Stand back - I've not been rejected!
A white envelope just plopped through my door saying I've been shortlisted in The Scotsman and National Library of Scotland Short Story Competition, 'Criminally Good Writing', next stage - a masterclass with Ian Rankin.
Feel free to do a little dance with me - as writers, whatever discipline we're from or in, we get enough rejection slips, and plenty 'oh its not for us' comments so any success (however small) should be SHOUTED!
I'm off to play football with a 3 year old and eat something bad for me in celebration. Enjoy the sun, by all accounts it's supposed to be arctic by Easter - ooh that could almost be a metaphor for life.....
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
The List / Metro Ecosse
There has been a lull, a definite lull but it wasn't deliberate.
I attended the 2-day workshop for The List/Metro Ecosse thingummy previously mentioned. Helmed by Adrian Mead, it was great to be in a room bursting with 33 (yes 33 not 20 as previously mentioned!) eager screenwriters. We all workshopped, mind-mapped and absorbed much knowledge during the 2 days, and I came away each day (after the pub of course) feeling inspired and ready to take on the world. Have to do a rewrite of the short now and resubmit if for the next cull. I think we get down to 9, and then those 9 have to go to 'jury' where they get interviewed and strip-searched or something. Then, 3 are chosen to have their shorts made hurrah!
Lots of the workshop was useful, but to me, the MOST helpful bit of the course, was something quite small but meaningful, a concise list of things to check through when you're at the 'not sure if my idea has legs or not but am dying to get on and write it' stage (not to be confused with the 'have a great idea so am going to write and write for 5 pages without stopping' stage which you should absolutely do WITHOUT self-editing). This list is also great as a checklist for offering feedback :
Theme?
Character?
Character's goal?
Jeopardy - what's at stake?
What are the obstacles?
Active questions - if relevant, does it challenge or intrigue?
Genre?
Does it arouse emotion?
Does it reveal anything new to the audience?
Or is it just a series of events and dialogue that's simply telling us stuff?
Many thanks to Adrian Mead (who seems to have an endless and admirable supply of enthusiasm) for such an enjoyable and professional yet accessible couple of days. A bit short of time with rewrites and assignments due, but I'll give a proper round-up when the competition is over and we have a winner (or 3). For now, thanks also to The List, Metro Ecosse, Scottish Screen and the Scottish Book Trust for supporting 33 screenwriters. Everyone I spoke to, felt energised, informed and just delighted to be there. More please!
I attended the 2-day workshop for The List/Metro Ecosse thingummy previously mentioned. Helmed by Adrian Mead, it was great to be in a room bursting with 33 (yes 33 not 20 as previously mentioned!) eager screenwriters. We all workshopped, mind-mapped and absorbed much knowledge during the 2 days, and I came away each day (after the pub of course) feeling inspired and ready to take on the world. Have to do a rewrite of the short now and resubmit if for the next cull. I think we get down to 9, and then those 9 have to go to 'jury' where they get interviewed and strip-searched or something. Then, 3 are chosen to have their shorts made hurrah!
Lots of the workshop was useful, but to me, the MOST helpful bit of the course, was something quite small but meaningful, a concise list of things to check through when you're at the 'not sure if my idea has legs or not but am dying to get on and write it' stage (not to be confused with the 'have a great idea so am going to write and write for 5 pages without stopping' stage which you should absolutely do WITHOUT self-editing). This list is also great as a checklist for offering feedback :
Theme?
Character?
Character's goal?
Jeopardy - what's at stake?
What are the obstacles?
Active questions - if relevant, does it challenge or intrigue?
Genre?
Does it arouse emotion?
Does it reveal anything new to the audience?
Or is it just a series of events and dialogue that's simply telling us stuff?
Many thanks to Adrian Mead (who seems to have an endless and admirable supply of enthusiasm) for such an enjoyable and professional yet accessible couple of days. A bit short of time with rewrites and assignments due, but I'll give a proper round-up when the competition is over and we have a winner (or 3). For now, thanks also to The List, Metro Ecosse, Scottish Screen and the Scottish Book Trust for supporting 33 screenwriters. Everyone I spoke to, felt energised, informed and just delighted to be there. More please!
Friday, March 07, 2008
Empty
New comedy series on BBC2 called 'Empty' with Gregor Fisher and Billy Boyd - caught 2 episodes of it, and (shocker) I liked it!
It's ostensibly about 2 blokes, one older and one younger played by Gregor Fisher and Billy Boyd. They work for a property maintenance company in Glasgow, clearing out empty or damaged flats and making simple repairs. Despite being very different characters, the two of them have found an odd sort of friendship and have 'hit it off'. Each week they're in a different flat, dealing with different characters and the worlds they inhabit.
Now, I'm not 100% into it, but then very few things on tv absorb me 100%, and sometimes it feels a bit stagey, but I'm forgiving it that as it has some stonking dialogue, well-observed quirky characters, and a good warm sense of an unusual friendship that you wouldn't expect. I've only seen a couple episodes, but set to watch the rest of the series.
