Round Up

02 April 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

22 March 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

19 March 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

14 March 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

06 March 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.

Competition

27 February 2007

Yesterday I entered Cross The Rubicon into the Final Draft Big Break and Bluecat screenplay competitions. I've also sent a copy to Toby Stephens the actor and Celtic Films.

Work has begun on another rewrite for Epitaph. Tim and I need two versions, one at 20 pages and one at 25 pages.

Lights, Camera, Action.

22 February 2007

Tim Clague and I are embarking on a project together. I'm resurrecting one of my old scripts, Epitaph, with Tim to direct, for Channel 4's Coming Up and South West Screen's Digital Shorts Plus. I'll let you know how that goes.

Also on Friday Arne Reidar Mortensen and his his friends at TV Vest are having their final meeting before locking on their story idea. The outline will then be passed to me and writing of the script will begin.