Epitaph

Thursday, April 19, 2007

The rewrite of Epitaph, the project I'm working on with Tim Clague, starts today. We've came up with some good ideas of where we wanted to take the script, so now all that's left it to get down to it.

I have decided to only send one script to the BSSC now, and that script will be The Dead Side Of Life. It was everyone's favourite and therefor the natural choice.

I have decided to enter the BBC Writer's Academy this year. It's a big step, but one I feel ready to take.

I'm starting to get ten writer's packs together to send out to agents; one ten minute script, a thirty minute and a feature, all with one page pitch sheets attached.

My First Q&A

Thursday, April 12, 2007

I'm having a week off this week. No writing being done at all. Sometimes you have to have a break just to recharge the batteries. Back to normal next week.

Even though I'm on a break the ideas still keep flying around the inside of my head.

Round Up

Monday, April 02, 2007

My good Norwegian friend Arne Reidar Mortensen and his friends at TVVest loved the script and thought it was very funny, so it looks like it's a go for filming. Nice one.

I met up with Tim Clague yesterday to talk over Epitaph. Some good things came up in our brainstorming session and I made several pages of notes. Lots to think about then for when I start the rewrite in a couple of weeks.

Faith is progressing well. I'm past the ten page mark and trying not to go back and rewrite until I've finished. It's hard to force yourself to continue when all you want to do is go back and change a few things, but it is proving to be an interesting experience. I am however, having trouble with character names. So far I have three beginning with the letter 'F' and two with 'M'. Looks like I'll have to change a few names.

The Cross The Rubicon rewrite is still with Celtic Films. As of yet it hasn't been read so I'm keeping my fingers crossed this draft will at least get me an option.

I've started on my short story for this years SFX Pulp Idol Short Story Competition. It's called Hero and the idea came from an old comedy novel I attempted a couple of years ago. The reason it failed was because the idea wasn't strong enough for an entire novel. However, it is ideal for a short story.

I'm still deciding which two short film scripts I'm going to enter into the BSSC this year. I was going to enter them all but at £25 per entry it would have cost too much. Better to choose my best two and enter them. I have an idea which two that might be but I won't make a final decision until the end of the week.

I'm getting together an agent pack; a ten minute script, a thirty minute script and a feature script, plus one page pitches for each. I will be sending them out at the end of the month.

Spring Cleaning

Thursday, March 22, 2007

I sent a copy of Cross The Rubicon to Toby Stephens, via his agent, as I felt he would be perfect for the role of Richard. The script landed back on my doorstep yesterday unread. No surprise really as good agents are there to filter what goes to their client.

However, they said to keep them informed when the script moves forward to production. Toby Stephens has a damn good agent.

I'm running through all my ten minute short scripts at the moment, rewriting them in preparation to enter this years BSSC. Some are not as bad as I thought, but there are one or two that really are pants. I'll upload the revised scripts along side the originals so you can compare them.

Seminar

Monday, March 19, 2007

Saturday I went to Adrian Mead's The Insider's Guide For Writing TV seminar, details of which can be found here. A very informative day and well worth the money. I can't wait for the next one.

Epitaph has now been entered in Channel 4's Coming Up. Fingers crossed for that one. I will be working on the script with Tim Clague with an eye on entering it into further competitions throughout the year.

Coming Up

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

My next rewrite will be all of my short films, which I will then be entering in this year's British Short Screenplay Competition. After that Mr. Valentine will get that final rewrite it has so desperately needed.

Work on Faith has finally begun a month and a half after I expected to do so.

Returned From The BBC

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

They liked it, but didn't want to take it further. They were kind enough to included the reader's notes which were very helpful, and which will become the basis of the eventual rewrite.

This a step forward because the last script I sent, From This Day Forth, got returned with a standard two line rejection letter. Very demotivating. I've decided to post the rewritten version, now called Cross The Rubicon, and see what response that gets.