THE MAGIC STORY TREE?
THE MAGIC STORY TREE? What I’m trying to illustrate here is just how many amazing stories (and character ideas) there are out there in the big wide world, stories available for you to use, adapt, make your own. All of the below strike me as fascinating starting points for dramatic story. In each instance you […]
CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE READER FEEDBACK PART 3 – JON CHAMPION ON CHARACTER INTRODUCTIONS
Hi There, This week, further script reader feedback from the 2024 Channel 4 screenwriting course. This fortnight, from the excellent Jon Champion. Jon did a brilliant job as a reader and has impressive previous experience working in development (He was one of the selected trainee script editors on the 2022 Eleven Film Duly Noted scheme, […]
C4 SCREENWRITING COURSE READER FEEDBACK PT2 + NEW WRITING OPPORTUNITIES
Hi There, In this newsletter – feedback from two more of the script readers from the 2024 Channel 4 screenwriting course. A massive thank you to RACHA and TOM, who both did a brilliant job as readers and to whom I’m hugely appreciative for taking the time and trouble to commit their constructive and insightful […]
C4 SCREENWRITING COURSE READER FEEDBACK + GREENLIGHT SCREENWRITING LAB 2024
Hi There, In the next few weeks I will share with you the thoughts of several of the readers from the 2024 Channel 4 screenwriting course – their insightful responses to the experience of reading 250+ scripts each in October & November last year. But first here are some of my thoughts and responses to […]
THE BEST FILMS, TV, BOOKS – YOUR RECOMMENDATIONS FROM 2023
Hi There, This fortnight – your recommendations in response to my ‘Best of 2023’ newsletter from December. Thank you very much for your generosity in sharing these suggestions – so much here that I’d now like to watch or read – and I’m sure you will feel the same when you’ve read this… YOUR 2023 […]
THE POWER OF GOOD WRITING
Hi There, Happy New Year. I had meant for this 1st newsletter of 2024 to be all your excellent and fascinating responses to my ‘Best of 2023’ lists – but I will hold that back for a fortnight because I feel like in this first 10 days of 2024 I have enjoyed so much brilliant […]
WRITING OPPORTUNITIES & BEST TV, FILMS & BOOKS 2023
Hi There, Four writing opportunities – A reminder about the GRASS ROUTES PRIZE, mentioned in my last newsletter, closing date for applications – Jan 8th 2024. ‘A new competition for new, unrepresented working class writers.’ https://www.matriarch-productions.co.uk/grass-routes-prize THOUSAND FILMS COMPETITION. This very well-regarded initiative also closes for entries on January 8th 2024. https://thousandfilms.co.uk/ OXBELLY WRITERS PROGRAMME. […]
Courses, feedback & recommendations
Hi There, CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE 2024 We have now confirmed the interviews and I have emailed everyone who wasn’t successful. Apologies if you haven’t heard back from me. Inevitably there are always a few who for various reasons slip through the net. I would like to reiterate what I said in that email – […]
THANK YOU!
Hi There, I’d like to thank all of you who got in touch to respond to my last newsletter. I was really gratified by all your responses and your generosity has left me feeling like an emotionally needy egotist! (but massive thank you nonetheless). Anyway, there were so many fascinating responses, in particular to my […]
HIGHLIGHTS& LOWLIGHTS OCTOBER 2023
Hi There, TV FACTUAL DRAMA Here’s a section of a review from The Guardian of The Reckoning, the new factual drama mini-series about Jimmy Saville ‘Stripped of context, The Reckoning is a rigorously well-made thing. Steve Coogan is brilliant in the lead. He is a fine actor, as well as a fine impressionist, and the […]