Factory News
Upcoming Writers' Factory events

Opportunities
Screen writing competitions and other opportunities

Events
Screen writing events and classes

E-BULLETIN: March 2010

Welcome to the Writers' Factory's E-Bulletin for March 2010.

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@playwrightsstudio.co.uk by the end of the first week of each month.

Events
Write, Camera, Action
Short Cuts To Comedy Writing
MA Television Fiction Writing
The L.A.B. - Learn @ BBC Scotland
Screenwriting For Short Film Course
Further Steps In Screenwriting
Sitcom Saturday - Short Sitcoms Wanted
Comedy Hijack
Lancashire Writing Hub
Writing Low Budget Films
Script Reading and Assessment
Writing For Television
Screenlab: Structure for Screenwriters
Write A 10-Minute Short In One Day
Comedy Writing - Beyond A Joke
Stories For Screen
Writers' Lab
Read more...

Factory News

The Writers’ Factory is funded by Scottish Screen and the Scottish Arts Council and is coordinated by the Playwrights’ Studio, Scotland. For more information about The Writers' Factory, please visit the website
www.writersfactory.co.uk

This long-awaited 22 week intensive evening class will have its first run at the CCA in Glasgow in Spring 2010.

Devised by UK screenwriting guru Phil Parker and intended for committed screenwriters, the course is heavily workshop based and includes new thinking on the craft, particularly relating to the central importance of genre and theme.

The workload for participants will be significant throughout the 22 weeks, the aim being to move from idea to completed rough draft feature film screenplay within a supportive developmental environment. Ideally, participants will begin the course with a new idea rather than reworking extant material.

The course will be taught by writer, director Eleanor Yule in collaboration with Scottish Screenwriters.

Cost: £550

Scottish Screenwriters are administering this course and if you have any query about eligibility, or would like to enquire about participation please contact Jerry Brannigan jerry@passengerproductions.co.uk or John McShane mcshane.john@gmail.com

If you’ve a head full of ideas but are pushed for time, this course is for you. It’s an express version of the Introduction to Screenwriting course and runs over two non-consecutive weekends. Writers Factory tutors devised the course content in response to demand from new writers who have been unable to attend the full version but want a rigorous overview of the craft from industry professionals. Over the two weekends, you’ll develop a premise and outline for a five to ten-minute screenplay.

Cost: £150 (£115 Concession)

To book your place on the course please visit http://www.essama.org/content/writers-factory-express

If you’ve already written several short film scripts and are confidently aware of and able to utilise basic screenwriting principles, then this is a great opportunity to build your skills and portfolio through writing longer format (up to 30mins duration) screenplays. Or you may want to develop your ten-minute screen work more fully.

This course was devised after much demand from emerging professionals. Designed to follow directly on from the Introductory Screenwriting course, the Intermediate programme is workshop-based and uses peer-to-peer review and feedback sessions with experienced industry professionals in conjunction with lectures and short film screenings. Don’t let your ideas sit there. Get them working!

Cost: £250 (£200 Concession)

To book your place on the course please visit http://www.essama.org/content/may-20-writers-factory-intermediate-screenwriting

Opportunities

Scotland : Write Here, Write Now
BBC Scotland
Location: Scotland
Deadline: 26 March 2010

As part of the Scotland Writes initiative, the BBC Scotland Comedy department is launching a brand new competition – SCOTLAND: WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW – to seek out the country’s most exciting new comic writers.

The competition is open to Scottish and Scottish-based writers. They want you to write the opening 10-15 pages (no more than 2000 words) of a contemporary comedy drama or a sitcom. Set your script in Scotland with at least one Scottish character in the cast. They want to hear a contemporary Scottish story, whether it’s from Oban, Orkney or Edinburgh.

Email your script sample to bbcscotlandcomedy@bbc.co.uk by Friday 26th March 2010. accompanied by a completed application form, which can be downloaded from the BBC Writersroom website www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom

Alternatively post your script sample and completed application form to Scotland: Write Here, Write Now, BBC Scotland, Comedy Department, Zone 2.12, 40 Pacific Quay, Glasgow, G51 1DA. If you do not have access to the internet then please send the following information (typed) along with your script: name, address, date of birth, email address, contact telephone number & confirmation that you were either born or are resident in Scotland.

