Factory News
Upcoming Writers' Factory events

Opportunities
Screen writing competitions and other opportunities

Events
Screen writing events and classes

E-BULLETIN: June 2011

Welcome to the Writers' Factory's E-Bulletin for June 2011.

These monthly bulletins contain information about future Writers' Factory courses as well as information relevant to screen writers across the UK and internationally. The Writers' Factory E-Bulletin is divided into three sections: Factory News, Opportunities and Events.

We would appreciate any feedback you have on our
E-bulletin and if you have any information that you would like circulated to our subscribers, please email this to info@writersfactory.co.uk by the end of the first week of each month.

Events
Edinburgh International Film Festival
Creative Scotland Investment Surgeries
Scottish Screenwriters - Welcomes New Members
Write Camera Action
Serious Screenwriting 2011 BAFTA - Screenwriters on Screenwriting Channel
Euroscript - Screenwriting Courses and Events
Read more

Factory News

The Writers’ Factory courses have been highly successful in developing screenwriters, many of whom have gone on to produce short film scripts or pursue their interest in writing at Film School. All courses are screen-industry approved and are delivered by experienced screen industry professionals.  Courses offered through the programme include:

Introduction to Screenwriting Express
Run over 2 weekends, this course is designed to help students explore storytelling instincts and the craft of screenwriting and offers the opportunity to develop and write a commercial ten minute film. 

Introduction to Screenwriting
Delivered over 22 weeks, this course is designed to help students develop a range of skills and critical facilities in the field of screenwriting and offers them the opportunity to develop and write a short screenplay.

Feature Film Course
Delivered over 22 weeks, this course is designed to help emerging screenwriters to develop a range of skills in the field of feature film writing and offers them the opportunity to write a feature length screenplay. 

*You must have completed the Introduction To Screenwriting course or have a relevant qualification in order to participate on this course.

Training for Trainers
These courses are open to experienced screenwriters, script consultants and development producers who would like to run courses training emerging writing talent.

Visit www.writersfactory.co.uk for details on current courses

Opportunities

Screen Lab
Scottish Book Trust
Location: Edinburgh, UK
Deadline: 23 June 2011

Are you currently writing short stories, novels, plays or poetry. Ever wondered what it takes to write for Film and TV?

Scottish Book Trust is pleased to announce the launch of Screen Lab 2011. This is your chance to discover exactly what it takes to break into one of the most competitive and lucrative areas of writing.

Screen Lab will be led by award winning writer and director Adrian Mead. Over a packed three days Adrian will take you through the realities of the script development process and the strategy you need to adopt in order to break into the industry.  

To find out how to apply, visit http://bit.ly/il6NcN

Playwrights Studio, Scotland are delivering two of these residency programmes: 360 Narratives and Screenwritng Residencies.

Screenwriting Residencies

Our inspirational aim – to produce best screenwriters in the world.

Working with a small number of exceptionally talented people, we will maximise expertise in screenwriting to meet international standards and therefore increase chances of financing.

We will work with storytellers/writers in a progressive development model which will bridge the skills gap between current provision and international artistic excellence .

The programme consists of a residential training programme in Scotland, which will help writers of some film experience to develop their projects, and for some, to maximise their chances of gaining entry to Binger Filmlab training programme.

There will also be two public events with seminal speakers from the film world to inspire writing for screen in Scotland. Participants in the Screen Writing Residency will take part in master classes with those seminal speakers.

Full details will be available soon at http://bit.ly/iSUIjZ

FST is delighted to announce the launch of two Creative Scotland Creative Futures Residencies:

Arts and the Economy
Arts and Equalities

Bursaries of up to £11,500 are available for each area to support an individual to carry out project in the area of Arts and the Economy or Equalities. Applicants may come from any sector within the Arts and Creative Industries, or be individuals working in the field of economics or an equalities specialist.    

Creative Futures is an ambitious programme of residencies and related activities designed to promote the professional development, vision, connectivity and ambitions of Scotland’s creative practitioners and organisations.

