know.

Then I networked again, but found that a lot of people were hungover from the night before. It didn't stop me though and it still went well. I did make quite a few contacts before I went home on the train with Danny Stack and Lucy Hay. Fabos!

Then I had my Euroscript feedback and it was really helpful. I was struggling with the script, especially the opening, which has now been sorted. Fantastic. I'm much more confident about the project now, it just needed an independent eye to get it sorted. I intend to start on the rewrite next week.

I had so much fun over the three days and I met some fantastic friends and possible future work colleagues. Anyone who didn't go, either because they were too busy, or they thought it cost too much, then you missed out big time. The festival is a must for any writer and I for one will be there next year...and I'm also determined to cram more stuff in.

Thank you all for such a wonderful time. See you next year.

London Screenwriters' Festival 2010 - Day 2

I woke up, or at least I got up, the next day and dragged myself onto the tube to arrive in time for the first session of the day - The Hour Of Power. It was a strange session which involved a lot of audience participation, jumping up and down, saying hello to people you hadn't yet met, writing down your goals for the festival and life, but it did wake me up and more importantly fire me up for the rest of the day.

Then came Getting An Agent And Beyond. This is something I've been trying to do for the last three years to no avail. I really enjoyed this session a lot, as it was full of very helpful advice. Now I know why I don't have an agent and what I've done wrong in the past when approaching them. I won't be making those mistakes again. Lesson learnt. Researching the agent and agency is very important, you don't want to send a drama to an agent who focuses is comedy. The best advice of the session was not to rush yourself and be polite and professional at all times.

I took the next session off to do some more networking, but after lunch I was back in my seat for Writing Soaps, another truly insightful session. I learned that writing soaps is steady money, if you're good at it, and can be fun when you get into a room of fellow writers to storyline. It is also a very demanding job and can have some very short deadlines, so can be quite pressurised at times. Writing for soaps is different from normal scriptwriting as there are very few jump cuts used, so it's often difficult for a soap writer to get back into working in other areas.

Lastly for me came Writing For Young Audiences, an extremely funny and information packed session (like all of the ones I attended). Again I learnt a lot, including the fact that children are far quicker at getting jokes and plots, and that they are so less forgiving than adults if they watch something bad or boring. I even went to the script chat after to ask further questions of the very lovely Mr Andy Briggs, who was more than happy to give his time so others like myself could learn (as well as Gale Renard and Chris Hill who were equally lovely).

Then it was down to the bar, three pints and a bloody good time chatting to everyone I bumped into. Everyone was having fun networking that night even if there were a few sore heads the next morning. More business cards from valuable contacts and generally lovely people landed in my pocket throughout the night.

The things I learnt on day 2: It's OK to have a few drinks (four at the most) and network, if others are doing the same. Don't approach agents until your writing is ready.

Someone asked me if I will be posting my session notes? I may well do, but you'll just have to wait and see.

Day 3: coming soon.

London Screenwriters' Festival 2010 - Day One

The London Screenwriters Festival 2010.

Wow, just simply WOW!

I had great expectations for this year's festival and what I experienced went way beyond even that. Six months of planning and what we all experienced was nothing short of perfection. I had the time of my life.

For the first session I went to see In Conversation With The Commissioners, then came Becoming A Great Pitcher. Both sessions were full of superb insight and I came away with several pages of notes. I also had my pitching session with producers and directors, three in total, late morning. God was I nervous, but the experience was a learning one especially as I pitched before I went to the Great Pitcher session later in the day. I don't think I did a bad job, after all I came away with two producers and a director asking me to send them my script, but I learnt that this is something I'm going to have to work on, and I will. You need to be able to successfully and confidently sell yourself face to face. I know I need more practice.

What I did for most of the day was to put myself out there and I networked my arse off. To my delight all the networking paid off and I came away with an offer of paid worked. That goes to prove what I said before the festival, networking is the life blood of writers, those who don't, die.

One thing that did get me was the fact that a lot of people didn't do their research. When in the Great Pitcher session we were asked to put our hands up if we had researched the speakers and the delegates before we came. Only five people out of forty put their hand up and I was one of them. I couldn't believe that so many people had come unprepared. But then, as I surmised later, that was their problem and not mine. All the more people for me to network with.

All in all the first day was just awesome and so it was I trundled back to where I was staying, more exhausted than I have been for a long time, but with a huge fat smile on my face.

How was the first day for you?

Day Two to come soon.