For more information, visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/writersroom/opportunity/scotland_write_here_write_now.shtml or the Scotland: Write Here, Write Now Facebook page at www.facebook.com/scotlandwriteherewritenow

IdeasTap has launched Ideas Fund Shorts, £40,000-worth of funding to help young people realise short film projects. Recognising the wealth of talented young filmmakers in the UK, IdeasTap is offering eight awards of £5,000 each for the most original, engaging ideas. Entries must be for films no longer than five minutes and can include documentaries, conceptual pieces, trailers for features, music videos, fashion films and animated shorts.

Aiming to make the funding process easier for young people, the Ideas Fund is dedicated to providing opportunities for up-and-coming talent.

For more information and to apply please visit www.ideastap.com

Screen Story Competition
Euroscript
Location : London
Deadline : 31 March 2010

Winners of the Euroscript Screen Story Competition write three drafts of their script within a specified time period.  Working one-to-one with a script consultant they receive as much face-to-face and written feedback as is required to complete each of the three drafts.  Once each draft is complete, they receive a full script report, usually running to five or six pages, together with an annotated script.  At the end of the process they are offered marketing advice

To find out more, visit http://www.euroscript.co.uk/about_competition.html

European Entrepreneurship Video Award 2010
Location: Europe
Deadline: 9 April 2010

The European Commission is encouraging enterprising film lovers to prove their creativity and skills by producing a short video that deals with the following questions: What is entrepreneurship all about? What could encourage people to become entrepreneurs? What could counteract old prejudices and offer new visions of entrepreneurship?

All you need to do is produce a short video (one to two minutes) in the category of your choice by 9 April 2010, upload it on the internet or mail it to the organisers and register on their website. For terms and conditions, news on the jury and Q&A, please visit http://ec.europa.eu/enterprise/policy/entrepreneurship/video-award/index_en.htm

Do you want to write for film or television? How do you go about learning the best way to tell your stories in script format? What books (and scripts) should you read? Do you need to do a degree in scriptwriting or can you do short courses? Who should you submit to and what should you submit? Are film and television writers different from novelists?    

This Masterclass will answer all these questions and more. So if you want to write for film or television, don’t miss this event with a distinguished panel from film, TV and books.

Cost: £40 including VAT

To find out more, visit http://www.londonbookfair.co.uk/page.cfm/Action=Seminars/SeminarID=112

For the fourth year running the Muslim Writers Awards is calling out for creative, interesting, and exciting submissions from writers across the country. All entrants must be Muslim and work should be submitted in the English Language. Submissions do not need to be centred on topics of Islam or Muslim identity, however this is equally welcome.

The screenplay category accepts short films (10-20 pages), feature-length scripts (over 60 pages), and TV episodes (30 pages).

To find out more and apply, visit http://muslimwritersawards.org.uk/submit-work/unpublished-categories

Experienced script editor Hayley McKenzie would like to invite new and emerging writers to visit her new website.
 
Hayley is keen to help writers to improve their scripts and also to help them to develop their skills and move forward as professional screenwriters.
 
Hayley has over ten years experience as a script editor in the UK television industry.
 
To find out more please visit her website www.scriptangel.co.uk

Script is delighted to announce a programme of screenwriting activity over the next few months. The programme is funded by Screen WM and delivered in partnership with Red Room Films, Animation Forum West Midlands and Hello Digital.

The programme is aimed at writers who would like to develop their skills and learn the tools of the trade.  It offers a wide variety of opportunities for writers to hone their skills with input and support from writers and producers currently working in the industry. 

Delivered at venues across central Birmingham, the programme is an ideal opportunity for writers to get to grips with the film-making industry in the region and to further develop their careers.

For further information and booking details, visit www.scriptonline.net/screen.html  or contact Script at catherine.edwards@scriptonline.net 

If you’re looking for work as a screenwriter, story editor, comedy writer – or even work within movie and TV production – take a look at the Screenwriting Goldmine Blog.

The pages take ads from quite a few internet sources, and should automatically update as the vacancies are posted.

To find out more, visit http://www.screenwritinggoldmine.com/

Events

Write Camera Action
Location: CCA, Glasgow
Dates: 18 January - 17 May 2010, 6pm - 9:30pm

Write Camera Action is a series of unique workshops bringing together writers, directors and actors in an informal environment to enhance their skills and learn from each other.

Running on the third Monday of the month in 2010, anyone with a passion for film is welcome. Come along, be inspired, get practical hands on experience and have FUN!

Adult: £5.00, Students / Consc / GMAC Members: £3.00

Venue: CCA 1 / CCA 4 (cinema) / CCA 5 / Cafe/Bar / Clubroom

Ages: 18 and over

To find out more, visit http://cca-glasgow.com/index.cfm?page=236B7D10-868E-4F86-A306909B378E5655&eventid=13F23A5E-7576-1045-AD6912B7FF189280

Writing comedy is often said to be ‘1% inspiration and 99% perspiration’.