Other reviews I've read have been mixed, but most seem to be saying that 'the jury is still out' which I take to be a positive sign as that usually implies, something's going right but the reviewer's not sure what it is.
It has an unusual feel, I think it might just settle down nicely, but a couple more episodes will either prove or disprove that.
It's ostensibly about 2 blokes, one older and one younger played by Gregor Fisher and Billy Boyd. They work for a property maintenance company in Glasgow, clearing out empty or damaged flats and making simple repairs. Despite being very different characters, the two of them have found an odd sort of friendship and have 'hit it off'. Each week they're in a different flat, dealing with different characters and the worlds they inhabit.
Now, I'm not 100% into it, but then very few things on tv absorb me 100%, and sometimes it feels a bit stagey, but I'm forgiving it that as it has some stonking dialogue, well-observed quirky characters, and a good warm sense of an unusual friendship that you wouldn't expect. I've only seen a couple episodes, but set to watch the rest of the series.
Other reviews I've read have been mixed, but most seem to be saying that 'the jury is still out' which I take to be a positive sign as that usually implies, something's going right but the reviewer's not sure what it is.
It has an unusual feel, I think it might just settle down nicely, but a couple more episodes will either prove or disprove that.
Saturday, March 01, 2008
White rabbits, white rabbits, white rabbits
.. as my Mum always says on the 1st March for good luck. It seems to have worked as I got a bit of good news today, 'm through to the next round of The List/Metro Ecosse Minute Wonder script competition. The next stage is to attend a 2-day workshop with Adrian Mead to work on and then re-draft our scripts. As far as I know, they then get whittled down to 9, and then 3 are chosen to be made. It's been a tough couple of months so it's nice to have something to be chuffed about.
On another note, MeadKerr are running one of their useful and much-talked about courses. Here's the blurb :
The film and TV industry is currently going through an adaptation frenzy, "A reasonable estimate is that adaptations make up around 80% of the projects currently being made." Industry publication Screen International
British animator Suzie Templeton has just won the Oscar with her short animation "Peter And The Wolf". So, what makes a Russian folk tale such a great choice for an adaptation?
1. It's a potential mini Adventure movie, boy versus wolf!
2. The short tale allows plenty of scope for expanding on the characters, theme and drama of the original.
3. Prokofiev's much loved score immediately ensures a level of public recognition.
The end result is a beautiful piece of work. With an Oscar win to help publicise it Suzie Templeton's film is now guaranteed to become a favourite of kids, parents and music teachers worldwide.
So what other folk tales, fables or ancient stories are there that you could adapt, update or re-imagine? Of course there is always Shakespeare's plays and the Greek classics, but what about biogs, trues stories and events, blogs and news articles. Why not draw on the inspiration and imagination of some of the greatest minds and lives in history? That's exactly what professional writers do every day.
Over two days of lectures, case studies and interviews we will demystify the ART AND BUSINESS OF ADAPTATION. This unique class will answer all your questions and show you how to access an endless source of rich and exciting material.
Our classes receive glowing testimonials. Go to web page at www.meadkerr.com and see what previous attendees have said.
THE ART AND BUSINESS OF ADAPTATION
DATE: Sat 15 - Sun 16th March
VENUE: EDINBURGH
COST: £120 incl VAT and Lunch
BOOKING DETAILS: To request a booking form or further info, email info@meadkerr.com or check out www.meadkerr.com
On another note, MeadKerr are running one of their useful and much-talked about courses. Here's the blurb :
The film and TV industry is currently going through an adaptation frenzy, "A reasonable estimate is that adaptations make up around 80% of the projects currently being made." Industry publication Screen International
British animator Suzie Templeton has just won the Oscar with her short animation "Peter And The Wolf". So, what makes a Russian folk tale such a great choice for an adaptation?
1. It's a potential mini Adventure movie, boy versus wolf!
2. The short tale allows plenty of scope for expanding on the characters, theme and drama of the original.
3. Prokofiev's much loved score immediately ensures a level of public recognition.
The end result is a beautiful piece of work. With an Oscar win to help publicise it Suzie Templeton's film is now guaranteed to become a favourite of kids, parents and music teachers worldwide.
So what other folk tales, fables or ancient stories are there that you could adapt, update or re-imagine? Of course there is always Shakespeare's plays and the Greek classics, but what about biogs, trues stories and events, blogs and news articles. Why not draw on the inspiration and imagination of some of the greatest minds and lives in history? That's exactly what professional writers do every day.
Over two days of lectures, case studies and interviews we will demystify the ART AND BUSINESS OF ADAPTATION. This unique class will answer all your questions and show you how to access an endless source of rich and exciting material.
Our classes receive glowing testimonials. Go to web page at www.meadkerr.com and see what previous attendees have said.
THE ART AND BUSINESS OF ADAPTATION
DATE: Sat 15 - Sun 16th March
VENUE: EDINBURGH
COST: £120 incl VAT and Lunch
BOOKING DETAILS: To request a booking form or further info, email info@meadkerr.com or check out www.meadkerr.com
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