THE TWO PHILS : WRITING & SELLING A GREAT SCREENPLAY
My two day screenwriting course with Phil Gladwin, running in London on the weekend of Oct 10-11 with guest speaker ESTHER SPRINGER (Head of Development, BBC DRAMA).
http://www.script-consultant.co.uk/screenwriting/
NB There are now only TWO places remaining on this course so if you want to be part of it, I recommend signing up immediately!
Hi There,
I hope you’ve all had a great summer, although if you haven’t left the shores of the UK I use the word ‘summer’ loosely. I had a lovely week on the Suffolk coast although there were a couple of days of unrelenting rain – so unrelenting that we resorted to seeing ‘THE MAN FROM UNCLE’ at the local cinema. I lasted 40 minutes and then decided walking the streets in the rain was preferable. Anyway, that’s my ration of negativity used up for the foreseeable future.
CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE 2016
I’m delighted to say that I’ll be running this course again for 2016.
The day before my holiday I spent a very enjoyable, interesting evening at Channel 4 in London hosting an event telling writers about the 2016 Channel 4 Screenwriting Course. The script submission entry period for 2016 will be Oct 12 – 30. All the information you should need about the course is already up on my website
http://www.script-consultant.co.uk/channel-4-script-submit/
but I will write a blog entirely devoted to the course and what it’s about at the start of October.
The evening was so well-attended that we were able to pack out the Channel 4 cinema for two sessions, and I was joined by 2015 course writer KITTY PERCY, who talked about her experiences on the course, and LISA WALTERS from the Channel 4 Drama, who put the coure into the context of all the brilliant work the C4 drama department do for new writers.
http://4talent.channel4.com/work-programmes/4-new-writers
It was great to meet so many writers who are interested in applying for the scheme.
SCREENWRITING COMPETITIONS
And speaking of screenwriting competitions, I was contacted this week by Sally Stegall from the C21 Drama Series Script Competition. This sounds like a great new initiative, supported by CREATIVE ENGLAND and ENTERTAINMENT ONE –
‘Winners of the competition for new one-hour drama series will get £10k development funding
The C21 Drama Series Script Competition is looking for the next big thing in international TV drama. One winner from the UK and one from outside the UK will receive development funding and assistance to turn their drama project into a serial.
The competition is for aspiring writers who are not yet earning a living from writing for TV and have yet to have a script commissioned.
To enter the C21 DRAMA SERIES SCRIPT COMPETITION, submit a new, original, uncommissioned script (under two years old, no longer than 60 pages) and a treatment that includes information about the series concept.
There is a £40 entry fee. The closing date is 16 October.’
http://www.c21media.net/script/
AND you should look out for my mate Phil Gladwin’s SCREENWRITING GOLDMINE Script Competition, which is also accepting entries in October. This has a great panel of judges from the industry, and could give your screenwriting credentials a massive boost –
http://awards.screenwritinggoldmine.com/
CHRIS CHIBNALL BROADCAST ARTICLE
There was a brilliant article on screenwriting by Chris in last week’s BROADCAST. It really is an excellent read – full of screenwriting wisdom, from someone whose advice is so strongly backed up by the evidence of his outstanding body of work.
If you’re thinking – yes but I don’t subscribe to BROADCAST, and that it’s bloody expensive (which it is!) then the good news is that you can actually download the book in which the article is contained for free –
http://corporate.uktv.co.uk/news/article/tomorrows-people/
…and it’s got several other really interesting articles about writing and creativity, not least by Sharon Horgan, writer of the excellent C4 comedy, CATASTROPHE. If you haven’t already watched CATASTROPHE, you can now do so on Amazon Instant Video – I recommend it highly.
LONDON FILM FESTIVAL 2015
I shall be making my annual pilgrimage to the LFF in October, and the full line-up was announced this week. I was delighted to learn that two CHANNEL 4 SCREENWRITING COURSE alumni have written scripts that have made it into this year’s festival – the wonderful BURN BURN BURN by CHARLIE COVELL, and THE GIRL IN THE DRESS by NATALIE MALLA.
Congratulations to both of them for their much-deserved success. I’m basking in their reflected glory!
HIGH TIDE THEATRE FESTIVAL 2015
Finally, a quick word about this annual theatre festival for new theatre writing, taking place this month in the lovely seaside town of Aldeburgh. I’m going up for the weekend of Sept 19/20 to take in 6 new plays. I’ve been to the High Tide festival before, and it’s a great event – the standard of work is exceptional. Two of the plays I’m going to see are by 4Screenwriting alumni (they get everywhere) – SO HERE WE ARE by LUKE NORRIS and LAMPEDUSA by ANDERS LUSTGARTEN. This will be the 2nd time I’ve seen LAMPEDUSA – it’s the most timely and compelling piece of theatre.
It’s easily accessible from London, and the festival is providing a free shuttle bus from the nearest train station (Saxmundham). The festival runs from Sept 10-20. I hope to see you there!
Until next week
All the best
Phil
PHILIP SHELLEY
www.script-consultant.co.uk
@PhilipShelley1
Sept 4th 2015
