LAURENCE TRATALOS – LIFE ACCORDING TO ME
Hi There, This week the second in an occasional series of write-ups by the writers about the scripts they have generously allowed me to include in my SCRIPT LIBRARY. This week, Laurence Tratalos on his excellent script, LIFE ACCORDING TO ME https://script-consultant.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/Life-According-To-Me-Pilot-Laurence-Tratalos.pdf ‘I initially decided to write Life, According To Me when my younger sister […]
STORY TROPES & CLICHE – AN APPRECIATION?
Hi There, In this newsletter, I want to look at the issue of – FAMILIAR STORYTELLING TROPES By which I mean – all those devices that we, who have watched so many thousands of hours of screen drama and comedy, instantly recognise for their familiarity. Here is a somewhat random and incomplete checklist of those […]
QUOTES & NOTES FROM 4SCREENWRITING WEEKEND 1
Hi There, This week, a series of quotes and notes from the guest talks from a number of eminent and excellent writers, producers, script editors, agents, commissioning executives on the 1st weekend (back in January) of the 2022 Channel 4 screenwriting course. These are just a few of the things that were said, that resonated […]
ANN HAWKER writes about her script AN AUSTRIAN HOLIDAY
Hi There, This is the first in an occasional series – written by writers about their scripts in my SCRIPT LIBRARY. Clearly the reason I wanted to include the scripts in my library is because I think they’re great – so that I hope they will prove enjoyable, instructive and inspiring for you to […]
CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE 2023
Hi There, CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE 2023 I hope you’ve all had a good summer and are ready for a successful and creative autumn. One of my summer highlights was the industry drinks evening for the Channel 4 screenwriting course in July, the first time we’ve been able to hold it since 2019, where the […]
SCREENWRITING – CHARACTER PROMPTS & OTHER STORYTELLING IDEAS
Hi There, This fortnight a random selection of thoughts about different aspects of screenwriting. CREATING CHARACTERS PERSON PLACE PROP A character exercise based on observing real people. I was on a train journey and I observed – A young East Asian man with a Dyson hoover. A 60 year old white woman with a […]
WHAT DEFINES GOOD WRITING?
WHAT IS GOOD WRITING? I recently read the novel Sorrow And Bliss by Meg Mason. It’s a wonderful book. The writing gave me such pleasure. On almost every page there is a sentence that gives me joy, that makes me think – what lovely writing. Such a clarity and truth to the writing but also […]
GENERAL MEETINGS FOR SCREENWRITERS
Hi There, This fortnight I’m doing something I haven’t done before – recycling an old newsletter. So this is an adapted / extended version of a newsletter I sent out in 2018, which I’d completely forgotten I’d written – before a writer told me that her agent had sent a copy of it to her! […]
Storytelling lessons from THE RESCUE
Hi There, One of the most memorable films I have seen in the last few months, one that has really stuck with me, was a documentary, THE RESCUE. I was so excited by this film – it is the most wonderful piece of storytelling. I actually watched the film during the process of reading […]
TRAINING FOR SCREENWRITERS – your responses
Hi There, A huge thank you to everyone who took the time and trouble to respond to LILY SHAHMOON’S newsletter 2 weeks ago about the tricky issues around creative writing university courses and about the pros and cons of various different forms of training for screenwriters. Today, I have collated some of these responses (I […]
