ScreenPlay First Look

Here’s an interesting opportunity/development tool for anyone who’s got comedy scripts knocking around and is unsure about a) quality and b) how to go about getting a production company to read them. ScreenPlay Productions welcome new writers and have set up a brand new peer review system to help encourage emerging talent. ScreenPlay are on the level, are genuinely interested in discovering new talent and are worth at least having a look. Here’s what Chief Executive Jan Jung has to say about it all:

Hi,

We thought we’d let you know about our new writing initiative >First Look<.  It’s a peer-2-peer review and advice programme.  It is meant to give new writers an opportunity to learn from reading other writers’ good and/or bad scripts, and through involvement in the review process learn how to separate and focus on the essential ingredients that make a good script better.  

From the many new writers we’re in contact with, some will undoubtedly become the stars of tomorrow. This programme will help speed up writing skills development for people who haven’t yet had a commission.  All you need to do is to get involved with the reading/reviewing of peer-writers’ scripts to get a chance of having your own scripts read by our development team. 

There’s no catch, it’s free, and by signing up you become part of a writing community much closer to the production people here at ScreenPlay. The good scripts that filter through the process and tickle our sense of humour can be put in front of the Commissioning Editors very quickly if there’s no need for a rewrite.  If they like it too, Bob’s your uncle. 

Look at the website ScreenPlay First Look and go through the detailed explanation there.  If you’d like to become a partner with the programme please follow the instructions on the site – OR send an email to first.look@screenplayproductions.ltd.uk with your name, title(s) of most recent script(s), and please put ‘First Look’ in the subject line to register. Once we’ve processed your registration you’ll be issued with a username and password.  When logged in you can start the evaluations immediately and be on your way to have your own scripts assessed.  Feedback is monitored and if your script gets a high average score, we’ll pay serious attention to both you and your work.

We’re very excited about this new initiative.  Commissioning Editors we’ve spoken with think it’s a great idea too, and participants will undoubtedly find it useful to get an opportunity to measure their work against the level of scripts available from like-minded programme partners.

There’s a build-in copyright protection service in the programme, and many of our fellow comedy producer colleagues have already been given login access to follow the progress.  This is your opportunity to do something different to get a head start in the very competitive world of comedy writing.

Best wishes

Jan Jung

ScreenPlay Productions Ltd.

Opportunity

Here’s a potential short film opportunity – who knows, it may even become a feature film opportunity by next year?

Anyway, being the kind soul I occasionally am, I thought I’d pass this on to you lovely people:

Hi

I’m a director currently working for a small award winning production house called Link Productions who have agreed to make a few short films for me to direct this year and a feature in 2010. At the moment I’m looking short dark dramas on underprivileged teenagers/teenage pregnancy issues/broken families/gun crime maybe etc … domestic stuff.

Anyway if you think this is up your alley let’s talk or even better if you have already something to show I’m all ears.

This is my show reel and some of my films:

www.shootingpeople.org/cards/NathanTheys

And you can contact me here:

nathantheys (-at-) yahoo.co.uk

Cheers

Nathan Theys

Oh, and by the way – if you’re reading this in two years time, he’s probably not still looking for short scripts.

Wiggins, pay attention at the back

I just got asked if I want to run a sketch writing workshop. My answer was an immediate and resounding … don’t know.

I’ve never really thought about it before. Do I want to teach? Am I even capable of teaching? Why would anyone want to be taught by me?

I don’t even know what goes on in a workshop having never attended a single course, workshop or seminar.

Or at least none about writing; I’ve been to quite a few Kung Fu seminars, but I doubt wannabe sketch-writers would be very pleased if I marched into the room and got them kicking each other in the head.

Or maybe they would? I have no idea. Do writing workshops normally erupt in controlled violence?

I guess I have several problems with the whole teaching thing:

1. I’d have to commit to being somewhere on the same day every week for ten weeks. Ten weeks! I don’t know if I’ve got that kind of commitment in me.
2. I’m not convinced I have anything useful or interesting to say on the subject. They’re looking for ten three-hour sessions. Thirty hours! I can sum it all up in two words: be funny. And short. Four words, I can sum it up in four words.
3. I don’t want to be one of those teachers I regularly take the piss out of. You know, the ones who can’t actually write anything. I think maybe teaching is something you should do at the end of your career, after you’ve finished learning. I’ve read scripts by writing teachers and known instantly I never, ever want them telling me anything. The other day I saw an ad by some university teacher looking for someone to write his ideas for him – basically, I can’t write, can someone do it for me? Do I really want to join their ranks?

On the plus side: it would be some extra cash; I might be helping someone achieve their dreams; and I’m deluded enough to think I might actually have something useful to say.

But still, do I really want to be a teacher? What if it’s successful and leads onto more teaching? Is that really the road I want to go down?

After much deliberation … I still don’t know.

Help.

Writing Competition

I just got sent details about a competition to find 10 ‘thirty minute’ plays for radio.

I’ve no idea if anyone is interested in this or not, but the details are all here.

Short scripts wanted

FOR THOSE OF YOU FINDING THIS POST VIA A SEARCH ENGINE, PLEASE NOTE THE DATE - 14th AUGUST 2007 – I DOUBT MICK IS STILL LOOKING FOR SHORT SCRIPTS.

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You lucky people, here I am, giving away leads for free. If anyone’s got a 10 minute film script they want made, or even an idea they can write up quickly, then you could do a lot worse than get in touch with this guy:

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I’m going to be shooting several short films over the next year or two. I used the TriggerStreet forum a few years back and hooked up with a very successful writer with whom I collaborated on a short film which is in post as we speak. The initial purpose will be to show it to the execs at “CSI” where I work as the sound mixer, but I will also enter whatever festivals I think will be advantageous to forwarding my aspirations as a director.

I’m looking for synopses that involve three people or less and that have some action, flashbacks and a twist in the tale. I will contact whichever writers’ synopsis appeals to me and my producing partner and we’ll go from there. I am researchable at all the film sites so that you can ascertain my credibility and I look forward to submissions and ideas at mfproductions@bigplanet.com.

Thanks in advance,
Mick Fowler

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He’s a nice guy, he is who he says he is and he can do what he says he can. If you’ve got a suitable short film, drop him a line. I’ve worked with him, and it was a very pleasurable experience.