The aim of this workshop is to show how the comedy writer’s mind works once he’s had his 1% of inspiration for the day! The workshop provides a professional’s practical approach to writing jokes and comedy sketches for radio and TV.

Delivered by Niall Clark (Senior Script Editor - The Comedy Unit)

Tickets £5.

Visit http://www.gla.ac.uk/services/gilmorehillg12/whatson/?action=details&id=5171 for more details.

It focuses both on writing and analysis, as these are essential skills for a career in the television industry. Successful students will graduate with both a masters degree and at least one project or script ready to take to market. Competitive, industry-sponsored scholarships are available.

To find out more, visit http://www.gcal.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/courses/television-fiction-writing-8997.php

Do you want to make a film, TV programme or try audio podcasting? Come and try a workshop at the L.A.B. - Learn @ BBC Scotland

Contact The L.A.B. on 0141 422 7896 or labscotland@bbc.co.uk or visit http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/learning/lab/ for more information.

Delivered by Joe Hepworth, Screenwriter and Visiting Lecturer at the Northern Film School, this course provides the chance to develop your short film script from concept through to first draft. There will be regular screenings and discussions of short films to help understand the genre, and the opportunity to expand on the basic screenwriting principles covered in the introductory sessions. There will also be an opportunity to speak to specialists at regional screen agency Screen Yorkshire to find out what to do with your finished script. For more information call 0870 70 10 201.

This course is for writers interested in building on their existing screenwriting skills (including those who have completed the Introduction to Screenwriting course), and who are interested in learning how to develop a feature idea.

This course will run for 8 sessions. For more information visit the website at  http://www.lighthouse.org.uk  

RealDeal Theatre will again be bringing together writers, actors and directors for the live rehearsed readings of six fifteen-minute sitcoms, with the aim of introducing new audiences to the best new writing. The fourth Sitcom Saturday will take place at Westminister Library, London on 12 June 2010.

They are accepting scripts from writers aged 16 years and over between March 1 and March 31 2010. Please do not send scripts outside these dates. Scripts should be sent to scripts@realdealtheatre.org.uk

For further information, full rules and links to making sure your script is for a sitcom and not a short play see http://realdealtheatre.webs.com/events.htm

This is a unique opportunity for writers to try out ideas with a professional creative team and test-drive new comedy writing. Big Telly is looking for writers who are interested in trying their hand at writing comedy to take part in a ground-breaking project which gets short pieces professionally produced and performed in front of a range of audiences.

Introductory Workshops (15 – 20 March)
Designed for writers at any level and which focus on theatrical processes, styles and the art of writing comedy. Writers are then invited to submit ideas for plays or short samples of writing.

Rehearsals (21 st – 28 th April)
Five shortlisted writers come together with the director, dramaturg and four professional actors to each develop a short piece which will be rehearsed and put together as part of a series of extracts.

The Comedy Hijack (29 th April, 30 th April, 1 st May)
These pieces are then performed at hijacked events for unsuspecting audiences already assembled for a completely different purpose – for example conferences, Country and Western Nights and student lectures

There will be an opportunity to discuss the project after the last performance, and to talk to the company about possibilities for the future. The company is also working closely with the development manager of Kudos /Generator films, who are particularly keen to develop comedy writers for TV.

Cost: £10 (£5 concession)

For more information, please email admin@big-telly.com or visit http://www.big-telly.com/workshop_comedyhijack.html

A series of 3 professional development workshops led by experts in the field who will provide you with insider information about your chosen topic.

17 March: Marketing yourself as a writer: Web 2.0 for Writers
Jacob Sam-La Rose is a working poet, workshop tutor and web consultant. During this two hour workshop, he’ll guide you through the basics of getting online and marketing yourself as a writer.

24 March: Planning, Funding and Managing projects for writing and the arts
David Gaffney is a published writer who also devises, funds and manages writing projects – including one person show at Edinburgh Festival and a live literature promenade project at a railway station. During this session, he’ll introduce you to the nuts and bolts of the topic from initial proposals to managing the money and working with producers.

29 March: Next Steps - finding freelance writing work in the UK
Sophie King is a nationally recognised novelist, freelance writer and columnist. Writing under the name Jane Bidder she’s written for many national newspapers, and during this workshop, will introduce you to the secrets of finding freelance writing work through pitching, networking and getting commissions.