For more details on how to apply, visit http://bit.ly/lDUmJS

ScreenHI are looking to contract with an aspiring editor familiar with Final Cut Pro.  This is a freelance contract being offered over six months, delivering a variety of offline and online content connected with the many projects ScreenHI are involved with.  

To express an interest in this contract, email ScreenHI at info@screenhi.co.uk and they will provide further details about the opportunity.

The UK's only MA degree in Television Writing has been devised by practicing industry experts, SHED Productions (Waterloo Road, Bad Girls, Footballers’ Wives) and Glasgow Caledonian University.

The one year course is tailored to honing your writing skills, developing your awareness of the television industry in this country and abroad, and introducing you to powerful players in the media who will help you throughout the course, and after.

You’ll become familiar with the world of TV fiction writing through working with two very experienced television writers Ann Marie Di Mambro and Chris Dolan who have written for television shows including Eastenders, Casualty, Taggart, River City, Holby City, Inspector Lynley Mysteries and a number of stage and radio plays.

You will also have a deep practical knowledge of writing both original and commissioned scripts, an awareness of how the industry works, and a black book full of crucial contacts as well as industry standard calling card scripts.

All successful students will also benefit from a year with one of London’s top agencies - McFarlane Chard & Co. (sponsored by Shed).

They're open for applications for September 2011 now. They ask for a writing sample, of not more than three items (short stories, extracts from plays or novels etc. and screenplays of course) which don't have to be published or performed.

Applications will be considered until the end of August.

They have a number of scholarships available from prestigious awarding bodies including Shed Productions, BBC Writers Room, Television Alba (for Gaelic speakers).

For more information on the application procedure, visit http://bit.ly/mz0edS

ScreenHI is going on the road this Spring and Summer to show off their fabulously talented filmmakers.  They will have a screening tent at some of the biggest festivals in Scotland including The Wickerman Festival, Belladrum Tartan Heart and Loopallu to showcase the best of Scottish short films made in the last 18 months.   Kicking off with the Celtic Media Festival in Stornoway later this month, they will also be visiting the Knoydart Festival and some further, as yet, unconfirmed events.

If you'd like your film to be considered please get in touch with ScreenHI on info@screenhi.co.uk

Encounters is one of the best-known showcases and meeting points for emerging talent, and is now the UK’s leading gateway to the world’s most prestigious short film awards.

Encounters accept short films from all over the world completed from 1 Jan 2010, under 30 minutes in length from every genre: animation, live action drama, documentary, experimental and music video, and does not have a premiere policy.

For more information, contact info@encounters-festival.org.uk

To submit, visit http://bit.ly/fOrsqj

The International Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation organises and administers the worldwide exchange and educational programs of The International Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. It has its own Constitution, Officers, and independent Board of Trustees.

Each year, the Foundation awards the Sir Peter Ustinov Television Scriptwriting Award. The competition is designed to motivate non-American novice writers under the age of 30, and to offer them the recognition and encouragement that might lead to a successful career in television scriptwriting.

The winner will be flown to New York City to be presented with an award and a US$2,500 prize at the International Emmy World Television Festival on November 19, 2011. The winning script will be read by actors in front of an audience at the Festival, and the winner will be invited to take part in the red carpet festivities at the 39th International Emmy Awards on November 21, 2011.

To enter, you will need to create a completed half-hour to one-hour English-language television drama script suitable for a family audience.

To find out more and apply, visit http://bit.ly/jWwb2d

Get ready to take a bow. Tell British Airways your brilliant idea, and with Richard E Grant as your scriptwriting mentor, it could be your film being seen by an international audience of millions.

London will be transformed by the arrival of the Olympic Games in 2012. They want you to write an original story/script for a short film that takes its inspiration from this extraordinary event and tells of the changes it will bring about in people's lives. The film will be shown on flights in the run up to, and during, the London 2012 Games, while an edited version will also be shown as a pre-landing film.

Full details are available at http://bit.ly/mFN5DJ

IdeasTap, the online arts and funding organisation, has teamed up with Sky Arts to launch a new bursary for young artists. The Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund will offer five young artists £30,000 each to fund their work for a full year. The fund is open to artists aged 18-30 living in the UK and Ireland, and is designed to bridge the gap between formal education and becoming a working artist.

The Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund is open to individual artists working in visual art, theatre, performance art, film, music, dance or literature. The scheme will also provide each artist with a mentor from Sky, who will help develop their skills and knowledge in the arts and commercial sector. The artists will also have the opportunity to showcase their work on Sky Arts – be it on TV, online or on demand.

The deadline for applicants is 19 September 2011. Two winners will be selected during this round of funding. The next round will open in early 2012 from which three further winners will be chosen.

For more information, and to apply for the Sky Arts Ignition: Futures Fund, please visit http://bit.ly/lLvV25

Production company Squarebox Yellow - with access to funding and distribution - are searching for their next project. If you have a feature length script you are looking to get produced then please get in touch with them on mara@makingugly.com

For examples of their work please visit http://bit.ly/gPOsz4

Events

Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Festival
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland
Dates: 15 - 26 June 2011

June 2011 marks the 65th Edinburgh International Film Festival.

In 2011, in its 65th year, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is not applying for senior citizenship. Rather, it has grasped both the opportunity and necessity to have a long look in the mirror. It is thrusting its chin out, boldly reinventing and reinvigorating itself, taking the first long strides into its future.

At EIFF’s core is the 60+ feature film programme, proudly offered to the passionate, loyal, local die hard fans of the ‘ Edinburgh’ film - those which thrill and delight, challenge perceptions of what cinema can do, are shown with filmmakers in attendance in unique, exciting presentations, and those which may never see a UK cinema screen again.

To find out more about this year's programme, visit http://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/

The Investment Surgeries are an opportunity for you to meet Creative Scotland staff who will be able to give you face to face tailored assistance with your inquiries about their Investment Programmes. They will be held around the country and will be scheduled regularly.

Two surgeries are currently planned with more to be confirmed. 

Thursday 7 July 2011
9.30 – 10.30am
An Lanntair Arts Centre
Kenneth Street
Stornoway,
HS1 2DS 

Thursday 28 July
12 – 1pm
Dundee Contemporary Arts,
152 Nethergate,
Dundee,
DD1 4DY

To register and for more information, visit http://bit.ly/mxEZrL

Most meetings will start off with a short Industry Talk and Question and Answer session, followed by workshopping of scripts and outlines in the second part of the evening.

Meetings are suitable for everyone with an interest in learning about Screenwriting, from those with no experience at all, to working professionals. Bring along work on the night and each piece to be workshopped should be no more than 10 pages.

For details of all the meetings, visit http://bit.ly/e1EHtW

A series of workshops for film writers, directors and actors for development and feedback.

Write Camera Action meet on the third Monday of each month at The Centre for Contemporary Art, 350 Sauchiehall St, Glasgow.

For more details, visit http://on.fb.me/lRHlPF

Screenwriting Courses and Events
Euroscript
Location: London
Dates: Ongoing

Euroscript’s goal is to facilitate the production of highest quality marketable screenplays for film and television. Euroscript comprises a team of experienced and diverse industry professionals including producers, working screenwriters, script consultants and film-makers

Training is at the heart of the Euroscript programme. They offer a wide range of courses and events to help develop your screenwriting, marketing and networking skills no matter your level, using experienced industry practitioners giving personal feedback on your work.

Euroscript offer a diverse range of: Day and Weekend Courses, Evening Courses, Project Development Workshops and Free Events

For all upcoming courses and events, please view the Euroscript monthly calendar http://bit.ly/h9BcMv

Writers' Factory @ Playwrights' Studio, Scotland
CCA, 350 Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow, G2 3JD
Telephone: 0141-332-4403 Textphone: 0141-332-3208
info@playwrightsstudio.co.uk www.playwrightsstudio.co.uk
Charity No: SC036767