Places are free but strictly limited. Priority will be given to attendees from Lancashire.

For more information, visit www.lancashirewritinghub.co.uk

Creative Lancashire’s full site can be seen her www.creativelancashire.org

Writing Low Budget Films
Euroscript
Location : London
Date : 20 March 2010

There is a greater demand than ever for scripts that work really well at low budget level both for cinema and for TV. In this one-day workshop, you will learn how to develop scripts that work to maximum effect with minimum money and become a much more powerful - and employable - writer as a result.

Visit http://www.euroscript.co.uk/lowbudget.html to find out more.

Script Reading and Assessment
Euroscript
Location : London, UK
Date : Tuesdays 23 March - 20 April 2010 6.15pm - 9.30pm

This five-session course will give students a full grounding in script assessment, looking at dialogue, characterisation, structure and genre, and suggesting ways of deciding whether or not these are working in a given script.

Students will be given a strong sense of the opportunities offered by script reading in the UK and the ways in which readers can extend their range into editing and development. By the end of the course students will have a portfolio of reports in a variety of formats to demonstrate their skills to prospective employers.

Cost: £215 (£195 concessions)

For more information email ian.long@euroscript.co.uk or telephone 020 8455 6166.

Day School with Michael Chaplin, Debbie Horsfield & John Yorke to be held on Saturday 27th March at Newcastle University. The course runs from 10am to 4pm and lunch and refreshments are included in the cost.

For more information see the website: www.ncl.ac.uk/ncla

ScreenLab: Structure For Screenwriters
Euroscript
Location : London, UK
Date : 10 April 2010

In this stimulating one-day workshop you will see what effective structure means in practice and what it can offer a cinema feature, TV drama or series, with personal feedback to help you strengthen your work.

Places are strictly limited to ensure maximum opportunities for participation and feedback.

Cost: £85 (concessions £75)

For more information, visit http://www.euroscript.co.uk/structure.html

Write A 10-Minute Short In One Day
Euroscript
Location : London
Dates : 16 May 2010

Intensive, concentrated and hard work, this workshop will drive your characters and plot through brainstorms, exercises and rigorous feedback so that you'll leave with the first draft of a fully-tested idea.

If you are currently stuck on your short film script, please bring it along to the workshop. If you aren't working on anything at present, you will brainstorm new ideas for a script.

Cost: £85 (£75 concessions)

For more information, visit http://www.euroscript.co.uk/ten_minute_short.html

Focusing on developing exciting new approaches to the classic sitcom format, this course will encourage writers to cultivate a strong, individual comic voice. Tutored by Graham Duff and James Payne, along with guest David Nobbs. There will be practical sessions involving brainstorming, table readings of students’ work and polishing of scripts. It will also focus on the key stages of getting your script from raw idea to final draft.

Cost: single room - £595, shared room - £545

For more information telephone 01422 843714 or email lumbbank@arvonfoundation.org

Beginners and more experienced screenwriters alike will benefit from this course which will take students through the development process from first idea to complete script. The cpurse is led by Jez Butterworth and Allegra Huston, with guest Patrick Marber. You will explore all aspects of storytelling on screen with workshops, discussions and screenings of films to help students develop their original scripts or adaptations.

Please note, this course is fully booked. Please contact the Arvon Foundation if you would like to be put on the waiting list or to discuss other courses.

For more information, please call 01409 231338, or email totleighbarton@arvonfoundation.org

The University of Bolton is developing a writer's programme in association with a number of production companies in the North West (AbbottVision, Red Productions, Lime Pictures,  BBC writersroom, LA Productions, Made In Manchester, R.S.J. Productions). This is a scheme for writers that want to develop their skills working in an industry context.  Writers will develop an original script as well as learn about team writing and producing.

In order to develop the scheme effectively we are offering free places to 16 new writers from the North West.  This pilot scheme will put writers into direct contact with the best TV, radio and web producers in the region. 

Who can apply for this scheme?

The scheme is open to writers based within the North West region who have already had a script commissioned or had a professional reading of their work (for any platform, film, radio, stage, TV or the web) or had material published.  You will be expected to be able to work effectively on scripted material from the start of the project.  This is not a scheme for beginners.

Applicants must be over 18 and not in full-time education.

If you wish to discuss the project further, please contact the University of Bolton on infowriterslab@bolton.ac.uk  Alternatively,  you can speak to Jane Stuart on 01204 903331 or Anna Zaluckzkowska on 01204 903237.

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